Thursday, March 23, 2006

'Mister Nobody' Haunts Bobby Jenks

Two years ago Bobby Jenks was Mister Nobody when the Angels gave up on him as just another hard-thrower with control problems. And yet in an astonishing turn of events, Jenks came out of nowhere because of a variety of chance circumstances to become the White Sox closer and slam the door on the rival Indians last October, setting the stage for the Pale Hose to become world champions. Now Jenks has an identity crisis at 25, and must decide whether he'll continue to be the biggest cold blooded killer in Chicago since Al Capone, or will go back to being Mister Nobody. Jenks 100-mph fast ball has inexplicably vanished, having lost 10 mph in velocity, and he has struggled with his effectiveness all spring. Manager Ozzie Guillen has warned Jenks that even though he still has the closer's job, it is his job to lose.