Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - An Interview with Chad Jenkins

An Interview with Chad Jenkins - June 2011

Chad Jenkins had been promoted to New Hampshire just over a week before I talked with him in Erie last week. He has now made three starts and has a 4.05 ERA in AA.

BB: You had a great start yesterday, it seems as though AA hasn't been a problem for you.

CJ: It's been nice, the hitters are a little different up here, they have an approach so I don't get ambushed as much (as in Dunedin) so that's nice. Things are really clicking right now and I just hope to keep them moving.

BB: Were you surprised to be called up to AA or did they tell you to expect it at the start of the year?

CJ: They told me at the start of the year that I would be starting in Dunedin and they said don't ask because we don't know when you will be moving. I was like, that's fine. I enjoyed my time in Dunedin and it was nice to get called up, I am definitely ready to be here.

BB: When you say you were getting ambushed in Dunedin can you explain that?

CJ: A lot of times in the FSL the hitters would swing at pretty much anything, they didn't have an approach. It's nice up here the hitters are looking for certain things. You can still get hurt on bad pitches but they don't hack at a lot of stuff, they are just better hitters all round.

BB: Because you throw a lot of ground balls the condition of the infield matters. Is the ground better here for you than in the heat of Florida?

CJ: Our grass in New Hampshire is really thick, like I've seen some balls hit hard and they die but for the most part the infields are close, maybe a little slower up here.

BB: So now that you are here, what pitches or things are you planning on working on for the second half of the year?

CJ: Right now I am working on my off-speed stuff, my slider has got a lot better since I came up here, somehow, which is nice. I need to speed up my arm motion on the change-up, Sal was telling me about that last night, so that's something I have to work on. Also I have to work on the curveball. It's good in the pen but it hasn't been too great in the game. It's not a pitch I use a lot anyway, it would be nice to have that fourth pitch.

BB: You might not know Zack Stewart very well but it must have been fun watching him pitch yesterday (in his MLB debut).

CJ: Actually I know Zack very well, so I was relly excited to see it.

BB: How do you know him so well?

CJ: I spent a lot of time with him in my first spring training because he was new and I just came in, so we spent a lot of time together. So that made yesterday real exciting to see him get his first win out of the way, and he threw real well.

BB: He did well enough to get himself another start.

CJ: He did and I told him I was upset with him for one reason, and only one reason. And that was his second start is going to be in Atlanta (note: Jenkins is from Atlanta) and he gets to swing the bat. That's the only reason, everything else I was happy about.

BB: So you are a guy who likes to swing the bat?

CJ: You know I haven't swung in so long it would probably be embarassing for me to try but I really want to do it.

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Batters Box thanks Chad Jenkins for his time.

Posted by Gerry on Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 05:04 AM EDT.

An Interview with Chad Jenkins - June 2011 | 14 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

bpoz - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 10:08 AM EDT (#237722) #

Sounds like he has a plan to improve. I have faith in him. Hope he develops into that innings eater type.

Ryan Day - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 10:39 AM EDT (#237724) #

The comment about getting "ambushed" by hackers is interesting. On the one hand, I suppose you should always be ready for anything, but on the other, it's good that Jenkins seems to understand the value of pitching with a strategy.

Do minor league teams get much in the way of scouting reports on opponents? I suppose they'd eventually develop a book on teams they faced often - and I imagine Sal Fasano is very helpful for that - but I wonder how much information Jenkins has when he goes into a new team and a new league.

sam - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 11:09 AM EDT (#237728) #

I've always been biased towards high school pitching over college arms, but the Jenkins case seems to be a prime example of why many scouts prefer the high school arm. The thinking being you get a guy into your system and you teach them all the fundamentals of pitching before they might develop any bad habits or experience the wear and tear of college pitching. It almost seems as though Jenkins stuff has regressed since being drafted. If I recall correctly, he worked at 91-94 in college and had a promising slider.

I hope Jenkins makes it and I think the type of pitcher he projects to be are necessary for any good rotation.

The Jays have a good mix of college arms and high upside high school arms in the system. I think someone like Jenkins can move more quickly then someone like Alvarez who probably needs the seasoning despite his reported excellent stuff.

bpoz - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 12:15 PM EDT (#237737) #

Jenkins talking about being ambushed & Pete Walker saying that he should expand the strike zone to tempt guys to swing at balls is saying the same thing IMO.

I am impressed. 1.5 years of playing to get to AA for Jenkins, Alvarez in AA at 21 is also impressive. Both are going to want promotions in 2012 if they can produce which makes the comment "don't ask about a promotion time table" quite interesting. Options usage can also play a part.

Seeing other organization's pitchers get to the majors with lesser results can breed dis satisfaction eg B Mills... not that I have heard him complain.

Mylegacy - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 02:26 PM EDT (#237747) #

Jenkins comments about getting "ambushed" reminds me of how I felt about Tony Pena. I never thought the guy could hit - but - because he swung at freakin' near anything - he was always unpredictable and could get big hits off great pitchers pitches. I understand where Jenkins is coming from.

sam - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 03:12 PM EDT (#237752) #

Also, if memory serves me correctly, Jenkins seemed to have really put on weight in the offseason. In the pictures that Gerry attached he seems to be in relatively good condition.

Gerry - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#237764) #

I thought Jenkins had lost weight compared to when he signed.

sam - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 04:21 PM EDT (#237765) #

I mean there were pictures from Spring Training 2011 where he looked quite heavy. In these pictures he looks much lighter.

