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.
Doctor X -- the 'Baseball Medic' -- is an anonymous U.S. government trauma specialist with a Duke University sports medicine background and more than 20 years experience in emergency medicine. From time to time he considers MLB rumors, events and news reports as they pertain to baseball players' injuries, illnesses and various other disabilities, both on the field and off.
MLB Rumors editor Greg Fieg is a former sports news editor and award-winning writer whose bylines have appeared on the wires of the Associated Press and in numerous publications, including San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio Light, Houston Chronicle and Philadelphia Bulletin. He formerly was posted in various positions on the U.S.-Mexican border with Freedom Newspapers, and was a regular, independent contributor to United Press International.