Eloy Jimenez had a session on Monday where he spoke to the media about a variety of topics. We are starting to see lots of different White Sox players speak to different outlets about what is going on with them as they get ready for the 2023 season.
Everyone knows that the 2022 season was a disaster and it seems like some of these players know it even more than the fans. It seems as if they are offended by it and are doing what they can to make it right coming into this upcoming year which is so important for the organization.
One thing about Jimenez off the field is that he is always going to put a smile on your face. Even when things aren't going well, he is always a pleasure to be around and listen to him speak. He seems pretty motivated to be a big part of a successful season in 2023 with the Chicago White Sox.
In order for Jimenez to do that, he needs to be healthy. He has missed far too many games over the last two years and that has caused the White Sox offense to take a bit of a dip. We know how powerful he can be with his bat but he needs to be in the lineup in order to show it off.
The Chicago White Sox are hoping for big things from Eloy Jimenez.
Eloy Jimenez on Zoom with the media today pic.twitter.com/tsiwrT5uMx
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 23, 2023
Did Eloy's offseason training start early because of his World Baseball Classic participation?
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 23, 2023
"Not because of that. It’s because I really want to get better in every aspect of the game."
"... So I don't really think that I'm going to accept it, because if I'm working hard, I'm going to get better, and I want to play in the outfield."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 23, 2023
Eloy says that it's going to be weird without José Abreu this season. Asked if there are players on the Sox who can step up and lead now that Abreu is playing in Houston, he shrugs during a long pause and says, "I don't know. I don't have the answer to that."
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) January 23, 2023
As you can see from the Tweets, Eloy had a lot to say during his media session. He is a very vibrant character but it is extremely interesting to hear him talk about baseball. He touched on things like his health, playing the outfield, and his off-season training.
Obviously, the thing that he said that will get the most attention is his want to play the outfield. He hasn't been that good at playing it but not as bad as some of the other people that took it over while he was away from it. He is also just simply injury prone out there and the Sox need him healthy for his bat.
However, he seems to think that he is going to play right field next year now that he is fully recovered from his surgery. Andrew Benintendi is the next left fielder and the plan is always to have Luis Robert in centerfield. However, that will ultimately be Pedro Grifol's decision.
Eloy Jimenez has the potential to be one of the best hitters in the entire league. He just has to be on the field in order to prove it to outsiders that don't watch him on a regular basis. It was good to hear from him and we can only hope to continue hearing from him as that will mean he is healthy.