SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Tampa Bay Rays Store . -- San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is thin and happy. He showed up at the Giants spring camp a few days ago after a winter of rejuvenation in his native Venezuela. He refined his nutritional intake, got in shape and played a little ball in the Venezuelan Winter League. The result is a noticeable weight loss. How much is up for debate -- he would not divulge how much he has dropped when he met with the media. He has been listed at 240. He said reports that the weight loss reached 40 pounds were incorrect. As for what is behind the transformation --he had a similar one between 2010 and 2011 - Sandoval said it doesnt necessarily have anything do to with the fact that his three-year, $17.15 million deal expires after the season. Sandoval said he would be open to discussing an extension before the season begins. General Manager Brian Sabean indicated recently the Giants also might be willing to make something happen. "Im not going to say no. If it happens, it happens," Sandoval said. At 27, he is entering his prime. "Im happy with myself and want to come out and show my talents," he said after hitting .278 with 14 home runs and 79 RBIs in 2013, a year in which he spent some time on the disabled list. "People say I can do a lot better. I just want to show that I have grown up and that I take my job seriously. But I really dont care what other people say." Unless those other people happen to be teammates. Sandoval said he talked to a handful of teammates toward the end of last season about his approach. They included starting pitcher Matt Cain, catcher Buster Posey and outfielder Hunter Pence. "I feel blessed to hear from those guys. When a former MVP (Posey) says something, you listen," Sandoval said. Pence said he did not speak his mind in a critical tone. "I dont think I got on him. I just encouraged him. Hes the one who did all the work," Pence said. "Were just thrilled to see him come in at the weight he has." Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he also talked to Sandoval at the end of the season. "Sometimes its like being a parent," Bochy said. "You tell one of your kids something, and it goes in one ear and out the other. Sometimes it means more coming from a peer. "He knows that he can do many things on the baseball field. He has to be consistent, have discipline every day. It is easier when you were 21-22-23 years old and now you have to put more work into it." NOTES: A portion of the pitchers did some conditioning and threw bullpen sessions on Saturday. Most of the others, including starters Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum and closer Sergio Romo, will take their turns on Sunday. "No radar guns, just working on stuff," Bochy said . . . Posey and the catchers also were able to take a few hacks in the batting cage . . . Pence said most of the players are coming to camp with an edge. "We dont believe what happened last year is who we are," he said . . . the team has announced that beginning this (regular) season, all fans entering AT&T Park will be screened with metal detectors. This complies with Major League Baseballs mandate that all teams begin using metal detectors by the start of the 2015 season. Rays Jerseys 2020 . Pressley missed all of last season with Cincinnati because of a knee injury, but the 5-foot-10, 249-pounder had been expected to fill a need on Clevelands roster. Tampa Bay Rays Pro Shop . A criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court said his girlfriend told police they got into the argument early Thursday at his suburban Minneapolis home. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/ . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s.With the second round of the NHL Playoffs set to begin, heres a look at a handful of players that might provide good value in the Playoff Hockey Challenge, a contest in which you set your lineup under a $100 salary cap. Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles (Cost: $6.8) - After scoring a point-per-game (1 G, 6 A) against San Jose in the first round, Doughty appears to be at his best, which means hes as valuable as any defenceman in the game and Doughty comes at a cost of $0.9 less than top-priced P.K. Subban and the same price as Matt Niskanen and Andrei Markov. Dougie Hamilton, D, Boston (Cost: $4.7) - The second-year blueliner is emerging as a bigger contributor, getting more power play time late in the regular season and into the playoffs, putting up four points (1 G, 3 A) in five games against Detroit in Round One. Hamilton isnt yet as productive as the top defencemen, but hes dramatically cheaper, which could allow for more roster flexibility elsewhere. Paul Martin, D, Pittsburgh (Cost: $4.6) - Opened the playoffs with four straight two-assists games, playing big minutes on the Penguins blueline, including the power play. For the same price as Robyn Regehr and Raphael Diaz? Yes, please. Justin Williams, RW, Los Angeles (Cost: $5.8) - Consider the Kings a good vvalue team going forward, but Williams, who tied Anze Kopitar for the team lead with four goals, and led the Kings with 21 shots on goal in Round One, costs less than MatT Moulson, Nick Bonino, Brandon Saad or Reilly Smith (among many others). Andrew Kittredge Rays Jersey. Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston (Cost: $6.6) - Produced an efficient five points (1 G, 4 A) in five first-round games and is one of the games premier two-way talents. He also has 17 goals and 43 points against Montreal in his career, tying for his best against any team, so grabbing Bergeron for the same price as Reilly Smith or Patrick Maroon is a gift. Bryan Bickell, LW, Chicago (Cost: $3.4) - If youve maxed out your budget and are left perusing the bargain bin, dont overlook Bickell, who had three points (2 G, 1 A) in the first round, while ranking third on the Blackhawks with 19 shots on goal. Hes back on the wing with Jonathan Toews, so for the same price as Justin Fontaine or Teemu Selanne, Bickell offers a favourable alternative. Click here to set your Playoff Hockey Challenge roster for the second round. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '