January 25, 200719 yr http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...jenks25.article The greening of Mr. Jenks Recipe for a winner: Mix in more veggies, add a happy home BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter Sitting in front of his locker during spring training last year, White Sox closer Bobby Jenks was asked about the chip on his shoulder. The bulky right-hander smirked. ''It's more of a middle finger sitting on my shoulder,'' he responded. One year later, that middle finger has not gone away. It has, however, found a home. That's an important concept for Jenks because he never really has known what ''home'' was. Sure, he had walls around him growing up, but never a home. That changed late last year when Jenks decided to become a Chicago-area resident and purchased a house in Hinsdale. It was at that time that Jenks decided the middle finger needed some help. That's what this winter has been about. At 26, Jenks has decided his pitching future can't rest only on a 100 mph fastball and attitude. ''I'm down about 25 pounds right now, but there's no set limit,'' Jenks said of his offseason weight loss. ''I just want to come into camp ready to go. It has to do with both my health and my conditioning. In the long run, this will be more beneficial.'' Ironically, the growth of Jenks the person is coming through loss. Last spring, while preparing for his first full major-league season, he caught the wrath of manager Ozzie Guillen when he showed up to camp at 299 pounds. ''Looking back, that was a lot to do about nothing,'' pitching coach Don Cooper said. At the time, however, it meant a lot to Guillen. He said Jenks was hurting himself and his teammates by not showing up better prepared. Jenks got the message, responding with 41 saves in 2006. Beyond the numbers, he also began to understand that his longevity in baseball needed some help. That prompted him to meet with a nutritionist just before the end of the regular season. ''It wasn't that I was overeating,'' Jenks said. ''I was just putting the wrong things in my body. I had to learn that there were different types of meat besides a New York-cut steak. ''And there's a lot of different ways to prepare your food. It hasn't been a huge change necessarily, just a lot more vegetables. Basically, I can't get enough of eating anything green.'' The result is that Jenks is down to 275 pounds and counting. ''When he bought that house, I remember him saying, 'Now, I just have to figure out how to pay for it,''' Cooper said last month. ''I told him that's in his hands now, and he seems to be doing everything right this offseason to make sure it is.'' More than the weight loss, Jenks is excited to talk about his new home. Chicago embraced the man-child when he burst on the scene two years ago, and now Jenks has returned the favor. Never one to shy away from discussing his past, Jenks grew up in Spirit Lake, Idaho, not far from headquarters of the Aryan Nation.family life was almost nonexistent, and he hasn't spoken with his parents in almost six years. That's why buying a home in a place he now feels comfortable is so important to Jenks, his wife, Adele, and their two children. ''We just felt like we already had a good home here,'' Jenks said. ''Growing up where I was, there was trouble there. Then moving to Seattle, I always lived with someone else. After I met my wife, we lived with her parents. ''Just being able to be in a city I love now and actually have a future here and an established home is just a great feeling.'' Jenks also has embraced the idea of doing more off-the-field work for the organization. He'll join Rob Mackowiak today in making sales calls to season-ticket customers to kick off SoxFest this weekend. ''He's already becoming an icon in Chicago,'' Cooper said of Jenks. And now a thinner one. ''Yeah, I lost some weight, but one thing they have to realize is this is my body and this is who I am,'' Jenks said. ''I'm never going to look like some male model and get down to 220.'' The middle finger wouldn't allow it.
January 25, 200719 yr At 26, Jenks has decided his pitching future can't rest only on a 100 mph fastball and attitude. Is it just me or does that sound exactly like Rick Vaughn in Major League 2? Edited January 25, 200719 yr by pcullotta
January 25, 200719 yr QUOTE(pcullotta @ Jan 25, 2007 -> 07:47 AM) Is it just me or does that sound exactly like Rick Vaughn in Major League 2? It sounds like someone who saw what happened to Billy Koch.
January 25, 200719 yr Bobby was a good suprise for me last year. His ERA was 4.00, but he only blew 4 saves. In his first full year as a closer he was clutch and impressive. I hope the "low radar gun reading" stories don't start in ST this year. The last 2 years he has built speed as the season went along, and think that's just how he does it.
January 25, 200719 yr QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Jan 25, 2007 -> 08:14 AM) Bobby was a good suprise for me last year. His ERA was 4.00, but he only blew 4 saves. In his first full year as a closer he was clutch and impressive. I hope the "low radar gun reading" stories don't start in ST this year. The last 2 years he has built speed as the season went along, and think that's just how he does it. Shingo only blew 1 save in 2005 and he was DFA'd. Jenks was very hittable at the end of the season. It is good news to see that 300 pounds isn't acceptable to him anymore. I didn't see any 100 mph fastballs last year. Hopefully that will come back. I read a while back he does have a hip issue that the White Sox thought (and hope) is/was weight related. Hopefully getting in better shape, brings his gas back. He certainly appears to have matured.
January 25, 200719 yr QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 25, 2007 -> 08:04 AM) It sounds like someone who saw what happened to Billy Koch. Sort of. It also sounds like someone who understands that he won't throw hard forever. I'm glad to see him mature, as he has in so many ways since coming here.
January 25, 200719 yr He isn't going to need to throw 100 mph to be a stud closer in this league. If he can just continue to maintain a solid fastball, and follow it up with that wicked hook, as well as that slider of his, he will be more than capable of shutting down major league hitters. They key for Bobby is to continue to develop the pitches other than his fastball...
January 25, 200719 yr Has anyone else noticed that Jenks sort of resembles the guy they bring in to pitch to Hobbs in final sequence of the Natural
January 25, 200719 yr ''Yeah, I lost some weight, but one thing they have to realize is this is my body and this is who I am,'' Jenks said. ''I'm never going to look like some male model and get down to 220.'' LOL I don't know any Male models his height at 220 I guess 220 is "great shape" to him.
January 25, 200719 yr QUOTE(Hideaway Lights @ Jan 25, 2007 -> 10:00 AM) Has anyone else noticed that Jenks sort of resembles the guy they bring in to pitch to Hobbs in final sequence of the Natural He absolutely does...a little heavier version maybe, but probably pretty similar to what he looks like now with the weight loss...
January 25, 200719 yr unfortunately I was at 2 of those blown saves last year, one was due to a thornton lead-off walk against KC when he was left in the game. I just worried the few times when Jenks control was off and he had to reduce velocity to get it over...Jenks is the least of our worries this year though.
January 25, 200719 yr The additions to the pen should alleviate some of the pressure off of Jenks. That plus his commitment to getting into better shape has me feeling great about our pen going into this year.
January 25, 200719 yr QUOTE(pcullotta @ Jan 25, 2007 -> 01:47 PM) Is it just me or does that sound exactly like Rick Vaughn in Major League 2? Hopefully he doesn't stray away from his terminator and go to his eliminator other wise he might become a spectator.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.