Thursday, November 25, 2021

No Jinx For Bobby In 2008, Part 1

In the mid-2000s The Chicago White Sox had been on the lookout for a closer ever since Dustin Hermanson. Bobby Jenks would be the pitcher they'd settle on. Not that it had been an easy road for Jenks.

Bobby had been drafted by the Anaheim Angels in 2000. It seemed like Jenks didn't have it in him to reach the bigs.

It all started with a bad year in at "Rookie" ball in 2000. Indeed, all Bobby Jenks could do with the Butte Copper Kings of the Pioneer League was go 1-7 with 7.86 earned run average. That's not good enough to make it. Neither was Bobby stints with both Arkansas ("AA" ball) and Cedar Rapids ("A" ball) the next season. With the Cedar Rapids Colonels of the Midwest League, it was tough. Bobby Jenks was just 3-7. Oddly enough, Bobby's numbers a level up were a bit promising. Although only 1-0, Jenks ERA was 3.60 with the Arkansas Travelers. Was this a sign?

Back with Arkansas in 2002, Bobby was just 3-6 with a 4.66 ERA. With the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League ("A+" ball), things weren't much better: 3-5, 4.82 earned run average! It seemed like the poor kid was just spinning his tires.

However, it was in 2003 when things started to turn for the better for Bobby Jenks. Arkansas was his team again. And this time, things went really well. Bobby went 7-2 with a 2.17 ERA. With the AZL Angels of the Arizona League ("Rookie" ball), Jenks made only one appearance. But it sure was a good one. Four innings, no runs, two hits. Had the kid arrived?

A setback ensued. Bobby's 2004 season was bad no matter where he pitched. Worse still, he was designated for an assignment by the parent club, ending his time with the Angels' organization. With Salt Lake ("AAA" ball), he made three starts and had an ERA over eight. With Rancho Cucamonga, Jenks pitched once and gave up eight runs in just three and two-thirds innings. With AZL, there was a single appearance. In three and a third innings, Bobby gave up two hits, three walks, and three runs.

So rather than be out of baseball after his December designation, the kid went to a new organization, the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox picked up the new pitcher on waivers. And as it turns out, Anaheim would miss him. Chicago was in search of their first World Series since 1917 as the 2005 season started. When it ended, the Sox had swept the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic. Their first World Championship in eighty-eight years.

For our boy, Bobby Jenks, it was also a time to get things right. He was given a new role with Birmingham of the Southern League ("AA" level). The Birmingham Barons already had an excellent team, going 82-57. The closer spot was needed to be filled. The previous year, it had been the job of Matt Smith and Jeff Bajenaru. But now Smith was up a level, and Bajenaru was with him on the Charlotte Knights of the International League.

So Chicago was set at the "AAA" level for closers. Their "AA" team needed one. It came down to Bobby Jenks and Dwayne Pollok. Pollok was 4-5, had 11 saves with a 3.08 earned run average. But Jenks was better. 1-2, 19 saves and an ERA of just 2.85. Come July, Bobby Jenks was on the Chicago White Sox roster. Dwayne Pollok never reached the major leagues (Neither did Matt Smith, and Jeff Bajenaru's MLB career consisted of just fourteen games and an earned run average of 11.20).

It's not as if Bobby didn't help the bullpen. In fact, Jenks strengthened it.

There was closer Dustin Hermanson (34 saves). There was Luis Vizcaíno (6-5, 3.73 ERA). The two best relievers on the team were probably Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts. They were a combined 11-1. Politte's earned run average was just 2.00. Cotts was 1.94.

But neither Damaso Marte (3.77 ERA) nor Shingo Takatsu (5.97 ERA) were very good. This probably opened the door for Bobby Jenks. Jenks quickly fit into this team of destiny.

The Chicago White Sox had lost their big gun, Frank Thomas, during the 2005 season. They had to win it all without him.

Our boy made it into 32 games, had a 1-1 record, and a 2.75 earned run average. And, a spot on the Chicago White Sox postseason roster! Bobby Jenks had collected six saves, good enough for third on the Sox behind Hermanson and Takatsu.

Amazingly, Jenks was going to get a real shot at the closer role before the 2005 season came to a close. While Dustin Hermanson had pitched well, his save on September 7th vs. Kansas was his last of '05.

Hermanson was just 1-2 with two blown saves from there, a total of six appearances. How about Bobby Jenks? Well, Bobby had gotten the hold in that September game where Dustin Hermanson got his last save of 2005, and really came through for Chicago from there.

