Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Complaints against officer keep coming
Kerrigan family disputes autopsy
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Winter storm warning downgraded to advisory
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
A few words from Uncle Walt
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
Singletary helps KSU dominate MAC West
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
What "We Now Know"
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
'Tecmo Bowl' recreation of Super Bowl XLIV
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 05:56 p.m. EDT, Apr 20, 2009
COLUMBUS: When he was first handed a catcher's mitt three years ago, Chris Gimenez didn't even know the proper way to hold it up as a target for the pitcher.
''I was so overmatched at first,'' Gimenez said. ''It was the simple things like holding your hand [upright] for a target, instead of turned [inward].''
Gimenez had spent his first two years in the Indians' farm system as a relatively unknown combination infielder/outfielder before the organization opted to move him behind the plate.
It took about two years, but Gimenez has transformed into a legitimate prospect, who can catch, call a game, handle a pitching staff and hit.
''I've come leaps and bounds from that first day,'' said Gimenez who is starting the season at Triple-A Columbus along with his mentor, catcher Wyatt Toregas.
''We're going to split them six for Chris and four for Wyatt over a 10-day turn,'' Clippers manager Torey Lovullo said. ''When Wyatt doesn't catch, he can DH. Chris can play outfield and DH, as well. They are two very credible catchers, and two guys who can really help out the Indians if need be.''
With Victor Martinez and Kelly Shopach in the majors and Gimenez and Toregas at Triple-A along with phenom prospect Carlos Santana at Double-A level in Akron, the Indians don't lack for catching.
''There's a layer of talent in our minor leagues right now from which there could be all-star players and certainly a lot of everyday players,'' Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said.
Gimenez remains a work in progress.
Take for example last week when he was hit in the head by the bat of Triple-A Indianapolis' Robinzon Diaz. Not to mention the stress of starting the season 0-for-21 before getting his first hit Saturday.
''My mask was all jacked up and I was so mad when I went down,'' Gimenez said. ''When I went to fix [the catcher's mask], I felt something going down my neck. It was cold and rainy, so I just thought it was dirt. But when I took off my mask, there was blood everywhere.''
Diaz's unusually long backswing caused the bat to land squarely on Gimenez's head. The impact not only cracked his helmet, but also left him with a concussion and a gash that required five stitches.
Gimenez, the Indians' 19th-round selection in the 2004 draft out of the University of Nevada-Reno, wasn't mad about getting hurt; he was fuming about missing his next at-bat and the next few games.
After his third game without a hit, Gimenez started to ruminate about the slump — a mental process that only worsened the situation.
''I was pressing,'' Gimenez said. ''It just seems the farther in you get, the more and more you try to make it happen. Then you're thinking too much about it, and start to do stuff you don't usually do to try and make it happen.''
Although his fiancee had just arrived in town for a quick three-day visit, Gimenez picked her up at the airport at 10 a.m. Saturday, promptly dropped her off at home and arrived at Columbus' new Huntington Park by 11 a.m. for the 4 p.m. home opener.
''I know it hurt her feelings a little,'' Gimenez said. ''But I said, 'Babe, please understand. I gotta go hit.' ''
Gimenez and Clippers hitting coach Jon Nunnally noticed the catcher's usual swing mechanics were off. Gimenez was getting his front foot down late and not using his hands the way he did when he batted .339 to start last season in Akron and .272 after his initial promotion to Triple-A.
By the time he followed up his hitting session with what he calls his ''tennis ball routine'' with Indians vision trainer Jason Stein, Gimenez was confident he would end his hitless streak. He did so in a big way, going 3-for-4 with a double in Columbus' 3-1 loss to visiting Toledo.
''It was nice to get back into the routine I had at spring training,'' Gimenez said.
Spring training is where Gimenez made a good impression on the organization, especially with his versatility.
''That was such a good opportunity for me,'' Gimenez said of his time in Arizona. ''I was in front of the big-league coaching staff the whole time. But I wasn't nervous because it was so much fun to have the challenge of being able to catch an inning, then go out to left field for a little bit, then move over to right. I not only pinch-hit, I also pinch-ran.
''To me, that's what makes the game so fun. It's kind of like a guessing game, like, 'I wonder where I'm going to play today?' ''
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians and Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters.
COLUMBUS: When he was first handed a catcher's mitt three years ago, Chris Gimenez didn't even know the proper way to hold it up as a target for the pitcher.
''I was so overmatched at first,'' Gimenez said. ''It was the simple things like holding your hand [upright] for a target, instead of turned [inward].''
