It continues. White Sox minor-league star Eloy Jimenez is still in the minors after Leury Garcia entered the 10-day DL with a strained hamstring. Ryan LaMarre was raised to the big league club on Monday instead and White Sox fans on social media immediately reverted to complaining. But, ESPN’s Bruce Levine — the prickly and wise old Chicago sage — sent a message to fans that will buoy spirits for at least the next week.
.@MLBBruceLevine expects #WhiteSox prospect Eloy Jimenez be called up soon, possibly as early as this week.
— Mully And Haugh (@mullyhaugh) August 6, 2018
Unless Bruce has inside information that the White Sox plan on dumping an outfielder to open a roster spot for Jimenez, I don’t think the young slugger is in Chicago by the end of the week.
The media swoons over Jimenez
The rumors and speculation around Jimenez make a great media narrative to stir up conversation in a season where the White Sox are depressingly bad, yet the losses were not unexpected and they have improved in the second half. They just swept the Tampa Bay Rays and logged their first four-game win streak of the season. I mean, progress is progress.
After the trade deadline, Rick Hahn gave the now infamous “checklist” speech about the few boxes left that Michael Kopech and Jimenez have to check before they are called up. Many fans cast of their naivete and called out the statistical facts: Jimenez is batting .444 over his last 10 games, posted a .435 average in July at Triple-A, and has blasted eight home runs with a 1.104 OPS in Triple-A since being called up in late June.
Yes, he is very close to earning a promotion as White Sox director of player development Chris Getz mentioned yesterday on the Hit and Run show. But shouting about stifling Jimenez’s development by keeping him down in the minors is nonsense.
#WhiteSox director of player development Chris Getz stated @HitAndRun670 Jimenez is "really close" to getting called up. Here's the entire conversation with @BarryRozner: https://t.co/2C3k4ShgPP
— Mully And Haugh (@mullyhaugh) August 6, 2018
From what we know about how the White Sox and other organizations operate in bringing up young players, it is unlikely that we will see Jimenez in the majors this season. Getz said earlier in the season that they have benchmarks for every player in the minors they must hit (those pesky boxes ready for check marks) and given the Sox state of the rebuild, these two facts don’t equate to burning major-league service time on Jimenez this season.
How do you want it?
And despite many believing Jimenez has nothing left to prove in the minors (just like the same people did in May when Kopech threw cold water on every opponent for a month) he has only played 29 games in Triple-A. Yoan Moncada spent more time in Triple-A than Jimenez has and by all estimations, Moncada was a toolshed that couldn’t miss. Well, he has struggled mightily this season and the irrational few who are calling for YoYo to be demoted to Triple-A are probably the same few squealing to bring Jimenez up.
Player development is much more complex than evaluating physical ability and tossing players into the deep end of the pool. There is much, much more to the process, and while I agree that Jimenez appears ready for a big-league promotion, I also understand that less time in the bigs this season means more time in the majors next season.
There is no reason to bring the kid up this year. He has torn up Double-A and mounted an assault on Triple-A pitching staffs that seems unfair. Still, I think he will play at least 50-100 games in Triple-A before he is called up. There are 27 games left in Charlotte’s regular season and although I am resolute in holding Jimenez down, I wouldn’t be surprised if the White Sox brought him up in September.
But remember, whatever you get this year will be taken off the beginning of next season. Which way do you want it?
