So much for a .500 April

The Red Sox had a late lead. They were playing the Mariners, not exactly a team that was a preseason pennant pick for anyone.

All they needed to do was hold on to the lead and then on Saturday beat the Mariners at Fenway again. Then they would be 13-13.

I grant you that is the definition of a mediocre record after 26 games.
But with the rancid start the Red Sox had, finishing April at .500 would have been a good first step.

Instead Dice-K is hurt which could mean anything... and the White Sox are looking super smart for letting go of Bobby Jenks.

Another one run loss... now a losing record in April is clinched. And the tally must be updated.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 5

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 9

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picke doff, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)

-4.

Can we PLEASE end this awful month?

Bobby jenks and his bond with Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon

Today the Red Sox took a flier on former White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks for some bullpen depth. How could it hurt?

But as Jenks changes the color of his Sox, he has a unique bond with current Boston pitchers Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon:

All three were the pitchers on the mound when their team won the World Series.

Beckett tagged out Jorge Posada on a little dribbler to end the 2003 World Series for the Marlins.

Jenks got Orlando Palmeiro to ground out to end the 2005 World Series for the White Sox.

And Papelbon struck out Seth Smith to end the 2007 World Seris for the Red Sox.

Personally, I can't think of anything cooler in all of sports than being the pitcher to end the World Series. More than a game winning home run. I used to reenact clinching a World Series as a pitcher on our front lawn... jumping up and being mobbed on the mound.

And I've written a few posts like this one and this one about my fascination with the pitcher who got the final out.

I can't help but wonder if they will talk about it amongst each other in spring training.

They MUST talk about it. Heck, that's how I would preface every sentence. "As a man who clinched the World Series... I will order the chicken salad."

Maybe that's just me.

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.