White Sox 2009: Bobby Jenks

 

Since 2006 Bobby Jenks been in a transition, going from pure fireballer to pitcher. Part due to a natural drop-off in velocity; part from knowing the length of his career is dependent on it.

 

Heading into '09, it was so far so good. A decrease in strikeouts came with the new Jenks, but also fewer walks, hits, homers, runs. However, while stuff eventually fads, being a pitcher requires control, which isn't a yearly give-in.

 

This season...Rest of the Article

This was clearly a down year out of Bobby but we all heard Ozzie and Kenny talk about quitters and while I'm not saying Bobby quit, he showed up to camp out of shape, got hurt for a chunk of the year, and was downright mediocre at best.

 

The Sox can't afford to lose him though and given his production they really can't get much trading him so I think they might be best served to sign him for one more year, hope he rebounds and than sell him next off-season when he's under his final year of arbitration.

 

Plus, Dotel will be coming off the Sox books. The problem is Jenks is going to still get a raise (stupid arbitration) and the Sox don't have a ton of room financially right now to fill-up there remaining holes (OF/DH/Leadoff/Pen).

I love these pieces; they are non emotional, just logical.

I forgot how he reported out of shape in the spring. It's interesting to see your take on how he's regressed a bit but may have a bounceback year left in him.

As a rule I don't like to be bound to either radar guns or pitch counts. That being said the sharp dropoff in velocity has me concerned. That and the lack of the biting curve he'd developed and a left handers manhandled him this year. I'm more than a little bit concerned about Jenks.