According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Bobby Jenks was scratched from a scheduled appearance in Saturday’s spring game after an MRI on his left calf revealed some mild irritation.
It’s not a major issue — Jenks should be fine by the start of the regular season if he recovers properly — but the calf irritation will probably haunt him again at some point this season and the White Sox have already flirted with the idea of replacing him at closer.
Matt Thornton had a 2.74 ERA and 1.08 WHIP last season and is an option to take over ninth-inning duties. As is J.J. Putz, who has 103 career saves and at one point finished 40 victories for the Mariners.
Jenks, 29, posted a 3.71 ERA and 1.28 WHIP last season for the White Sox while collecting only 29 saves in 35 chances. His average fastball velocity has dropped from 97 MPH in 2005, his rookie season, to 94.8 MPH last year. His K/9 is also down from 11.44 in ’05 to 8.27 in 2009.