TamRa - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 05:16 PM EDT (#237767) #

the thing about Jenkins in my mind is admittedly a bit irrational. As i see it, there's only going to be room for five front-line starters, and you can't practically hold an excellent prospect as a sixth/seventh guy. (those are always gonna be guys like Villinuava and Reyes)

so in my mind i kind of rank guys by who I'd most like to see fill those five spots.

right now, Romero/Morrow/Drabek is easy for the front three, Alvarez is a pick of mine to fill another spot, that means everyone else - Listch, Cecil, Stewart, Jenkins, McGuire, at least among those who are here or close - are competing really (in my heart) for one spot. And he's just not at the top of that list (4th at best)

I DO want him to succeed - but mostly to acquire trade value.

bpoz - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 06:50 PM EDT (#237774) #

I just want to understand something clearly. In Morrow & Drabek we are picking very high upside, like R Halladay, C Carpenter, K Escobar & AJ Burnett to make a short list. Now adding Romero we have 7 possibilities for 5 spots. 8 possibilities if we believe Alvarez is getting close.

Who would people choose as their 5 man rotation? Would we have difficulty choosing?

My rotation would eliminate R Halladay (early 10+ era) and C Carpenter (prolonged injuries). Of course injuries & poor performance by my left over rotation would open the door. Carpenter may still be mine if I hung on to him through the injuries and Halladay would also still be mine because I would not have got good trade offers. I believe I would not dismiss a B League for 1 or even both of Halladay & Carpenter if the timing was right.
I did not see the Cy Youngs, their futures seemed cloudy at times.

Respect the Fog?

Original Ryan - Wednesday, June 29 2011 @ 07:13 PM EDT (#237776) #

right now, Romero/Morrow/Drabek is easy for the front three, Alvarez is a pick of mine to fill another spot, that means everyone else - Listch, Cecil, Stewart, Jenkins, McGuire, at least among those who are here or close - are competing really (in my heart) for one spot. And he's just not at the top of that list (4th at best)

I think this would fall under "counting your chickens before they're hatched." Given how unpredictable pitchers are and how quickly pitching depth can be annihilated by injuries or poor performance, it's very possible that two or more spots could be open for the guys you listed or for other pitchers not currently in the organization.

Ryan Day - Thursday, June 30 2011 @ 10:08 AM EDT (#237785) #

Throw in a few injuries, blowouts, trades, and bullpen conversions, and Jenkins may slide into a rotation spot quite easily. Unless he's injured, washed out, or traded.

Kyle Drabek was an awesome pitching prospect last year, but at the moment he doesn't look like he could get througha GCL lineup (I'm confident he'll be back, but it's a reminder that even great pitchers don't necessarily have a smooth road to the majors). And Ricky Romero, like Jenkins, was criticized for his lack of upside, but he put things together and turned into one of the better starters in baseball.

When the Jays have five above-average starters in Toronto and three or four ready for the majors at AAA/AA, then we'll worry about whether there's room for anyone else. Who knows what the pitching picture will be like in 2013 or 2014.

TamRa - Thursday, June 30 2011 @ 11:53 PM EDT (#237809) #

I think this would fall under "counting your chickens before they're hatched." Given how unpredictable pitchers are and how quickly pitching depth can be annihilated by injuries or poor performance

Perhaps I'm being unclear. I'm not making predictions or projections here, I'm just talking about my emotional investment in "potential upside"

OBVIOUSLY one need to look no further than Brett Cecil 2011 to realize there's no way to predict such things.

bpoz - Friday, July 01 2011 @ 08:18 AM EDT (#237815) #

ALL THIS PITCHING WEALTH & DEPTH is new territory for me. And IMO for the organization.

At the beginning of the year I stated in Batter's Box that with an abundance of quality SPs just about every game SHOULD have a good starter. I say Good, others say Above Average and so far nobody is Foolish/Gutsy to say 5 Aces.

At the half way mark of this season, I cannot even say 5 OK SPs. Not only am I disappointed, I am terrified that EVERY year something like this will happen.

I will not put my heart into us contending this year every time we have a 7 or 8 game winning streak. Sweep the NYY, Bos & TB is just teasing me, so NO WAY. Note is this cynicism, I have not seriously thought this way before. Few opportunities.

We have 1 5th spot in the rotation. From 2012 and on wards I strongly & whole heartedly will accept a hot shot rookie like Drabek, Alvarez or Hutchinson, but not a reclamation project like Reyes. Reyes is a gamble I don't want to take, except he has done well compared to the 2 & 3 spots.

So to summarize Romero, Morrow & Cecil should have done well from day 1, with Litsch & Drabek improving to their expected levels. Litsch 3.5-4.0 era & Drabek to previous rookies like Romero & Cecil. Openings will definitely occur with injuries & poor performance.
Since injuries & poor performance did happen, I reluctantly accept this years performance. I am rationalizing Morrow, Cecil, Litsch, Reyes & Drabek as having poor years as "it happens sometimes". Last years Big 4 performance was what... a fluke? Morrow & Cecil overcame inexperience & Marcum overcame injury.

Note: I want to use "Rationalizing" as a verb more in my daily life, but this is the only intelligent place for me to do it. I have wonderful acquaintances, so this is not intended as an insult, but I do want to learn. So thanks for sharing your writing gifts.

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