Bobby Jenks

[White Sox Josh]

Jenks has been lights out this year. You think he could get a call up later this year? My biggest fear is if he gets injured. That was the reason the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Orange County near San Diego in Southern California released him.

[AddisonStSox]

As a corollary, Jenks has allowed one earned run and struck out 13 in his last 13 appearences. He is tied for the Southern League lead in saves with eight.

 

Thinking ahead, will Jenks have a spot in the pen of 06'? If Shingo is gone like many of us expect, I think that opens up a slot for a flame-throwing set-up/closer type in Jenks. What do you minor league-hounds think?

[BHAMBARONS]

He has Major League Stuff, If he can stay injury free I say yes he has a shot

[Palehosefan]

Also he has to keep out of trouble. IF he can keep his head in the game and stay injury free, then you will definitely see him in the majors.

[Hatchetman]

what would his contract status be? can we keep him in the minors another year?

[RockRaines]

million dollar arm, 10 cent head. Could be the next coming of Rocker, or another great closer. Guy can flat out throw, but can he pitch? I for one, would like to find out.

[Stocking]

Jenks is the looney guy that ESPN did a story on while in the angels organization correct?

[White Sox Josh]

Jenks is the looney guy that ESPN did a story on while in the angels organization correct?

I thought that was Kevin Gregg but I'm not sure anymore.

[Stocking]

correction, maybe not looney. Alcoholic with mad rage?

[Chisoxfn]

Jenks was the player who was pretty much illiterate and an alcoholic. He didn't graduate from high school if I recall and just got himself into total trouble.

 

The talk about a year or two ago was that Jenks had cleaned up his image but he definately needed and still needs help to keep him in check and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

And he has dynamite stuff. Prior to his injury he had the best stuff in the entire minors, he just hasn't exactly had command of it. From what I hear, he's getting a lot of that stuff back.

[danman31]

Say he continues to pitch like he has...can he get to AAA by the end of this year or are the Sox playing it slowly with him? Could we see Jenks pitch all of 05 in AA and then get a spot with the Sox next year?

[Palehosefan]

Just my opinion but I would be very suprised if Jenks doesn't move up in the system atleat to Charlotte if he can keep his walks to around a .5 to 1 IP ratio he's at now. He's already 24 years old and has electric stuff. This probably won't play much of a factor in it but again in my opinion Birmingham is much more of a college town than Charlotte. Therefore there is more trouble to get into with drinking etc, Charlotte COULD be safer for him. I'm gonna go way out on a limb and say that I wouldn't be suprised to see him as a september callup if things go as planned. He could be a great arm to have in the pen. There's not any trouble to be had in Chicago is there?

[Jabroni]

Jenks is the looney guy that ESPN did a story on while in the angels organization correct?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Loose cannons sometimes go astray"

http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1562608.html

 

"The Hardest Stuff"

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/magazine...artner=USERLAND

The Travelers' pitcher, Bobby Jenks, 22, has a smooth, seemingly effortless motion despite the fact that he is 6-foot-3 and weighs 260 pounds. He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Anaheim Angels in 2000. In his first three minor-league seasons he fashioned an undistinguished 11-25 record, with a 5.46 e.r.a. and 203 walks in 285 innings, along with a record of behavior on and especially off the field that ordinarily would have precluded a fourth season in baseball. Among other misdeeds, according to ESPN Magazine, Jenks has burned his own pitching arm with a lighter in a drunken stupor and been suspended for taking beer on the team bus and then almost coming to blows with his manager. His own (now former) agent has been quoted as saying that the worst thing that could ever happen to Bobby Jenks is for him to reach the major leagues.  Still, the Angels have not soured on him. In a game in 2001, Bobby Jenks threw four successive fastballs that registered 100 m.p.h., 100 m.p.h., 101 m.p.h. and 99 m.p.h. on a radar gun.

At the Travelers game, Lou Medina, the scout for Kansas City, was using a version of the Juggs gun called the Stalker Sport. He held up his radar gun to time a Jenks fastball: ''96,'' he called out. ''He's been rehabbing from a sore arm,'' Medina told me. ''He'll hit 100 again. He's doing this too easy.'' Medina said he can learn a lot about a hard-throwing pitcher's psychological makeup with a radar gun. His gun showed that Jenks tended to throw in the low 90's to the first batter he faced each inning, because he was worried about his control. If he got the first batter out, his speed increased to the mid-90's for the second batter. If he got him out, Jenks gained more confidence, and his speed increased to the high 90's for the third batter. Which confirms the scouts' general view: if Jenks can get his head together, he could very well be a dominating major-league pitcher.

Edited May 17, 2005 by Jabroni

[YASNY]

if Jenks can get his head together, he could very well be a dominating major-league pitcher.

 

That's a pretty big "if" based on what I've heard about this guy.

[Guest JimH]

That's a pretty big "if" based on what I've heard about this guy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

True, but the positive here is the organization in Birmingham has some very good people, starting with the manager. They are hopefully a very good support network for Jenks.

 

This would be a good topic to cover with Dave Wilder - how is Jenks coming along, have the White Sox discussed on field and off the field expectations with him, etc.

 

No doubt he has great talent and judging by his results in '05, Sox fans can hope he'll have a bullpen role relatively soon.

 

It's good planning by the White Sox. Their closer situation is muddled, and there'll be decisions to make for 2006 (Takatsu). Jenks is being groomed and being given an opportunity. If he does well in Birmingham I can see him being in a set up role for 2006 in Chicago, working his way up to closer at some point.

 

Lots of "if's" in that scenario but if it works out ... again, he is quite a talent.