Indeed, from September 9th to the end of the season, the rookie reliever asserted himself as one of the most valuable pitchers on Chicago. In a dozen appearances, Bobby went 1-1, saved five games (He blew two, though), and fanned nineteen batters. Though Jenks posted an earned run average of 3.77 during that stretch, the Pale Hose went 8-4.

The postseason began, and guess who was the closer? That's right, Bobby Jenks. In the American League Division Series, all the rookie did was save two games as the Chicago White Sox beat the defending World Series champs the Boston Red Sox. Next came the Los Angeles Angels for the American League Pennant. Chicago won it, winning four in a row after dropping the opener.

Now, only the Houston Astros remained. Again, the White Sox won four in a row. But this time, the opposition didn't win the opener. Nope. Bobby Jenks preserved a 5-3 Chicago win a home. The series was close all the way. Chicago won game two, 7-6. Game three, 7-5 in extras (Despite Hermanson blowing the save). And just when you think it couldn't get any tougher, Chicago had to make one run stand up in the fourth contest. One of the reasons it did was Bobby Jenks, who pitched the ninth. It wasn't easy.

Jason Lane started it off with a single. A sac bunt moved the tying run to second. Pinch hitter Chris Burke was retired on a pop-up. The next batter was another pinch hitter, Orlando Palmeiro. Palmeiro grounded out. Quite the postseason for the Chicago White Sox rookie: Six appearances, four saves! And an ERA of just 2.25!

Dustin Hermanson had pitched well in 2005, but the next year, he seemed unable to regain his old form. Due to a lower back injury Dustin suffered late in '05, Hermanson was unable to join Chicago the next year until September. And while he showed flashes of his old self, he season ended with just six appearances and an earned run average of 4.05. Worse still, Dustin's major league had come to an end.

The White Sox new closer was Bobby Jenks. While he was just 3-4 with an ERA over 4, it's not like he didn't convert the save opportunities. When the smoke cleared on the 2006 season, Jenks had 41 saves (In 45 save situations). The rest of the Chicago bullpen was not so good. But this was good news for Bobby. There was no one to take the closer role from him, and that earned run average (4.00) had plenty of room for improvement.

The Pale Hose won 90 games in '06, despite the departure of Frank Thomas to Oakland. There would be no return to the postseason that year, or in 2007. The team slipped to just 72 wins. Bobby Jenks continued to help, saving another forty games. But what the White Sox new closer needed was better bullpen buddies.

The Chicago White Sox improved to 89 wins in 2008, and Bobby Jenks had a lot to do with that. The bullpen had another pretty good pitcher in Matt Thornton, who had his best season to date. Thornton went 5-3 with a 2.67 earned run average. Octavio Dotel pitched better than his 4-4 record would indicate. He was a close second to Matt Thornton to appearances. Thornton made 74 and Dotel 72.

It seemed like the White Sox bullpen did a good job of preserving the lead in games in '08. The starting rotation was not great, but four of the five starters got into double digits in wins. Gavin Floyd was the big winner on the staff, totaling 17. Mark Buehrle won fifteen and lost twelve. Javier Vázquez, although just 12-16, reached double figures in wins for the ninth straight season (He'd extend it to twelve in 2011). John Danks won a dozen games himself. José Contreras looked like he was going to win at least ten games, as he had a 7-6 record by the end of June. However, he damaged his Achilles tendon on a grounder. That ended up shelving him from August to the end of the season. Rookie Clayton Richard could quite do what Conteras had done, ending up just 2-5 with an earned run average over six.

So the bullpen was spear-headed by our boy Bobby Jenks. Jenks won only three games, but lost just one. His 57 appearances was third on the team. Matt Thornton topped the bullpen with just five wins. Adam Russell was a perfect 4-0, but with an ERA over five, so there's no way he's better than Jenks.

Notice that some chap named Rivera's best season was 2008, and yet he was just 6-5 on the season? If Mariano was only a win one, lose one pitcher that year, Bobby Jenks shouldn't be punished.

Jenks finished an impressive 52 of his 57 appearances (.912), and no one else on Chicago was doing that. Adam Russell finished 16 of his 22 games (.727). Remarkably enough, Bobby Jenks' 61 2/3 innings pitched was far of the top two on the team. Matt Thornton finished with 67 1/3 innings pitched and Octavio Dotel ended up with exactly 677.


