White Sox: Eloy Jimenez injury could let team play service-time game

The White Sox just had a nice little opportunity fall into their laps with one of their top prospects suffering a minor injury during winter ball.

Of course, no one in the White Sox organization wants to see Eloy Jimenez have a season-ending injury – even it’s just during winter ball. But, the injury could actually work in the team’s favor.

With this injury which is a minor day-to-day quad injury, the White Sox could have a nice little opportunity to play around with service time.

This service-time game might not seem like a very big deal, but it can be for outstanding players when free agency arrives.

One of the worst casualties of the service-time game is Kris Bryant of the Cubs. Serious questions have arisen regarding the date that the Cubs called him up from the minor leagues. With the way that service time works for MLB players, Bryant will have to work more time than any other player before he can become a free agent. The date that the Cubs called him up will cost him millions of dollars.

The way that service time works is relatively simple. Per a piece by FoxSports about Bryant, service time works like this:

“In an average year there are 183 service days in a major-league season, 162 games and 21 off days. If you accrue 172 days in any season, it is considered a full year. Six full years gets you to free agency.”

Bryant’s problem is that he was called up in his rookie year 12 days after the season began. This move forced him to accrue only 171 days of service – which is NOT a full year. He’s ONE day shy. So, he will have play six years and 171 days to reach free agency. Those 12 days cost him a year of free agency which means he remains under Cubs control for an extra year. While Cubs fans might like it, it’s not fair to Bryant.

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Those 12 days is just too close to be a fluke.

Now that Jimenez has an injury that could slow him down in the off-season, the White Sox could do the exact same thing with him. They could be “careful” with him and keep in the minor leagues until day 12 has passed. And, that’s just plain old dirty.

But, if they hold Jimenez back and end up having to move him back and forth during the season, it wouldn’t seem as bad as Bryant’s situation.

Keep in mind that baseball owners have hundreds of millions of dollars –  in some cases, they are billionaires. It’s not cheap to own a baseball team. Players make a fraction of what owners have, it’s just not right to take advantage of a young man like that. It’s greed. And, the Players’ Union should do something about it, too.

If the White Sox intentionally follow the lead of the team to the north, it’s simply wrong. Players work hard, especially top players like Bryant and Jimenez. When their big payday is delayed by a year because of greedy ownership, the players are the ones who are wronged. And, for a player with the ability of Bryant or Jimenez, that extra year could be worth $20 million or more.