Jenks:South Side will never be the same

[Pierzynski 12]

It's only been a month since the World Series, so one shouldn't expect a player's life to have changed that much.

But Bobby Jenks' life is apparently evolving for the better.

 

Now a legitimate Major Leaguer, Jenks and his family have moved into new digs in Seattle. He said he can still move around there unencumbered by newfound fame. Chicago? Well that's a different story.

 

"It's really unbelievable," the young closer said before the White Sox premiered their season DVD on Monday night in Chicago. "I was telling my wife about this the other day. I can go home to Seattle and no problem. No one recognizes me. Either people don't know baseball or they don't care. But as soon as I come back here, it's 'Hey! Hey! Hey!' It's something I've never experienced before."

 

Jenks' late-inning heroics became some of the memories that White Sox fans took into the offseason and, likely, will help warm the fans for winters to come.

 

Jenks has been back in Chicago four times since the season ended with him finishing off the team's sweep of the Houston Astros in the World Series. It seems people here will now pay for his autograph.

 

Jenks is a good sport in many ways. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen would signal Jenks from the bullpen with his arms spread apart as if to say, 'Send in the big guy.' Fans loved the gesture and Jenks didn't mind that the manager pointed out his girth, either. Jenks even imitated the move onstage at the DVD premiere on Monday.

 

"He does that with good intentions behind it, so I don't mind," Jenks said.

 

And Jenks, who before this season was known only for his promise and for reports of rowdiness, doesn't worry much about what people say anymore. Not that anyone's talking too negatively toward him anymore.

 

"I've learned in the past couple years that people are going to say what they want to say and the only way you get into trouble is if you try and take care of it yourself instead of blowing it off," he said.

 

While Jenks builds up his frequent-flyer miles and basks in his new-found attention, fellow reliever Neal Cotts has barely left the city. A native of Lebanon, Ill., Cotts lives in Chicago year-round and isn't immune to the rising Sox fever catching on in the city.

 

"It's been busy," he said. "It's gone by pretty quickly actually."

 

Like most of his teammates, Cotts said he was surprised to see popular outfielder Aaron Rowand leave in a trade for Jim Thome, but he knew general manager Kenny Williams wasn't going to sit on his hands.

 

"He's made a lot of trades since I've been here," Cotts said. "It's the business. You've got to take it for what it's worth."

 

Cotts said he figured Paul Konerko would come back to help defend the team's title.

 

"The Konerko thing doesn't surprise me at all," he said. "The fans love him here and I know he loves playing here."

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

[RockRaines]

Did I mention that I did some shots with him on sunday night?

[tonyho7476]

Did I mention that I did some shots with him on sunday night?

 

Name-dropper

[SoCalSouthSider59]

Sure must be great to be a White Sox player these days, and well deserved.......

 

 

[Nokona]

Bobby Jenks may be one of the most happy-go-lucky people I've ever seen. He truly does take just about everything to heart. I really can't believe the evolution he's gone through and he's still just a kid. If he continues to grow as both as pitcher and person, he really could be something special for this city.

[Heads22]

I wasn't a big Jenks fan at first, but right now he just seems like a kid doing what he's always wanted to do, and that's really fun to see these days.

[YASNY]

Getting Bobby Jenks was the steal of the century (so far) for KW.

[SoxRock05]

Big Bad Bobby has been my favorite pitcher as soon as he joined the team....Ive got his WS jersey on the way.....GO Bobby!!!!

 

Not to mention, hes got my name and about my size...to bad i dont have his arm

 

JiYea!!!