Replacing Jenks

[ThunderBolt]

No I mean cut bait as far as leaving him in the closer role.

I do not think that word means, what you think it means.

[WCSox]

No I mean cut bait as far as leaving him in the closer role. The Sox weren't able to get anything for him in the off season, so I know they couldn't get anything for him right now.

 

Oh, I'd be fine with that. That said, I imagine that Ozzie stays with him for at least a couple more weeks.

 

[Kyyle23]

I do not think that word means, what you think it means.

 

 

haha, nice!

[Harry Chappas]

In NL Jenks would be elite.

[witesoxfan]

In NL Jenks would be elite.

 

It's not like the NL is filled with amateur hitters and Jenks would get his s*** lit up over there too. When you throw fastballs down the middle of the plate, major league hitters are going to hit them hard.

[caulfield12]

Well, if Jose Contreras as his ancient age can be dominant in the NL, it's always possible for Jenks too.

[witesoxfan]

Well, if Jose Contreras as his ancient age can be dominant in the NL, it's always possible for Jenks too.

 

Contreras has been a starting pitcher for like 6 years now, and it's not entirely uncommon to see pitchers go from being effective starting pitchers to being effective relievers, especially when they have the stuff Contreras does (averaging almost 95 MPH with his fastball, almost 89 with his slider, and 81.5 with his split-finger).

 

Jenks hasn't been throwing neither his fastball (66.5% compared to 70.3% in his career) or curveball (5.7% to 12.5%) nearly as much this season. He's been throwing his slider (18.5% to 14.6%) and changeup (9.3% to 1.4%) much more, and FanGraphs has on record that he hasn't thrown a cutter yet. His fastball velocity is down from last year and his changeup velocity is up.

 

There seems to flat out be a lot wrong with what Jenks is throwing right now and it seems as though he's trying to become too much pitcher and not enough thrower. I'd say drop the changeup and start throwing the curve more, to start with.

[knightni]

Your best pitchers should pitch in the most high-leverage situations. As some others have alluded to, there is no point in sitting your best pitchers on the bench so that lesser-quality guys can blow the lead and make him irrelevant.

I was agreeing with the link, your point is my point.

[Balta1701]

His fastball velocity is down from last year

Really? Then some of these radar guns are lying to me.

[WCSox]

Well, if Jose Contreras as his ancient age can be dominant in the NL, it's always possible for Jenks too.

 

If Jose Contreras and his large salary were traded at the waiver deadline last year, it's always possible for Jenks too.

 

[Balta1701]

If Jose Contreras and his large salary were traded at the waiver deadline last year, it's always possible for Jenks too.

If your team picks up most of that salary...like we did with Contreras and Thome.

[witesoxfan]

Really? Then some of these radar guns are lying to me.

 

Yes, it's down some. He averaged 94.8 last year and is at 94.2 this year. It isn't a lot, but there is a difference.

[Balta1701]

Yes, it's down some. He averaged 94.8 last year and is at 94.2 this year. It isn't a lot, but there is a difference.

Well, in this case, I'm going to dispute how useful an "Average" is, especially for a guy who tends to vary a lot over the course of a season. To me, last year, he took longer in working in to his good fastball than he did this year, and I think his good fastball is actually pushing the gun a little higher than it did last year (I've seen him pop 97-98 on guns this year, if they're right, and i don't think I ever saw that last year). I'd argue that average is biased by the fact that we see him take a week or two (this year) and a month or so (last year) throwing in the low 90's before his arm loosens up, and this year's number is a little lower because there's been less of a full season.

 

IMO, it's not velocity that is his problem.

[WCSox]

If your team picks up most of that salary...like we did with Contreras and Thome.

 

Recouping *some* of Bobby salary is better than recouping none.

 

[Balta1701]

Recouping *some* of Bobby salary is better than recouping none.

By the deadline, if you're willing to give him up for nothing and pick up all but $1 million of his salary, that might be do-able. But let's not pretend we're getting anything useful back.

[witesoxfan]

Well, in this case, I'm going to dispute how useful an "Average" is, especially for a guy who tends to vary a lot over the course of a season. To me, last year, he took longer in working in to his good fastball than he did this year, and I think his good fastball is actually pushing the gun a little higher than it did last year (I've seen him pop 97-98 on guns this year, if they're right, and i don't think I ever saw that last year). I'd argue that average is biased by the fact that we see him take a week or two (this year) and a month or so (last year) throwing in the low 90's before his arm loosens up, and this year's number is a little lower because there's been less of a full season.

 

IMO, it's not velocity that is his problem.

 

Oh, I don't believe his velocity is a problem at all, I was just stating it was down...more or less miscellaneous information. He's actually had his most effective and best seasons when he averages around 93 with his fastball. I honestly believe his problems are that he's using his changeup too much (the only time it was an effective pitch was 2005 when his fastball averaged 97 and his changeup was below 83 MPH) and that he's not using his curveball enough (which has always been his best and most effective pitch). Of course, part of the problem right now might just be that he's pitching like total s*** too.

[Balta1701]

Of course, part of the problem right now might just be that he's pitching like total s*** too.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the pitch that went 3 miles yesterday was a fastball down the middle.

[fathom]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the pitch that went 3 miles yesterday was a fastball down the middle.

 

Just like every other fastball he's thrown to lefties the last two years (no, I don't mean literally)

[witesoxfan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the pitch that went 3 miles yesterday was a fastball down the middle.

 

I wasn't watching, but I'm sure it was. Hitters generally don't have problems with pitches right down the middle of the plate, no matter how much they may or may not break.

[WCSox]

By the deadline, if you're willing to give him up for nothing and pick up all but $1 million of his salary, that might be do-able. But let's not pretend we're getting anything useful back.

 

In terms of prospects, of course we're not getting anything of value in return. But that $1 million can pay a lot of expenses and employee salaries.

 

[Balta1701]

In terms of prospects, of course we're not getting anything of value in return. But that $1 million can pay a lot of expenses and employee salaries.

I could possibly see that happening and, if we're out of it, I'm not going to raise a stink about it.

[BigSqwert]

In terms of prospects, of course we're not getting anything of value in return. But that $1 million can pay a lot of expenses and employee salaries.

$1M becomes a very big deal when your attendance is tanking.

[fathom]

I could possibly see that happening and, if we're out of it, I'm not going to raise a stink about it.

 

And if KW pays his remaining salary for the rest of the season, we can get a better prospect in return.

[fathom]

$1M becomes a very big deal when your attendance is tanking.

 

Yep, it allows us to sign David Eckstein next offseason.

[WCSox]

$1M becomes a very big deal when your attendance is tanking.

 

Even a half million dollars is a big deal to any business.