[DBAHO]

I remember a piece from a scout saying "I don't care if he's a criminal, he can throw the absolute s*** out of the ball", which is pretty much what the Sox brass thought when they picked up this guy. Hopefully he makes it, because he's got too much talent to waste.

[AddisonStSox]

I remember a piece from a scout saying "I don't care if he's a criminal, he can throw the absolute s*** out of the ball", which is pretty much what the Sox brass thought when they picked up this guy. Hopefully he makes it, because he's got too much talent to waste.

 

^^^^^^^

 

Love it. I don't care what kind of guy he is, if he has any brains in that fat head of his, he'll clean his act up enough to at least get his hands on some Major League scratch.

 

That Ty Cobb guy wasn't a saint, but that seemed to work out well for him.

[YASNY]

True, but the positive here is the organization in Birmingham has some very good people, starting with the manager.  They are hopefully a very good support network for Jenks.

 

This would be a good topic to cover with Dave Wilder - how is Jenks coming along, have the White Sox discussed on field and off the field expectations with him, etc.

 

No doubt he has great talent and judging by his results in '05, Sox fans can hope he'll have a bullpen role relatively soon.

 

It's good planning by the White Sox.  Their closer situation is muddled, and there'll be decisions to make for 2006 (Takatsu).  Jenks is being groomed and being given an opportunity.  If he does well in Birmingham I can see him being in a set up role for 2006 in Chicago, working his way up to closer at some point.

 

Lots of "if's" in that scenario but if it works out ... again, he is quite a talent.

 

Perhaps a certain amount of maturity will set in with this guy.

[RockRaines]

Perhaps a certain amount of maturity will set in with this guy.

Looks like Kyle Farnsworth reincarnated.

[BHAMBARONS]

True, but the positive here is the organization in Birmingham has some very good people, starting with the manager.  They are hopefully a very good support network for Jenks.

 

This would be a good topic to cover with Dave Wilder - how is Jenks coming along, have the White Sox discussed on field and off the field expectations with him, etc.

 

No doubt he has great talent and judging by his results in '05, Sox fans can hope he'll have a bullpen role relatively soon.

 

It's good planning by the White Sox.  Their closer situation is muddled, and there'll be decisions to make for 2006 (Takatsu).  Jenks is being groomed and being given an opportunity.  If he does well in Birmingham I can see him being in a set up role for 2006 in Chicago, working his way up to closer at some point.

 

Lots of "if's" in that scenario but if it works out ... again, he is quite a talent.

 

 

Jenks is turning it around I seen him with the Cedar Rapids Kernels Iowa (low A) team in 2001 pitches would be called for him and he wouldn't throw them he was always in the Manager's face getting into druken rages and was way over weigh. But this year he is always the first to arrive working with the strengh coaches always listening to Razor and Rich Dotson I think it is a level of trust that he seems to have with them he throws the pitches that are called for him by catcher and he has lost around 20 pounds. Bobby hit 100 yesterday on a fouled bunt in the 9th, then followed it with a 0-2 curve for strike 3 called. Dave Wilder has said that he thinks the only thing stopping Bobby was Bobby and I give him tons of credit becuase he is working on it.

[Guest JimH]

Jenks is turning it around I seen him with the Cedar Rapids Kernels Iowa (low A) team in 2001 pitches would be called for him and he wouldn't throw them he was always in the Manager's face getting into druken rages and was way over weigh.  But this year he is always the first to arrive working with the strengh coaches always listening to Razor and Rich Dotson I think it is a level of trust that he seems to have with them he throws the pitches that are called for him by catcher and he has lost around 20 pounds.  Bobby hit 100 yesterday on a fouled bunt in the 9th, then followed it with a 0-2 curve for strike 3 called.  Dave Wilder has said that he thinks the only thing stopping Bobby was Bobby and I give him tons of credit becuase he is working on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is very encouraging from our source close to the scene. Thanks as always for your insights.

 

100 MPH ... wow. If he can control the curve, look out.

[Chisoxfn]

This is very encouraging from our source close to the scene.  Thanks as always for your insights.

 

100 MPH ... wow.  If he can control the curve, look out.

Funny thing is multiple scouts have in the past said his curveball is even better than his fastball (which was once advertised as the best in the entire minor leagues). They compare his hook to Roger Clemens. Hell people said he has the stuff of the Rocket. Of course Rocket also is one hell of a battler and is a workout warrior.

 

Still Jenks has one hell of an arm and I was so pumped when the Sox claimed him.

[BHAMBARONS]

Jenks Here Comes the Heat

[Rowand44]

Jenks has definitely be an interesting guy to follow, no doubt. I love that our organization decided to put him in a closers role, he almost seems to perfect for that position. Most closers are a bit looney so that seems like a nice fit, add in the 100 mph fastball and the nasty curve ball and if this guy can stay out of trouble we might have found a long term closer. I hope everything works out the best for Bobby and that he can keep his head on straight and make it to chicago and show us that he can pitch.

[beck72]

Jenks is turning it around I seen him with the Cedar Rapids Kernels Iowa (low A) team in 2001 pitches would be called for him and he wouldn't throw them he was always in the Manager's face getting into druken rages and was way over weigh.  But this year he is always the first to arrive working with the strengh coaches always listening to Razor and Rich Dotson I think it is a level of trust that he seems to have with them he throws the pitches that are called for him by catcher and he has lost around 20 pounds.  Bobby hit 100 yesterday on a fouled bunt in the 9th, then followed it with a 0-2 curve for strike 3 called.  Dave Wilder has said that he thinks the only thing stopping Bobby was Bobby and I give him tons of credit becuase he is working on it.

 

Is Dotson the pitching coach in AA? I know he had some drinking problems of his own, that affected his career. May be some of his insights and advice are rubbing off on Jenks.