An Ode to Geoff

Since returning from the All-Star break July 14, Geoff Jenkins has been on an absolute tear. Before the Break, Geoff was batting .258 with 9 home runs and 33 runs batted in. Not exactly the numbers you expect from a corner outfielder getting paid over $8 million per season. His season was going so bad that his averaged had even dipped down to .230 and he was benched against left handed pitching.

Fans and media members were looking for a way to exile this guy out of Milwaukee, coming up with deals to propose to large market teams just to get his contract off the books.

Just before the All-Star break, Jenkins slowly begin to see the ball better and started going to opposite field. As a result he saw his average spike from .237 to .258. Then the All-Star break came. Carlos Lee was appearing in the Home Run Derby, and had lead this team offensively all year. He was the star and what used to be Geoff's team. Jenkins was all but forgotten.

On July 14, Jenkins began a stretch that would see him collect a hit in the next 10 games (making it a 16 game hitting streak). In 6 of his next 18 games, Jenkins had multiple hit games. By the end of July his average was up to .281 and the power numbers had gone up too.

Jenkins hit 4 home runs and drove in 18 during that 18 game stretch, raising his totals to 13 home runs and 50 RBI. So far, just 6 games into August, Jenkins already has 12 hits in 24 at bats, 4 doubles, 3 home runs, 4 rbi and 25 total bases. Since the All-Star game he is batting .434. If he keeps that pace up, it could be historical. His .434 average is already the second best post All-Star game average in League history.

So while guys like Carlos Lee, Lyle Overbay, Brady Clark, and even Ricky Weeks get all of the attention and most of the credit for this team's offense, Jenkins has steadily carried the offense during the second half and quietly repositioned himself as the team's leader.

Despite the struggles he was going through at the plate you never heard him complain. He never moaned, he didn't have any outbursts, and he didn't whine to the media when he was benched in favor of a right hander when a lefty was on the mound.

He never stopped playing hard, especially on the defensive side, the trademark of his game. You have to respect that, especially in today's day and age. During a stretch where he was struggling last year he told me in an interview that that's when he plays especially hard on defense. "If I'm not contributing runs with my bat, I better take them away with my glove." I remembered that quote because of how selfless it was.

We're all familiar with those "Geoff Jenkin's tears" where he will just go off offensively and carry the team. We waited for it the last few years, but it never seemed to come. Until now that is, the famous tear has come, and then some.