Jones: Is Pablo Sandoval Focused On Baseball Or Instagram?
BOSTON (CBS) -- If you've thought to yourself that some players on the Red Sox have looked rather disinterested this season, you're probably right.
Look no further than Wednesday night.
Pablo Sandoval, who has been swinging a hot bat lately as the owner of an eight-game hitting streak -- including 10 hits in his last five games, appeared to be more interested in his Instagram account than Boston's 5-2 loss to the Braves on Wednesday.
Sandoval went 2-for-4 in the loss, his fifth straight two-hit game during his streak, but 98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones thinks the offseason addition is having a tough time with the Boston market.
"I thought he would be able to at least field his position and handle the Boston market. Clearly, those two things have not been the case," Jones said Wednesday night. "I'm legitimately nervous he can't throw to first base... which is a pretty routine thing for most guys at the big league level.
"Is it a physical thing or a mental thing? I tend to think it's more mental, and I think that goes back to the market getting to him a bit," added Jones.
That mental aspect was compounded during the loss, as it doesn't appear Sandoval is completely invested in his team during games -- an observation that has been made on numerous other players on the 25-man roster. Barstool Sports' Jared Carrabis noted during Wednesday's game that Sandoval was doing a little Instagram surfing:
"Is it even him? We'll never know," said Jones. "I'm sure he'll come up with an excuse about loaning his phones to one of his buddies during the game. Is Sandoval in the dugout or is he ducking into the clubhouse and checking his phone? Is he not invested in the game?"
Jones thinks this behavior goes back to the lax ship John Farrell and Boston ownership are running at Yawkey Way.
"Are players so unafraid of the repercussions from the manager and the organization that, not only are they not going out and trying hard, giving it their all and listening to their manager, fighting and standing up for each other," said Jones, "That on top of it, they're going to be on social media in the middle of the game?
"They're so unafraid of being held accountable that Sandoval can run to his phone in the clubhouse, pop through a few of @Diva_Legacy's pictures and say, 'Oh, I like that one. Oh, I like that one too.' Then he goes and butchers a ball in the field the next inning? That is pathetic."
Jones said this is a long way from the "Chicken and Beer" debacle of 2011, but is a great view of the 2015 season as a whole.
"No this obviously isn't as bad. It's not as orchestrated," he said. "But it's kind of the same idea if it was Sandoval that did it. Guys aren't out there watching their teammates, picking up their teammates. They're more worried about doing their own thing."
