Jenks' 'message' pitch under review - 5/11/09

Jenks' 'message' pitch under review
League investigating throw behind Rangers' Kinsler

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

05/11/09 7:47 PM ET

CLEVELAND -- White Sox closer Bobby Jenks has not heard anything from Major League Baseball regarding his purpose pitch to Ian Kinsler, coming with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday's 3-2 victory over Texas. It's a pitch currently being reviewed by the league.

The problem for Jenks started when he threw the fastball behind Kinsler's backside on the first pitch, despite the hard-throwing right-hander featuring impeccable control. But Jenks said after the game that he was trying to send a message by throwing inside after the White Sox had six hit batsmen in four games against the Rangers.

Asked Monday about having regrets over making his intentions public, Jenks said he would change nothing.

"That's how I felt about it," Jenks said. "If there's something on my mind, yeah, I'll say it. But again, I wasn't trying to hit him. If they'll investigate that, they'll see that. It wasn't a dirty pitch. It wasn't up. It was right at his butt. That's all I can say.

"You don't want to see anyone getting hurt. My intentions were not to hurt the guy, like I said before, but I was protecting my guys as well."

For some reason, the White Sox have been pegged as headhunters during Ozzie Guillen's managerial regime. Maybe it stems from Guillen's outspoken nature in following the code of the game, meaning that if he perceives one of his players has been hit intentionally, he will do the same and then admit to it afterwards.

It's also a depiction that could stem from a game in Texas on June 14, 2006, when Vicente Padilla hit catcher A.J. Pierzynski twice, and Guillen sent Sean Tracey into the game to hit Hank Blalock. Tracey was unable to accomplish the task twice, with an angry Guillen pulling him from the game after Blalock grounded out, followed by a Guillen dugout outburst.

But raw numbers certainly don't lend credence to this theory. Since 2004, the White Sox have been hit by a pitch 331 times, while only hitting an opponent 270 times -- the fewest in all of baseball during that span. The White Sox have been hit by a pitch 16 times in 2009, the third-most in the American League and fifth overall in all of baseball. Basically, Guillen only takes care of business when he feels business needs to be addressed.

"I'm not going to hit anyone when they try to pitch inside. I never will. I explained to you yesterday why, because I'm not playing," Guillen said. "But if I see the guy throw at my guy, I'm going to throw at your guy. I will. Major League Baseball knows about it. We had a conversation about it.

"One thing about it. It's one thing to hit the guy and it's one thing to give a warning that enough is enough. I see a lot of my hitters almost with broken hands on back-to-back days. I never retaliate because I think it was on purpose. But in the meanwhile, if I'm the hitter, and I keep getting hit and my pitchers don't protect me, I don't want to play for them.

"Am I outspoken about it? Maybe it's my fault because every time I hit somebody, I say, 'Yes, I did.' I got in trouble. I paid my dues. I paid my money. They sent me to correctional houses. But in the meanwhile, fans have to know what's going on in the game.

"I see other managers hitting people left and right and they say, 'We don't try to do it. I'm not like another manager when they hit people every other day and they hide behind the bush like we try to pitch inside and we don't mean it. Oh, really?"

Guillen believes the warning issued to both teams after Jenks' pitch was punishment enough, as shown by Sunday's game being played without a hit batsman. The White Sox manager, along with Jenks, also doesn't understand the investigation part of this situation.

"Whether I did miss my spot, yeah, it went behind him," Jenks said. "That's where I pitch, guys. I throw fastballs in."

"Investigating? It's not a crime. I mean, Bobby didn't even get close to hitting him," Guillen said. "But they have their way to do their stuff and we are still waiting to see what decision they make and then we see what happens."

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB fines Jenks for 'message' pitch
Sox closer happily puts throwing-behind incident in past

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

05/12/09 7:14 PM ET

CLEVELAND -- As far as Bobby Jenks is concerned, the incident involving his Saturday purpose pitch behind Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler and the ensuing Major League Baseball investigation of said pitch officially stands behind him.

"Unless you guys keep asking me about it," said Jenks with a laugh, talking with the media in front of his locker prior to Tuesday's game at Progressive Field.

Jenks was fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Tuesday -- which is being reported as $750 -- for his fastball that sailed past Kinsler's backside with two outs in the ninth inning of the White Sox 3-2 victory. One of the game's most reliable closers admitted after finishing off the win that while he certainly was not trying to injure Kinsler or even hit him to put the tying run on base in the form of a skilled baserunner, he was trying to send a message by going inside.

At that moment, Chicago batters had been hit by six Texas pitches over the past four head-to-head matchups, while Taylor Teagarden was the only Rangers' hitter to have been hit by the White Sox staff. Jenks made no apologies for protecting his teammates or for talking about his intentions.

Both Jenks and manager Ozzie Guillen were happy the matter was resolved without any suspensions being handed down.

"I was pretty pleased," Guillen said. "The way baseball is going right now, they've been severe with fines and suspending people. I think they did what they were supposed to do. Hopefully, this thing stays here and we don't have to deal with it. But they did what they were supposed to do."

"Yeah, that's nice. I get to keep a little extra money in my pocket," Jenks said. "But obviously, I'm happy about not being suspended, just for the fact if it turns into a situation where we need an extra pitcher out there that day. For those reasons, yes."

Even with this matter now a thing of the past, Jenks smiled and wouldn't give a definitive guarantee that this particular situation would never happen again. Not where protecting teammates is concerned for this bullpen leader.

"You know what? If the situation comes up, we'll have to see," said Jenks, who is perfect in seven save opportunities and had a 1.64 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 11 innings entering Tuesday. "I go out there and do my job. They go out there and do their job. The front office is going to do their job.

"That's how I look at it. I figure they're going to do what they're going to do anyway. My job is go out there and pitch, and hopefully, I'll go out there tonight and get the save."

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.