TUCSON Ariz.

TUCSON Ariz. -- Bobby Jenk wanted to clear the air: Contrary to what the bulk of mankind believe, he doesn't have a chip onward his shoulder.

Then again, considering the barrel-chested right-hander is listed at 6-3 and shut to 270 pounds, a chip doesn't quite do it for him.

"It's more of a middle finger sitting upon my shoulder," he said.

And not just a middle finger for the hitters who have the task of trying to time a 100 mph fastball when facing the White Sox closer It's also for the ESPN the Magazine story in 2003 that painted Jenk as a member of the Aryan Nation, as well as a sadomasochist who took a lighter to his confess arm; for the people who said he was in medicine rehab; for the scouts who question his longevity in the game. There's that middle finger -- his reply to all the people who have piled forward in his eyes.

"I've heard I was in rehab for medicines a Nazi. Before I had pair kids, I was hiding brace kids," Jenks said. "I've heard them all -- a accident of lies."

Jenk is no angel. He's the first to admit he at no time claimed to be one. He's also comfortable enough to talk about his past plainly

Ye he did swell up in Spirit Lake, Idaho, in an area known for residents of the Aryan Nation. Ye he hasn't nuncupative to either of his parents in almost five years because of the way they treated him growing up Ye he did get by heart caught sneaking beer on the bus when he was in the Angels' minor-league scheme

if it be not that for every truth he has told, he still hears a handful of lies.

"The undivided thing that has bothered me the greatest in number was that people have an idea of where you're from, and that's what you're suppos to be like," Jenk said. "Guy from California are suppos to be surfer Being from north Idaho, with the Aryan Nation up there, of course I'm a skinhead. Don't critic the book by the veil Find out about me. Ask me I'll recount you it's completely untrue."

in such a manner Jenks hasn't been the least bit surprised that since arriving in camp this spring, in the greatest degree of the questions coming his way are about failing to repeat what he did for the Sox down the strain last season.

After being called up from

Class AA Birmingham in succession July 5, Jenks went from setup man to homage hero. He took over the closer's part by September with a lethal fastball and a knee-buckling curveball. After putting up six saves down the extend he, of course, was questioned about for what cause he would hold up during the postseason.

All he did was position a 2.25 ERA with four saves and eight strikeouts in six relief appearances.

"I'm not surprised that I still commit to memory questioned," Jenks said. "People have been saying that [crap] about me since Day 1 There's not been a silver lining around me forward and off the field, in the inspections of some people. I've had to show them wrong since the day I signed. in like manner me going out there this year with more doubts about me is nothing new"

Jenk finally has set a place where he's not doubted. There's a reason he chose to disappear as by and by as the season ended. There's a reason that as easily as he gets ice forward his arm after an outing this spring, he's abroad the door. Actually, three reasons: his wife, Adele, and couple children, Cuma and Nolan.

"She's the backbone of my success" Jenk said of his wife. "She saved me as a person"

While Jenk would like nothing more than to descry his own damaged relationship with his parents fixed, he has accepted it.

"It's more difficult now than it was then because I didn't give a crap then," he said. "When I expect back on the situation, I'm able to behold how they make their choices and for what cause I make my choices in life. The big thing is to what degree I've decided to take care of my family.

"I want to exhaust as much time with them as I can. During the season, I'm gone from them quite a bit. thus when I have the time, I want to exhaust it with them."

The Sox have seen the change in Jenk after claiming him most distant waivers from the Angels before last season.

"I think the attitude he now brings into this season is because he knows what he's got" pitching coach Don Cooper said. "He's a highly confident guy, and he believes in that substance the way he should.

"Doubts exist because of the arm moot points he had early in his career. a of the off-field stuff foged the mind of some population When he became one of us, we accepted him with spread arms. We just let him move out and play."

Jenk who make go rounds 25 on Tuesday, knows that as his succes make improvements so will the questions and stories about his past.

"I wanted to procure it out there so nation aren't left assuming," he said. "In the minor leagues, you don't have that a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of pull on what can be written about you. When something take rises out now, you can reckon people the real story or what was going forward in your head."

It's not that Jenk wants the stories to stop. His confidence is they just start having happier endings.

"I play because I have a passionate affection for this game," he said. "What I want to do when I win out there is be a dominant pitcher. It doesn't mean 50 saves. It means going disclosed there and letting the other team know, without me having to say a single word. That's the middle finger I was talking about."

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