Greatest Relief Seasons of All-Time

Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Bernhard 1899 21 9 0.429 132.1 6 6
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Walsh 1904 18 10 0.556 110.2 6 3
               
Griffith 1905 25 17 0.680 101.2 9 6
               
Ferguson 1906 22 19 0.864 52.1 2 0
               
Keefe 1907 19 14 0.737 57.2 3 5
               
Chappelle 1908 13 6 0.462 70.1 2 4
               
Leever 1909 19 12 0.632 70.0 8 1
               
Dygert 1909 32 13 0.406 137.1 9 5
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Phillipe 1910 31 19 0.613 121.2 14 2
               
Benz 1911 12 4 0.333 55.2 3 2
               
Baskette 1912 29 18 0.621 116.0 8 4
               
Crandall 1913 35 27 0.771 97.2 4 4
               
Wolfgang 1914 24 12 0.500 119.1 9 5
               
Bressler 1914 29 15 0.517 147.2 10 4
               
Conzelman 1914 33 16 0.485 101.0 5 6
               
Mays 1915 38 27 0.711 131.2 6 5
               
Hughes 1916 40 19 0.475 161.0 16 3
               
Danforth 1917 50 26 0.520 173.0 11 6
               
Bender 1917 20 9 0.450 113.0 8 2
               
Coumbe 1917 34 15 0.441 134.1 8 6
               
Dubuc 1919 36 22 0.611 132.0 6 4
               
Luque 1919 30 9 0.300 106.0 10 3
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Morton 1921 30 15 0.500 107.2 8 3
               
Baumgartner 1925 37 9 0.243 113.1 6 3
               
Marberry 1926 64 47 0.734 138.0 12 7
               
Clark 1927 27 19 0.704 73.2 7 2
               
Haid 1928 27 14 0.519 47.0 2 2
               
Rommel 1929 32 15 0.469 113.2 12 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Lindsey 1931 35 19 0.543 74.2 6 4
               
Quinn 1932 39 29 0.744 64.1 5 4
               
Russell 1933 50 31 0.620 124.0 12 6
               
Malone 1936 35 25 0.714 134.2 12 4
               
Brown 1938 51 32 0.627 132.2 15 9
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Beggs 1940 37 27 0.730 76.2 12 3
               
Murphy 1941 35 31 0.886 77.1 8 3
               
Adams 1943 70 52 0.743 140.1 11 7
               
Heving 1944 63 38 0.603 119.2 8 3
               
Maltzberger 1944 46 41 0.891 91.1 10 5
               
Berry 1944 53 47 0.887 111.1 10 8
               
Karl 1945 67 41 0.612 180.2 8 8
               
Christopher 1947 44 38 0.864 80.2 10 7
               
Wilks 1948 57 27 0.474 130.2 6 6
               
Page 1949 60 48 0.800 135.1 13 8
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Konstanty 1950 74 62 0.838 152.0 16 7
               
Aloma 1951 25 11 0.440 69.1 6 0
               
Wilhelm 1952 71 32 0.451 159.1 15 3
               
Paige 1952 46 35 0.761 138.0 12 10
               
Kinder 1953 69 52 0.754 107.0 10 6
               
Mossi 1954 40 18 0.450 93.0 6 1
               
Sain 1954 45 39 0.867 77.0 6 6
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Narleski 1955 60 36 0.600 111.2 9 1
               
Craig 1955 24 4 0.167 90.2 5 3
               
Freeman 1956 64 47 0.734 108.2 14 5
               
Farrell 1957 52 32 0.615 83.1 10 2
               
Zuverink 1957 56 37 0.661 112.2 10 6
               
Hyde 1958 53 44 0.830 103.0 10 3
               
Duren 1959 41 29 0.707 76.2 3 6
               
Staley 1959 67 37 0.552 116.1 8 5
               
Face 1959 57 47 0.825 93.1 18 1
               
Henry 1959 65 36 0.554 134.1 9 8
               
Sherry 1959 23 10 0.435 94.1 7 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Brosnan 1960 57 27 0.474 99.0 7 2
               
McDaniel 1960 63 47 0.746 104.1 12 4
               
Arroyo 1961 65 54 0.831 119.0 15 5
               
Fox 1961 39 25 0.641 57.1 5 2
               
Radatz 1963 66 58 0.879 131.1 15 6
               
Perranoski 1963 69 47 0.681 129.0 16 3
               
Baldschum 1963 65 44 0.677 112.0 11 7
               
Lee 1964 64 39 0.609 137.0 6 5
               
Ellis 1964 52 32 0.615 122.1 10 3
               
Schultz 1964 30 22 0.733 49.1 1 3
               
D. Hall 1964 45 28 0.622 87.2 9 1
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Miller 1965 67 55 0.821 112.1 14 7
               
