Considering this is a "Sexy Rexy" post and I wrote this in a hurry, I guarantee you there will be at least one spelling or grammatical mistake. My bad. But did you really expect anything less?
- Sox sign Adam Dunn to a four year $56 million dollar deal. I love it. I understand he's AWFUL at any defensive position and should play DH and not 1B (like he will) but I don't care. He can stop hitting 38 HR like clockwork and start hitting 40+ in Comiskey. I don't care about the money as well because I'll still pay to see this team about 3-4 times a year no matter what and if ticket sales do go up, it'll be minimal to me. Plus, the White Sox are not the Oakland A's. They do not need to be conservative with their money. Plus, if this is actually a good deal (DME tell me if this is or not!) then it's just icing on the cake.
- Sox will probably re-sign Paul Konerko. Last year was probably a career season past 2005 for him but I love him. There are certain players that when you wear their jerseys to the games, you will NEVER get a funny look. Konerko is one of those jerseys. If you go to a Bears game and you see a Rex Grossman jersey you think to yourself, "Get a new fucking jersey dude. This isn't 2006". But Konerko is like wearing a, hmm, I don't want to say Walter Peyton because Konerko was never THAT good, maybe a Fridge jersey? Anyways, you get the point. Paul Konerko will never be that type of "Rex Grossman jersey" player. I would love to see him retire as a White Sock from an emotional aspect and he'll produce WAY better than fucking Mark Kotsay or whoever was in the "rotating DH" spot last year
- Sox give Alexei Ramirez a raise. Great. I love A-Ram, I said he will develop into a good defensive player and he proved me wrong- he developed into a GREAT defensive player and fucktard Derek Jeter stole a Gold Glove from him last year. Plus Alexei's got some great pop. Obviously I'd love to see him get ONE walk in his career but I still want him on my team.
- Sox non-tender Bobby Jenks. Fuck him. I love Bobby, he's my all time personal favorite White Sox but fuck him. He's lost velocity on his fastball which has decreased his effectiveness. Plus with guys like Matt Thorton, Chris Sale, and Sergio Santos ready to step up in this bullpen, the Sox don't need Jenks. Plus, I love Kenny's ability to find great bullpen arms like Mike MacDougal.
- I own three White Sox shirts: Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, and Bobby Jenks. I wear these shirts to the gym and I get the "What the fuck dude, this isn't 2006" look. Whatevs. At least I can wear my Konerko jersey with pride. Unlike those idiots who bought a Ken Griffey Jr. shirt/uniform.
Showing posts with label Bobby Jenks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bobby Jenks. Show all posts
Bobby Jenks Is Playing "Ozzieball"
I'm being extremely facetious when I say any player is playing Ozzieball because Ozzieball frankly does not exist. However, there is one aspect of this perceived notion of Ozzieball that has come into fruition lately- pitching taking retribution for their batters getting hit. This actually was a bit more prominent in how Ozzie used to play baseball but not so much now. I unfortunately don't remember the exact specifics but in 2006 Ozzie ordered a young bullpen player to hit the batter he was facing. At first the pitcher threw it behind the batter. The ump let that one go because he even knew Ozzie had good reason to, at minimum, "scare" the batter. But then the pitcher threw it behind the batter again. This forced the ump to warn both benches. After that, the Sox bullpen guy pitched 'normally'. However, Ozzie actually did want the kid to hit the batter and a little bit rightfully so, his pitcher refused. I believe that kid never spent an entire day in the major leagues again- at least not with the ChiSox.
But this even has come into fruition again when this past Sunday, closer Bobby Jenks threw behind Texas Ranger 2B Ian Kinsler. That series, Texas pitchers hit 6 White Sox batters in three games. One hit batter is an accident. Two hit batters is a freak coincidence, but when six batters were hit, you can't necessarily take that lying down. So in the final inning of the final game with two outs left and nobody on base, Jenks threw behind Kinsler. After the game Bobby said he was "trying to send a message" but he just lost control. Nobody throws behind a batter on purpose. Even Sidney Ponson has enough control to throw it where a batter can hit it (and the batter usually DOES hit it...).
