Ted's Army: The Voice of Red Sox fans

Globe: Sox to buy out Bobby Jenks

A peculiar story from Nick Cafardo this afternoon: The Sox and Bobby Jenks are working on a contract settlement.

Of course, Jenks wasn't going to pitch for the team again anyway. After his DUI in March, not to mention his major back surgery, his Red Sox career was done. But I'm a little surprised to see that there will be a buyout. 

What grounds do the Red Sox have? Why would Jenks accept anything less than the full $6 million he is "owed"? He certainly has no reason to become a free agent -- I can't see him catching on with another team this year and pitching. 

There must be some legal ramifications possible from his trouble in Spring Training, otherwise he should just sit back and collect his paychecks.

Either way, it was a disgusting signing. Jenks was atrocious when he wasn't hurt -- and he was mostly hurt. Yet another example of a deal that was widely thought to be amazing by analysts -- Baseball Prospectus even praised it in this year's book, saying they were getting a tremendous bargain for one year of him at $6 million -- that turned out to be an abomination.

[Image]

Jenks to cops: "I took too many muscle relaxers"

WEEI has obtained the complete police report from Bobby Jenks arrest. It's a doozy:

According to the arrest sheet for the 31-year-old Jenks, Deputy Marsha Sutphin stopped a white Mercedes Benz SUV near the intersection of Cleveland Ave. and Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers at 2:35 AM Friday. The driver of the car was identified as Jenks, who was asked by the officers if he knew why he was pulled over.

"Probably because I was all over the road back there," said Jenks. 

And when Deputy Sutphin asked Jenks why he was driving all over the road, Jenks told the officer that he "took too many muscle relaxers."

The officer reported that Jenks was shaking uncontrollably and had a difficult time speaking while being questioned.

When Deputy Sutphin asked Jenks if he had taken anything else other than the muscle relaxers, he told the officer that he "was going to be honest with you, I was just leaving Babes because I hit a car. I just had to get out of there."

How about some leniency for brutal honesty?

I don't see how Jenks survives this incident. He will be released by the Red Sox.

Bobby Jenks had one crazy ass night

Via Sean McAdam:

Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, destruction of personal property and leaving the scene of an accident early Friday morning in Fort Myers.
    
Jenks was booked by the Lee County Sherriff's office at 3:43 AM Friday and released about five hours later.
    
"We're aware of it and are still gathering information," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said via text message Friday morning.

Destruction of personal property, too? Sounds like Bobby got hammered and drove his pick-up truck up on someone's lawn or smashed up some newspaper boxes.

Click here for the police report.

Jenks' back surgery turned nearly life-threatening

Following his December 12 back surgery, Bobby Jenks encountered some complications that proved to be nearly life-threatening.

ESPNBoston:

Jenks had surgery to remove bone spurs in his back on Dec. 12 at Massachusetts General Hospital and was back home in Phoenix a few weeks later when he noticed the incision in the middle of his back was leaking some kind of fluid.

The Red Sox pitcher bandaged it up himself and first thought nothing of it. But the problem didn't subside, so he visited a doctor and was rushed into emergency surgery on Dec. 30 to repair "a mistake" that Jenks said could have been a life-threatening situation.

"It was pretty serious," he recalled Thursday at training camp.

Jenks also was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism last September, and because of that issue he had to wait until December to undergo back surgery. Leading up to the surgery, he was working out and trying to get as physically strong as he could so his body could handle the procedure.

As much as we all expressed our dislike for Jenks and his contract, you have to feel for him. I can't imagine thinking the surgery is going to be fairly routine then experiencing complications that could end your life.

As far as him pitching again, it will be months before we see that.

Your Morning Dump...where Crawford is working on his batting stance

 

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump...

 “We pretty much had to start all over,” Crawford said following a 15-minute, welcome-to-spring-training session with reporters. “I had to get my base better so I wasn’t so wide. He saw some areas I can improve in. We just kind of went over everything and did what we had to do. This year, I’m going to have to stay on top of it a little more.”

Added Magadan: “Just in watching him doing his one-handed swings in the cage it looked better. It was a very straightforward, simple movement. He was in line. He was squared to the ball. That’s what you want.”

Crawford is still dealing with other issues, including recovering from wrist surgery last month. He has been cleared to do everything but hit, and by next week, he’s expected to be ready for two-handed swings in the controlled environment of a batting cage.

