December 26, 2018 7:18 PM PST
At least one person is confirmed to be ready for Eloy Jimenez
to join the Chicago White Sox.This person is Jimenez
himself [url=http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/cooper-kupp-jersey]Cooper
Kupp Jersey Elite[/url] , who wrote in an essay for The Players' Tribune:
"I'mbeyondready."When the 21-year-old鈥攚ho's a top-three prospect for Bleacher
Report, MLB.com and Baseball America鈥攚ill get the call to Chicago remains a good
question. Although the White Sox have promoted prized pitching prospect Michael
Kopech, they remain noncommittal on when they're going to call up their future
slugging star from Triple-A Charlotte."We're judging each individual based on
what's best for them," general manager Rick Hahn told reporterson Aug. 20. "As
for Eloy, he's going to remain in Charlotte at this time and continue on the
path that he's on."But whether it's this September or next spring, the Eloy
Jimenez Show will be coming to The Show soon. To get an idea of what it will be
like, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are two good comps to start with.Here's
a hint as to why:That's Jimenez flashing literal light-tower power in the High-A
Carolina League's 2017 Home Run Derby, when he was just weeks away from being
traded from the Chicago Cubs organization to the White Sox organization in the
Jose Quintana deal.The 6'4", 205-pounder's power is typically rated as a 70 on
the 20-80 scouting scale.That's a rare gift, and its existence isn't confirmed
only by the eye test or the 40 home runs he's slugged over the last two minor
league seasons.Jimenez's exit velocity was clocked as high as 119.4 mph at the
Arizona Fall League in 2016. If not for singular appearances by David
Freese [url=http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey]http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey[/url] ,
Eric Hosmer and Gary Sanchez, that would be exclusively Stanton-and-Judge
territory among major league hitters.And yet, comparing Jimenez to the two most
powerful sluggers in Major League Baseball is a little too easy. As an
all-around hitter, he's more of a Miguel Cabrera. Or, if equating him to one of
the greatest hitters ever is a bit too much, at least a J.D. Martinez.Mark
Cunningham/Getty ImagesStanton and Judge share a similar approach in that
they're conservative (see here and here) with their swings. Beyond guiding them
to their extreme power outputs, this also results in their share of walks.
However, it frequently leads them deep into counts and puts them under constant
threat of striking out.CabreraandMartinez, on the other hand, are more
aggressive hitters who've typically operated with above-average swing rates.
Such approaches are easy to frown
upon [url=http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey]Womens
Phillip Lindsay Jersey[/url] , as they risk too many ill-advised swings at bad
pitches.Yet, this approachcost neither peak Cabrera nor present-day Martinez in
thepower department. They've also typically avoided extremestrikeout
rates鈥擟abrera certainly more so than Martinez, although the latter is improving
with age鈥攁nd trafficked in high batting averageswithout sacrificing manyfree
passes.Aggressive hitters don't typically check all these boxes. What makes
Cabrera and Martinez exceptions to the rule is how they're wired to put good
swings on the ball.Each boasts simple hitting mechanics that keep his head
still, hands back and hips closed. They also display a willingness to let the
ball travel. These things allow them to read and track pitches better than most.
From there, it's about turning their uncanny knack for getting the barrel to the
ball into regular contact and effortless power.Which brings us back to Jimenez,
who looks cut from the same mold.Although he does have a good eye for the strike
zone, his 6.9 minor league walk percentage is evidence that he prefers to swing
the bat than to work counts.He's nonetheless a .313 career minor league hitter
who's peaking with a .370 average at Triple-A.His swing offers some clues into
how he does it:Jimenez's timing device is a little leg kick that falls well
below those of Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista in extremity. He also keeps his
head, hands and hips steady as the ball travels to the plate.Thus, he is able to
stay on a low-and-away breaking ball. And with the help of his sheer strength
and quick bat speed, he doesn't need to swing out of his shoes to knock it over
the right field fence."I just try to hit the ball on the
barrel [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]Cheap
Kerryon Johnson Jersey[/url] ," Jimenez said in July, per Steve Lyttle of the
Charlotte Observer.In theory, a hitter like this should difficult to fool
anddifficult to contain. Lo and behold, that's exactly what Jimenez is in
reality.To wit, his combination of a low strikeout rate (12.3 percent in
Triple-A) and high power rate (.250 ISO, which measures extra bases per at-bat)
make him an outlier among fellow International League hitters:Data courtesy of
FanGraphsAnd whereas Jimenez tended to favor his pull side through his first
four professional seasons, he's unlocked the whole field in 2018:Image courtesy
of MLB.comThe obligatory "yeah, but..." with Jimenez is that he doesn't figure
to have much value outside the batter's box.He runs only about as well as you'd
