View Full Version : Geoff Jenkins
<b><font size=4>Jenkins gets the day off</font>
Yost says outfielder needed a break</b>
Houston - Leftfielder Geoff Jenkins was not in the starting lineup for the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon and it had nothing to do with the fact that Roger Clemens was pitching for Houston.
Jenkins, who was playing Class AAA ball in Tucson the last time Clemens faced Milwaukee (in July 1997), actually was looking forward to facing the future Hall of Famer.
Manager Ned Yost had other ideas.
With the Brewers enjoying their first day off of the season today, Yost decided to sit Jenkins on Sunday to give his leftfielder and cleanup hitter two straight days off.
" 'Jenks' has been going so hard," Yost said. "He had strep throat in spring training and he hasn't had a day off since he came back. If you have a chance to give a guy two days off and only miss one game, that's a good chance to do it.
"You have to have some breaks in there. We're not going to have any Richies this year."
That's Richie, as in Sexson, who played every inning of every game at first base for the Brewers last season and will visit Milwaukee this week with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With Jenkins out of the box score on Sunday, centerfielder Scott Podsednik and first baseman Lyle Overbay are the only two Brewers who have appeared in every game. Podsednik has started 13 games; Overbay did not start Wednesday in San Francisco but appeared as a pinch hitter.
<b><font size=4>Leader of the pack</font></b>
Leftfielder Geoff Jenkins has yet to go on one of his patented tears at the plate, but Yost has been very pleased with the leadership role the senior Brewer has assumed on the club.
" 'Jenks' has really stepped up to be a leader," said Yost. "He's not a rah-rah type of leader. It's leading by example.
"No matter what, he's leading. If he strikes out two times, he's not moping in the dugout. He's there cheering the guys on. He has taken it very seriously."
When Jenkins signed a three-year, $23 million contract extension with an option for 2008 during spring training, he talked about the importance of assuming a leadership role on the club, especially with so many young, inexperienced players on the roster.
"It's been easy because we have such good guys on the club," said Jenkins. "You don't really have to say much."
<b><font size=4>Power outage</font></b>
At the end of May last season, Geoff Jenkins had 11 home runs and 35 RBI. With only one homer in his last 22 games, Jenkins will have to go some to match that output.
After going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, a double-play grounder and a walk against the Expos, Jenkins is batting .262 with four homers and 21 RBI.
"It's a timing thing," said hitting coach Butch Wynegar. "He's been fighting to find his timing. He's been working hard at it but it's not quite there yet."
Luckily for the Brewers, Lyle Overbay has been picking up most of the RBI that Jenkins left behind over the past three weeks. But Yost promised his cleanup hitter will get hot any day now.
"He hasn't gotten hot yet. Just imagine what it'll be like when he does," said Yost. "He's not putting pressure on himself. He'll be just fine."
<b><font size=4>Packing no punch</font></b>
With only one homer in his last 23 games, Brewers leftfielder Geoff Jenkins is in one of the worst power slumps of his career. For the season, he has just four home runs.
"It doesn't bother me because I've still been driving in runs," Jenkins insisted. "I haven't really got locked in yet. I'll keep working hard and it'll happen."
<b><font size=4>Brewers figure that Jenkins' power failure about to end</font></b>
It had been a long time since Geoff Jenkins "stepped on one."
That's the phrase that the Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder uses when all the elements of his swing - the timing, the leg kick trigger, the swing trajectory and the follow-through - come together in perfect harmony and he punishes a pitch.
It's what happened in the top of the second inning Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Pirates right-hander Josh Fogg caught too much of the plate with a 2-0 fastball and Jenkins crushed it. The ball rocketed toward the right-field stands, bringing Brewers players out of their seats in the visitor's dugout.
The ball climbed. It hooked. It kept climbing. And it kept hooking.
Finally, it landed foul in a section of the ballpark where fans don't expect to catch souvenirs. As Jenkins returned to the batter's box, his teammates sat down and Fogg puffed his cheeks and exhaled a big sigh of relief.
Jenkins hit the next pitch for a single to right, the first of two hits in the Brewers' 3-1 loss, but it was the titanic foul ball that everyone remembered.
"We haven't seen that very much," said catcher Chad Moeller, who has been watching Jenkins hit since they were teammates at the University of Southern California in the mid-1990s. "I think that means he's getting close."
Butch Wynegar agreed.
"Everything he does in the (batting) cage looks great," the Brewers' hitting coach said. "In the games, it's just not there yet. But it's coming."
With more than a quarter of the season complete, Jenkins has hit just four home runs and is hitting .262 with a .321 on-base percentage. It's the slowest start of his big-league career and not what anyone expected from a player whose $8.55 million salary represents more than a quarter of the club's payroll.
"I'm trying to spread out my stance a little bit and use my hands more," he said. "The last couple weeks, I've just felt slow. You go through times like that, but usually it's more toward the end of the season.
"For whatever reason, I haven't felt that whip. (Saturday), I took batting practice off and did drills in the cage with Butch. I felt refreshed. I actually felt good up there. I don't think I've felt good at the plate for a whole game this season."
Jenkins certainly isn't alone in that regard. Other than first baseman Lyle Overbay, who is hitting a sizzling .363 with six homers and 21 doubles, Brewers hitters are scuffling as a group and commiserating in the batting cage.
"We're just kind of living day to day," said infielder Keith Ginter, who leads the club with seven homers. "It's a battle. When you're not feeling it, you start putting pressure on yourself. That doesn't help. Lyle has been carrying us, no question. The rest of us haven't gotten hot yet.
"I don't feel good at the plate. Scott Podsednik is messed up right now; he's probably batting right-handed (in the batting cage). 'Jenks' hasn't gotten hot. When he gets hot, he can carry a team. Junior (Spivey) missed three weeks, so it's going to take him some time to get back.
"We just have to find a way to get it done. This game is a grind. It's been hard for us. You get frustrated when you have a bad at-bat, but when you come up later in a big situation you can't think about what happened before."
The Brewers rank near the middle of the National League standings in most offensive categories, but they are sixth in runs scored (207). Although the team's batting average has increased from .256 in April to .261 in May, the club will be pressed to match its totals for runs scored and homers for the first month. The Brewers hit 27 homers and scored 120 runs in April. In May, they've hit 14 homers and scored 87 runs.
"It's not for lack of trying," Wynegar said. "They've been working hard. I think a lot of it is mental right now. I think Jenkins and few guys are really close to breaking out. It seems like something has to happen - one swing; one something - and all of a sudden everything will click.
"You keep telling yourself, 'This happens a couple times a year.' But I have to keep reminding Podsednik and Ginter and Jenkins not to let it beat them. You have to battle it.
"The other day in Puerto Rico, Ginter put down a sacrifice bunt and he was coming back to the dugout and he got to the foul line and he started walking. He put his head down and he started taking off his batting gloves. I got on him about that. I told him, 'If I didn't know you better, I would think that you were mad about having to bunt. I know that's not the case. I know you're struggling but you have to keep your head up. It can change just like that.' I know these guys are going to come around. Hopefully, they'll all do it together."
Jenkins said the key was not to panic.
"You just play every day and let the chips fall," he said. "At the end, you're going to have career years. You're going to have down years. You're going to have years in the middle. You're going to have years with injuries. There are going to be ups and downs."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?t=38202 target=_blank>Giving Something Back</a>
<b><font size=4>Last call</font></b>
The team on Tuesday unveiled "Jenkins Junction," a section of bleacher seats in left field named for Geoff Jenkins. He will host members of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in the section this season. ... Assistant trainer Dan Wright rejoined the team Tuesday after missing the last road trip due to the death of his father. Wright spent the week at home with his family in Oregon
<b><font size=4>Jenkins' glove looks golden</font>
Despite plate struggles, left fielder impressing in field</b>
MILWAUKEE -- Geoff Jenkins will not start worrying until his glove starts betraying him, too.
Homerless since May 11 and limited to a .655 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) this month, Jenkins contributed a pair of nearly identical, equally highlight-worthy diving catches in each of the first two games this week against the Dodgers.
He robbed Juan Encarnacion in the top of the 12th inning of Wednesday's 2-1 win. It helped preserve a streak of 14 Dodgers sent down in order by five different Brewers relievers.
"I'm as confident out there as can be," said Jenkins, who probably would have a Gold Glove or two if not for a spate of injuries in recent seasons. "If I'm not going to be swinging the bat on certain days, I know I can be out there and rob a homer, make a diving catch, throw a guy out at second. Whatever it takes."
Jenkins entered Thursday's game with a 177-game errorless streak dating to June 4, 2002 at Wrigley Field.
He contributed at the plate in the bottom of the inning, reaching on a seeing-eye leadoff single that went between the pitcher's legs, then bounced off second base and over the shortstop. Jenkins eventually scored the winning run when Dodgers third baseman Adrian Beltre committed a throwing error.
Going into Thursday's series finale, Jenkins was batting .265 with four home runs and 24 RBIs.
"I think he's just pressing a little bit," manager Ned Yost said.
Not exactly a slump, but not exactly one of Jenkins' red-hot streaks, either. He is not the only one scuffling; leadoff man Scott Podsednik was hitting .213 this month before he led off Thursday's game with a single and Ben Grieve had one hit in his last 22 at-bats.
The Brewers were 5-3 in their last eight games but had scored 21 runs, an average of 2.6 runs per game.
"We don't have a lot of guys locked in at the plate," Jenkins said. "[Lyle] Overbay -- I call him Nintendo because he can do anything he wants out there. Nobody else has done anything spectacular, but we're doing little things to win games.
"It's different guys on different days. That's what it takes, man."
<b><font size=4>Encouraging signs from Jenkins</font>
Slugger goes 3 for 4 with homer in loss</b>
Los Angeles - Geoff Jenkins could be on the brink of a breakthrough.
The Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder entered Memorial Day batting a paltry .122 against left-handed pitchers (5 for 41). In four at-bats against southpaws Monday at Dodger Stadium, he went 3 for 4 with a single, double and solo homer - his first in 68 at-bats.
"I've been telling Jenks for the last few days that he's getting close," Brewers hitting coach Butch Wynegar said. "He looked good today."
Jenkins, who is batting .260 with five homers and 27 RBI, hit a crisp single up the middle in the first inning against Odalis Perez. After flying out to left field in the fourth, he ripped a low, outside first-pitch slider for a homer opening the seventh. Facing reliever Tom Martin in the ninth, he belted a double to left-center.
"It's the first day in a long while that I felt really good up there," Jenkins said. "When I'm going well, I hit balls to left center. That means I'm staying square on the ball. A lot of us have been struggling at the plate this year. Hopefully, we'll all get going."
<b><font size=4>Ouch</font></b>
Brewers leftfielder Geoff Jenkins made a tumbling catch to take a hit away from Burroughs in the seventh inning. Jenkins reported that his left shoulder was "a little sore," but he said the problem was nothing serious.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=281012#post281012 target=_blank>17 innings yield milestones, trivia</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=282392#post282392 target=_blank>Nicknames</a>
<b><font size=4>Is Jenkins warming up?</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins has hit three home runs in his last four games. He hit his 14th career home run against Houston in the fifth inning Sunday. His two hits on Sunday helped raise his average to .341 against the Astros this year. Jenkins has scored 14 runs in his last 15 games.
