Jenks in Red, but Issues Remain in Black and White
By Angie Wiatrowski in News on Feb 27, 2011 8:30PM
Spring is almost here and I can smell the baseball in the air; or at least hear it. What’s a South Side season without some controversy? And what’s controversy without a lethal mix of social media and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen?
While his socks may be red, former White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks’ issues remain in black and white. The now Boston Red Sox reliever said he was affected by some front office controversy with the White Sox last season.
Jenks signed with the Red Sox as a free agent this off-season and told MLB.com back in December , “I want to play for a manager who trusts his relievers, regardless of what’s going on. With the way Ozzie was talking this winter and the way he treated me, I don’t want to fight with the guy. How many times did he question my ability, and then saying how he would love to have me back, but I would have to come to spring training and fight for the closer’s role like anyone else? Why would I come back to that negativity?”
That time it wasn’t the hot-headed South Side skipper who retaliated. His son, Oney Guillen, took out his frustrations on Twitter. Oney tweeted, “Be a man and tell the manager or the coaching staff how you feel, or the organization when you were with the Sox, now when you leave. You say the manager didn’t trust you? He kept putting your fat [butt] there and you kept blowing it. He never took you away from that role. Unreal…”
As spring training is in full swing, the controversy has boiled over again. Guillen has warned Jenks not to get into a war of words with his son saying, “Please, someone who knows [Jenks], please [tell him not to] talk about Oney.”
Oney has hit Twitter hard again saying Saturday, “I will not comment a single word bc to me the issue was over. Hope u know now who the problem was.” So much for not commenting…
He continued, ‘He is lucky I’m mature and put this to rest. Apologies r accepted I told u it wasn’t me.”
Ozzie would have warned Jenks himself but came across a slight problem; no one has his number. He said, “We don’t miss him—ask 30 guys out here. I was asking for his number to talk to him about it, and nobody has his number. You can tell what happened.”
As a rather calm Ozzie continued, it wouldn’t have been a typical interview without some expletives. He told reporters, “He had a lot of problems, but we were loyal to him by playing him. I was a very bad manager because I kept him as my closer when he couldn’t [close].” Ozzie continued, “He did a lot of bad things last year. We lied for him. We protect[ed] him. I bet you [Red Sox manager] Terry Francona won’t put up with the [expletive] we put up with.”
Oney claims he is moving on but just proves that Twitter is a dangerous thing and Jenks’ name will definitely pop up again in the future. Just think about the fun Ozzie and Jenks will have during the Red Sox series. Mark your calendars, the first game between the two is May 30 in Boston, then the Red Sox visit Chicago on July 29.