expect of a guy his size. Between that and his allegedly poor throwing arm, he's
best suited for left field duty. Down the road, he may have to be knocked down
to first base or designated hitter.But if he hits the way he
should [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey[/url] ,
his limitations will be easy to overlook. After all, it's not every day that a
Cabrera- or Martinez-like hitter who A) has a dangerous bat and B) knows how to
use it comes along.Of course, Jimenez has to actually come along first. Since
he's ready, it's just up to somebody in the White Sox front office to pick up a
phone. Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and MLB.com. Tim Tebow's
pursuit of a spot in the major leagues will reportedly likely continue in
2019.New York Mets assistant general manager John Ricco revealed toNewsday's Tim
Healey that the organization expects the former Heisman Trophy winner to return
for a third professional baseball season."I'm sure that's his last impression of
himself," Ricco told Healey. "I'd be surprised if he didn't want to continue."No
word on what level the organization plans to have him start at in 2019.After
struggling between two levels of Single-A (.226 average in 126 games) in his
first professional season in 2017, Tebow spent the 2018 season with the
Double-ABinghamton Rumble Ponies鈥攁nd enjoyed some success. The 31-year-old hit
.273/.336/.399 with six home runs, 14 doubles, one triple and 36 RBI in 84
games.His solid performance earned him a spot on theEastern League All-Star
team. He went 1-for-4 with a double in the showcase game.Unfortunately, his
season was cut when he suffered abroken handin July. That ended any and all talk
of him possibly receiving a September call-up in what has been a lost season for
the Mets.New York has given Tebow at-bats with the big-league squad during
spring training in each of the past two years. While he is just 5-of-45 (.111
average) [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]Authentic
Kerryon Johnson Jersey[/url] , it does give him a chance to face advanced
pitching. Plus, it brings fans to the ballpark.As long as Tebow is healthy
coming March 2019, expect the Mets to give him more at-bats during the spring
and see if he can build on the success he had this past season.While the critics
will point out Tebow's numbers are nothing to go wild about, especially for a
player of his age, it is important to note that he made major improvements from
his first season to his second, and did so at a higher level. He still has a
long way to go to prove he deserves a shot in the majors, but it appears as
though he will have at least one more season to chase his dream.
At least one person is confirmed to be ready for Eloy Jimenez
to join the Chicago White Sox.This person is Jimenez
himself [url=http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/cooper-kupp-jersey]Cooper
Kupp Jersey Elite[/url] , who wrote in an essay for The Players' Tribune:
"I'mbeyondready."When the 21-year-old鈥攚ho's a top-three prospect for Bleacher
Report, MLB.com and Baseball America鈥攚ill get the call to Chicago remains a good
question. Although the White Sox have promoted prized pitching prospect Michael
Kopech, they remain noncommittal on when they're going to call up their future
slugging star from Triple-A Charlotte."We're judging each individual based on
what's best for them," general manager Rick Hahn told reporterson Aug. 20. "As
for Eloy, he's going to remain in Charlotte at this time and continue on the
path that he's on."But whether it's this September or next spring, the Eloy
Jimenez Show will be coming to The Show soon. To get an idea of what it will be
like, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are two good comps to start with.Here's
a hint as to why:That's Jimenez flashing literal light-tower power in the High-A
Carolina League's 2017 Home Run Derby, when he was just weeks away from being
traded from the Chicago Cubs organization to the White Sox organization in the
Jose Quintana deal.The 6'4", 205-pounder's power is typically rated as a 70 on
the 20-80 scouting scale.That's a rare gift, and its existence isn't confirmed
only by the eye test or the 40 home runs he's slugged over the last two minor
league seasons.Jimenez's exit velocity was clocked as high as 119.4 mph at the
Arizona Fall League in 2016. If not for singular appearances by David
Freese [url=http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey]http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey[/url] ,
Eric Hosmer and Gary Sanchez, that would be exclusively Stanton-and-Judge
territory among major league hitters.And yet, comparing Jimenez to the two most
powerful sluggers in Major League Baseball is a little too easy. As an
all-around hitter, he's more of a Miguel Cabrera. Or, if equating him to one of
the greatest hitters ever is a bit too much, at least a J.D. Martinez.Mark
Cunningham/Getty ImagesStanton and Judge share a similar approach in that
they're conservative (see here and here) with their swings. Beyond guiding them
to their extreme power outputs, this also results in their share of walks.
However, it frequently leads them deep into counts and puts them under constant
threat of striking out.CabreraandMartinez, on the other hand, are more
aggressive hitters who've typically operated with above-average swing rates.
