Ask, and Jenks will answer

[SSH2005]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-sox12.html

Ask, and Jenks will answer

 

March 12, 2006

 

BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Bobby Jenks wanted to clear the air: Contrary to what people believe, he doesn't have a chip on his shoulder.

 

Then again, considering the barrel-chested right-hander is listed at 6-3 and close to 270 pounds, a chip doesn't quite do it for him.

 

"It's more of a middle finger sitting on my shoulder,'' he said.

 

And not just a middle finger for the hitters who have the task of trying to time a 100 mph fastball when facing the White Sox closer. It's also for the ESPN the Magazine story in 2003 that painted Jenks as a member of the Aryan Nation, as well as a sadomasochist who took a lighter to his own arm; for the people who said he was in drug rehab; for the scouts who question his longevity in the game. There's that middle finger -- his response to all the people who have piled on in his eyes.

 

"I've heard I was in rehab for drugs, a Nazi. Before I had two kids, I was hiding two kids,'' Jenks said. "I've heard them all -- a lot of lies.''

 

Jenks is no angel. He's the first to admit he never claimed to be one. He's also comfortable enough to talk about his past openly.

 

Yes, he did grow up in Spirit Lake, Idaho, in an area known for residents of the Aryan Nation. Yes, he hasn't spoken to either of his parents in almost five years because of the way they treated him growing up. Yes, he did get caught sneaking beer on the bus when he was in the Angels' minor-league system.

 

But for every truth he has told, he still hears a handful of lies.

 

"The one thing that has bothered me the most was that people have an idea of where you're from, and that's what you're supposed to be like,'' Jenks said. "Guys from California are supposed to be surfers. Being from north Idaho, with the Aryan Nation up there, of course I'm a skinhead. Don't judge the book by the cover. Find out about me. Ask me. I'll tell you it's completely untrue.''

 

So Jenks hasn't been the least bit surprised that since arriving in camp this spring, most of the questions coming his way are about failing to repeat what he did for the Sox down the stretch last season.

 

After being called up from Class AA Birmingham on July 5, Jenks went from setup man to cult hero. He took over the closer's role by September with a lethal fastball and a knee-buckling curveball. After putting up six saves down the stretch, he, of course, was questioned about how he would hold up during the postseason.

 

All he did was post a 2.25 ERA with four saves and eight strikeouts in six relief appearances.

 

"I'm not surprised that I still get questioned,'' Jenks said. "People have been saying that [crap] about me since Day 1. There's never been a silver lining around me, on and off the field, in the eyes of some people. I've had to prove them wrong since the day I signed. So me going out there this year with more doubts about me is nothing new.''

 

Jenks finally has found a place where he's not doubted. There's a reason he chose to disappear as soon as the season ended. There's a reason that as soon as he gets ice on his arm after an outing this spring, he's out the door. Actually, three reasons: his wife, Adele, and two children, Cuma and Nolan.

 

"She's the backbone of my success,'' Jenks said of his wife. "She saved me as a person.''

 

While Jenks would like nothing more than to see his own damaged relationship with his parents fixed, he has accepted it.

 

"It's more difficult now than it was then because I didn't give a crap then,'' he said. "When I look back on the situation, I'm able to see how they make their choices and how I make my choices in life. The big thing is how I've decided to take care of my family.

 

"I want to spend as much time with them as I can. During the season, I'm gone from them quite a bit. So when I have the time, I want to spend it with them.''

 

The Sox have seen the change in Jenks after claiming him off waivers from the Angels before last season.

 

"I think the attitude he now brings into this season is because he knows what he's got,'' pitching coach Don Cooper said. "He's a very confident guy, and he believes in that stuff, the way he should.

 

"Doubts exist because of the arm problems he had early in his career. Some of the off-field stuff clouded the mind of some people. When he became one of us, we accepted him with open arms. We just let him go out and play.''

 

Jenks, who turns 25 on Tuesday, knows that as his success grows, so will the questions and stories about his past.

 

"I wanted to get it out there so people aren't left assuming,'' he said. "In the minor leagues, you don't have that much pull on what can be written about you. When something comes out now, you can tell people the real story or what was going on in your head.''

 

It's not that Jenks wants the stories to stop. His hope is they just start having happier endings.

 

"I play because I love this game,'' he said. "What I want to do when I get out there is be a dominant pitcher. It doesn't mean 50 saves. It means going out there and letting the other team know, without me having to say a single word. That's the middle finger I was talking about.''

 

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MR. POST MAN

 

When the games got bigger, Bobby Jenks got better. Here's a look at his six postseason appearances in 2006.

 

ALDS Game 2

White Sox 5, Red Sox 4

Jenks makes his first postseason appearance with a one-run lead to start the eighth inning. He walks one in the eighth and gives up a double in the ninth but strands Tony Graffanino at second to send the Sox to Boston up 2-0. "That's a man's save right there," Paul Konerko says.

 

ALDS Game 3

White Sox 5, Red Sox 3

After Orlando Hernandez twirls three scoreless innings in relief, Jenks gets the call in the ninth. The 24-year-old needs only 10 pitches to close the series on a groundout, strikeout and groundout. "He's a man-child," pitching coach Don Cooper says. "Nothing seems to faze him."

 

World Series Game 1

White Sox 5, Astros 3

Getting his first action since the ALDS, Jenks comes out of the bullpen to a raucous ovation at the Cell. Inheriting two runners with two outs in the eighth, he fans Jeff Bagwell on a 100 mph fastball, then strikes out two more in the ninth for his third save of the postseason.

 

World Series Game 2

White Sox 7, Astros 6

He's human. Leading 6-4 in the ninth, Jenks allows a single and a walk before Jose Vizcaino's two-out, two-run single. Neal Cotts is called on to clean up the mess. Then Scott Podsednik bails out Jenks with an improbable homer in the bottom of the inning.

 

World Series Game 3

White Sox 7, Astros 5

Jenks is one of nine White Sox pitchers used in a 14-inning marathon and throws scoreless 11th and 12th innings to extend the game twice. Geoff Blum's shot over the right-field wall wins it.

 

World Series Game 4

White Sox 1, Astros 0

Jenks nails down the clincher, helped by two quality plays from shortstop Juan Uribe, and the celebration begins. On going skyward after the final out, Jenks says, "I only jumped half as high as I could."

 

POSTSEASON NUMBERS

Innings: 8

Hits: 4

Runs: 2

Walks: 3

Strikeouts: 8

Saves: 4

Blown saves: 1

ERA: 2.25

[Jordan4life_2007]

I still don't blame him for that game 2 blown save. I feel that was Rowand's fault more than anything.

[kevin57]

I know it's not the conventional wisdom but I still maintain that Jenks should be considered as pitcher MVP for the World Series. Granted, a lot of pitchers did a great job, but Jenks answered the call night after night, not too shabby for any reliever, and for someone with his inexperience, spectacular.

[iWiN4PreP]

Yeah, jenks really did amazing in the series for his inexperience

Edited March 13, 2006 by iWiN4PreP