Gimenez had spent his first two years in the Indians' farm system as a relatively unknown combination infielder/outfielder before the organization opted to move him behind the plate.
It took about two years, but Gimenez has transformed into a legitimate prospect, who can catch, call a game, handle a pitching staff and hit.
''I've come leaps and bounds from that first day,'' said Gimenez who is starting the season at Triple-A Columbus along with his mentor, catcher Wyatt Toregas.
''We're going to split them six for Chris and four for Wyatt over a 10-day turn,'' Clippers manager Torey Lovullo said. ''When Wyatt doesn't catch, he can DH. Chris can play outfield and DH, as well. They are two very credible catchers, and two guys who can really help out the Indians if need be.''
With Victor Martinez and Kelly Shopach in the majors and Gimenez and Toregas at Triple-A along with phenom prospect Carlos Santana at Double-A level in Akron, the Indians don't lack for catching.
''There's a layer of talent in our minor leagues right now from which there could be all-star players and certainly a lot of everyday players,'' Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said.
Gimenez remains a work in progress.
Take for example last week when he was hit in the head by the bat of Triple-A Indianapolis' Robinzon Diaz. Not to mention the stress of starting the season 0-for-21 before getting his first hit Saturday.
''My mask was all jacked up and I was so mad when I went down,'' Gimenez said. ''When I went to fix [the catcher's mask], I felt something going down my neck. It was cold and rainy, so I just thought it was dirt. But when I took off my mask, there was blood everywhere.''
Diaz's unusually long backswing caused the bat to land squarely on Gimenez's head. The impact not only cracked his helmet, but also left him with a concussion and a gash that required five stitches.
Gimenez, the Indians' 19th-round selection in the 2004 draft out of the University of Nevada-Reno, wasn't mad about getting hurt; he was fuming about missing his next at-bat and the next few games.
After his third game without a hit, Gimenez started to ruminate about the slump — a mental process that only worsened the situation.
''I was pressing,'' Gimenez said. ''It just seems the farther in you get, the more and more you try to make it happen. Then you're thinking too much about it, and start to do stuff you don't usually do to try and make it happen.''
Although his fiancee had just arrived in town for a quick three-day visit, Gimenez picked her up at the airport at 10 a.m. Saturday, promptly dropped her off at home and arrived at Columbus' new Huntington Park by 11 a.m. for the 4 p.m. home opener.
''I know it hurt her feelings a little,'' Gimenez said. ''But I said, 'Babe, please understand. I gotta go hit.' ''
Gimenez and Clippers hitting coach Jon Nunnally noticed the catcher's usual swing mechanics were off. Gimenez was getting his front foot down late and not using his hands the way he did when he batted .339 to start last season in Akron and .272 after his initial promotion to Triple-A.
By the time he followed up his hitting session with what he calls his ''tennis ball routine'' with Indians vision trainer Jason Stein, Gimenez was confident he would end his hitless streak. He did so in a big way, going 3-for-4 with a double in Columbus' 3-1 loss to visiting Toledo.
''It was nice to get back into the routine I had at spring training,'' Gimenez said.
Spring training is where Gimenez made a good impression on the organization, especially with his versatility.
''That was such a good opportunity for me,'' Gimenez said of his time in Arizona. ''I was in front of the big-league coaching staff the whole time. But I wasn't nervous because it was so much fun to have the challenge of being able to catch an inning, then go out to left field for a little bit, then move over to right. I not only pinch-hit, I also pinch-ran.
''To me, that's what makes the game so fun. It's kind of like a guessing game, like, 'I wonder where I'm going to play today?' ''
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians and Aeros blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Posted 09:18 AM, 04/21/2009
Where's my comment? You filter-out phrases like "screwed-up"?
Canton, OH
Posted 11:25 AM, 04/21/2009
Our catching position looks to be solid for years to come. . .
Paradise, Oh
Posted 11:38 AM, 04/21/2009
I feel for the guy. He will be around 42 years old before Shap ever thinks about bringing him up. The Indians minor league system is where players go to die.
Posted 06:06 PM, 04/21/2009
yeah this guy too is buried, let alone he is hitting .107 at columbus this year.
i met this kid in goodyear at spring training and really like him. but let's see who is ahead of him in the indians system at C alone:
1. vmart
2. shop
3. carlos santana (yes he is at akron, but let's face it he will be in cleveland before gimenez)
4. either wyatt toregas or gimenez
so basically he is either 4th or 5th on the indians depth chart at catcher.
