GLENDALE, Ariz. — As bad timing would have it, the White Sox’ Cactus League game against the Giants Monday was not televised or streamed online.
A radio description from Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson on AM-720 was available, but the only video to be seen of of Luis Robert patrolling center field and speeding from home to third on a triple, or of Eloy Jimenez playing next to Robert in left field, or Yoan Moncada making a nice play at third base and finishing a triple with a head first slide was from phones distributed on social media.
“Days like yesterday, those are what we need,” said Brooks Boyer, White Sox vice president for sales and marketing.
Afterward, Jimenez was calling Luis Robert “La Pantera,” which is Spanish for “The Panther.” The chiseled 6-3 Robert, who looks like he would turn heads at an NFL scouting combine, flashed his blazing speed after hooking a two-strike slider from lefty Derek Holland into the left field corner.
“Ridiculous. He is super fast,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez, 22, is the Sox top outfield prospect and he will play in the majors this season. Robert, 21, is the Sox’ next best outfield prospect (per MLB Pipeline’s ranking Jimenez is third overall and Robert is 40th) and he will not, although next season would seem to be a reasonable possibility depending on what he shows this summer.
With so much attention on the Sox last week surrounding their finishing second to the San Diego Padres in the free agent sweepstakes for Manny Machado, it was good for franchise morale to have them alongside each other, showcasing a glimpse of the future.
“We had two divergent marketing plans,” Boyer said, “one with [Machado] and one without. The great thing is, the one without is still pretty darn good.”
A vocal, almost distraught fan base has lashed out against Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for not converting on Machado. The Sox say criticism is not warranted, citing a guaranteed $250 million offer with incentives taking it to $320 million. Fans say losing to the Padres, who won Machado over with $300 million guaranteed, is unacceptable.
“Everyone knows this would have sped up the plan,” Boyer said. “But it didn’t happen. But now you look at what you have here, we still feel we’re still on plan.’’
Jimenez is a large part of it and is someone Boyer and his staff can work with. He’s personable, engaging, and, unlike Robert, Moncada, Jose Abreu, is conducting interviews in English.
“It’s really fun when you play in the same lineup with the guys you will play with in the future,” Jimenez said Monday without an interpreter.
“I know the future is going to be awesome.”
Boyer wouldn’t say what the projection for ticket sales was had Machado been signed, but without him, “we are pacing ahead of where we thought we were going to be because we’re staying on plan.”
Of which Jimenez is a big part. The Sox are being clear about what they have in mind for Jimenez, batted fourth in the lineup.
“He’s ultimately going to be a No. 3 hitter, possibly a No. 4,” manager Rick Renteria said. “That’s what he profiles out to be.”
Jimenez struck out swinging in the first inning — his second whiff in as many spring games — but finished 1-for-3 with a smash infield single and a stolen base. Second baseman Nick Madrigal, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft, also got in the game. The day before, outfield prospect Blake Rutherford went 3-for-4 with a double.
Moncada, 23, beginning his second full year, has four hits in two games. His development is also a key to the future.
Robert knows there is a buzz surrounding the Sox’ young talent.
“It always feels good when you are playing around young guys here that have talent and everybody is talking about us,” Robert said. “For us, it’s always good to have good games and just to think about what we can be able to do when we reach the majors all together. It will be very special for us.”