Herald | Carl Crawford plans to take changes in stride

Everybody who was clamoring for the Red Sox to take responsibility for last year has to have enjoyed Carl Crawford's media scrum yesterday. He was open, honest, and talked both about getting over the past and looking forward in 2012.

He admitted to mental mistakes more than physical, essentially staying he had been too stubborn to listen to hitting coaches when they pointed out mechanical issues. It sounds like he's going to try to simplify things and let his athleticism shine through. It's a good idea in theory. Here's hoping the wrist doesn't slow him down. He could have the right mindset now, but what happens if he feels some pain or weakness and has to alter his swing? He could head right down the same negative path.

I think a big part of it will be where he hits in the lineup. Sabermetric folks regularly dismiss lineup orders, and I'm sure statistically they're right. But it's clearly a big deal mentally to Crawford, and we have too much invested in him not to try to cater to him a bit. I'm wondering if an Ellsbury-Crawford-Pedroia-Gonzalez top of the order is what Bobby V. settles on. Gonzalez doesn't care (about anything), and Pedroia can hit from anywhere. Sure, it knocks Youk and Ortiz down a peg, but they're getting older and are hurt much of the time anyway. I think it's what you'll see them settle on.

On page 2, you're not gonna believe this, but Bobby Jenks doesn't feel great. 

Breaking: Bobby Jenks not as fat as he once was

I don't know if anyone bothered me more than Bobby Jenks last year. (Yes, including John Lackey. At least he tried.) Not only did we only get 15-plus innings out of him, but he managed to pitch atrociously in his time, with an ERA over 6 and a WHIP over 2. 

Given the beer-and-chicken refrain being used to blame last year on the pitching staff's lethargy, it seems appropriate to say that Bobby Jenks' weight was a significant problem. His injuries were back related, and he was probably topping three bills. Not good.

That's why I enjoyed these two tweets from Nick Cafardo. Not only did he report something important, but you can tell he was just flabbergasted. It looks like the kind of thing you'd see if he were covering the Patriots and saw Gisele Bundchen repeatedly. "No, really, you guys, she's really attractive." Just completely in awe.

Let's hope Bobby's trimmed figured leads to a trimming of the ERA as well. We could turn a perennial weakness into a strength if we end up getting solid performances out of him, along with newcomers Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey.

Why are the Sox being so conservative all of a sudden?

Bobby V has been the biggest acquistion...too bad he can't pitch. (Photo: Getty Images)

John Henry has been called many things during his tenure as prinicipal owner of the Red Sox started in 2002. Some of them nice and many of them have been negative but the words "cheap", "thrifty", and "frugal" were usually nowhere to be found. But after reports came that the Red Sox would have to move players in order to acquire free agent Roy Oswalt, those were some of the gripes that people had against Henry and the rest of the ownership and that his new shiny toy across the pond in Liverpool is sucking up all of his funds.

It sounds incredibly preposterous to call Henry cheap when he has made it rain on players. Since 2002, the Red Sox have spent a little over $1.2 billion in salaries and $18.7 million in luxury taxes. He has spent a minimum of $100 million a season on payroll for all but one year when he spent $99,946,500 in 2003. This is the same ownership that has helped draw the ire of all the small market teams as both the Sox and New York Yankees we're having their own personal bidding war.

Your Morning Dump...where Bobby Jenks goes under the knife again.

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump..

Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks recently had a second spinal decompression procedure after experiencing discomfort following the first procedure in mid-December.

That means Jenks is unlikely to be ready for the start of spring training, according to a major league source.

Jenks, 30, experienced discomfort from bone fragments pressing against a nerve. They were removed in the first procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital. But after some healing, a new area of fragments was discovered, and they were removed at a Phoenix-area hospital.

The normal recovery time for the procedure is eight weeks, which would mean Jenks is back in the flow the first or second week of March.

The righthander is in the second year of a two-year, $12 million deal, and he has had a few medical issues since signing, including a pulmonary embolism that had to be treated before his first back surgery.

Globe: Jenks has a second procedure

This would have been a huge concern if the Sox didn't get Mark Melancon. But the one area the Sox have been active transforming the bullpen. With him out for the first half of spring training, the Sox have a bullpen that consists of Melancon, Andrew Bailey, Matt Albers, Scott Atichson, Franklin Morales, and (depending on how the rotation pans out) Alfredo Aceves. So the bullpen looks formidable on paper for now. 