<b><font size=4>Dial 5 for long distance</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins has hit four of his nine home runs in the last five games. On the first four games of the 12-game homestand, Jenkins is hitting .412 with three home runs and four RBI on the homestand and has 16 runs scored in his last 16 games.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=284730#post284730 target=_blank>Trojan pride</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?t=39191 target=_blank>Campaign trail</a>
<b><font size=4>Fits like a glove</font></b>
Leftfielder Geoff Jenkins reached a milestone Wednesday night, playing his 200th consecutive game without an error. Jenkins has not committed an error since June 4, 2002 against Chicago.
And it's not like Jenkins is a statue in left a la Manny Ramirez. He is an aggressive defender unafraid to make diving plays or charging pickups and throws.
Jenkins threw out Colorado's Jeromy Burnitz in the ninth inning Thursday trying to score from second on a single, moving him into a tie for first in the NL with Cincinnati's Adam Dunn with seven outfield assists.
"It's something I'm proud of," Jenkins said. "One day I'm going to make one, obviously, and the streak will be over, but 200 is a nice number."
Now, if only the managers and coaches who vote for the Gold Glove awards would take notice. The voting in each league is done on three outfield positions in general, not left, center and right, as it should be.
It is a format that has favored centerfielders and penalized corner outfielders.
"He could very well be the best leftfielder in the National League," Yost said. "It doesn't matter if it's 200 games, 400 games or one game. He plays it aggressively."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=286539#post286539 target=_blank>Network gig</a>
<b><font size=4>Good as gold</font></b>
Jenkins played his 200th consecutive error-free game in left field on Wednesday night. He has not made an error since June 4, 2002, is tied for second in the National League this season with six outfield assists and is a strong candidate for his first Gold Glove Award.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins perfect in left</font>
The Brewers' left fielder has not made an error in '04</b>
MINNEAPOLIS -- Besides Geoff Jenkins, name the best defensive left fielders in the National League.
"Geoff Jenkins," Brewers outfield coach Dave Nelson says with a shrug. "That's it. Name somebody else."
Maybe Brewers manager Ned Yost could.
"When I was coaching third base [with the Braves], I worried about Geoff Jenkins and [Philadelphia's] Pat Burrell," Yost said. "But I'm talking about left field arms. I don't think Burrell plays the outfield as good as Jenkins does. Nobody does."
For 201 games and counting, Jenkins' defense has been good as gold. Entering the weekend series against the Minnesota Twins -- speaking of good defense -- Jenkins had gone that many games without committing an error. He was last charged with a miscue on June 4, 2002 at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.
Considering the all-out way Jenkins patrols left field, that's good. Gold Glove-good.
"I don't know if it's on my mind, but it was be a great award to win," said Jenkins, who has never been honored with a Rawlings Gold Glove Award. "It would be fun to win."
Jenkins had not committed an error in 119 total chances this season, one of only six NL outfielders with no errors in 100 or more total chances. The other five are center fielders: Houston's Craig Biggio (135 total chances), the Cubs' Corey Patterson (138), Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. (151), San Francisco's Marquis Grissom (157) and Atlanta's Andruw Jones (160).
Jenkins threw out former Brewer Jeromy Burnitz at home plate in the ninth inning of Thursday's 3-0 loss for his seventh outfield assist. That's tops in the NL along with Cincinnati's Adam Dunn.
"If you can make a play out there, whether it's diving or throwing a guy out or robbing a home run, that helps your pitcher," Jenkins said. "You definitely love making those type of plays."
Five different Brewers have won the award but none since Robin Yount, as a shortstop in 1982. Sixto Lezcano was the only Brewers outfielder ever honored, in 1979, and first basemen George Scott and Cecil Cooper were multiple winners. Scott won the award five straight seasons from 1972-1976 and Cooper won it in 1979 and 1980.
In recent seasons, the award seems to be as much about defense as offense. In that case Jenkins should be OK; he entered the weekend batting .261 with 42 RBIs and a team-best 10 home runs.
"I don't know why it's turned into that. It's a Gold Golve, not a 'Gold Bat,'" Jenkins said. "I remember [Rafael] Palmeiro winning it when he was a DH. That didn't make much sense."
Major League coaches and managers vote for winners in each league.
<a href=http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/images/2004/06/25/TwFOiQMf.jpg><img src=http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/images/2004/06/25/TwFOiQMf.jpg border=0></a>
Geoff Jenkins has been making spectacular defensive plays in '04.
<b><font size=4>Scoring change</font></b>
Brewers leftfielder Geoff Jenkins picked up a hit thanks to a scoring change late last week. After the Brewers' loss to Colorado on Thursday at Miller Park, official scorer Tim O'Driscoll met with Rockies shortstop Royce Clayton and changed the scoring of a play from an error to a hit. As a result, Jenkins was 1 for 4 in the game.
<b><font size=4>Ouch</font></b>
Brewers leftfielder Geoff Jenkins struck out to end the top of the eighth inning and was hit on the right kneecap by a pitch from Joe Roa. Jenkins finished the game but had a large welt on the knee afterward. "It doesn't feel too good," he said.
Jenkins is not expected to miss any time.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins 'trying too hard'</font>
Yost says slugger is just overanxious</b>
Pittsburgh - With one week remaining before the all-star break, the Brewers are still waiting for Geoff Jenkins to start hitting the ball like Geoff Jenkins.
By going 1 for 4 with an infield single and two strikeouts Sunday in the Brewers' 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh, Jenkins finished a 10-game trip in which he batted .179 (7 for 39) with one homer and two RBI. For the season, he is hitting .252 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI.
Last season, Jenkins was batting .275 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI at the break, a performance that resulted in being added to the NL all-star team in online fan balloting for the final roster spot.
"He's overanxious a bit," said manager Ned Yost. "He's having fun winning and he wants so bad to be a part of it, so he's trying too hard.
"He gets a bit overanxious because he's feeling good and he knows he's good and he wants to do good. His swing is great. It's just a matter of pitch selection."
So, when will Jenkins stop being overanxious?
"It'll stop when it stops," Yost said. "When 'Jenks' gets hot, he can carry us for a week. I'm confident that will happen soon."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins can't get going</font></b>
Though the Brewers continue to stay well above .500, Geoff Jenkins continues to struggle, especially with runners in scoring position. Prior to Tuesday’s game, Jenkins was hitting just .247 with runners in scoring position. He does not have a hit this year when runners are on second and third base. In addition, he is not moving runners along in clutch situations. Jenkins was hitting .242 with men on base and two out and .193 from the seventh inning on in games decided by two runs or less.
<b><font size=4>What's wrong with Jenkins? An Analysis</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins is in a serious offensive slump.
Who would have thought, way back in March when we were on top of the world because of his resigning, that Jenks would be one of our worst offensive players over the first half? And not because of injuries, mind you... but because of poor performance. Anyone?
I didn't think so.
Regardless of the manner in which you break down his numbers, Jenkins has been a sub-par offensive performer. His month-by-month totals reveal a high degree of consistency.
<pre><font size=2>
Month AVG OBA SLG OPS HR RBI BB SO
------------------------------------------------
April .264 .356 .494 851 3 14 12 14
May .257 .292 .381 672 2 13 5 23
June .238 .302 .448 749 5 15 8 28
July .244 .279 .415 694 2 5 2 11
------------------------------------------------
.251 .311 .434 744 12 47 27 81
</font></pre>
He has yet to go one one of his "patented Jenks' hot streaks," and even his best month's totals were not on par with his previous performances. Here are Jenkins' season numbers over his career.
<pre><font size=2>
Year AVG OBA SLG OPS
------------------------------
1998 .229 .288 .385 673
1999 .313 .371 .564 935
2000 .303 .360 .588 948
2001 .264 .334 .474 808
2002 .243 .320 .444 764
2003 .296 .375 .538 913
2004 .251 .311 .434 745
------------------------------
</font></pre>
Since becoming an everyday player in 1999, Jenkins' has never had an OPS as low as 745. His lowest season total came in 2002, but he played only 67 games due to injury, and his 764 mark was still superior to his performance in 2004. In the four seasons he has played more than 100 games, Jenkins' OPS has been 935, 948, 808, and 913.
So how does one explain Jenkins' lack of production?
For one thing, Jenkins is on pace to strikeout 156 times, a total that would shatter his previous high water mark of 135. While he has always struck out more than one would like, he had started to show signs of improved plate discipline in 2003. He is on pace to walk 51 times this season, which would be his second best total of his career, but a 2.65 K:BB ratio would have placed him in the bottom ten players in the NL a year ago.
In addition to his strikeout total, Jenkins is hitting more groundballs than his career norm and has already hit 130, only 26 less than he did in all of 2003. His groundball-to-flyball ratio of 1.60 would be the highest of his career by far, a fact that is confirmed by anecdotal observation; a betting man would place 4-3 as the most likely outcome in any Jenkins' at-bat.
Moreover, Jenkins has been handcuffed by left-handed pitchers. In 85 at-bats, he has an OPS of 599 and has struck-out 32 times against only five walks. While he has always struggled against southpaws, Jenks' line over the previous three seasons was a respectable .272/.320/.441, or an OPS of 761, markedly better production than his total OPS in 2004.
One factor that does not seem to be affecting Jenkins' success at the plate is the number of pitches he sees per plate appearance. While it may appear that he is swinging at too many pitches early in the count, Jenks is averaging 3.67 pitches per PA, a number that is consistent with his totals over the last three seasons (3.65, 3.63, and 3.72 respectively).
In fact, Jenkins has actually had success when swinging early in the count. When hacking at the first pitch, something he has done 52 times, Jenkins is batting .346 with a 985 OPS. After he gets behind in the count 0-1, however, his numbers fall to .212 and 597. Clearly, he is having trouble differentiating between strikes and balls, pitches he can drive and pitches he can't, and the result has been a defensive approach when he falls behind in the count.
Has his position in the batting order been a factor? Apparently not. In 139 at-bats as the #3 hitter, Jenkins has batted .245 with a 744 OPS. In 207 at-bats as the #4 hitter, he has batted .256 with an identical 744 OPS. Whether Lyle Overbay bats ahead of him or behind him, Jenkins has been the same, unproductive hitter.
Just how bad has Jenkins been?
Among qualified left-fielders in the National League, he has the lowest batting average, on-base average, and OPS. He has the second most strikeouts among all NL left-fielders, qualified or not, trailing only Adam Dunn and tied with Pat Burrell. At the same time, he has the fewest walks per plate appearance and has the second most pronounced groundball/flyball ratio. He has created the second fewest runs per 27 outs, besting only Jeff Conine, and has contributed only 3.5 runs above a replacement player at his position.