Such approaches are easy to frown
upon [url=http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/phillip-lindsay-jersey]Womens
Phillip Lindsay Jersey[/url] , as they risk too many ill-advised swings at bad
pitches.Yet, this approachcost neither peak Cabrera nor present-day Martinez in
thepower department. They've also typically avoided extremestrikeout
rates鈥擟abrera certainly more so than Martinez, although the latter is improving
with age鈥攁nd trafficked in high batting averageswithout sacrificing manyfree
passes.Aggressive hitters don't typically check all these boxes. What makes
Cabrera and Martinez exceptions to the rule is how they're wired to put good
swings on the ball.Each boasts simple hitting mechanics that keep his head
still, hands back and hips closed. They also display a willingness to let the
ball travel. These things allow them to read and track pitches better than most.
From there, it's about turning their uncanny knack for getting the barrel to the
ball into regular contact and effortless power.Which brings us back to Jimenez,
who looks cut from the same mold.Although he does have a good eye for the strike
zone, his 6.9 minor league walk percentage is evidence that he prefers to swing
the bat than to work counts.He's nonetheless a .313 career minor league hitter
who's peaking with a .370 average at Triple-A.His swing offers some clues into
how he does it:Jimenez's timing device is a little leg kick that falls well
below those of Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista in extremity. He also keeps his
head, hands and hips steady as the ball travels to the plate.Thus, he is able to
stay on a low-and-away breaking ball. And with the help of his sheer strength
and quick bat speed, he doesn't need to swing out of his shoes to knock it over
the right field fence."I just try to hit the ball on the
barrel [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]Cheap
Kerryon Johnson Jersey[/url] ," Jimenez said in July, per Steve Lyttle of the
Charlotte Observer.In theory, a hitter like this should difficult to fool
anddifficult to contain. Lo and behold, that's exactly what Jimenez is in
reality.To wit, his combination of a low strikeout rate (12.3 percent in
Triple-A) and high power rate (.250 ISO, which measures extra bases per at-bat)
make him an outlier among fellow International League hitters:Data courtesy of
FanGraphsAnd whereas Jimenez tended to favor his pull side through his first
four professional seasons, he's unlocked the whole field in 2018:Image courtesy
of MLB.comThe obligatory "yeah, but..." with Jimenez is that he doesn't figure
to have much value outside the batter's box.He runs only about as well as you'd
expect of a guy his size. Between that and his allegedly poor throwing arm, he's
best suited for left field duty. Down the road, he may have to be knocked down
to first base or designated hitter.But if he hits the way he
should [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey[/url] ,
his limitations will be easy to overlook. After all, it's not every day that a
Cabrera- or Martinez-like hitter who A) has a dangerous bat and B) knows how to
use it comes along.Of course, Jimenez has to actually come along first. Since
he's ready, it's just up to somebody in the White Sox front office to pick up a
phone. Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and MLB.com. Tim Tebow's
pursuit of a spot in the major leagues will reportedly likely continue in
2019.New York Mets assistant general manager John Ricco revealed toNewsday's Tim
Healey that the organization expects the former Heisman Trophy winner to return
for a third professional baseball season."I'm sure that's his last impression of
himself," Ricco told Healey. "I'd be surprised if he didn't want to continue."No
word on what level the organization plans to have him start at in 2019.After
struggling between two levels of Single-A (.226 average in 126 games) in his
first professional season in 2017, Tebow spent the 2018 season with the
Double-ABinghamton Rumble Ponies鈥攁nd enjoyed some success. The 31-year-old hit
.273/.336/.399 with six home runs, 14 doubles, one triple and 36 RBI in 84
games.His solid performance earned him a spot on theEastern League All-Star
team. He went 1-for-4 with a double in the showcase game.Unfortunately, his
season was cut when he suffered abroken handin July. That ended any and all talk
of him possibly receiving a September call-up in what has been a lost season for
the Mets.New York has given Tebow at-bats with the big-league squad during
spring training in each of the past two years. While he is just 5-of-45 (.111
average) [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kerryon-johnson-jersey]Authentic
Kerryon Johnson Jersey[/url] , it does give him a chance to face advanced
pitching. Plus, it brings fans to the ballpark.As long as Tebow is healthy
coming March 2019, expect the Mets to give him more at-bats during the spring
and see if he can build on the success he had this past season.While the critics
will point out Tebow's numbers are nothing to go wild about, especially for a
player of his age, it is important to note that he made major improvements from
his first season to his second, and did so at a higher level. He still has a
long way to go to prove he deserves a shot in the majors, but it appears as
though he will have at least one more season to chase his dream.