Get Ready For Your New Cult Hero
June 16, 2009 at 5:03 pm | Posted in A.J. Ellis, Blake DeWitt, Jamie Hoffmann, Mitch Jones | 8 CommentsFrom TBLA:
The Dodgers optioned infielder Blake DeWitt to Triple-A Albuquerque after the game on Sunday and then optioned outfielder Jamie Hoffmann to Albuquerque yesterday. To replace the two on the roster, the club recalled catcher A.J. Ellis yesterday and purchased the contract of power-hitting infielder/outfielder Mitch Jones today.
Remember how hard we pulled for Terry Tiffee last year? For some reason, I’ve always been obsessed with guys who obliterate minor league pitching, yet don’t get a chance to prove themselves in the bigs despite the cost being almost literally zero. I mentioned here a few weeks ago that Jones was going to be this year’s Tiffee, but I hadn’t gotten around yet to explaining why. Well, no time like the present, right?
Here’s why you should love Mitch Jones: because he has nothing if not absolutely absurd video game power. Oh, sure, he’ll strike out a lot – anywhere from a quarter to a third of his plate appearances the last four years, and that’s only in AAA – but he’s also leading the PCL in homers and was highest among active PCL players in SLG (Jake Fox has since been called up to Chicago). Over the last three years as a Dodger farmhand, he’s hit 56 homers… which may not sound all that impressive until you realize he did that in just 655 at-bats, or roughly a full season.
If the thought alone of having an all or nothing strikeout/homer machine doesn’t grab you, then tell me that his story isn’t worth rooting for him. He’s 31 years old, has been poking around the minors since as far back as 2000, and is still looking for his first major league appearance. While the jaded among you may say “uh, that’s because he sucks”, it goes further than that. This is from an ESPN story last season on career minor leaguers who may have missed their chance due to choosing not to take steroids:
What happened to Jones on May 19, 2006, alone ought to be worth a few mil in punitive damages. He was in Richmond when the Yankees called him up, emergency style. He raced to the airport, flew to LaGuardia, got in a cab, had to talk his way into Yankee Stadium, picked up his uniform, called his dad to tell him (“I’d always dreamed of the day I’d make that call,” Jones says), sat next to Sheffield in the dugout (oh, irony!) and … never got into the game.
Afterward, Joe Torre called him into his office and said, “Man, I hate to do this to you, but we’re sending you back down.” Jones was, naturally, crushed. But the worst part was still to come:
“I had to call my dad back.”
He hasn’t been up since.
Now Jones is in the Dodger organization, and guess who’s the Dodger manager? Torre.
Guess who’s still the Dodger manager? Joe Torre. I’m not usually one to put emotion ahead of winning games – how could I, with a soul as black as a steer’s tukus on a moonless night – but if Jones somehow has to be on yet another team with Torre and Joe doesn’t find a way to get him an at-bat here or there? I’ll have no problem with looking the other way while Mitch does what needs to be done.
Mark it: when it finally happens, when he finally gets a major league at-bat, Jones is going to hit one about 800 feet. We’ll all love him. Then he’ll strike out eleven times in a row. So it has been written; so it shall be done.
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Joe pulled back Loretta to give Jones his first shot. While he K’d on a good breaking ball in the dirt, he put up a solid AB and the crowd was as into him as Manny with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th.
I like having Jones up because he is a nice story and will absolutely brutalize a few this year. It is better still the Mitch didn’t cost a true 40 man spot, because Schmidt was finally placed on the 60 day DL.
Comment by Alireza — June 16, 2009 #
It’ll be nice to have a real power hitter on the team for a while. Hope he gets some ABs.
Comment by LAFord — June 17, 2009 #
I’ve loved Mitch Jones since he was with the Yanks (and I need to now take a shower for that statement). Like you, I love these minor leaguers who never get shots. Who’s to say he’s not the next Jack Cust? It pisses me off when a player puts up amazing numbers but because of a poor scouting report, never gets the opportunity.
I hope he can keep his hot streak going and is able to hold a spot on the roster. What better player to pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth with two out, nobody on and down by one run?
Comment by TheSleaze — June 17, 2009 #
Jack Cust isn’t THAT good. He is a terrible defensive player. So bad that Giambi has to play 1B. He is also not that great offensively. The stat heads love him because he is the ultimate TTO hitter, but all those Ks make him significantly less valuable than a guy who can actually make contact.
Anyway, Jones is different because he doesn’t walk as much as Cust but actually has more power and makes a little better contact. Makes him a better choice as a PH option when thunder is needed.
Comment by Alireza — June 17, 2009 #
I referred to Cust because they found him for nothing. They took a shot at an older minor league players who did well in the minors and it paid off. I remember Baseball Prospectus gushed over Calvin Pickering being one of these. It never panned out for him, but I’d love it we took more shots at these guys. Brian Myrow is another name that comes to mind.
Comment by TheSleaze — June 18, 2009 #
Saw Jones’ first hit last night. Most memorable was the broken bat flying into the stands no?
Proud of our fans for getting on their feet for his hit and anxious to see what he might be able to do next.
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Comment by fegebz — July 1, 2009 #
[...] you have a black, black soul and a heart of stone. Don’t remember his heart-tugging story? Let me refresh you: If the thought alone of having an all or nothing strikeout/homer machine doesn’t grab you, then [...]
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