But I think Bobby Jenks had every right to do what he did. I'm sure Ozzie ordered his closer to actually hit Kinsler, but no matter what, Bobby needed to take retribution. In every sport, if your team "gets attacked" in a similar fashion to this one, you attack back. This past NFL season, when the Pittsburgh Steelers played their division and hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, Steelers wide receiver laid out a huge hit that injured a Baltimore LB during their first meeting. Of course, Ravens players made all sorts of comments saying how they were going to put a target on Ward's back and make sure he would be "punished". What did all the pundits say about this? While they all agreed maybe the Ravens players should have kept that information out of the public, they agreed with Baltimore. If Baltimore felt like they were "attacked" by Ward, then on the playing field, make sure they get retribution. During these current NBA playoffs, Orlando Magic G Rafer Alston slapped Celtic Eddie House because he felt House used unfair physical contact. When Houston's and NBA's resident crazy person Ron Artest felt Lakers Kobe Bryant used unnecessary physical contact when both were trying to get a rebound (although everything Kobe really did do was perfectly fair and legal), Artest ran over to Kobe and got in his face. And do I really need a hockey example?
My point is, is that in the other three major sports, retaliation is just a part of the game. You obviously shouldn't make it public and Bobby probably should not have overtly said he was trying "to send Kinsler a message", but Bobby needed to do something. Ozzie has obviously been an outspoken supporter of retaliation and his pitchers hitting his batters. I think he's absolutely right. Ozzie has gotten better at this and does not purposefully hit people since really 2006. In this instance, when you're up by 1 and there's two outs, the odds of you winning that game are high. Although yes if Jenks had actually hit Kinsler, it would have potentially allowed Texas the possibility to come back into the game, but in reality the Sox still would have won. This makes it an ideal place to try and send your message.
And don't get me wrong, I think this should hold true for all MLB clubs and all professional sports. I don't agree with it just because it's the White Sox, I agree with it because it's a truism for professional sports.
Jenks did end up with a measly $750 fine and this is appropriate, I guess. I think what he did was fine and necessary and I think he should have hit Kinsler (although obviously not injured him- I need him on my fantasy team!). But at the end of the day, people need to stop putting their panties in a bundle every time retaliation occurs- in any sport.
But this even has come into fruition again when this past Sunday, closer Bobby Jenks threw behind Texas Ranger 2B Ian Kinsler. That series, Texas pitchers hit 6 White Sox batters in three games. One hit batter is an accident. Two hit batters is a freak coincidence, but when six batters were hit, you can't necessarily take that lying down. So in the final inning of the final game with two outs left and nobody on base, Jenks threw behind Kinsler. After the game Bobby said he was "trying to send a message" but he just lost control. Nobody throws behind a batter on purpose. Even Sidney Ponson has enough control to throw it where a batter can hit it (and the batter usually DOES hit it...).
But I think Bobby Jenks had every right to do what he did. I'm sure Ozzie ordered his closer to actually hit Kinsler, but no matter what, Bobby needed to take retribution. In every sport, if your team "gets attacked" in a similar fashion to this one, you attack back. This past NFL season, when the Pittsburgh Steelers played their division and hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, Steelers wide receiver laid out a huge hit that injured a Baltimore LB during their first meeting. Of course, Ravens players made all sorts of comments saying how they were going to put a target on Ward's back and make sure he would be "punished". What did all the pundits say about this? While they all agreed maybe the Ravens players should have kept that information out of the public, they agreed with Baltimore. If Baltimore felt like they were "attacked" by Ward, then on the playing field, make sure they get retribution. During these current NBA playoffs, Orlando Magic G Rafer Alston slapped Celtic Eddie House because he felt House used unfair physical contact. When Houston's and NBA's resident crazy person Ron Artest felt Lakers Kobe Bryant used unnecessary physical contact when both were trying to get a rebound (although everything Kobe really did do was perfectly fair and legal), Artest ran over to Kobe and got in his face. And do I really need a hockey example?
My point is, is that in the other three major sports, retaliation is just a part of the game. You obviously shouldn't make it public and Bobby probably should not have overtly said he was trying "to send Kinsler a message", but Bobby needed to do something. Ozzie has obviously been an outspoken supporter of retaliation and his pitchers hitting his batters. I think he's absolutely right. Ozzie has gotten better at this and does not purposefully hit people since really 2006. In this instance, when you're up by 1 and there's two outs, the odds of you winning that game are high. Although yes if Jenks had actually hit Kinsler, it would have potentially allowed Texas the possibility to come back into the game, but in reality the Sox still would have won. This makes it an ideal place to try and send your message.
And don't get me wrong, I think this should hold true for all MLB clubs and all professional sports. I don't agree with it just because it's the White Sox, I agree with it because it's a truism for professional sports.
Jenks did end up with a measly $750 fine and this is appropriate, I guess. I think what he did was fine and necessary and I think he should have hit Kinsler (although obviously not injured him- I need him on my fantasy team!). But at the end of the day, people need to stop putting their panties in a bundle every time retaliation occurs- in any sport.
