True or False?
1. Kenley Jansen is Fixed False. With his 8th Blown Save last night, he again demonstrated that he was lacking command and in order to get a strike, he throws some very hittable pitches. I was against the re-signing of Kenley Jansen and this is why. Big contracts to relief pitchers seldom pan out, but here we are and the Dodgers have to make do with what they have and
1. Kenley Jansen is Fixed
False. With his 8th Blown Save last night, he again demonstrated that he was lacking command and in order to get a strike, he throws some very hittable pitches. I was against the re-signing of Kenley Jansen and this is why. Big contracts to relief pitchers seldom pan out, but here we are and the Dodgers have to make do with what they have… and that includes Kenley. However, it does not mean that he is the “sole closer” anymore.
I have been extremely supportive of Kenley… until now! with a little over 10 days left in the season, it’s time for Dave Roberts to say that it’s now “closer by committee.” Kelly (if healthy), Baez, Floro, Urias, et al are in the mix. You could just see the team get totally deflated last night when Kenley blew the save. He’s not a bad guy, he is beloved by his teammates and he deserves to be on the playoff roster because of his work THIS year, but he’s not the closer anymore.
If it makes him mad, so be it. Maybe he can turn being upset into a “stepping stone” not a “stumbling block.” It has to happen and it has to happen now. We all know the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results! He has to earn that closer role back, but right about now, he has lost it. It’s not fair to him, his teammates and the fans! In case you didn’t realize it, the Dodgers would have 103 wins right about now were it not for the 5 games the Dodgers lost after a Kenley Jansen blown save.
2. Julio Urias is a Potential Closer
True. The “kid gloves” are off Julio Urias as he just pitched in back-to-back games for the first time. Next, he will be inserted into some high leverage situations. He struck out the side in his second of the back-to-back games. This is new to him and it will only be the rest of this season. He knows he is a starter and will be in the rotation next year, but he has the pitches and control to be the Dodgers’ closer… or at least one of the closers now. All is not lost.
3. The Dodgers Don’t Have Anyone Else Capable of Closing
False. Kenta Maeda is already there and Pedro Baez or Dylan Floro can also be that guy, at least on occasion. For those who want to discount Floro, in his last 7 appearances, he has a 2.45 ERA. In his last 15 games, the ERA is 1.84. He’s not your everyday closer, but he can be on that “committee.” Since he returned from the DL, he has been very good.
4. This is the Pitching Staff
False. We really don’t know yet… but we can guess.
- Kershaw
- Ryu
- Buehler
- Urias
- Maeda
- Stripling
- Floro
- Sadler
- Kolarek
- Baez
- Jansen
- Kelly, Garcia, May, Ferguson, Hill, Gonsolin
Ross Stripling is also a fixture in the pen for the playoffs. Add in Casey Sadler to go with Adam Kolarek, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen and it is likely there is only room for one of Joe, Kelly, Yimi Garcia, Dustin May, Caleb Ferguson, Rich Hill, or Tony Gonsolin… unless they keep 13 pitchers. Then they have their pick of two. I have no clue who will make it and most certainly, an injury may play a big role. Also, Joe Kelly has an unspecified injury. It remains to be seen what happens with him.
Pedro Moura of THE ATHLETIC weighs in on what he thinks the NLDS Roster will look like.
5. Will Smith is an All-Star
False. Will had quite a run as he simply exploded onto the scene with 12 HR and 31 RBI is like 3 games! However, we knew it couldn’t last. In the past 15 games, he is hitting .106 with a 33% strikeout rate. In his last 30 games, he is hitting .196. The fact that he has only played 48 games should not be lost on anyone. The league has adjusted quickly and he didn’t. If he stays on this path, he may not make the playoff roster. I’m being serious.
I wish Will Smith were the guy we saw when he first came up, but he’s not. I said he is a great defensive catcher who will hit 20 HR and bat .240. Those guys are valuable and he has a lot of value to the Dodgers… just not maybe in the Post-Season, unless he can fix this funk. So many of you were willing to trade Kaybear Ruiz because Smith was destroying NL pitchers in a small sampling, but I warned you and here we are… right where I thought. Ruiz is a rare talent… and a switch-hitter. Remember that. Will Smith will be a very solid player, but not Johnny Bench.
6. Joc Pederson Should Play Against LHP
False, but Wow! I am impressed. Last night, after just missing a 3-run homer, he shortened up with 2 strikes and went the other way to plate a run. Joc is really turning it around. There’s not much reason to think he can hit lefties, but he’s a real asset and plays a mean RF in Alex Verdugo’s absence. I was not sure he was capable of adjusting, but I have seen it several times now.
7. The Dodgers Should Have Traded for Chris Archer
I know a lot of Dodger fans and bloggers who wanted Chris Archer and I always wondered “WHY?” Well, the Pirates wanted him too, so they traded Austin Meadows (.289 BA/.926 OPS/32 HR/88 RBI), Tyler Glasnow (2.03 ERA/0.94 WHIP) and Shane Baz ( 20-year-old prospect who looks pretty good at A Ball). Dumb trades like that are why the Pirates are crap. If the Pirates has Glasnow and Meadows they might be in the playoffs this year. The Dodgers would have been dumb to trade for him as well.
While I am at it, I think the Pirates had an idea that Felipe Vasquez wasn’t about the right thing. Teammates and/or coaches just turned the other way. Neal Huntington and Clint Hurdle need to have a roadmap packed in their last paychecks. It’s just like the writers who knew the guys doing steroids and kept their mouths shut. Deplorable!