To put that last figure into context, Jenkins trails players like Charles Thomas, Shane Spencer, Ray Lankford, and John Mabry. Among left-fielders with at least 100 plate appearances, Jenkins is ninth worst in the league. Including only those with 200 plate appearances, Jenkins is third-worst. Change that number to 300 plate appearances, or "everyday players," and Jenkins is the worst left-fielder in the league. And it's not particularly close.
Put another way, Jenkins has made more outs than any other left-fielder in baseball. In fact, only Scott Podsednik has made more outs among Brewers' hitters. The much-maligned catching duo of Chad Moeller and Gary Bennett has combined to make a staggering 234 outs in 328 plate appearances. The percentage of their plate appearances that go for outs, 71.3, is only slightly worse than Jenkins' out percentage, 68.9.
In other words, Geoff Jenkins has not been Geoff Jenkins.
While he has remained a premiere defensive left-fielder, Jenks has been abysmal at the plate, lacking both power and discipline, incapable of generating a hot streak, and skilled only at making outs. It has been a regrettable first half for the Brewers' personable leader, to be sure, and Jenkins will need to rekindle his lost production for the rest of the season if Milwaukee has any shot at a post-season run.
<b><font size=4>Going for the gold</font></b>
The outstanding catch by Brewers leftfielder Geoff Jenkins in the sixth inning earned praise from his teammates, and a hearty endorsement from Yost.
"He doesn't get enough recognition of being a Gold Glove-type leftfielder," Yost said. "He has this errorless streak going, and he plays a fearless left field. He plays full out in everything he does.
"Maybe he isn't recognized because we haven't been much of a team to look at lately, but I think that's all changing."
Jenkins, who hasn't made an error since June 2002, said he wasn't bothered by the lack of attention for his fielding skills.
The word appears to be getting around, however, as Moises Alou quickly settled for a single on his line drive down the left-field line in the sixth, rather than trying to stretch it into a double. That play came moments before Jenkins turned against the vines to rob Aramis Ramirez of a sure double.
"I think baseball people know I can play a pretty good left field and have an accurate arm," Jenkins said, who has gone 222 games without an error. "I think the respect of coaches and players around the league is more important to me.
"I told Ned a couple weeks ago it's a goal of mine to win a Gold Glove, and work as hard as I can to do that. Hopefully it will happen."
<b><font size=4>Gold Glove for Jenkins?</font>
Left fielder's game-saving play has people talking</b>
CINCINNATI -- It's a well-known fact among pitchers that Geoff Jenkins is a dangerous hitter with power. One aspect of Jenkins' game that is often overlooked is his defense. Brewers manager Ned Yost believes that is about to change.
"I think he's starting to get more recognition as a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder," Yost said.
Jenkins leads all NL left fielders with a 1.000 fielding percentage. He has not made an error since June 4, 2002 -- a span of 222 games and 408 total chances. Jenkins is also tied with the Reds' Adam Dunn and the Phillies' Bobby Abreu with eight outfield assists. Jenkins has 66 outfield assists in his career.
"I think he's one of the best defensive left fielders in baseball, if not the best," said Yost. "I can't think of anyone who is better than he is."
Jenkins made the play of the game on Sunday at Wrigley Field. He snared a drive off the bat of Chicago's Aramis Ramirez and then delivered a laser-beam throw to Lyle Overbay to double-up Moises Alou at first base.
"Those kinds of plays can turn the momentum of a game," Jenkins said. "That was a key to the game."
The Brewers held on for a 4-2 win to split a four-game series with the second-place Cubs.
"[Jenkins' play] was big for us," Yost said. "You want to try to win as many as you can. Three out of four would have been nice, but since the best we could do was a split, that's a lot better."
<b><font size=4>Birthday boy</font></b>
Left fielder Geoff Jenkins turned 30 on Tuesday, and he shares his birthday with some pretty impressive company: author Ernest Hemingway (1899), musician Cat Stevens (1948) and actors Robin Williams (1952), Jon Lovitz (1957) and Josh Hartnett (1978).
Jenkins is also among some pretty elite company when it comes to defensive play in left field, leading all National League outfielders with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. He committed his last error on June 4, 2002, a span of 224 games and 409 total chances. Jenkins is tied for second in the league with eight outfield assists along with San Diego's Jay Payton, Cincinnati's Adam Dunn and Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu. Jim Edmonds of the Cardinals leads the NL with nine.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins returns</font></b>
Jenkins returned to the lineup Thursday after leaving in the fourth inning Wednesday night because of heat exhaustion. Jenkins experienced dizziness and was replaced by Clark in the fourth inning. Jenkins was batting third and playing left field Thursday night.
"He's fine. He feels better," Yost said. "We re-hydrated him. He drank a lot of fluids last night."
Jenkins said after the game Wednesday he was already feeling better after taking some intravenous fluids. Jenkins thought it was the wise move at the time to leave the game.
"You know you need to be in there helping out the team, but I just thought it was the smartest thing at that point," Jenkins said after the game.
Yost said he didn't notice or hear of any other Brewers players experiencing heat exhaustion Wednesday. "There was a lot of profuse sweating going on," he said, "but nobody was getting dizzy or overheated."
The game-time temperature Wednesday was in the upper 90s with a heat index around 105, and the conditions were nearly the same Thursday. Yost said the episode with Jenkins certainly makes the Brewers take some extra precautions.
"Yeah, it's awful hot," Yost said.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=299969#post299969 target=_blank>Too many singles</a>
<b><font size=4>New alignment</font></b>
Yost said he planned to leave Geoff Jenkins in the No. 5 spot in the batting order for the foreseeable future. Jenkins batted third most of the season but has been unable to shake a season-long slump, batting .230 in July and .259 in August.
"We're trying to maximize our run production," Yost said. "He can hit in either spot."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins' errorless streak ends</font></b>
A lengthy streak ended for the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night at Miller Park.
A shorter streak, as frustrating as the first was impressive, continued.
Leftfielder Geoff Jenkins' streak of consecutive errorless games streak came to a halt after 249 games, 451 chances and more than two years on the calendar. Jenkins was charged with an error in the third inning and was involved in a handful of unusual plays.
"I had weird balls all night," Jenkins said. "It was a funky night out there."
As Jenkins' streak ended, Ben Sheets' stretch of winless starts ran to seven.
The all-star right-hander, who gave up eight hits and five earned runs in seven innings, did not receive a decision in the Brewers' 7-5, 11-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Sheets' most recent victory came on July 10, when he worked eight scoreless innings against Cincinnati to win his final start before heading to the All-Star Game in Houston.
At the time, he was 9-5 and led the major leagues with a 2.26 earned run average. When he takes the mound for his next turn, which is scheduled for Monday night at Wrigley Field, Sheets will carry a 9-9 record and a 2.89 ERA.
Sheets, who won 11 games in each of his first three big-league seasons, has been alternately frustrated, demoralized and a bit bewildered by his drought.
At least he's not alone in his misery.
"It's getting so bad it's to the point where I'm feeling it now," Brewers manager Ned Yost said.
Yost has been around long enough to know that victories and losses usually don't reveal a pitcher's true value. But that knowledge doesn't soften his stance.
"Really, he should have 15 wins by now," he said.
In addition to some bad luck, Sheets has been plagued by the worst run support in the major leagues. Entering Wednesday, the Brewers' offense had generated an average of 3.18 runs during his appearances. Boston's Derek Lowe was averaging 8.08 runs per start.
"That's not his fault," Yost said of Sheets' record.
For much of the season, Yost has used similarly glowing terms to discuss Jenkins' defense. Some unexpected developments in that department hurt Sheets' chances on Wednesday.
In his fourth start of the season against the Cubs, Sheets gave up a solo homer to Derrek Lee on his fourth pitch of the game. With Corey Patterson on first and two out in the third, Nomar Garciaparra hit a sinking line drive to left. Jenkins made a diving attempt and the ball skipped by him and Garciaparra ended up being credited with a double.
Moments later, Moises Alou dumped a line drive into left. Jenkins charged the ball and focused on making a strong throw to the plate in a quest for his ninth assist of the season. One problem: The ball took an extra-generous hop and went over his glove.
Garciaparra scored and Alou went to third on the play, which was Jenkins' first error since June 4, 2002, but the Cubs did not score another run.
"It took a weird hop," Jenkins said. "I didn't get a glove on it. It was kind of a funky play."
In the fifth, Patterson hit a check-swing fly ball near the left field line that hung in the air, bounced on the warning track and went over the head of Jenkins, who had been playing the centerfielder toward the gap. Patterson ended up taking third on Lee's deep fly to center and scored on a double by Garciaparra.
In the seventh, Sheets' final inning, Michael Barrett hit a ball that bounced off the fence just beyond the tarp down the left-field line and caromed into fair territory. Jenkins has cut balls off on similar plays before this season, but didn't anticipate the bounce this time. Barrett cruised into second with a double and scored the Cubs' fifth run on a sacrifice fly by Lee.
<b><font size=4>It only makes sense</font></b>
With newly acquired Carlos Lee better-suited to play left field for the Milwaukee Brewers, Geoff Jenkins has agreed to switch from that position to right field. Manager Ned Yost placed a call to Jenkins after Lee was obtained to discuss the move, and said Jenkins had no reservations.
“It’s something we talked about in the past,” said Yost. “I told him I’d never do it in the middle of the year. It would only be in spring training. We needed somebody first to put in left field that made us stronger as a team.”
Yost does not take lightly moving Jenkins, who made himself into one of the best leftfielders in the league through hard work. Jenkins established a club-record string of 250 consecutive errorless games before finally committing one Aug. 18 of last season.
“Now, he will make himself into one of the best rightfielders in the league,” said Yost. “I think right field is more of a premier outfield spot and he fits in that mold.
“Geoff has a cannon arm and great range. There will be a little adjustment because the ball comes off the bat at a different angle. But Geoff can make that adjustment. It’s a natural move that will make our outfield stronger.”
That outfield will include Brady Clark in center, unless rookie David Krynzel steals the position away from him in spring camp. Clark flourished as a fourth outfielder with the Brewers, but Yost believes he has all the makings of an everyday centerfielder.
“Brady is a centerfielder by nature,” said Yost. “He plays the position very well. He has worked his tail off and deserves a chance to play every day.”
Lee will make his first visit to Milwaukee as a Brewer on Monday, when the club will present him to the local media.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=357060#post357060post357060 target=_blank>Lee's power bat expected to make a big difference</a>
<b><font size=4>Jenkins believes switch is right move</font></b>
MILWAUKEE - Geoff Jenkins doesn't understand all the fuss about his move to right field to make room for newly acquired Carlos Lee in left.
"It's what the team needs," said Jenkins, who has played left field almost flawlessly for the Milwaukee Brewers for the past six seasons.
"We're here to get wins. Whatever the formula is for that, you try to help the team out. I think (manager Ned Yost) feels that I'm the best guy he's got to make the transition the easiest.
"Put me out there and let it rip."
