FORT MYERS, Fla. -- A day after fellow owner and team chairman Tom Werner gave conflicting answers about Pablo Sandoval's physique, Red Sox principal owner John Henry provided his own perspective on the third baseman's conditioning.
In his annual spring training address to the media, Henry said he was told that Sandoval's body-fat ratio this week measured at 17 percent.
Sandoval, of course, has come under criticism from the media and some fans on social media for his conditioning.
Manager John Farrell noted weeks ago that he believed Sandoval had lost "20 or so pounds,'' but Sandoval appeared to be overweight when he reported to camp last weekend.
"The main thrust of his offseason program was about agility and conditioning,” said Henry. "The only thing I will say is that he came in with a body-fat ratio of 17 percent, substantially down from last year. That's what we were looking for.”
Henry said he was unsure of specific numbers from last year, saying only that he was told that Sandoval's body-fat ratio was greater than 20 last fall during his exit physical.
"I don’t know for a fact,” he said, “but I was told it was 21.”
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But, having waded into the controversy, Henry moved to changed the subject on Sandoval's body shape.
"I’m not going to talk about his weight,” he said. “I understand you’re focused on that, but I’m more focused on his ability to play third base.
"I know the focus is on his weight. But our focus was on his ability to field the ball and throw the ball, hit the ball. He has six weeks, as does everyone else, to get in first-class playing shape. That's what spring training is about. I have every expectation that he will."
Henry's comments came a day after Werner first told a group of reporters that Sandoval was following a plan outlined by the Red Sox and suggested that the controversy was overstated.
But less than an hour later, Werner, asked on WEEI whether he was disappointed by Sandoval's appearance when the infielder reported to camp, answered: "Yes, I was (disappointed).''