We really ticked off Jahmai Jones

It hasn’t exactly been kept a secret that Jahmai Jones is tearing up High-A. As of this afternoon, he has a 24-game hitting streak and he could very well make it 25 tonight. This run began on July 27th, with a lone single, and has gradually evolved into one of the most impressive stretches of baseball an Angels’ farmhand has put up since the 2010’s began. One might say that being promoted to the hitter-friendly California League was a very good move for him. One would be misguided in thinking that this is why “Jam,” as he apparently likes to be called, has broken out in such a big way.

It was sometime in early July when our very own Jeff Joiner alerted Jones to the existence of Halos Heaven. After a great interview, he posted Part One and Part Two of the intimate experience. He then showed Jones the interview and all of the appreciative remarks regarding his performance and the Angels’ future in the outfield. There was much rejoicing on both sides.

Alas, this jubilation was not to last.

A few weeks prior, the staff of Halos Heaven had voted on their 2017 Mid-Season Top Prospect Rankings. It took some time to get all of the responses, but finally, on that same July 27th, the rankings were posted and Jahmai Jones came in fourth place. Fourth. He didn’t even earn a bronze medal; instead, he received a participation ribbon, at best. The lone crew member who put Jahmai at number one was Chase Kimura. This would send no waves of shock through the Halos Heaven community, as it was widely agreed that the top 4 were all very strong and arguably interchangeable.

Jahmai was not amused. “How could a fan base turn so suddenly on me?” the Wonder had wondered. They had been so kind to him, so pleasant, so interested in his beach volleyball! They should have known that this would light a fire in his shoulder and put a chip in his heart! Revenge was inevitable.

Since the fateful article that ripped the poor kid’s soul apart, he has slashed .370/.411/.620 with a 175 wRC+ and a .446 wOBA and 8 SB. He hasn’t quite been Mike Trout since the devastating knife-in-the-back due to a super-low walk rate at 4.6%, but he has been kinda like Jose Altuve (with more strikeouts), the guy who would probably be the AL MVP if and only if Mike Trout didn’t exist.

It is wonderful to see a man who is cast aside by those he loves rise from the ashes as a baseball phoenix and touch that actualization that so many strive for, but so few attain. However, it came at a terrible cost. The player that we all fell in love with a few years ago is none too thrilled with this little website. Was it really worth it in the end? Did we pay too great a price?!

No.

Let’s piss off Jo Adell next.