Giants reportedly out of Pablo Sandoval race. (Or not.)

The San Francisco Giants are apparently out of the Pablo Sandoval sweepstakes, leaving the Red Sox with a "90 percent chance" to sign the third baseman according to Dennis O'Donnell of CBS San Francisco:

Giants Falling Out Of Pablo Sandoval Hunt With Red Sox Now Overwhelming Favorites " CBS San Francisco http://t.co/S24UPoBORg

— Dennis O'Donnell (@KPIXSPORTS) November 19, 2014

The Giants and Red Sox have long been the two big players in the Sandoval race, so where does that last 10 percent lie? With the Toronto Blue Jays, apparently, who remain on the periphery, with O'Donnell noting that Canadian tax rates will make it hard for them to win out in the end.

While earlier estimates had been higher, recent reports have put the contract talks in the vicinity of five years and $90 million which, while no small chunk of change, is also not unreasonable for a player of Sandoval's caliber in the current market. O'Donnell suggests that Sandoval's side requested a seven-year deal from the Giants specifically because they were not his first choice.

It's worth mentioning that not everyone is so convinced that Sandoval is Boston-bound, as Jon Heyman says that not only the Giants and Jays, but also the Padres and White Sox are in the mix, with Sandoval collecting offers to attempt to bring San Francisco's offer up. And then there's Sean McAdam, who chimes in with this:

Was just told - emphatically -- by a major league source that the SF report of the Giants being out on Sandoval is "NOT'' accurate.

— Sean McAdam (@Sean_McAdam) November 19, 2014

Yes, folks, the Hot Stove season is here in earnest. The San Francisco Giants are 100% out of the Pablo Sandoval race unless, of course, they're not.