For Jenkins, playing the outfield isn't rocket science. Sure, as a right fielder he will see the ball come off the bat at a different angle. The bounces off the walls might be different, too.
But Jenkins didn't become one of baseball's best left fielders by leaving anything to chance.
"A good outfielder is a guy who fields the ball cleanly and gets it to the cutoff man," he said. "If you can do that, you don't have to make a great play all the time."
Jenkins has made his share of great plays in left, earning a reputation for being tough to run on - evidenced by his 68 career assists. In addition, he's made the routine plays look routine, committing just two errors in the past three seasons.
Yost said he contemplated moving Jenkins to right field before spring training last year, but decided against it because the move would have created a gap in left. But the arrival of Lee - acquired in the trade that sent center fielder Scott Podsednik and reliever Luis Vizcaino to the Chicago White Sox - changes that.
"When we got Carlos, the right person was in place," Yost said. "I called Jenks and said, 'The time is now.' "
Jenkins knows Lee should make the Brewers better. And after six losing seasons, Jenkins is willing to do whatever it takes.
"He's a great hitter," Jenkins said of Lee, a career .288 hitter who averaged more than 25 home runs and 90 RBIs in six seasons with the White Sox. "He's got a track record."
Last season, the middle of the Brewers' lineup - with left-handed hitters Jenkins and first baseman Lyle Overbay as the mainstays - was picked apart in the late innings by left-handed relievers. Now, with the right-handed Lee hitting between Jenkins and Overbay, Jenkins expects different results.
"Anytime you have a chance to put a power bat in your lineup - you saw what happened when we made the trade for Richie (Sexson) - it puts some energy in your lineup," Jenkins said.
"When you're playing a three- or four-game series, it will make (the opposition) burn more pitchers. Either that, or they just don't bring certain pitchers in. So it will buy us an extra at-bat against a righty."
With that in mind, the move to right field will be easy.
"It's going to be a new experience," Jenkins said. "And if it's going to make Carlos' adjustment more comfortable, so be it. If he's going to be better because he's more comfortable playing left, go ahead."
Jenkins is eager to show he can be as good in right field as he was in left.
"I won't call it a new start, but you're always looking to show people you can do different things and play different positions," he said.
Jenkins figures to get more chances to show off his arm, when runners try to go from first to third on singles to right. He's looking forward to it.
"I'm still going to throw your (butt) out," he said with a laugh. "It's going to be fun."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=357740#post357740post357740 target=_blank>Two's company</a>
<b><font size=4>Jenkins intends to loosen up</font>
Slugger eyes fresh start after frustrating ’04</b>
Phoenix - With his swashbuckling defensive style and ferocious swing, Geoff Jenkins is referred to by scouts as a "maximum-effort" player.
As he enters his seventh big-league season, the Milwaukee Brewers veteran once again is planning to try very hard . . . to not try so hard.
Jenkins, 30, who has been with the Brewers longer than any other player on the roster, established a personal record by playing in 157 games last season. Although he ended with respectable power numbers (27 homers and 93 RBI), the journey was fraught with frustration.
After earning a berth on the all-star team in 2003, Jenkins came out last year and hit .264, struck out a career-high 152 times, struggled against left-handed pitchers (.215) and failed to deliver in numerous situations when a hit - or even a productive out - could have meant the difference between victory and defeat.
What caused Jenkins' troubles?
Theories abound. Was it a slight glitch in his swing, which is triggered by a trademark leg-kick? Were opponents trying to avoid giving him quality pitches because he was the Brewers' only true power threat? Did he miss his close friend, first baseman Richie Sexson, off the field and in the lineup? Was he "trying too hard" to justify his contract extension and $8 million salary, the largest in team history.
Was it all of the above?
"You can point to whatever you want," he said. "The bottom line is that I got off to a bit of a slow start and I never really got going.
"I think some of it had to do with the fact that teams go into a series and identify the guys that can hurt them and try to take away that hitter," Jenkins said. "They were being careful with me and I got into a funk where I was swinging at pitches that I usually don't swing at.
"You tell yourself to be patient, but there is a certain part of you - if you are a leader on the team and you want to be 'that guy,' that you can overtry."
Jenkins isn't really worried about the causes. He's just worried about getting a fresh start. With the addition of Carlos Lee from the Chicago White Sox, Jenkins will move from his longtime perch in left field to right, a position he has not played since his days at Southern Cal.
"That's not going to be a problem at all," he said. "I'll play wherever they want me to. No problem."
Jenkins also will move from the cleanup spot to fifth behind Lee. As Jenkins stood near his locker and talked about the changes in scenery, Lee sat down to eat lunch at a nearby table.
"Hey, Caballo," Jenkins said to Lee, using the Spanish word for "horse," which is Lee's nickname. "Guys usually get taken care of for giving up their jersey numbers. If you give up a position, it's got to be worth something. That's got to be worth a watch, a Rolex, something."
Lee pointed out that Jenkins also relinquished the cleanup spot and a glove, which Lee used for his first workout of spring. "I've got a Timex for you," he said, holding up his wrist. "It goes 5,000 feet under the water."
If the Brewers are to keep afloat this year, Jenkins will need to produce like he did in 2003, when he hit .296 with 28 homers and 95 RBI or his breakout season in 2000, when he hit .303 with 34 homers and 94 RBI.
"I think Jenks learned a great deal from last year," manager Ned Yost said. "That's why I have so much confidence in him in that fifth spot, which is a huge spot in our lineup.
"In my mind, Jenkins is a Jim Edmonds-type hitter when he gets going. I think he's a real force."
Yost said the only thing that can stop Jenkins from being a force is forcing the issue at the plate.
"I don't want him to think that he's the last line of defense in that lineup," Yost said. "He learned, like Lyle (Overbay) that you can't take the brunt of the offense on your shoulders. Nobody can carry a team."
Brewers hitting coach Butch Wynegar said Jenkins' frustration last year was caused by factors both mental and mechanical. Wynegar said that at times, Jenkins seemed to decide whether or not to swing before the ball left the pitcher's hand.
"He just couldn't find his rhythm at the plate," Wynegar said. "He was getting his foot down late. When you're late getting into the hitting position, you're more susceptible to making bad swings."
Wynegar thinks that the addition of Lee to the middle of the lineup will have a calming effect on Jenkins.
"I think last year, he tried to justify his contract," Wynegar said. "When guys do that, it never works out because you're not showing confidence in your teammates. If they want to pitch around you, take the walks. If Jenks can get his walks to 75 and strikeouts to 120 you're going to see a hell of a player. I really believe he has not tapped his ability yet.
"Two years ago, before he got hurt, we were seeing the glimpses of what this kid can do. He was smoking the ball and it was like he wasn't trying. I think we can get back to that this year. If Jenks doesn't drive in 130 runs this year, that means some guys fell down in front of him. I think he's going to have a big year."
<a href=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brew/mar05/306070.asp target=_blank>Right Field: By the Numbers</a>
<b><font size=4>Streaking</font></b>
Jenkins considered investing in some Barry Bonds-type body armor before facing Oakland lefty Barry Zito on Saturday. The Brewers and A's traditionally square off on the first two days of Spring Training, and Zito fastballs traditionally find their way to Jenkins' elbow.
But this time, Jenkins was safe. He flew out to right field in his only at-bat against the former American League Cy Young Award winner.
"I'm sure I'll face him again this spring but at least I broke the streak," Jenkins said. "That new streak is one I want to keep going."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins makes right move for Brewers</font></b>
Phoenix - What Ned Yost really wanted to say about Geoff Jenkins' longtime status as franchise anchor was that the all-star outfielder had been through good times and bad with the Brewers.
Check that.
"Our limited good times have gone through stretches of maybe two weeks," the Brewers' manager acknowledged. "He's looking to sustain a good time for an entire season, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to help us win to get over the hump."
Such as switching positions.
The moment the Brewers acquired Carlos Lee in mid-December, Yost put in the call from a tree stand somewhere in Iowa. It was the call Jenkins had been anticipating his entire career: You're moving to right, a 30-second chat, end of conversation.
"This was the right thing to do, an easy decision to make," Jenkins said Tuesday. "I told Ned right away, 'Sure, no problem.' But I've still got to catch it and hit the cut-off man."
He will catch it and he will hit the cut-off man and he will throw someone out at third because Jenkins has been a rightfielder in training for seven seasons now, an aggressive, wall-defying, corner-banging, turf-diving defender with a scud launcher for an arm. And now the time for the move is, well, right.
"We talked about this the first year I came in," Yost said. "I said, 'There's going to come a time, but I'm not going to do it right now, when you're going to move to right field. I'm not going to do it in the middle of the season. When I move you to right field, you'll know about it from the first day of spring training.' "
There has been no period of transition because none is necessary. Different reads, different spins on the ball off a right-handed bat, that's minor stuff when you're an elite defensive player, and a relatively self-made one at that.
"Coming up through the minors, the knock on me was that I would be a liability out there," Jenkins said.
Lee, Ben Sheets, Damian Miller, Lyle Overbay, Junior Spivey, all those players and more will help determine the course of the Brewers' season. But no one will be more important in establishing whether they will actually realize a breakout year than Jenkins.
Though really the franchise's on-field face since about 1999 on, Jenkins has never been more a key to success than this season. For the first time since he was selected in the first round of the '95 draft, Jenkins has talent around him. He saw it coming all the way from left, which was the reason he signed the long-term extension last year.
"I think he sees a little better talent level here than in the past," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "He looks like he's having a little more fun hitting in the middle of the lineup with Carlos."
Point is, Jenkins is no longer in the impossible situation of trying to carry the team alone, or at least in the unfeasible position trying to co-shoulder a team with a Richie Sexson. He now has Lee, with whom he carries out daily batting-practice competitions to the deepest reaches of Maryvale Baseball Park, and others. But at bottom, Jenkins must have a big year for the Brewers to go forward.
He cranked two homers Tuesday against San Diego, including an awesome 450-foot shot, a prelude to what needs to be done to pull this team together.
"The time is right, right now," Yost said.
<b><font size=4>Rite of spring</font></b>
"Dead arm" is as much a part of Spring Training as sunshine and split squads -- and it's not just the pitchers who experience it.
"Finally, your body is like, 'OK, you're throwing every day?'" outfielder Geoff Jenkins said. "It never hurts; it's just a dead phase you go through for a week. I'm going through that now."
<b><font size=4>Being careful</font></b>
Centerfielder Brady Clark made a spectacular diving catch to take a hit away from Texas second baseman Alfonso Soriano in the top of the first inning. A few innings later, Jenkins pulled up on a ball, which skipped past him for an extra-base hit.
"We don't really want our outfielders diving in spring training," Yost said. " 'Jenks' did it right. Brady didn't."
Clark, who has made several outstanding plays this spring, doesn't know how to take it easy.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins ready to do what it takes to win</font>
Veteran outfielder understands his role as leader</b>
PHOENIX -- Geoff Jenkins is 30 years old now, and ready for his 10th season of professional baseball.
