海角社区官网

Bold on the basepaths, with the speed and instinct to beat out an infield hit.

There isn鈥檛 much聽not聽to like about Andr茅s Gim茅nez, the glossy, top-dollar get by Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins this off-season.

To appreciate the quality 鈥斅燼t least defensively聽鈥� of Gim茅nez, one need only cast a glance at how the Cleveland Guardians fan base and baseball beat cadre reacted to the Dec. 9 trade that brought the Venezuelan to Toronto: shock and outrage. One correspondent rued the loss of what he called the best second baseman in the club鈥檚 history since the Roberto Alomar era.聽

Colour聽Gim茅nez among the stunned.

鈥淥f course it took me by surprise,鈥欌�� he told 海角社区官网journalists in a Zoom call Wednesday. 鈥淏ut later I was excited to be in Toronto.鈥欌��

Also during the half-hour conversation, when he spoke at times in his own quite decent English or through interpreter Tito Lebron, the sweetest answer possibly ever in a virtual scrum, to what he likes about his new club: 鈥淚 love the colours of the team.鈥欌��

I mean, that鈥檚 touchingly childlike.

Having struck out in the Juan Soto sweepstakes聽鈥� the Jays swing and whiff a lot with the glitziest of bright, shiny objects聽鈥� Atkins pivoted to his happy place: run prevention. Although D-fence also translates into D-flated and D-spair for Jays Nation.

Presumably Atkins isn鈥檛 done yet shape-shifting a roster with multiple holes to fill, including an overhaul of the bullpen. Surely and primarily the desperate need is for an outfield big bopper on an outfit drained of power; only four teams hit fewer home runs last season.

Gim茅nez聽brings no lively bat with him and clearly the Guardians had given up on seeing that聽guy again, the breakout聽Gim茅nez of 2022 with the .297 batting average, 69 RBIs and 46 extra base hits. Mostly, skinflint Cleveland wanted to be rid of his big gob contract. The Jays were willing to peel off a $10.5-million (U.S.) wad in 2025, $15.5 million in 2026, and more than $23 million annually from 2027-29.

The personable 26-year-old left-handed swinger actually got off to a promising start at the plate last spring, hitting .280 in March/April, but he hit just .172 in June and finished at .252.

鈥淚n the summer, my production went down a little bit,” he said. “To be honest, especially during the season, it鈥檚 kind of hard to make big changes, especially when your team is winning a lot of games. Everybody was playing good, so you want to make sure you concentrate on the defence to help the team somehow.鈥欌��

He鈥檚 addressing the holes in his bat now.

鈥淓very year the pitchers are getting better. They always try to find your weak spot. It鈥檚 more working on my mechanics and my approach. It was a little bit out of control through the season. That鈥檚 what I鈥檓 working on in the off-season, where I can put everything together, mechanics-wise and my approach.

鈥淚 think I can very be very successful if I can find (all) that.鈥欌��

But savour the upside of his glove skills, particularly after bemoaning the defensive ineptitude of the players who gaffed their way through second base last year, blunders that frustrated the heck out of the pitching staff.

鈥淢y mindset is the same: I try to help the pitchers. Obviously by that I鈥檓 going to help the team to win. We鈥檝e got a couple of great guys on defence.鈥欌�� Dalton Varsho most notably. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to be with those guys. I think we鈥檙e going to have a lot of fun out there.鈥欌��

The fleet feet, stealing and baserunning disposition should also bring an element of thrill the Jays have been lacking.

鈥淚 consider myself a very aggressive baserunner. I always try to put myself in the best position for whoever鈥檚 hitting at the moment. Sometimes it鈥檚 going to work, sometimes you鈥檙e going to get out. But I鈥檓 always going to stay aggressive on the bases.鈥欌��

Among the new teammates who have already reached out to him is shortstop Bo Bichette, with whom Gimenez is eager to start honing the double play at spring training. The prospect of the Jays moving Bichette before he arrives at free agency brings on ventricular fibrillation. But Gimenez, who played shortstop through the minors, does provide insurance. Not an issue he was keen to explore, though.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not very easy for me to adapt at shortstop. It鈥檚 not an easy position. So I鈥檓 not going to tell you yes. But if the team needs me for any reason, I鈥檒l do the best I can.鈥欌��

His superior best, at second, is enough for now.

鈥淏eing able to learn something ever single day,鈥欌�� he concluded. 鈥淚 feel like that鈥檚 going to take you to the level that you want. It can be on defence, it can be the mental side of the game聽鈥� just get one per cent better every day.鈥欌��