BOBBY JENKS: YES I DID!

Boob Watson will suspend this guy, but this is EXACTLY how you handle these situations AND the guy was man enough to stand up for himself and his teammates. Jenks can play for me any time.

(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, May 9, 2009) White Sox closer Bobby Jenks surprised even his manager with his admission that Saturday night's fastball behind the butt of Ian Kinsler was thrown there on purpose.

And while it didn't necessarily please Ozzie Guillen, Jenks' teammates had to appreciate his effort after six of them were hit by pitches in the last week by Rangers pitchers.

Asked if the two-out, ninth-inning pitch to Kinsler "got away from him," Jenks replied without hesitation:

"No, I meant to. To send a message. Basically I was saying, 'I'm sick of seeing our guys get hit and hurt and almost get taken out of the game.' I threw it with intention."

Jenks eventually retired Kinsler in a 3-2 Sox victory, but not before home plate umpire Lance Barksdale warned both benches against any more shenanigans. Earlier in the game, the Sox's Chris Getz and Carlos Quentin had been hit by Kevin Millwood.

Jenks said he had no intention of hitting Kinsler, especially in a one-run game.

"I'm not going to put a guy on in that situation," he said. "I was not going to hit him. I made my point with that pitch and it came across the way I wanted it to.

"I'm not going to go dirty. I was going to keep it low and behind him."

Guillen said he had nothing to do with Jenks' revenge pitch, claiming no Sox batter was hit intentionally.

"That's his problem. I know what I see and what I think," Guillen said. "I don't think it was the right moment to do it because we can get in trouble. But if he says he did it, I respect his word and I can't do anything about it right now."

But Guillen also said he likes pitchers to stand up for hitters.

"It's good, because we have to make sure the hitters know we're behind them," he said.

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