April 30, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) celebrates with Hunter Pence (8) after hitting a two run home run in the ninth inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re Pablo Sandoval, it might be a good idea to stop, drop and roll because the hefty Venezuelan is on fire. Seriously. Watch the guy closely and you’ll see a trail of smoke tailing the guy and it’s not fart dust from Jose Mijares.

After hitting a game winning, two-run behemoth of a bomb off Arizona Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz last night, a ball which still may be in flight, Sandoval collected his fourth straight multi-hit game but that doesn’t take into account just hot hot Sandoval has been.

In those past four games, Sandoval has 11 hits in his past 18 at bat’s but the streak is even more impressive if you take into account his week prior where, outside of two hitless games, Sandoval had another stretch where he went 7 of 16. Overall, since April 20th – a stretch of nearly two weeks, Sandoval is 18 of 34 (a .529 average) and if you take out his two hitless games in that period, he’s 18 of 43 otherwise – a .418 average.

More than just the average though is just how Sandoval is hitting. Pitchers literally can’t get him out. He’s taking pitches at his eyes and sending them over the outfield walls. He’s taking pitches inches from bouncing in the dirt and sending them into the corner for doubles. Pitches that are a good eight inches outside, he somehow finds a way to make solid contact with.

Looking at Sandoval’s ESPN Hit Zone chart from the past thirty days, the Giants’ third baseman has FIVE zones outside of the strike zone where he’s hitting .400 or better – a stat that even Vladimir Guerrero would be envious of.

Enjoy the hot streak folks – just don’t get burned.

Feb. 24, 2013; Mesa, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) warms up in the batters box during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Hohokam Park. The Cubs won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve never been a firm believer that one had to be “fit” to be successful in Major League Baseball. You can run down a list of talented players who were continually bordering on excessive weight issues that found themselves among the league leaders in hitting, playing in multiple All-Star games or even in some rare cases, being enshrined at Cooperstown.

That said – recent comments from the San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan certainly aren’t going to sit well with some, who may share a differing opinion.

The seemingly oft-injured Panda told Passan that he’s aware of his weight struggles, but doesn’t feel he necessarily needs to fix them right this moment as he has a few years to work down to a smaller frame:

“I’ve got this year and next year to change all the things,” Sandoval said. “It’s going to take me a while, but I can do it. I know I can do it.

“You need to learn. You need to grow up. You need to step up and know the difference between what you can do and what you can’t.”

We all remember what a success “Operation Panda” was, though, it was short-lived and Panda quickly regressed to his former self – be it a few pounds even heavier, despite the Giants’ front office and Bruce Bochy continually barking at the overweight but seemingly nimble third baseman.

In fairness, the numbers, when Panda has been on the field, have been impressive but staying on the field hasn’t been easy as he’s only played 225 games the past two seasons. The injuries have been more freak in nature than a direct result of his weight, but you do have to wonder how Sandoval’s injury history will progress as he grows older and continues to play at a hefty weight.