Regan 1966 65 48 0.738 116.2 14 1
               
Drabowsky 1967 43 26 0.605 95.1 7 5
               
Abernathy 1967 70 61 0.871 106.1 6 3
               
Wyatt 1967 60 43 0.717 93.1 10 7
               
Wood 1968 88 46 0.523 159.0 13 12
               
Segui 1968 52 24 0.462 83.0 6 5
               
V. Romo 1968 41 30 0.732 84.1 5 3
               
Tatum 1969 45 33 0.733 86.1 7 2
               
Watt 1969 56 41 0.732 71.0 5 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Williams 1970 68 36 0.529 113.1 10 1
               
McMahon 1970 61 44 0.721 94.1 9 5
               
Grant 1970 80 54 0.675 135.1 8 3
               
Richert 1970 50 25 0.500 54.2 7 2
               
Sanders 1971 83 77 0.928 136.1 7 12
               
Carroll 1971 61 40 0.656 93.2 10 4
               
Giusti 1972 54 44 0.815 74.2 7 4
               
Knowles 1972 54 29 0.537 65.2 5 1
               
Brewer 1972 51 41 0.804 78.1 8 7
               
Hiller 1973 65 60 0.923 125.1 10 5
               
Jackson 1973 43 33 0.767 80.1 8 0
               
Borbon 1973 80 36 0.450 121.0 11 4
               
Beene 1973 19 11 0.579 91.0 6 0
               
Marshall 1974 106 83 0.783 208.1 15 12
               
Gossage 1975 62 49 0.790 141.2 9 8
               
Hrabosky 1975 65 41 0.631 97.1 13 3
               
McEnaney 1975 70 38 0.543 91.0 5 3
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Eastwick 1976 71 59 0.831 107.2 11 5
               
Johnson 1977 71 54 0.761 146.2 16 7
               
Lyle 1977 72 60 0.833 137.0 13 5
               
Sutter 1977 62 48 0.774 107.1 7 3
               
Blair 1978 70 56 0.800 100.1 7 6
               
Stanley 1978 52 35 0.673 141.2 15 2
               
Lolich 1978 20 7 0.350 34.2 2 1
               
Tekulve 1979 94 67 0.713 134.1 10 8
               
Lopez 1979 61 49 0.803 127.0 10 5
               
R. Davis 1979 44 21 0.477 85.1 14 2
               
E. Romo 1979 84 25 0.298 129.1 10 5
               
Monge 1979 76 53 0.697 131.0 12 10
               
Sosa 1979 62 41 0.661 96.2 8 7
               
Palmer 1979 36 13 0.361 122.2 10 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
McGraw 1980 57 48 0.842 92.1 5 4
               
Garvin 1980 61 24 0.393 82.2 4 7
               
Fingers 1981 47 41 0.872 78.0 6 3
               
Caudill 1982 70 64 0.914 95.2 12 9
               
Reardon 1982 75 53 0.707 109.0 7 4
               
L. Smith 1983 66 56 0.848 103.1 4 10
               
Stewart 1983 54 25 0.463 135.0 10 4
               
Quisenberry 1983 69 62 0.899 139.0 5 3
               
Orosco 1983 62 42 0.677 110.0 13 7
               
Hernandez 1984 80 68 0.850 140.1 9 3
               
Lamp 1985 53 11 0.208 105.2 11 0
               
D. Smith 1985 64 46 0.719 79.1 9 5
               
Lahti 1985 52 31 0.596 68.1 5 2
               
Moore 1985 65 57 0.877 103.0 8 8
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Eichhorn 1986 69 38 0.551 157.0 14 6
               
Righetti 1986 74 68 0.919 106.2 8 8
               
Todd Worrell 1986 74 60 0.811 103.2 9 10
               
Henke 1987 72 62 0.861 94.0 0 6
               
Burke 1987 55 30 0.545 91.0 7 0
               
Daley 1987 53 29 0.547 61.0 9 5
               
Henneman 1988 65 51 0.785 91.1 9 6
               
Parrett 1988 61 34 0.557 91.2 12 4
               
Pena 1988 60 31 0.517 94.1 6 7
               
Lancaster 1989 42 15 0.357 72.2 4 2
               
Russell 1989 71 66 0.930 72.2 6 4
               
McDowell 1989 69 56 0.812 92.0 4 8
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Eckersley 1990 63 61 0.968 73.1 4 2
               