Jenks would be getting a second chance at being the 7th inning guy, a role that he was struggled mightily in the limited time he was on the field. He's been having back problems since late April and thought it would've been done. He's on the hook for $6 million this year, which is huge considering how CHEAP frugal the team has been this season. That $6 million could go to getting a free agent starter that the Sox could really use, just in case the Carlos Silva experiment blows up. But the Sox are stuck with a former closer with a bad back and is just climbing the list of bad signing as each day passes.

Rest of the Links: WEEI:Jenks has second back procedure|Pedroia: "2011 was best offensive season"|

Your Morning Dump... Where 200 couldn't have happened to a better guy

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

After the game, his 200th career win safely in the record books, Tim Wakefield acknowledged there were times when he thought this one might not actually happen.

“It did cross my mind after six or seven starts,” said Wakefield, who made seven unsuccessful attempts at No. 200 since his last win on July 24. “But I kept telling myself the milestone doesn’t determine me as a person. I’ve always said I’ve been grateful to wear this uniform as long as I have, and been very fortunate to live out a dream I had as a kid. I’m just grateful it happened tonight and very grateful it happened in front of our home crowd. The standing ovation I got when I walked off the mound in the fifth and sixth, and to be able to go back out after the game was over and share it with the people that were here, was very special.”

“I was just happy to have a job after that year in ’94,” he said. “I went to spring training and I was 5-15 in Triple A. I went into spring training with the Pirates that year and getting released after one start. I was very grateful that [former Sox general manager] Dan Duquette called me and wanted to sign me.”
 
It was difficult for him to describe his emotions after the win, an 18-6 shellacking of the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
 
“They’re just setting in right now,” he said. “I’m grateful that, one, it’s over with; two, that it was able to happen here in Fenway Park in front if our home crowd and going outside and seeing the signs and all the people and my teammates came out in support. It says a lot about everything that’s gone on in my career and tonight. I’m kind of speechless when it comes to that.”

CSNNE - Wakefield grateful to win 200th at Fenway

Man, what a long journey it's been for Wakefield.  The country has seen 3 presidents, we've put a man on the moon and a someone in Detroit named Ford invented a steam-powered horse (my public education may have failed me on that last one).  And all that's happened between wins 199 and 200 (hey-yo!)! 

Like Wake, I was beginning to wonder if he was going to run out of time before he could notch that 200th win.  I'm glad it all worked out.  While I'm super-happy for Wakefield, I'm ecstatic that the offense decided to come to life to get him the 'W'.

I imagine in the clubhouse before the game, Pedroia walked up to Wake and said, "Don't worry old man, I got this."  And then proceeded to have his 4-5 night with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs.  Ellsbury chipped in with a 4-5 night of his own, with a game-typing solo shot in the 4th and 3 RBI's.  Even Salty had his pitcher's back, with 4 RBI's. 

It was one of those nights where it all came together, and it did so that Tim Wakefield could get his 200th win.  After all the BS surrounding his previous 7 starts, he not only deserved this, but the Sox owed it to him.  Couldn't have happened to a better guy.

Congrats, once again, Mr. Wakefiled.

On Page 2, Jenks is officially done.

Your Morning Dump...where Beckett's seeing a specialist

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

"It's always concerning," Beckett said. "That's my power leg."

Beckett said he slipped and fell while stepping off a mound in the bullpen before the game, but didn't think that had anything to do with the pain that forced him out.

"I felt it on the second to last pitch and then it felt a little bit different on the last pitch I threw," he said. "I didn't feel it till those last two pitches."

"It felt like it was locked up and then it popped in and out of the socket or something," Beckett added.

There was no immediate word as to severity of the sprain and, if there's any good news in the matter, it's that it did not involve his left knee -- a problem that derailed Beckett's scheduled appearance in the All-Star Game.

ESPNBoston | Beckett hurts ankle, to see specialist

You're right, Josh, this is concerning.

We already have Clay Buchholz and his 93-year old back ailing. Then comes work of Erik Bedard's equally annoying knee, which will cause him to miss his next start (see the links below). The $101 million man Daisuke Matsuzaka -- remember him? -- is already done for the year. John Lackey might be more effective if he were hurt, and missing starts.

If Josh misses time, we're down to Lester, Lackey, Wakefield, Miller, Aceves for a five-man rotation, at least for one turn. Who knows what happens with Bedard's knee.

All this time our concern has been the third starter -- but what happens if we lose our first starter?

As my Rays fan friend mentioned to me this morning, Tampa is 7 back. There's -- albeit little -- time for them to make a run. Injuries don't help.

Come on, offense.

On page 2, the theme of pitching injuries continues in the bullpen.