Red Sox Paying for Bobby Jenks Seems A Little Weird

_{The Red Sox acquiring Bobby Jenks for the price they paid seems a little weird.}

Upon hearing news yesterday that the Red Sox had acquired Bobby Jenks I can't say I was overjoyed. Instead of a "Yes!" reaction it was more like "Really?". The old adage of 'you can't have too much pitching' is proven true year after year, however, it seems eerily bunched up at the back of our rotation, which I'm sure new Sox pitching coach Curt Young will look at as an excellent problem.

The Red Sox paid a steep price in dollars with the two-year $12 million dollar contract, but like I've said earlier this off-season, if they have the money, use it, and with a healthy Jenks, this certainly is a formidable bullpen. This conceivably now means that if our starting pitching can last six innings, the combo of Bard/Jenks and Papelbon can bring the win home for the Sox, which again, has to make you feel good as a Sox fan.

All this being said, I can't say I feel good about this, and it feels like there's going to be a strange tension in the bullpen this year, and if you didn't know it before, this made it absolutely official - 2011 is the last year Jonathan Papelbon will ever pitch for the Boston Red Sox. Do I think it's fair that he's basically a dead-man walking? No. But that's the business of baseball these days I guess. I'm pessimistic about this Jenks signing, and honestly don't have any high expectations, despite what they're paying him. If I had to compare this signing to any other recent one it'd be Eric Gagme. He was a former stud of a closer who had nothing left in the tank due to the massive amounts of steroids he did. Am I saying that Jenks used steroids? No. I am I saying that Jenks is traditionally an out of shape athlete? You bet.

Jenks will now serve as some insurance when, not if, Paps walks after this season, and you just hope things like the tendinitis he had last season and his ability to consistently be out of shape don't burn the Sox and the money committed to him. There's no doubt though, that the Red Sox bullpen just got a hell of a lot better on paper today - the real question that remains is will it be better when on the field.

Comments

[TroyPatterson]

I don' get it. You make a comparison and then say you really have no reason for the comparison.

Jenks was always out of shape and his stuff last year (strikeouts and home run against) was fine.

[SawxBlog]

Ya' know his stats were fine last year...when he was playing. But I'll admit - the Jenks/Gagne comparison was a pretty weak one by me - it's more of a gut feeling than anything (always very scientific), at the least it's sparking a conversation. They were both brought in to bolster the back end of the Sox rotation, not replace anyone already there, so I still think it's sort-of comparable.

Obviously the people making these decisions are a helluva lot more baseball smart that I, and there's now some insurance once Paps leaves. Jenks just...I don't know, justifiably so or not, makes me nervous. Is ERA a stat we now just throw out the window? Especially for relievers? I don't know, his K/ratio was excellent last year, but he did have a 4.44 ERA (highest of his career) and batters were hitting the highest they have in his career as well @ .260, which is still pretty good for Jenks, but those are bad trends no? And if we blame it on injuries, do you trust his rehab and staying on top of his health?

Maybe I just need to lighten up some on him, or maybe I'm a blind Papelbon fan boy, or maybe I have some points, but for me at least, Jenks will have to prove himself in a Red Sox uniform, and earn my respect, and I sure as hell hope he proves me wrong.