The baseball community is yet to recover from the untimely demise of the White Sox closer Bobby Jenks. Considering his impact on the diamond, it will surely take some time for the fans to get over it. A man of grit and fighting spirit, Jenks got down fighting against cancer. However, amid the unwavering tributes pouring in for him, the topic just got further amplified for the wrong reasons.
Well, amid this collective mourning, a recent post by ESPN has stirred mixed emotions, raising questions about the tone and sensitivity expected from major media outlets during such difficult times. As fans grieve the loss of a beloved figure, they also call for maturity and responsibility in reporting. Well, that’s a reminder that in moments of sorrow, words carry even greater weight.
“Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series, died on Friday in Sintra, Portugal, the team announced,” ESPN shared the report over their official X handle.
Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series, died on Friday in Sintra, Portugal, the team announced. https://t.co/S2jqBZM3WR
— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2025
Well, there is no visible incorrect information in the post but there’s more than what is visible. However, the keen eyes of baseball fans didn’t miss how Jenks was referred to as someone who was on the roster, rather than a closer whose contributions helped the White Sox win the World Series. A closer with a 3.53 ERA and 351 strikeouts in 348 appearances couldn’t be called just on the roster. Jenks deserves more respect and recognition.
What’s more, is how Jenks showed his fighting spirit until the last day of his life. Reportedly, he was staying in Portugal, and his in-laws’ location showed true grit in fighting the cancer. The former teammates of Jenks, especially those from the 2005 World Series-winning batch, were left crushed by his untimely demise. “Most of the players I’m talking to right now, they’re crushed,” Ozzie Guillen, the manager of that ’05 White Sox team, said.
Hence, someone with such stature is bound to get the most respect when it matters the most. However, the small error in the choice of wording has left ESPN at the receiving end of the fans’ fury. The official post is getting flooded with comments denouncing them.
ESPN is getting called out by the White Sox fans
The mid-2000s were the golden era of the White Sox, with some of the best players gracing the clubhouse, and the World Series came home. Hence, for the fans, the batch from that era holds a special emotion. Something has been hurt now.
ESPN is trash. I will never forget/forgive that when George Blanda passed away they showed highlights of Jim Plunkett. They both wore 16 so I guess that was close enough
— ionuin (@druisiuil) July 6, 2025
“ESPN is trash. I will never forget/forgive that when George Blanda passed away, they showed highlights of Jim Plunkett. They both wore 16, so I guess that was close enough.” That was too brutal by one fan. He shared the instance when ESPN mistakenly ran the footage of Jim Plunkett when NFL icon George Blanda passed away. While that was purely unintentional, a mishap due to the same jersey number by both entities, fans are too sensitive not to react to all this. Here, ESPN made the same unintentional yet provocative error with the White Sox closer.
“Some intern that doesn’t even like sports wrote that. So obvious.” Is ESPN putting the onus of publishing such important and impactful news on an intern? And that too with someone who doesn’t know sports? Well, in an ideal case, that shouldn’t happen, but reportedly, ESPN employs interns, including editorial interns, who assist with various aspects of news gathering and production. However, the final product surely gets fact-checked before publishing. Hence, we think that’s an unknowing and unintentional error.
“On the roster. I think he did a little more for the White Sox than that. Very sad, RIP Bobby.” So yeah, Jenks is much more than just being a name on the roster. He is a 2x All-Star and with 173 saves, Jenks has the second-most saves in the White Sox history behind Bobby Thigpen (201). Hence, Jenks was a major contributor to the legacy of the White Sox. It would be wrong to consider him just like anyone on the team.
“Bobby Jenks, two-time All-Star and a key member of the 2005 World Series Championship team, passed away on Friday in Sintra, Portugal.” One user has done the favor by offering the correct way of reporting about Jenks’ demise. The focus is more on his 2005 brilliance. For the unversed, in the 2005 World Series, Jenks saved 4 games from 6 appearances. That save, a scoreless ninth inning in game four, was key for the White Sox to win the title. That’s what Jenks meant to the team.
“Both ESPN and the Sox…” Now here’s a practical take on ESPN and the current situation of the White Sox. While ESPN is getting called out, the White Sox’s basement dwelling from the last few years is another reason for not getting enough attention from the leading media houses. And not to forget their forgettable losing record last year. So, for this fan, both ESPN and the White Sox are on a downhill route.
Bobby Jenks was a legend in MLB. For the White Sox, he is still a benchmark of grit and fighting spirit, something the team needs badly at present. Hence, he deserves a better choice of wording, especially regarding his untimely demise.
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