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Pablo Sandoval Says He's 'Ahead Of Schedule' In Recovery

By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Some of the Red Sox's success in 2017 hinges on the health and performance of third baseman Pablo Sandoval. That's a bit frightening - but in light of how Sandoval looks and how hard he appears to be working at the start of Spring Training, maybe the former World Series MVP is ready to assuage those fears.

It's understandable if you have already given up on Sandoval after his complete toilet-flush of a season in 2016, which ended in early May after he has surgery performed on his left shoulder. Yet with no incentives to improve his ballooned weight, with not much motivation to better himself other than personal pride, Sandoval has arrived at Ft. Myers in perhaps the best physical shape he's been in since he signed with the Red Sox in the fall of 2014.

The third baseman is feeling good now that he's getting work in against live pitchers - in fact, he says he's ahead of the curve.

"It's exciting. Like I said before, when you get to home plate - especially when you lost [2016] completely - when you step up to home plate facing live pitchers ... you're going to feel great," Sandoval told reporters in Ft. Myers on Wednesday. "[After] missing a year, facing those guys, having good results ... it's ahead of the schedule for me, that's what I feel."

Sandoval repeatedly insisted that he is not being limited or bothered in any way by his surgically repaired shoulder or any other part of his body. He's also been working hard on getting back to full strength on both sides of the plate, meaning he will remain a switch-hitter in 2017 despite what's expected to be a constant need for left-handed hitting in the Red Sox lineup.

John Farrell is expecting Sandoval to surprise people even with his fielding, as he told reporters on Wednesday - in a series of pre-programmed directives that only Farrell could muster.

"I think with the body composition he's currently got, we would expect to see and [be] hopeful to see an increase in range," said Farrell. "Maybe some better foot quickness, better body control ... I think those would be a natural progression to what he's gone through."

That's just not how human beings talk.

But after sifting through Farrell's "Carmine" impression, it's clear that the Red Sox are holding Sandoval back and that Sandoval isn't holding himself back. Again, he had no good reason to work this hard except to live up to his contract and prove his critics wrong. I'm willing to see what he can do in his chance for a bounce-back season - in fact, I'll go ahead and predict that Sandoval has his best offensive season since 2011, when he batted .315 with 23 homers and 70 RBI.

If the Red Sox want to be anywhere near the level they were at on offense in 2016, they'll need Sandoval's presence doing damage in the middle of the lineup. He appears to be doing everything he needs to do to get back to his early-career levels; for Red Sox Nation, it's best for everyone to root for him to make that happen.

Whether he's ahead of schedule or not.

Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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