The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Gimenez maximizes his opportunities at catcher
Chris Gimenez brought his catcher’s mitt to spring training as a minor leaguer one year, and it’s paid off for the ex-Lake County Captain. David S. Glasier caught up with Gimenez, now with the Twins.
It was late February 2006, and Chris Gimenez was packing his equipment bags for the trip to Winter Haven, Fla., then the Indians’ spring-training home.
“The gloves I used to play first base and third base already were packed, but then I saw a catcher’s mitt I hadn’t used since college,” Gimenez said. “I decided to bring it to spring training. I’m kind of glad I did.”
Selected by the Indians in the 19th round of the 2004 draft out of Nevada at Reno, Gimenez had played third base and first base at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley in 2004 and at full-season Single-A Lake County in 2005.
Gimenez packed the catcher’s mitt just in case the Indians asked him to add another position to his portfolio. Shortly after arriving in Florida, his bosses did exactly that.
“I’m not where I’m at today if that doesn’t happen,” Gimenez said.
He spent the 2006 season with the Captains, establishing himself as a catcher and changing the arc of his career.
As a catcher, specifically a backup catcher, Gimenez made his big-league debut with the Indians in June 2009. He was up with the Indians again, briefly, in 2010. Then came stints with Seattle (2011), Tampa Bay (2012, ’13), the Indians (2014), Texas (2015) and back to Cleveland a third time. The Indians, looking for a backup catcher after Roberto Perez broke his thumb, on May 4, 2016, purchased his contract from Texas.
“I will never forget that day and that moment because it brought me back to Cleveland for a third time and the stage for me to be part of a lot of special things,” Gimenez said of the Indians winning the American League Central Division title and two playoff series before losing to the Chicago Cubs in a memorable World Series.
In 68 games, Gimenez batted .216 with four home runs and 11 RBI. He did solid work behind the plate, too, especially as the personal catcher for Trevor Bauer during the regular season.
When the Indians didn’t offer him a contract for 2017, Gimenez signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins and made the 25-man roster as a backup catcher. Now 34, he returned to Progressive Field earlier in May as the Twins took two of three games in a weekend series. He’s batting .189 with seven RBI in 17 games.
“Part of me wishes I could have stayed in Cleveland longer this time, but in Minnesota, I feel I’m in a perfect spot,” Gimenez said. “I want to prove to everybody I can still do this.”
Gimenez is confident he can stay gainfully employed as a big-league backup catcher for years to come.
“There was never a point in my career I didn’t believe this was going to happen,” he said. “That mentality always has carried me. Somehow, some way, I was going to be there.”
Professional success matters to Gimenez, but not nearly as much as the fulfillment he gets from family life with his wife Kellie and their three children.
“I’m in a great spot. I’m father to three beautiful children and I’ve been with the same wonderful woman the entire time. She’s my college sweetheart,” Gimenez said.
Indians manager Terry Francona recently said he felt Gimenez had a future in the game as a coach or manager when his playing days are done. Gimenez is thinking along the same lines.
“I feel destined to do it, in a way,” Gimenez said. “I haven’t been a great ballplayer, but I’m a solid catcher who is constantly learning more about the game. I’ve got a high school degree, three years of college and a Ph.D. in baseball.”