Thigpen 1990 77 73 0.948 88.2 4 6
               
Nelson 1990 51 17 0.333 74.2 3 3
               
Dibble 1990 68 29 0.426 98.0 8 3
               
Henry 1991 32 25 0.781 36.0 2 1
               
Aguilera 1991 63 60 0.952 69.0 4 5
               
Ward 1992 79 35 0.443 101.1 7 4
               
Rojas 1992 68 26 0.382 100.2 7 1
               
Olin 1992 72 62 0.861 88.1 8 5
               
Wetteland 1993 70 58 0.829 85.1 9 3
               
Harvey 1993 59 54 0.915 69.0 1 5
               
Beck 1993 76 71 0.934 79.1 3 1
               
Martinez 1993 65 20 0.308 107.0 10 5
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Myers 1997 61 57 0.934 59.2 2 3
               
Hoffman 1998 66 61 0.924 73.0 4 2
               
Urbina 1998 64 59 0.922 69.1 6 3
               
Williamson 1999 62 40 0.645 93.1 12 7
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Rhodes 2001 71 16 0.225 68.0 8 0
               
Smoltz 2003 62 55 0.887 64.1 0 2
               
Tim Worrell 2003 76 64 0.842 78.1 4 4
               
Cormier 2003 65 21 0.323 84.2 8 0
               
Lidge 2004 80 44 0.550 94.2 6 5
               
Timlin 2005 81 27 0.333 80.1 7 3
               
Nathan 2006 64 61 0.953 68.1 7 0
               
Ryan 2006 65 57 0.877 72.1 2 2
               
Putz 2007 68 65 0.956 71.2 6 1
               
Rivera 2008 64 60 0.938 70.2 6 5
               
Jenks 2008 57 52 0.912 61.2 3 1
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Bell 2010 67 57 0.851 70.0 6 1
               
Soriano 2010 64 56 0.875 62.1 3 2
               
Aceves 2011 55 15 0.273 114.0 10 2
               
Axford 2011 74 63 0.851 73.2 2 2
               
Downs 2011 60 10 0.167 53.2 6 3
               
Cook 2012 71 23 0.324 73.1 6 2
               
Chapman 2012 68 52 0.765 71.2 5 5
               
Johnson 2012 71 63 0.887 68.2 2 1
               
Smyly 2013 63 9 0.143 76.0 6 0
               
Davis 2014 70 11 0.157 72.0 9 2
               
Clippard 2014 75 6 0.080 70.1 7 4
               
Rondon 2015 72 47 0.653 70.0 6 4
               
O'Day 2015 68 19 0.279 65.1 6 2
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Britton 2016 69 63 0.913 67.0 2 1
               
Osuna 2016 72 61 0.847 74.0 4 3
               
Brach 2016 71 16 0.225 79.0 10 4
               
Miller 2016 70 23 0.329 74.1 10 1
               
Robertson 2017 61 34 0.557 68.1 9 2
               
Jansen 2017 65 57 0.877 68.1 5 0
               
Albers 2017 63 23 0.365 61.0 7 2
               
Kimbrel 2017 51 67 0.761 69.0 5 0
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L
               
Morrow 2018 35 30 0.857 30.2 0 0
               
Trivino 2018 69 10 0.145 74.0 8 3
               
Treinen 2018 68 58 0.853 51.0 9 2
               
Jeffress 2018 73 24 0.329 76.2 8 1
               
Yarbrough 2018 38 3 0.079 147.1 16 6
               
Hader 2018 55 14 0.255 81.1 6 1
               
Strop 2018 60 20 0.333 59.2 6 1
               
Workman 2019 73 30 0.411 71.2 10 1
               
Robles 2019 71 51 0.718 72.2 5 1
               
Walden 2019 70 8 0.114 78.0 9 2
               
W.Smith 2019 63 52 0.825 65.1 6 0
               
Oberg 2019 49 18 0.367 56.0 6 1
               
Littell 2019 29 7 0.241 37.0 6 0
               
Whitlock 2021 46 11 0.239 73.1 8 4
               
Pitcher Year GP GF GF% IP W L




Notes


Hughes appeared as a starter thirteen times.

Baumgartner and Bernhard appeared as a starter twelve times.

Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.

Craig and Coumbe appeared as a starter ten times.

Danforth, Malone, Stewart, Sherry, Luque and Conzelman appeared as a starter nine times.

Phillipe and Walsh appeared as a starter eight times.

Morton and Griffith appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige, Mays, Chappelle, Rommell and Yarbrough appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.

Leever, Aceves and Beene appeared as a starter four times.

Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan, Lindsey, Karl, Wilks, Martinez, Clark and Lolich appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw, Aloma, Robles, Ferguson, Vincente Romo, and Trivino appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.


References


“Remember That Guy: Dustin Hermanson.” NBC Sports Chicago, National Broadcasting Company, 28 Mar. 2020, https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/remember-guy-dustin-hermanson. 25 Nov. 2021.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 25 Nov. 2021.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. 25 Nov. 2021.

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