MESA, Ariz. _ White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez was in manager Rick Renteria's ear all day Friday and Saturday morning, asking to return to action for Saturday's game against the Cubs, his former organization.
General manager Rick Hahn said Saturday morning Jimenez was "pushing Ricky hard," but they opted to give him an extra day to recover from the left knee tendinitis that had sidelined the top prospect since the opening week of Cactus League games.
"If it was a regular season game we probably would've handled it differently the last few days," Hahn said. "But why not take the time when we have it?"
Just when you thought the Sox had no sense of drama, Renteria finally acceded to Jimenez's wishes and put him into the game to pinch hit in the eighth inning. Jimenez responded with a two-run, opposite-field home run on an 0-2 pitch to give the Sox a brief 4-3 lead in a game that ended in a 4-4 tie.
So what happened?
"I wasn't (going to play)," Jimenez said through the Sox interpreter. "But I insisted to Rick and he said: 'You know what? Let's do it.' I think that was because the energy, the good vibe (at Sloan Park). I was hassling him during the whole game."
Jimenez was mobbed afterward in the dugout and later said he appreciated that "they didn't throw anything at me." Inside the clubhouse, Avisail Garcia and Jose Abreu greeted the home run with glee, and starter Lucas Giolito stopped his interviews with reporters to watch a replay.
"Pretty cool," Giolito said. "You see him in the dugout smiling over there. He's got an ear-to-ear grin. ... Look at that. (Opposite field). Awesome. When you go against your former club, there's always that little bit of fire in the belly."
Asked by a TV crew if it were a dream come true, Jimenez tried to restore calm.
"No, not yet," he said. "When I reach the majors and play against them, that's when I'll live the dream."
Jimenez conceded he was excited about the homer, but added: "As I said before, the best is to come."