"It's gone quick," he said, shaking his head. "I'm trying to enjoy the ride and trying to smell the roses a little bit."
Problem is, Jenkins was one of the few roses growing around County Stadium and Miller Park over the last decade. Now, Jenkins is starting to see some buds.
"Tulips here," he joked, motioning to a corner of the Maryvale clubhouse that's home to Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy and Dave Krynzel, then moving down the line to Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder. "Geraniums over there. We've got a little bit of everything now."
But Jenkins has seen cycles of growth before, albeit not as rich as this one. As MLB.com's spotlight shines on the Milwaukee Brewers, the heat is on Jenkins more than ever to supply some veteran stability and offensive prowess to a franchise that has seen a long, slow season of growth.
Step 1 was staying healthy, which Jenkins struggled to do from 2001-03. He succeeded last season, appearing in a career-high 157 games (he had never topped 135) while chipping in a team-best 27 home runs and 93 RBIs.
Step 2 is upping the ante. Jenkins says that he will shoot for 40 home runs and 120 RBIs this season -- lofty goals considering his career highs are 34 and 95.
Step 3, especially now that he has some more help around him and in the owner's box, is to just win, baby.
"I'm at the 30 [year-old] mark now, and I want to start winning," he said. "Sure, you accomplish some personal goals, but now it's like, 'Let's go. Let's win. Let's do what it takes to get to the playoffs.' I think everyone, even at other teams, see that there is some promise here now.
"But that said, you can't just keep getting younger and younger. At some point, you have to keep your players. I think we may be at that point now. [New owner Mark Attanasio] wants to put a good product on the field, and I think he understands that that starts with veteran leaders around those younger guys."
That progression appears to have begun. Jenkins moved from left field to right and from the cleanup spot to the No. 5 hole to accommodate Carlos Lee, who came in a trade from the White Sox after averaging 27 homers and 95 RBIs in five seasons there. Veteran catcher Damian Miller is also new.
Jenkins does not have to carry the offense, but that is not stopping him from setting lofty goals. Standing in the locker room after the Brewers' season-ending loss last season, Jenkins figured that if he stays healthy, he could top 40 homers and 120 RBIs this season.
"When I said that to you, it's more that I want to go out there and stay healthy," he said. "Now, we added a few bats to maybe take some of the pressure off, and now it's time to go out and play. I think I can do it."
Health was a major concern from 2000-03. Finger, shoulder, ankle, wrist and thumb (again) injuries landed him on the disabled list six times in four years. All of the injuries were of the "freak" variety, mostly the result of Jenkins' all-out style in left field.
He signed a three year, $24 million contract extension during Spring Training last season, then went on to bat .264 with 27 homers and 93 RBIs in a career-high 617 at-bats.
Those are respectable numbers, but not Jenkins-like numbers, or at least what the Brewers consider Jenkins-like numbers.
"I'll tell 'Jenksy' to his face: I thought he had a bad year last year," Brewers hitting coach Butch Wynegar said. "But you look at his numbers, and they were good. That's what tells me he could be a superstar.
"I look at 30-some doubles, 27 home runs, 90-some RBIs, and I say, 'Holy cow! I didn't know he had that many!' Looking at that, in my mind, I think he could drive in 140. I think so highly of him. I think he's a .300 hitter who can hit 40 bombs and drive in 120 every year."
And Jenkins' take on his 2004 season?
"It's kind of a contrast of frustration and happiness, too," he said. "The first half and second half was one of those Jekyll and Hyde-type deals."
Only Jenkins' halves were reversed. While the rest of the team cruised to a surprisingly good first half, Jenkins slumped. But while the rest of the offense fizzled after the All-Star break, Jenkins batted .292 in August and had his best month in September -- a .302 average, seven homers, 24 RBIs -- to finish strong.
"I kind of got back to basics with my swing," Jenkins said. "And, really, from there, I never looked back."
Now, he is looking ahead. Jenkins is excited about the arrival of Lee and Miller along with prospects like shortstop J.J. Hardy and Jose Capellan. And he has come out of conversations with Attanasio feeling "very, very impressed."
Still, Jenkins would like to see Attanasio and the Brewers make one big move before the start of the season.
"The big thing is getting 'Sheeter' [Ben Sheets] locked up," Jenkins said. "That's the key. You have to have an anchor for your team and he's our anchor. Pitching-wise, he is the guy. He takes pressure off all of those other guys."
If Sheets is "the guy," pitching-wise, does Jenkins see himself as "the guy" among hitters?
"Absolutely," he said. "I've been doing it for a while now, and I feel like I'm in that leadership role. We're the two guys in the clubhouse who are loud, messing around with guys. I'm excited about this year. We're all excited."
<b><font size=4>On A Roll</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins remained on a tear with two doubles - both off a lefty, Darrell May - to raise his spring average to .400.
" 'Jenks' is really swinging the bat great," Yost said. "His swing is perfect right now."
<b><font size=4>Brewers’ Jenkins getting into the swing in right field</font></b>
PHOENIX — The acquisition of Carlos Lee has meant big changes for Geoff Jenkins, who’s no longer the focus of Milwaukee’s offense or the Brewers’ left fielder.
Jenkins was arguably the game’s best defensive left fielder during the last five years. He once went 250 games without an error and routinely robbed batters of extra bases by scaling the wall, making headfirst dives and throwing out runners who tested his powerful right arm.
But Lee’s arrival from the Chicago White Sox in December in exchange for outfielder Scott Podsednik and reliever Luis Vizcaino changed everything.
No more batting cleanup. Goodbye left field, hello right.
At first, Jenkins didn’t like the idea of switching sides but was relieved to have Lee in the clubhouse and his big bat in the lineup.
After Richie Sexson’s departure, Jenkins was Milwaukee’s only power threat, and he tried to carry the club last season after signing a $23 million, three-year extension in spring training.
Instead, he ended up struggling through a long summer of chasing balls in the dirt and stranding men on base.
Now, he’s swinging the bat better than anybody can recall during his decade in the organization. Manager Ned Yost said Jenkins learned his lesson about being a leader who practices what he preaches.
Right field, however, remains a work in progress.
“The only thing that’s a little frustrating to me is not knowing the hitters from a right-field standpoint,” said Jenkins, who last played the position during his days at Southern Cal. “Every hitter that went up there when I was in left field I knew where to play them. Now it’s kind of like, am I in the right spot? Do I need to move in? It’s almost like starting over.”
It’s an idea Yost had toyed with for a long time.
“I knew I was going to move him to right from the day that I got here,” said Yost, who is entering his third season as Milwaukee’s manager. “Right field for me is a position that your premier outfielder should be in.
“He played left so well I wasn’t going to move him to right just for the sake of it. But when the right player came along like Carlos did, the time was right to do it.”
As Jenkins put it: “If it’s going to help our team out, then it’s the right thing to do.”
So, he’s tackling his new position with the same enthusiasm he has when he jumps on waist-high fastballs.
His change on defense hasn’t affected his offense. If anything, his renewed focus has carried over to a better approach at the plate.
Jenkins still put up respectable power numbers last season, batting .264 with 27 homers and 93 RBIs, but he wasn’t key in the clutch, stranding too many runners in scoring position and spiraling into bad habits.
“You still want to be The Guy,” Jenkins said. “It was tough because I had to learn that I had to pull back the reins and not be as aggressive in certain situations. I was pressing a little bit maybe because of the loss of offense and maybe trying to do a little extra, I don’t know.”
Jenkins said he didn’t try to live up to his new contract per se, but he certainly worked hard so nobody could accuse him of dogging it after cashing in.
“There’s the pride factor and you want to earn what they’re paying you to do out there,” Jenkins said. “When you hear about guys who get contracts and then they just shut it down, they don’t play hard anymore, I’m not that guy.”
And he set out to prove it.
“He was a guy that looked around and saw that we weren’t a terribly talented offensive team,” Yost said. “He knew that we had holes in our lineup and he tried to take the brunt of the offense on his shoulders and carry us offensively.
“Now, a player can carry a team offensively for a week or 10 days. There’s no player alive that’s ever carried a team offensively for a year. And Jenks tried to do that.”
And by September, he was a mess, swinging at everything, hitting hardly anything.
During a trip to Phoenix late in the year, Yost sat down with his struggling slugger and asked him who he thought were the leaders on the team. Jenkins told him he hoped he still fit into that category, and Yost said he did.
And that was his manager’s point: how could Jenkins be a leader and tell younger players to stick with their approach at the plate when he wasn’t following that advice himself?
“He said, ‘You know what, you’re right,’ and from that moment on, his approach took a night-and-day turn,” Yost said.
Now, Jenkins looks around and realizes he doesn’t have to do it all by himself — he has Lee.
“He’s a great guy and he’s awesome to have in the lineup,” Jenkins said.
Even if he’s taken his spot in left.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=370987#post370987 target=_blank>Baseball fever</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=373003#post373003 target=_blank>Brewers muscle up in 3-4-5 spots</a>
<b><font size=4>Brewers paying trio $22 million</font>
Jenkins, Sheets, Lee cash in</b>
When the Milwaukee Brewers take the field for the bottom of the first inning Monday afternoon at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, their two corner outfielders and starting pitcher will account for more than one-half of the team's opening-day payroll.
Rightfielder Geoff Jenkins ($8 million), leftfielder Carlos Lee ($8 million) and right-hander Ben Sheets ($6 million) will combine to earn $22 million this year.
The Brewers' opening-day payroll, according to information gathered by the Journal Sentinel from club officials, agents and players, will be $40.789 million.
That figure, which represents an increase of roughly 50% from the 2004 figure of $27.6 million and is slightly short of winter projections of $42 million, probably will rank the Brewers 27th out of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said the club budgeted roughly $2.5 million for in-season call-ups, incentive bonuses and other miscellaneous expenses. The team already bought out the guaranteed portion of released right-hander Brooks Kieschnick's contract at a cost of $275,000.
"We have to have a little flexibility," Melvin said.
Major-league rosters must be finalized at noon Sunday, but it appears Tampa Bay will have the lowest payroll ($31 million) followed by the Pirates ($36 million) and the Kansas City Royals ($40 million).
Eight players on the Brewers' roster will earn more than $1 million this season. The Brewers have 12 players on the opening-day roster making less than $400,000 and only two - veteran Jeff Cirillo and rookie J.J. Hardy - earn the major-league minimum salary of $316,000.
Cirillo, who made the club as a non-roster player, is being paid roughly $7 million this year by his former clubs - Seattle and San Diego. Rookie lefty Jorge De La Rosa is making $317,000, just more than the minimum.
<b><font size=4>Change of scenery</font></b>
Brewers outfielder Geoff Jenkins felt a bit like a tourist in his home ballpark. After patrolling left field for the past four years at Miller Park and virtually all seven years of his big-league career, Jenkins jogged out to right field Friday night.
"It's a little weird," said Jenkins, who moved to right field to accommodate new teammate Carlos Lee. "I had never really stood over there before and it felt a little weird. Once we play a few games here, it'll be fine.
