It's the end of an era on Chicago's southside. Big Bad Bobby Jenks will no longer be coming out to preserve a win in the 9th inning for the White Sox. He was recently signed by the Boston Red Sox for 2 years/$12 million. He claims that he was offered 2 years/$10 million by the White Sox to stay and that he wanted to stay because he thought his heart was in Chicago. I guess that $2MM was enough to cause a change of heart.
I have no ill will for Bobby. He was a big part of the magical run of 2005. He was, go back and watch the dvds and you'll see. He had two consecutive good seasons, including his best season with the White Sox in 2007. That season he posted a 2.77 ERA, 4.3 K/BB and 0.89 WHIP while hammering down 40 saves. Also that season, he went on a streak of retiring 41 straight batters faced, tying a Major League record held by Jim Barr. Jim Barr was a starter though, which I think would make Jenks' record a little bit more challenging. He retired 41 batters over 14 appearances that spanned 27 days.
From 2008-2010 he averaged 29 saves with a 3.54 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. In 2008, he only managed 30 saves, but pitched well and helped the team make a post season appearance. He posted a 2.63 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP while posting his lowest strikeout number of his career with just 38. Last season he faltered a little, posting 27 saves with a 4.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. His Ks were back up though posting his highest K/9 since 2006 at 10.4.
Many people have sour feelings about him, calling for him to be let go after this past poor season. He blew 4 saves last year and lost 3 games. He did notch 15 consecutive saves between May 11th and July 15th, a stretch that saw the White Sox go from a poor start to first place in the division. There was one particularly bad game for Bobby that really put a target on his back by many fans, and that was July 18th, 2010. This was the blown save felt around White Sox nation, as Bobby couldn't find outs and allowed the Sox to blow a 6-3 lead in the 9th inning to lose 7-6. The Sox were still in first place after the loss, but our anxiousness about the Twins was growing, as it always does.
Overall, in his career with the Sox, I rate Bobby Jenks very high. In my lifetime(26 years), I put him as the third best closer we've had, behind only 1)Bobby Thigpen and 2)Keith Foulke. I think he was steady from 2005-2008 and I thank him for his service. He may have had emotional issues, and off field issues, but really none of that is our business. He sought help, and even for a time got off alcohol. That is a tough task and a good thing.
Recently, he blasted the team, probably out of frustration. He said that Ozzie Guillen did not know how to run a bullpen. He said that Ozzie did not trust his relievers, which must have made him more nervous on the mound last season. He also said that he did not like having to fight for the closer job in Spring Training. This was all said after he had previously stated that he was heartbroken not being re-signed by the White Sox. He said that his heart was with the city of Chicago and he felt like a family there. While he may have sort of felt this way, he had to know that his results on the field determined his fate and not some ill-will toward him.
However, Oney Guillen, son of Ozzie, has decided to weigh in. He immediately took to Twitter to defend the White Sox and his father Ozzie, even if they weren't asking him to. Here are just some of the posts: "hahah memo to bobby jenks get a clue u drink to much and u have had marital problems hugeee ones and the sox stood behind u" and "they did not air out ur dirty laundry, u came to srping not drinking and then u sucked and started srinking again be a man" and "u cried in the managers office bc u have problems now u go and talk bad about the sox after they protected u for 7 years ungrateful".
I don't support anything Oney is doing here, because it's just plain wrong and shows no class. Let Bobby say whatever he does about the organization. The Sox can respond that they have moved on from the situation and are working toward next year. Ozzie needs to tell his son to be quiet. He is hurting the image of the organization even more by spouting off on Twitter. He has nothing to do with the White Sox organization and should not be commenting on situations like this. I think it's bad for the image of the team. This is why they got that show on MLB Network, because their front office has a circus-like atmosphere.
All this aside, I think deep down Bobby knows his last two seasons cost him a chance to re-sign with the Sox. I think he has moved on to the Red Sox, and that as a middle reliever, he will put up pretty solid numbers next season. I predict something like 3.05 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, maybe 50 Ks. We'll see. In the meantime, all Sox fans should remember the good times of Bobby Jenks.
Remember his amazing rise in July 2005 from out of nowhere to closer by the end of the season. Remember him coming into the 8th inning of Game 1 of the World Series and blowing away Jeff Bagwell, then finishing with the save. Remember him standing on the mound in Game 4, throwing that last pitch and watching Uribe throw to Konerko for the final out in a 1-0 victory. Remember in 2008 when he pitched in game 163 against the Twins to preserve the save and put the White Sox in the post season.
Do not dwell on the bad times, or find malice toward Jenks. He gave us the best years of his career most likely, and he will always be remembered by myself as "the tall, wide guy" who Ozzie motioned for to bring home the win in the 2005 World Series. All closers make mistakes and have good streaks and bad times in their careers. I appreciate all that he did for our team and he will be missed. I hope we find a new closer, one who can be as effective as the solid years of Bobby Jenks. Maybe it's Thornton or Sale, but it will be strange to not see Bobby out there next season. I guess Ozzie will have to motion for the tall/slim guy now.
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