If you picked Bobby Jenks as your offseason scapegoat, you might be feeling pretty good about yourself after reading this Scott Merkin article:
Jenks is not a happy man, and it has nothing to do with another offseason beginning with trade rumors. Instead, during a weekend chat with MLB.com, Jenks took umbrage with the White Sox once again calling out his conditioning at the end of the 2009 season.
"I've done everything I can do, I've done everything that is physically possible, to make myself in better shape this year," said Jenks. "Where the years previously I didn't lose weight in-season, I didn't want my weight issue to be a factor as to why I had an off season."
Also mentioned is that the Sox didn't allow Jenks to travel with the team for the final six games of the season, even though they wanted to.
This is an article to store away, as it does a good job of recapping the late-season smoke signals, which prompted Chris Le Duca to say that Jenks had thrown his last pitch for the White Sox.
Though it may seem like another situation in which the Sox trash an outgoing player before he's officially going out, but a similiar situation is brewing in the Twin Cities' media. Apparently, Joe Nathan "failed because he couldn't breathe," although we've talked about how he breathes a little too hard.
It'd be fun to see what would happen if Jenks and Nathan were on the block at the same time. Both are under control for two years, with Nathan earning $11.25 million in each of the next two seasons, and Jenks set to make $7 million or so in his second year of arbitration. Jenks' presence would more adversely affect Nathan's stock than the other way around, as the Sox could position him as the cheaper closer alternative. Both would be selling low.
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Arizona Fall League play began on Tuesday. To refresh memories, the Sox are sending the following to the desert:
Hitters: Dayan Viciedo, Jordan Danks, C.J. Retherford.
Pitchers: Justin Cassel, Sergio Santos, Jacob Rasner, Matt Long.
Viciedo and Danks could each use strong performances in fall ball to stave off questions -- Viciedo about his polish, and Danks about his wrist. In fact, it'll be slightly troubling if neither hits for power considering this league is an offensive one. Cole Armstrong turned into a slugger for a few glorious weeks here last season.
Mark Gonzalez talks a little bit about Santos, a former shortstop who began his conversion to relief pitching with the Sox this past season.
Another former shortstop to successfully make the jump to the bullpen midway through his minor-league career: Joe Nathan. Will the ciiiiiiiiiiiiiiiircle be unbrokeeeeeeeen?
In the first game, Viciedo went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a sac fly. Santos threw two scoreless innings.
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Reading material:
*At South Side Sox, U-God picks his top five games of the season.
*Andrew has four short essays on Dewayne Wise.
*J.J. keeps cranking out reviews: D.J. Carrasco, Randy Williams, Tony Pena and Scott Linebrink.
*Malcolm Gladwell wrote a scary piece on NFL players and brain damage, which only makes me more confused as to why MLB gets hammered for steroid usage while NFL transgressions go largely unnoticed. Almost all enhanced strength in baseball is used on the ball, whereas football players use their increased size, speed and strength to launch themselves into each other.
