Saluting Bobby Jenks

Today the White Sox parted ways with Bobby Jenks.
It hardly comes as a shock.

He had injury issues last year and his production was dipping. He is arbitration eligible and would be paid more than seven million tomatoes.

But before he goes and before someone else will come in and pile up saves on the South Side, let's salute a truly odd tale of baseball redemption.

Jenks was a product of the Angels farm system, and while he was highly rated by Baseball America he was blowing his big chance. Jenks was overweight, drinking too much and hung over while bringing beer on the team bus.

By 2004, 4 years after he was drafted, the Angels gave up on him.

The White Sox gave him a chance the next year on their AA squad.

On July 6, 2005 he made his big league debut, wrapping up a 7-2 win against Tampa Bay.

He walked Fernando Cortez, the first batter he ever faced.

There were 24,773 fans there. And I am sure NONE of them thought that chubby minor league washout was going to give them the greatest highlight White Sox fans could ever imagine.

The White Sox were never supposed to be World Series winners.

But I know White Sox fans envisioned a World Series title for GENERATIONS.

88 years of waiting and virtually NO respect and romance for the drought (other than the Iowa cornfield.)

And it didn't have to be a fantasy anymore when Ozzie Guillen made the big guy the interim closer when Dustin Hermanson got hurt.

And that wonderful (for White Sox fans) night in Houston ended with him jumping up as high as he could. (Which wasn't that high.)

His career with the White Sox ended on September 4th of 2010 when he got the save against my Red Sox.

His last game in Chicago was on August 29th when he pitched the last inning and two thirds in a 2-1 loss to the Yankees.

The 39,433 in the stands didn't know that was his last game in US Cellular Field.

If they did, I am sure they would give him a standing ovation for the moment that gave White Sox fans their greatest moment (and have the ULTIMATE bragging rights against the Cubs.)

So White Sox fans... salute the big guy. And if he shows up on the South Side in 2011, give him a prolonged ovation.

And for good measure, watch the clip again.