As the Sox continue their exciting, nail biting race to 100 losses, there’s a player development issue that isn’t getting the attention it deserves. That’s because it helps define the complete failure of the Sox player development process at both the minor and major league levels, and also tarnishes what has long been thought of one of prior management’s few trade successes.
Eloy Jimenez has played over 100 games, has over 400 at bats…and has 17 home runs.
This is the guy who has long been considered untouchable; one of the two jewels stolen from the Cubs; the guy who is going to turn into a steady 40 homer, 100-plus RBI hitter. The guy Kenny held on to and traded Jake Burger instead. The guy whose bat has been considered so valuable that we can overlook his terrible fielding and baserunning. If only he could play a full season, he’s an MVP candidate.
Well, Eloy will end up playing in about 120 games this year and with probably 450 at-bats. Maybe, if he gets hot, he’ll hit 20 home runs. Maybe. Think about that. All of these years we have been waiting for a full season from Eloy; he gives us almost that and this is what we end up with? Year in, year out we sacrifice a roster spot that could have been used for a ballplayer who could actually function in the three main phases of the game, and we get this? What happened to Eloy and where did the power go?
I have always said with respect to Cease and Eloy that Theo Epstein was no fool. He knew what he had in these two guys. He knew their limitations and sold them high. PS-don’t look at Q’s production in the years since the trade and look at Cease’s. The Sox received two talented but challenged players and simply could not refine their skills to become the players everyone hoped that they could become. Now their trade value has been substantially diminished and can no longer expect to bring in the haul of prospects Sox nation once had hoped.
17 is such a lonely number, but it says everything about the player evaluation and development that are helping the Sox reach 100 losses.