"I think the biggest thing is going to be positioning. I'll be taking completely different routes to the ball. Lefties are now hooking the ball instead of slicing. Righties are slicing it. I knew where to position myself in left field. I knew every hitter. Now, I've got to relearn the hitters. It's kind of foreign to me."
One thing that could help Jenkins' adjustment is the revamped lighting at Miller Park. After hearing complaints from visiting and home players, the Brewers upgraded the lights. Although the old lights complied with major-league requirements, they were deemed to be at the low end of the scale. Rather than cleaning bulbs, which were caked with construction dust and refocusing the lights, the Brewers spent roughly $100,000 to upgrade the entire system.
"It was a little uneven," assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "It came up in one of our player committee meetings, and we in turn brought it up with stadium operations and went as far as counting the number of bulbs here compared to other places."
Brewers players were thrilled with the results, which centerfielder Brady Clark termed "awesome."
Said Jenkins: "It's great for us, and I think it's going to be good for fans, too. I think it will help the game on TV and it will help the instant replays, too. Last year, you'd look at a replay and you could never see the play. It was dark on the camera. Now, you can actually see the bat hit the ball. You can see the play."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins hasn't gotten into the swing</font>
He's batting .174 so far this year</b>
Chicago - The defensive shift from left field to right did not present a problem for Milwaukee Brewers veteran Geoff Jenkins during the first week of the season.
It's at the plate that Jenkins has scuffled.
A 1-for-5 showing Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, which included a costly strikeout in the top of the 12th inning, left Jenkins with a .174 average and seven strikeouts in 23 at-bats.
"I feel fine," Jenkins said. "I've got to keep working hard and use the whole field. At times, I haven't seen the ball that great, but my swing feels fine.
"I've got to bear down and get good pitches to hit. I've got to keep it simple."
After struggling against Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano in the first two games of the series, Jenkins opened the second inning Sunday with a single off Greg Maddux that led to a run. He then walked in the fourth inning and was hitless the rest of the way. With runners at first and second and no outs in the 12th, manager Ned Yost considered having Jenkins sacrifice but decided against it. Jenkins struck out and the rally fizzled when Damian Miller flied out and Russell Branyan grounded out.
"I looked for the (sacrifice) sign and I didn't see it," Jenkins said. "(Rusch) knows how to pitch. He only threw me one pitch to hit and that was the one I hit between short and third (for a fielder's choice in the 10th).
"My swing is probably a little long right now. But I've had some good swings. I've had some good passes. When you face the guys we've faced, if you have a little glitch in your swing, they're going to take advantage.
"I just haven't been consistent."
<b><font size=4>Call him Tarzan</font></b>
Last year, a sign in front of the left-field bleachers identified "Jenkins Junction," a section where members of Milwaukee's Big Brothers / Big Sisters program got to sit thanks to the guy who at the time was the Brewers' leftfielder.
The program continues, but the sign has shifted to right field with Jenkins. Except that now it reads, "Jenkins Jungle."
"I've taken some heat about that," Jenkins said with a smile. "The name is not my creation."
To which Carlos Lee, the new leftfielder, added, "He's the White Tiger."
<b><font size=4>Reason for panic?</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins laughed off the suggestion that Yost should shake-up the lineup to jump-start the struggling right-fielder.
"Trust me," Jenkins said. "I'll be fine."
In his first five games, Jenkins batted .174 (4-for-23) with just one extra-base hit and one RBI. He singled and scored in Sunday's game, but went hitless the rest of the way, a day after striking out four times in Saturday's loss.
Jenkins looked at video of his at-bats and noticed a problem with his weight shift.
"I made a little adjustment and took it into batting practice today, and I'm liking what I feel," Jenkins said.
Yost also blew off any suggestion of altering the 3-4-5 spots in his lineup. Lyle Overbay went into Monday's Miller Park opener hitting .286 in the three-hole in front of Lee, who was hitting .273 from the clean-up spot. It's too early to panic about Jenkins, according to Yost.
"It's way too early," Yost said. "We give guys a month, six weeks. This is one of our main guys in the middle of our lineup. You don't panic after a week. You've been in the game as long as I have, [you know that] guys go through ups and downs. You have to ride it out because if you start messing around now, it's going to last a lot longer."
<b><font size=4>‘The funk’ isn’t music to Brewers’ ears</font>
Jenkins suffers clubhouse illness</b>
Rightfielder Geoff Jenkins is the latest victim of what Milwaukee Brewers trainers are calling "the funk," a debilitating flu-like virus that has been working its way through the clubhouse in recent weeks.
Jenkins, who felt awful and looked almost as bad lying on a couch Saturday morning, did not play in the Brewers' 5-3 loss to St. Louis.
His status for their series finale this afternoon is uncertain.
"Jenks wanted to play," manager Ned Yost said. "I told him this was crazy. You've got a fever. Let's not kill ourselves in the first weeks of the season."
Yost said "the funk" had infected five to seven players and coaches, who were in various states of recovery.
"The first day or so is rough," Yost said. "Then you start to feel a little better. It happens. When you get 25 guys confined and somebody gets something, you hope and pray that they all don't get it. When two or three guys get something, look out."
It's not unusual for illnesses to pass from teammate to teammate in the clubhouse. What happened to Cardinals reliever Cal Eldred this week, however, was out of the norm.
Eldred was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday and will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with viral myopericarditis - an infection that causes inflammation around the lining and muscles of the heart.
Eldred, who complained of fatigue and shortness of breath since the end of spring training, was first thought to be suffering from a chest cold or upper-respiratory virus. He pitched last weekend in Philadelphia, then left Busch Stadium before a game Tuesday and was hospitalized.
Doctors are ordering him to rest for three to four weeks, making it unlikely he will return before June. Had the condition, which bothered Eldred in 2000, not been diagnosed, he could have been at risk for heart failure or arrhythmia, doctors said.
In 2002, St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile died in his sleep at a Chicago hotel due to arrhythmia that was caused by blocked arteries.
Cardinals officials expect Eldred to make a full recovery.
<b><font size=4>Couldn't make it</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins, one of several players stricken by a flu-like virus that has run rampant through the Brewers' clubhouse, was back in the lineup after sitting out the game Saturday. Jenkins couldn't make it through the entire game, however, leaving after seven innings and a 0-for-3 day.
"He was totally drained," Yost said. "He was sweating and his face was white. We'll evaluate him (today)."
The "funk," as the Brewers have called the spreading illness, had taken so much out of the team that Yost decided to call off pre-game batting practice on the field and have players hit only in the indoor cage.
"With everybody sick, it doesn't make much sense to hit on the field," Yost said. "This lets them get a little more rest."
<b><font size=4>Virus hits Jenkins hard</font>
Yost expects outfielder to be out for a few more days</b>
As it turned out, it wasn't such a good idea to play Geoff Jenkins on Sunday after all.
The Brewers' ailing rightfielder, who stuck it out for seven innings Sunday against St. Louis before crying uncle, was much worse Monday and out of the lineup for the second time in three games. Manager Ned Yost said it could be two or three days before Jenkins recovers from the virus that has spread through the clubhouse for weeks.
"(Coach Rich) Dauer had it and was sick for six days," Yost said. "He's just now feeling better."
Yost said Jenkins was very weak and suffering from a variety of other symptoms, such as sinus congestion, tightness in his chest and nasal discharge. In other words, he was pretty sick.
"He got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and he almost pulled a Davey Nelson," Yost said, referring to the Brewers' coach who split his head open during spring training after passing out in his apartment.
With Jenkins out, the Brewers' lone extra outfielder, Chris Magruder, started in right.
<b><font size=4>Out of action</font></b>
Milwaukee's lineup was missing two of its most feared left-handed hitters on Saturday.
Right fielder Geoff Jenkins had a fever and was laid up on a clubhouse couch Saturday, "sick as a dog" according to Yost. And Branyan was sidelined for the second straight game by what Yost termed "stiffness and soreness" in his right shoulder that affects his throwing.
"He's feeling better. He would be playing if it's September, but it's not," Yost said of Branyan. "You watch him play, you'd never know it. It's not like it's a major ordeal. We're trying to get it knocked out right now so it doesn't turn into a big deal."
Jeff Cirillo started for the second straight day in Branyan's spot and switch-hitter Chris Magruder made his first start of the season in place of Jenkins, who is the latest Brewer to get sick.
"We've got like six, seven guys battling that," Yost said of Jenkins' fever. "The first day or so it's really rough, but then you kind of deal with it."
Bench coach Rich Dauer has been through it, as has Davis, who started on the mound Saturday.
<b><font size=4>In a funk</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins was in Sunday's starting lineup after sitting out on Saturday, but he still looked like a zombie roaming around the Brewers clubhouse. Yost and six or seven players including Jenkins, Clark and bench coach Rich Dauer have been drained by flu-like symptoms that have swept through the clubhouse since Opening Day.
"He's sick, but he doesn't have a temperature," Yost said of Jenkins, who rolled out weakly to end the first inning. "He's in there."
Russell Branyan was also back in the lineup Sunday after missing two games with "soreness and tightness" in his throwing shoulder.
<b><font size=4>'Funk' yard</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins slept through batting practice on Monday and later sat at his locker and sipped a cup of soup. He is one of a number of Brewers players and coaches sidelined this week by an illness dubbed "the funk" around the clubhouse.
Ben Sheets is the latest key player to have come down with the illness, which Yost said is characterized by severe energy loss along with head and chest congestion. Jenkins tried to play Saturday but went 0-for-3 and left the game in the eighth inning. Yost said the outfielder could miss two or three more days.
"Not good," Jenkins said when asked how he was feeling. "All I can take down is this soup."
<b><font size=4>Health report</font></b>
The slumping Brewers offense was again minus two of its biggest left-handed threats on Tuesday, when Geoff Jenkins (illness) and Russell Branyan (sore shoulder) remained sidelined.
Jenkins actually suited up and appeared in the dugout during batting practice, something he was unable to do on Monday because of an energy-draining bout of illness. There is no timetable for his return.
"He really just needs to get his strength back," Yost said. "It takes a while to get over this, and I don't want it being a two-or three-week ordeal. We have to find a way to keep our heads above water."
Chris Magruder started in Jenkins' place, leaving the Brewers with no backup outfielders. Hall began working in the outfield during Spring Training, and Yost said Jeff Cirillo has been taking fly balls in the corner spots this week "just to cover our bases."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins returns to lineup</font>
Branyan expected back for Friday's game</b>
HOUSTON -- The Brewers' lineup got half of its left-handed power back on Wednesday, but the other half will be a few days behind.
Geoff Jenkins was feeling well enough on Wednesday to return to the starting nine as the Brewers right fielder in the team's series opener against Roy Oswalt and the Astros. Russell Branyan, who had a cortisone injection in his sore right shoulder over the weekend, is not expected to return to starting duties until Friday.
