In the ever-developing case of Jenks v. Conditioning, we know which side Kenny Williams is taking:
“It comes into question when you are not in the best shape you can be in, now doesn’t it?” If [Jenks] doesn’t like that, I don’t really care if he doesn’t like that. It’s the truth.
“I’ve seen it time and time again. We would not be in his corner and we would not be real friends, real people of support, if we didn’t give him the information.”
At first glance, this seemed like more coal in the engine on the train out of town. Now, I don’t think this necessarily increases the chances of Williams trading Bobby Jenks. In fact, it might mean that he’s staying.
Here are some reasons.
No. 1: His words are awfully harsh about a guy whom Williams is supposed to pretend has value.
I went back to the Nick Swisher trade last year. As the rift grew larger between the clubhouse core, Ozzie Guillen and Swisher, I tried to see if Kenny Williams had anything to say.
Here’s what I found from the Sun-Times in the wake of the Sox’s ALDS exit:
After the 6-2 loss to the Rays, general manager Ken Williams stopped at Swisher’s locker, gave him a hug and said, ”Come back next year and start all over again.”
Reports began to surface soon after saying that Williams was shopping Swisher, but he had nothing but his typically terse statements until the trigger was finally pulled. Here’s a deal in which Williams was content to get nothing in return but salary relief, and even then, he kept his lips zipped.
