Report: Giants told hotels to refuse room service for Panda

The Giants were so determined to keep Pablo Sandoval's weight from ballooning during road trips that they told the hotels to refuse him room service, according to a Comcast Sports Net reporter.

The Red Sox's benched third baseman, who is in the second year of a five-year, $95 million contract, is on the disabled list with a shoulder strain, which some speculate is fake.

Comcast Sports Net's Sean McAdam reported Friday on the "Toucher and Rich" show that when Sandoval was with the Giants, the team made sure he couldn't order room service.

Here's what he said, via Deadspin:

"I'll tell you another anecdote. This is how concerned the Giants were when he played for them ... they would make special arrangements at the hotel the Giants were staying in to not allow him to order room service. They would tell the front desk management, 'If he calls down for room service at night after games, do not send anything to this room.' They went to great measures to try to cut down on those eating binges, and it would only work for a time because he would find someplace to get food."

Snackers gonna snack.

McAdam said Sandoval worked hard to get in shape in the offseason, spending many hours in the gym, but couldn't tame his voracious appetite.

"Look, I'm not even playing a doctor on the radio this morning," said McAdam, "but it certainly seems like this guy has some sort of significant eating disorder, because if you're putting that much time in at the gym, and it's supervised, and it's all programmed out, and then you walk into camp, the way he did, you must be eating an awful lot to counteract the work you're doing."

Sandoval's personal trainer Ethan Banning told the Boston Herald on Friday that he intervened to make sure the Giants didn't see Panda's portliness after he returned from a 2011 Christmas vacation in Venezuela. He had gained 21 pounds in 21 days.

Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence celebrate their eighth-inning score off a Juan Perez triple during Game 5 of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence celebrate their eighth-inning score off a Juan Perez triple during Game 5 of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 39 Caption Close Report: Giants told hotels to refuse room service for Panda 1 / 39 Back to Gallery

They feared that had the Giants found out just how far his spare tire had expanded, they might have balked at a contract.

By working with Banning, Sandoval slimmed down — and got a $17 million deal in January 2012.

But this spring he arrived at Red Sox camp heavier and now has lost his starting job to Travis Shaw. Sandoval hates sitting on the bench, hence the speculation that he faked his injury.