Patience is starting to pay off for Gilroy native Chris
Gimenez.
Added to the Cleveland Indians’ 40-man spring training roster in
December so the club could avoid losing the 26-year-old prospect to
the Rule 5 draft, Gimenez is currently battling for a spot on the
opening-day roster, which will be trimmed to 25.
What’s allowing Gimenez to have a shot at making the club isn’t
one particular skill set. Rather, it’s Gimenez’s versatility that
is allowing him to remain attractive.
GOODYEAR, ARIZ. – Patience is starting to pay off for Gilroy native Chris Gimenez.
Added to the Cleveland Indians’ 40-man spring training roster in December so the club could avoid losing the 26-year-old prospect to the Rule 5 draft, Gimenez is currently battling for a spot on the opening-day roster, which will be trimmed to 25.
What’s allowing Gimenez to have a shot at making the club isn’t one particular skill set. Rather, it’s Gimenez’s versatility that is allowing him to remain attractive.
“I’m not really the greatest speed option off the bench, but I feel like I could plug a hole,” said Gimenez, who has been rotating between first and third base, catcher and the corner outfield spots. “I could play every day and never play the same position twice.”
In the first two games of spring training, Gimenez has gone 0-for-2 at the plate with one walk. More opportunities should be forthcoming, though, as the Indians lose two players – Mark DeRosa and Grady Sizemore – to the World Baseball Classic beginning next week. Both players occupy positions Gimenez could fill, which should give the versatile ballplayer a better chance to see the field.
“They told me when I got to camp it was between me and two guys for the 25th spot on the roster,” Gimenez said. “I guess I’ll get a better idea (where I’m at) when a week or two passes and I see how many at-bats I’m getting.”
If it’s not now, it could be later in the season Gimenez hears his name called. Injuries over the course of a 162-game schedule are hardly uncommon, and Gimenez put up solid numbers in 54 games for the Triple-A Buffalo Bison last season, hitting .272 and knocking in 19 runs.
Going from the University of Nevada-Reno to Class A Kinston to this point in the span of just a few years, Gimenez credits his climb to learning how to approach the game as a professional.
“Honestly, it’s really just maturity,” he said. “Even though I was 22, which is somewhat mature age-wise, baseball-wise I’ve learned so much about myself and the game compared to the 23 years before that.”
That growing maturity has also translated into off-the-field developments, as Gimenez recently got engaged to his longtime girlfriend Kellie Burton. The couple, which met at UNR, plans to get married after the season.
“I’m thrilled. I got a winner,” Gimenez said. “She’s absolutely amazing and she’s so supportive of what I do.”
By the time Gimenez calls Burton after games, he said, she already knows how he played by either watching it on television, listening on the radio or scouring the Internet for statistics.
“With the whole distance thing, she’s been phenomenal,” he said.
Things are going about as well Gimenez could hope for. Now it’s just a matter of time.
“I really feel if I’m healthy, I’ll be up there sooner or later,” he said.