"I've been feeling better the last few days," said Jenkins, one of a number of Brewers drained of late by nasty flu-like symptoms. "I'm going to try to conserve as best I can."
Jenkins drank bottled water all day Wednesday and lightened his batting practice with fewer swings in the batting cage and less running around the outfield.
"He's got some strength back," manager Ned Yost said. "He doesn't feel totally wiped out."
He had been sidelined for three of the team's last four games with an illness that sapped his strength and wiped out his appetite. Jenkins tried to play on Sunday against St. Louis, but went hitless in three at-bats and had to exit in the eighth inning with dizziness.
Going into Wednesday's game, Branyan's sore right shoulder had limited him to eight at-bats in seven games since his two-homer, four-RBI effort in the Brewers' home opener on April 11. He had not played at all in three of the team's last five games.
Yost said Branyan could pinch-hit on Wednesday. With left-hander Andy Pettitte slated to start Thursday's game for Houston, Yost said the left-handed hitting Branyan would be ready for the opener of a three-game set in San Francisco on Friday night. But the Giants are expected to start lefty Kirk Rueter in that game, meaning Branyan might not return to the lineup until Saturday.
"Other things have been going wrong, too," Jenkins said. "Uncharacteristic errors have hurt."
<b><font size=4>Jenkins gets a mouthful</font></b>
While must of the Brewers admitted it was fun to keep the Cubs fans quiet in the late innings, Geoff Jenkins noticed different approach. After robbing Aramis Ramirez of a double in the sixth inning, Jenkins noted that the fans just needled him more.
"When you make a good play, they just get worse," Jenkins said. "They really have great fans."
Still, Jenkins' diving catch helped spark a Brewer rally in the bottom of the sixth, and at least half of the 27,000 fans went home in a bad mood.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins having a difficult time getting his groove back</font></b>
It often is said that timing is everything in life. When it comes to hitting a baseball in the major leagues, it certainly helps.
For Milwaukee Brewers rightfielder Geoff Jenkins, the 2005 season has evolved into a daily battle to find his timing at the plate. To this point, it has eluded him more often than not.
"I'll have it for three days, four days, then I'll lose it and have to get it back," Jenkins said. "I'm fighting real hard to get back to that consistency level."
After going 1 for 3 Monday night in the Brewers' 4-2 loss to Philadelphia at Miller Park, Jenkins is hitting .262 with three home runs and 10 runs batted in. Batting in the heart of the order, he is expected to be a primary run producer, yet leadoff hitter Brady Clark has six more RBI than Jenkins, who is fifth on the club in that department. Continuing a pattern that plagued him throughout the 2004 season, Jenkins has been at his worst with runners in scoring position. He is batting .156 (5 for 32) in those situations, which explains his subpar RBI total.
Jenkins, 30, has failed so many times in clutch situations that he heard what might have been the most pronounced hometown boos of his eight-year career in Milwaukee during a 7-5 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday.
"I had a runner on third and didn't get him home," Jenkins said. "When you do good, you get support. You're always supposed to do good. You aren't supposed to do bad."
Fans normally have less patience with prolonged failure when you're the highest-paid player on the team. Including a signing bonus paid this year, Jenkins is pulling down $8 million, tied with leftfielder Carlos Lee for the team's top salary.
It's the first year of a three-year, $23 million extension Jenkins signed last spring, with the intent of keeping him as a cornerstone of the club's rebuilding program. To this point, he has been unable to meet those expectations of management.
Jenkins' problems center mainly on the timing mechanism he chooses to begin his approach to pitches. He raises his front leg and tries to plant his foot at the precise moment he begins his weight shift toward the ball.
If you're late or early getting that front foot back on solid ground, your timing is off and you are unlikely to strike the ball with any authority.
"The problem with the leg lift is it's all timing," said Brewers hitting coach Butch Wynegar, not a big fan of that approach.
"I'm not going to tell him he can't do the leg lift. But guys who use it sometimes run hot and cold."
Jenkins, 30, didn't swing the bat well last season until the final two months (.247 batting average before Aug. 1, .297 afterward). Thus, Wynegar pulled up some videos of Jenkins' swing in those latter weeks to see what he was doing right.
"Two things popped out immediately," Wynegar said. "First, he was getting in a good hitting position. Second, he had a good weight shift, with his hands straight to the ball and finishing with his high swing path."
Wynegar compared those at-bats with some from this season and saw that Jenkins has been dropping his hands on his approach, which creates a loop in his swing. Wynegar also noticed that Jenkins was raising his front leg higher than usual, giving him less time to get his foot back to earth.
"When he gets in trouble, he starts falling back before he even hits the pitch," Wynegar said. "His timing is all off."
Jenkins, who was knocked off his feet for a while by a flu virus earlier in the season, said he was open to "tightening up" his leg kick in the future, or eliminating it completely. But he doesn't want to make a drastic change while the season is under way, fearful that it could do more harm than good.
"I haven't gotten hot for two weeks in a row like I have in the past," Jenkins said. "Hopefully, that time will come."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=385785#post385785 target=_blank>Pencil him in</a>
<b><font size=4>Jenkins gets a mouthful</font></b>
While must of the Brewers admitted it was fun to keep the Cubs fans quiet in the late innings, Geoff Jenkins noticed different approach. After robbing Aramis Ramirez of a double in the sixth inning, Jenkins noted that the fans just needled him more.
"When you make a good play, they just get worse," Jenkins said. "They really have great fans."
Still, Jenkins' diving catch helped spark a Brewer rally in the bottom of the sixth, and at least half of the 27,000 fans went home in a bad mood.
<b><font size=4>Coming full cycle</font></b>
Yost used Wednesday's game as an opportunity to hand an off-day to right fielder Geoff Jenkins and catcher Damian Miller, who will rest back-to-back days with the off-day on Thursday.
That meant an appearance for Chad Moeller in the starting lineup, facing right-hander Cory Lidle for the first time since April 27, 2004, when Moeller became an unlikely addition to the history books by hitting for the cycle. The backup catcher collected three multi-base hits against Lidle, and he added the single in the seventh against Reds reliever Ryan Wagner in a wild 9-8 Brewers victory.
"It's definitely a highlight of my career; that's safe to say," Moeller said. "Once I saw that it was going to be a day game and [Lidle] was going to pitch it, I knew there was a good chance I'd be catching."
The 30-year-old Moeller, who became the fifth player in Brewers history to accomplish the feat, and the first in 13 years, said he wasn't averse to seeing Lidle again.
"That was a four-hit game. I'll take a bunch of them," Moeller said. "It is a novelty, but as long as I keep playing out there, I'm happy."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=387313#post387313 target=_blank>Bumps and bruises</a>
<b><font size=4>Jenkins looks for groove</font>
Outfielder hopes that Friday's clutch hit sets him off</b>
PITTSBURGH -- The Milwaukee Brewers have won eight of their last 11 games and are in second place in the National League Central division. They've done this with one of their key offensive players sputtering.
Right fielder Geoff Jenkins, a career .279 hitter who has hit 20 homers or more in five of his seven seasons in Milwaukee, is struggling at the plate.
Jenkins entered Saturday night's contest batting .259 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Jenkins is hitting just .171 with runners in scoring position, but delivered a big RBI double in the ninth inning on Friday against Pittsburgh's Jose Mesa to lift Milwaukee to a 4-3 victory.
Brewers manager Ned Yost is hoping the big hit will jump-start Jenkins.
"It could, a little bit," Yost offered. "That was a big one tonight in a big spot."
Jenkins was happy to come through in a clutch situation.
"Obviously, this place has been tough on me," Jenkins said. "We had a good series last time we were here. We'll just try to keep it rolling."
Jenkins extended his hitting streak to four games with the double and is batting .289 this month with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs.
Yost thinks he may be getting his timing back.
"I think it was a bit of an issue of timing a little bit," Yost said. "You know Jenks is a guy that when he gets hot, he can really carry a team and can carry a team for a long time, and we've seen him do that before. It's just a matter of time before he starts putting some real consistent at-bats together and carries us for awhile."
Jenkins is aware of how important he is to the Brewers and is taking a workman-like attitude about his hitting woes.
"You can always do more," Jenkins stated. "My bat has lately been pretty good at getting on base and getting guys over. There just haven't been the big home runs yet."
Jenkins isn't pressing the panic button when it comes to his power numbers.
"[Home runs] always have come," Jenkins explained. "So there's no reason it won't come again."
Yost says there is no reason for Jenkins to press.
"There's no need to press," Yost explained. "We're in the first of May, and we know what kind of hitter he is. All hitters go through good times and bad times, so he's a kid that stays real steady and real stable and works hard to improve himself every day."
<b><font size=4>Lineup notes</font></b>
Yost gave Geoff Jenkins a one-day break from his right field duties by inserting him into the lineup as the designated hitter. Chris Magruder replaced Jenkins in right.
"If we weren't playing with the DH he wouldn't have the day off," Yost said. "But it's a chance to give him the break."
The skipper is mulling "a couple of options" for Sunday's game against Twins left-hander Johan Santana. The left-handed hitting Jenkins will be back in right field, but Yost may decide to rest Overbay, who entered play Saturday batting .356 against right-handers and .206 versus lefties. Wes Helms would probably start at first base in that instance.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins showing right stuff</font>
Veteran adjusting well to nuances of new position</b>
SAN DIEGO -- Geoff Jenkins is a veteran of seven-plus seasons, but he is feeling a bit like a rookie as the Brewers venture around the National League.
That's because Jenkins, a Gold Glove-caliber left fielder over in his first seven seasons, is now the Brewers' starting right fielder. He agreed to the move shortly after the Brewers acquired slugging left fielder Carlos Lee last December.
"You definitely have to learn the different fields," Jenkins said. "The ball caroms different in each spot. It's definitely something to think about."
He sure looked comfortable on Monday night. Jenkins owned the spacious right field at PETCO Park and provided a bright spot on an otherwise dismal night by making a handful of leaping, diving and running plays that left Padres manager Bruce Bochy scratching his head.
"It was a highlight film," Bochy told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "We had to change our game plan; we had to go somewhere else."
Said Jenkins: "It was a busy game, no doubt about that."
No Brewer has won a Rawlings Gold Glove since shortstop Robin Yount in 1982, though Jenkins certainly has the qualifications. He went 249 games and 451 chances without an error before being charged with one last August, and he has just one error this season. He also has 68 career outfield assists.
Brewers manager Ned Yost was in the camp that said Jenkins deserved a Gold Glove.
"I did [when he played] left field," Yost said. "He's working his way that way in right. ... He's just now becoming comfortable. It's a tough move -- a lot tougher than you would expect."
<b><font size=4>Yost expects more</font>
Manager supports Jenkins, rest of struggling offense</b>
Los Angeles - Potato chips, pillows and other projectiles bounced off TV screens across Wisconsin as devoted insomniacs watched Milwaukee rightfielder Geoff Jenkins make the final out in a 6-4 loss by waving at three pitches from Los Angeles closer Eric Gagne Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
Brewers manager Ned Yost understands the frustration.