8. Dodger Fans Should be Worried About the Playoffs
True and False. I guess you can always worry about the injuries, slumps and such, but Atlanta was read hot and now is 4-6 in their last 10 games. Milwaukee is the hottest, but I don’t see them making the playoffs. The Dodgers are 6-4, and would be 7-3 if not for Kenley’s “meltdown.”
There are a lot of things to be decided:
- Who will be on the NLDS Roster?
- Is Joe Kelly healthy?
- Will Rich Hill pitch?
- How is Justin Turner?
- Will Gavin Lux Make it?
- How is David Freese?
- Smith or Barnes?
- Will Gonso or May make it?
It does seem pretty likely that Alex Verdugo will miss the playoffs… at least the NLDS.
9. The Arizona Fall League Started Yesterday
True. The Glendale Desert Dogs lost 4-2 as Jeren Kendall hit leadoff and went 1-4 and also reached on an error. He played RF and scored 1 of the Dogs runs. Devin Mann started at 2B and went 0-3. The only other Dodger to play was Gerardo Carrillo who pitched 3 innings of shutout ball, with 2 strikeouts and no walks.
10. This is the Greatest Song of All Time
False!
Rolling Stone said it was, but I think they just like the song title.
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Discussion (71)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I agree with your assessment of Kenley Jansen. He has meant a lot to the Dodgers, but unfortunately his days as a shutdown closer are over. We can’t keep the same strategy and expect to have different results. If Kenley remains as “the closer”, we will be fortunate to get through the Division Series – and a world championship this year seems a very remote possibility. The time to act is now!
You mentioned Kendall went 1-4, but didn’t mention the one was a homer. Still strikes out way too much. He needs to make contact and use his speed.
Dogs and cats get fixed, pitchers just make adjustments that may or not work. They want him to throw his other pitches, but he is just as ineffective with them as the cutter when he is ‘off’
Right, there is no GREATEST song ever. But if you look at the Youtube version of Joe Cockers ‘Cry Me a River’ from 1971, you will not be disappointed. Make sure you watch that version, not later versions.
Mark, I agree with you on 1 thru 6, the Chris Archer and Felipe Vasquez comment, very much you. As for the Dodgers in the playoffs, let´s see what happens. I always enjoy seeing what the Dodger players do in the Arizona Fall League.
First of all, there is no greatest song of all time. Just a lot of opinions based on personal taste and often tied to an era and the fond memories for those times. You’re no doubt correct about Rolling Stone’s reason for loving that particular song.
Yah, Kenley Jansen is not fixed. I’m still hopeful, but I really believe a lot of his problems are mental.
Should fans be worried? If the Dodgers are going to win a World Series this year it will be because they get hot or lucky. All the depth works over 162 games, but it won’t help them much in October. Somebody (probably multiple players) has to step up and produce in critical situations. The Dodgers should have won in 2017, but Jansen blew a save and Kershaw couldn’t hold two leads in the game in Houston.
As to Chris Archer, he’s one those wow what a game types, followed by he’s really bad today. So, No.
At some point they need to give Joc a shot at lefties. He’s really improved so he’s making adjustments and if he doesn’t get the opportunity, how do we know he can’t do it? That opportunity should come next spring, not this fall.
I think it’s obvious that Will Smith is tired. Never played in September before and he has to be wearing down. I expect him to be a really good catcher with power. Friedman is really high on him. Keeping the switch hitting Keibert Ruiz may work out well for the Dodgers since Smith can also play third base.
As for Urias closing? Yah that might work. Using Kenley differently may be the best thing moving forward. Which Kenley shows up is obviously up in the air and the Dodgers can’t afford to blow October games . Urias might be a difference maker this fall.
Maeda, Baez are sometimes on and other times not so much.
These so-called bullpen games were annoying, even the Dodger TV guys were making comments about it and not in a good way. If this is the future of baseball, I may switch to soccer.
I’ll get it off my chest… Kenley has gone to the well one too many times…Going forward, I am fine with a ‘committee’…
Last night hurt… I don’t hit the sack mumbling about my Blue, but mumble I did…
Yesterday is history and tomorrows a mystery…
Lets get this series against Co.
I’m a usual AFL fan and pick up a few games yearly… With my surgery still in my rear view mirror I’ll have to pass… Good bang for your buck and get to see some great youngsters..
I agree with your comments on Kenley Jansen. He has meant a lot to the Dodgers for many years, but his days as a shutdown closer are over. If he continues to be “the closer”, there will be no world championship this year – and the Dodgers realistically may not even win the first round Division Series. We can’t continue to have the same strategy and expect a different result. The time to act is now!
Bullpen games suck, are way too long and annoying…
True: Both games this series were entirely too long.
The Dodgers played these games to win…
False: With and day off before and after the series, they used this as an opportunity to use all their relievers in a bullpen tryout. If you were wondering about the odd timing of some of these pitching changes, this is why.
Why the heck was Sborz pitching in that situation? Because they used everyone else during open tryouts.
Will Smith is in a slump. But, he had a sac fly, caught steeling, and didn’t miss any balls that were thrown to him. And that makes him better that what we got from Grandal and Barnes the last two years in the post season.
I hope they play out their remaining schedule to win and keep these bullpen games at a minimum. I think it’s pretty lame if they already decided that Gonsolin/May/Urias aren’t going to start a game 4.
Does it make sense to have Hill on the roster if he can only pitch a few inning during each game 4? Or, do they think he’ll be able to go 4 by the first series and 5 for the next two series?
I’d swap out Ferguson/Hill for Sadler on your list.
I’d go with “In memory of Elizabeth Reed” Live at Filmore version for best song.