I’m passing out two big idiot awards today from the yesterday’s White Sox/Cleveland game. The winners are umpire, Joe West, and Sox closer, Bob Jenks or should I say “Stenks?” Let’s get to West first.
Joe the game is not about you, it’s about the players and their ability to entertain or disappoint their fans, but you made it about you and that’s wrong. West must have decided when he woke this morning to call a few balks on Mark Buerhle seeing as he has been making the same move to first base for nearly nine years now and has had a total of four balks called since 2001. West dictated the game and might have controlled the outcome by ejecting Buerhle, but four scoreless innings of work from reliever Tony Pena helped lead the Sox to victory and take their second straight series. Unfortunately that would not be done without more drama.
Bobby “Stenks” wobbled into the game with a four-run lead and when the game ended he had a one-run lead. He was up to his old tricks again, letting up hits and walking batters. If the Indians did not sacrifice in the ninth they may have actually won the game. Giving up that out really let Jenks off the hook, thank you. Meanwhile, Matt Thornton pitched another scoreless inning. I think a change is in the near future, and I say if the Philly’s want Jenks,take him.
Maybe “Stenks” can join Country Joe West’s band? Yeah, it has a nice ring to it, Joe West and the Stenks.
Major League A*Holes 
Maybe this is all just part of Country Joe’s brilliant guerilla marketing campaign to sell some MP3s?
(http://www.cowboyjoewest.com/)
Kind of leads to some interesting conflict-of-interest issues. This is the only ump I can recall speaking to the media (he was just on Waddle & Silvy this morning and is the same guy that went to the media complaining about the length of games between the Red Sox and Yankees. Seems like a pretty easy way to get your name out there.
Here’s a pretty good explanation of why West was full of shit:
Thanks for that, that was awesome. Cowboy Joe sucks!