"I don't think any of those pitches were strikes," Yost said. "They were still nasty changeups. That doesn't change the fact that they weren't strikes. I understand that."
Though he tries to avoid consuming media reports about his team during the season, Yost understands that Jenkins has replaced Wes Helms, Junior Spivey and Chad Moeller as the most popular punching bag on the talk radio / chat room circuit.
When the lineup card came out Friday, Jenkins was still starting in right field and still hitting in the No. 3 spot despite a .258 batting average and a somewhat meager 21 RBI.
"Who is going to hit third in our lineup?" Yost asked. "Really. Don't you think I've sat there and thought 'Who is going to do it?'"
Yost remains optimistic about his team's offense; he knows there is plenty of room for improvement.
"I'm not satisfied where we are by any means," he said. "Even though Carlos (Lee) is putting up great numbers RBI- and home run-wise, he's a .300 hitter and he's hitting .265. I know Carlos is going to go on a tear. I know Jenks hasn't put up numbers like he's capable of doing and he's going to go on a tear. Lyle Overbay has cooled off. He can get hot.
"If those three guys can go a tear, either consecutively or collectively, we're going to put some wins on the board if our pitching stays the way it has, and I see no reason why it shouldn't."
Baseball Guru
06-07-2005, 12:18 AM
Didnt play well at the plate today vs the Yanks but made one heck of a catch vs the Yanks to end and save the game:thumbsup:
WOW!!
Chisox73
06-07-2005, 12:24 AM
Just saw that.Great catch there :thumbsup:
metmagic
06-07-2005, 12:32 AM
spectacular catch!! :eek: :clap: WOW! that was SWEEEET!!
ooooh the papers are gonna be FUN tomorrow! :laff:
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=393180&posted=1#post393180 target=_blank>Yost shuffles lineup</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=393414&posted=1#post393414 target=_blank>Brewers shift to right</a>
<b><font size=4>Jenkins gets a breather</font>
Manager gives slumping outfielder a couple of days off</b>
ST. PETERSBURG -- When he barred Wes Helms from the batting cage last season, manager Ned Yost described it as a period of "mental cleansing." Now it's Geoff Jenkins' turn.
With a left-hander starting for the Devil Rays on Tuesday night, Yost had a good excuse to bench his slumping outfielder. But the Brewers face right-hander Hideo Nomo on Wednesday, and Yost said it "would be a pretty good bet" that Jenkins will get another day to sit and think going into a team off-day Thursday.
"Hey, we're not robots," Jenkins said. "We're people, and sometimes we need a rest, too. You can only play so many games without taking a breather."
That rest may be as much for the mind as the body. Jenkins went 0-for-4 on Monday night to extend his hitless streak to 0-for-23 since a home run on June 5. It's the longest drought of his career, eclipsing an 0-for-20 slide from May 12-18, 2002.
Yost has done his best to get Jenkins going. He bumped him from fifth to third in the batting order early in the season so Jenkins could benefit from Carlos Lee looming on deck. Last week, Yost finally dropped Jenkins from third to sixth in the order. For the season, Jenkins is batting .233 with six home runs and 23 RBIs.
"He's frustrated," Yost said. "He doesn't like going through this. He wants to be a part of this team and help this team win."
Jenkins, who doesn't particularly enjoy pinch-hitting, nonetheless said he understood the move.
"I've had some success off [Rays starter Casey Fossum], but if you're not seeing the ball well, it doesn't matter who you're facing," said Jenkins, who is 2-for-3 lifetime against Fossum with a home run. "When you're not swinging the bat well, you just don't see the ball."
For the record, Jenkins is 0-for-16 in his career against Nomo with eight strikeouts.
<b><font size=4>Magruder out, Jenkins in</font></b>
Brewers manager Ned Yost planned to go with switch-hitter Chris Magruder in right field on Friday night because the Blue Jays' starter, Gustavo Chacin, is a left-hander. But Magruder was called home to Arizona, where his wife, Rachael, had an emergency C-section.
So Geoff Jenkins, whose 0-for-23 slump entering play was the worst of his career, returned to the starting lineup after a two-game break. The Brewers were left with no backup outfielders, though Bill Hall began taking fly balls in center field during Spring Training and could be an option.
Yost said Magruder could be back with the team before the end of the weekend series in Toronto.
<b><font size=4>Jenkins beats slump</font>
Current 0-for-26 hitless streak longest of career</b>
TORONTO -- It was 0-for-26 and counting for Geoff Jenkins following Friday's loss, so the Brewers' right fielder joined a group of teammates Saturday for early batting practice.
He usually skips the early, optional BP and gets in his work in the batting cage. But the worst slump of his career forced Jenkins to switch things up a bit. He took about 40 extra swings early Saturday afternoon and focused on driving the ball up the middle.
"That's the main thing -- everything you work on in the cage, in BP -- hit the ball hard to the middle of the field," Jenkins said. "That squares you up. If you're hitting balls to center field, you're squared up."
He certainly squared up in the ninth inning of Milwaukee's 5-2 win, crushing a Miguel Batista pitch for a solo home run off the restaurant in center field at the Rogers Centre. It was Jenkins' first hit since June 5 -- another homer -- and it made his 0-for-29 slump history.
His slump was the longest of Jenkins' career. He started the year as the Brewers No. 5 hitter but manager Ned Yost moved him up to No. 3 in front of cleanup man Carlos Lee. But last week, Yost dropped Jenkins way down in the order. On Saturday, he hit eighth.
"We talked about it today," said Yost, who joined the group for early BP. "He's never had to deal with this. We're trying to figure out what to do to get out of it."
Jenkins entered Saturday's game hitting .230 with six home runs and 23 RBIs. General manager Doug Melvin put Jenkins' struggles in other sports terms. If an NBA player is in a shooting slump, the only way to break out is to keep putting up shots. Likewise, the only way for a Major League hitter to break out is to keep swinging.
"There's nothing more to it," Yost said. "What are you going to do? You think he's going to get better sitting on the bench?"
Yost actually tried that earlier in the week, leaving Jenkins out of the starting lineup at Tampa Bay on Tuesday and Wednesday. He wanted to give Jenkins another rest against Blue Jays lefty Gustavo Chacin on Friday night, but the Brewers were short an outfielder because Chris Magruder went home for the birth of his first son.
<b><font size=4>Another baby step</font>
Jenkins follows Saturday’s home run with 1 for 4 Sunday</b>
Toronto - Milwaukee Brewers rightfielder Geoff Jenkins went 1 for 4 with a double Sunday afternoon, taking another small step away from the slump that suffocated him for nearly two weeks.
Jenkins, who snapped a career-worst 0-for-29 skid with a solo homer Saturday night, found himself in unfamiliar territory in the past week when he spent a few days on the bench and returned as the No. 8 hitter.
"I didn't do those things to punish 'Jenks,' " manager Ned Yost said. "I was just trying to increase production and find ways for our team to score runs.
"A lot of people think it's easy to sit guys down when they are struggling, but you can't. You've got to battle your way out of it. 'Jenks' has been trying everything he can think of to get going at the plate and he's been busting his butt, trying to do everything he can defensively to make up for his offense not being where it should be."
Jenkins also has tried to have an impact in the clubhouse, where his past performance - not to mention a $8 million salary and long tenure with the organization - make him a player that others look to in tough times.
"I said some things (at the team meeting) the other day, but it's definitely tougher to do that when you're struggling," he said. "It's harder to say, 'Let's go,' if you're not doing well. I recognize that.
"Regardless of what's going on, guys still look up to you and they watch the way you carry yourself."
Yost has been watching Jenkins, too, looking for signs of surrender. So far, he hasn't seen any.
" 'Jenks' is trying everything he can think to get going," Yost said. "He's never gone through a stretch like this before. It's frustrating, and the frustration really hinders you when you try to get out of it. You start pressing and try to make things happen instead of relaxing and letting your ability take over. He was trying to get four hits every at-bat. When you do that, you just find yourself in a deeper hole.
"You just hope that going through something like this makes you stronger."
Brewers rightfielder Chris Magruder snapped his 0-for-11 skid Thursday with a big two-run single that tied the score vs. the Cubs in the seventh. Because regular starter Geoff Jenkins has been mired in a season-long slump, however, the Brewers have gotten little production out of that position. A look at the Brewers' offensive numbers in right field compared to the National League averages:
Avg. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG
Brewers .218 275 35 60 16 0 8 31 26 66 .299 .361
NL avg. .263 266 40 70 16 1 10 37 31 55 .347 .444
<b><font size=4>Unfamiliar territory</font></b>
Geoff Jenkins is in a position that he's not quite used to, that of a slumping player, and it's the unfamiliarity that Yost believes has made it so difficult for the veteran to snap out of his funk.
Jenkins was finally able to gather some hits this weekend, going 1-for-4 in each of Milwaukee's two wins. The hitting statistics may not sound impressive, but he snapped a 29 at-bat hitless streak, the longest of Jenkins' career.
Yost is still approaching Jenkins' hitting with caution, and placed him seventh in the lineup on Monday after batting him eighth on Sunday. Yost would love to have one of his key hitters back to form and back in the middle of the order, but said that Jenkins has to continue working on getting his timing back before that can happen.
"He's swinging at all those pitches in the dirt, or in, because he's not seeing them," Yost said. "He's not seeing the ball because he's rushing. We're trying to get him to where he can slow down a bit and get in a hitting position a bit earlier so he can see the ball."
<b><font size=4>That smarts</font></b>
The more serious leg contusion belonged to right fielder Geoff Jenkins, who fouled a ball off his right shin Friday night and received treatment for serious swelling. On Saturday, he wore a bulky, padded plastic guard over his shin.
"He doesn't like wearing leg guards but I told him, 'You don't have an option. You hit another ball off that leg and you're in trouble,'" Yost said.
Jenkins needs healthy legs to make plays like his highlight-reel jobs on Friday night. He doubled up Daryle Ward at second base in the second inning for his team-best fifth outfield assist, then robbed Jason Bay of a fourth-inning home run with a leaping catch in right-center field.
"Jenks has always been a strong defender in left field and now he's comfortable in right," Yost said. "It's been key, because when you struggle offensively, if you let it affect your defense, it's a total disaster. He's never done that."
<b><font size=4>Late change</font></b>
Jenkins' name was on the lineup board Monday afternoon, but Yost later decided to play the switch-hitting Magruder in right field.
Jenkins fouled a ball off his right shin on Friday night and played the last two games with a bulky brace. But according to Yost, Monday's decision had less to do with the bumps and bruises and more to do with the schedule.
"We have six righties coming up before the All-Star break and [Jenkins] will play in all six games," said Yost, whose club has three more games in Florida and three in Atlanta, all against right-handed starting pitchers. "He's OK to play today, I just made a switch."
Did Yost forget that the Marlins starter was a lefty?
"No, I did not. But I did forget that it would be a good day to give him a day off," he said.
He consulted Jenkins, who agreed to take a break and later admitted, "I'm a little banged up."