Dodgers: Dave Roberts Says Team Will Keep ‘Running Kenley Jansen Out There’
While this is not the first time Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has given Kenley Jansen a vote of confidence, it is merely the latest. At the beginning of August, Roberts declared that Jansen would ‘be fine’. Now, time has passed and Jansen has not emerged fine.
Furthermore, Jansen blew his seventh save of the 2019 season on Wednesday night. Before Thursday night’s contest in Arizona against the Diamondbacks, Roberts had more to say about his beleaguered closer. Bill Plunkett took to twitter with these remarks from the skipper.
#Dodgers Dave Roberts on Kenley Jansen after 7th blown save last night: "I don't think we're going to back off on the workload. We're going to keep running him out there. … We're going to need him. We're counting on him."
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 30, 2019
To say the least – if Roberts is outwardly concerned – he has a good poker face to the public. Therefore, he says the Dodgers are riding the man with 295 career regular season saves. In fact, while on the subject of poker; the team is ‘doubling down’ on their closer.
Roberts echoed this sentiment with a very convincing quote to Plunkett.
“I don’t think we’re going to back off on the workload. We’re going to keep running him [Jansen] out there. We’re going to need him, we’re counting on him.”
This is not a drill.
The Dodgers manager has been given the opportunity to experiment with the back-end of the bullpen. Equally important, it was bantered about in the recent past. However, it seems like giving all the confidence that can be given to Jansen in the form of quotes and big spots in a ballgame have trumped the alternative.
Finally, the 2019 Dodgers are going to go as far as Jansen can take them. Right now, it feels like no lead is safe; and these are not the high-stress pressure spots that the month of October brings. It is then that every situation is rigged with a little more tension.
Of course, the best news is that time remains on the clock. Both to give Jansen another opportunity to be ‘run out there’ as Roberts states, and to fix the issues that are causing a sudden lapse in success.
Definition of insanity ” doing same thing over and over expecting different results
Any better ideas? Kelly gave up 3 runs in 1 inning last night. Look I’m concern about Jansen too but the Dodger need to figure out how to fix Jansen because like it or not the Dodgers need Jansen to pitch well in the postseason.
It’s actually too late for too many better ideas at this point with a BP situation that could have been better addressed during this past off season.
His stubbornness will and should cost him his job! Bring in Mike Soccia the ex Dodger catcher. Kelley’s first bad game in a long time.
Yes Dave Roberts says I will keep screwing it up and losing games.. which by the way he has done very well it..anyone who has watched the last 10 or so games know ..dodgers will be lucky to win the pennant..world series …. lol what a pipe dream.. if they make it be lucky not to be swept in 4 games…and most all of this can be put on front office and Dave Roberts…said for two years he sucks.. and it still stands… smh
More blown saves to come! Jansen is done.
Robin, you, myself and many others here may be on the same page here with that but unfortunately the FO and Roberts believe otherwise
Too bad Dave Roberts wants to be buddy, buddy with the players. That’s not his mission, which is to win, period! Glad he wasn’t my first sergeant.
Chris above is right “doing same thing over and over expecting different results”.
Can’t predict what the playoffs will bring, but it’s time for Roberts to toughen up. Jansen looks like he’s sleepwalking.
Mike, it just may be that Roberts and Co. will continue doing these same things over and over expecting different results. But sadly those potential results will still be the same as we have already seen up until now.
Not sure there is much of an option at this point. Dodgers made this bet and now we will see if works out
Problem is you don’t fix a fastball that is 2-3mph slower or a cutter the doesn’t cut as much as it did. You either move on to different pitches or you do what Chis said. The move on part should also be put on Roberts. A manager’s role is to win games, bot to be buddy buddy with the players and being more liked than winning games.Dump Roberts and bring in Scosia.
My concerns are the same as other comments, Roberts has been too worried about being “friends” with his players rather than the manager. Jansen should have lost his closer job and went onto the mix. Roberts is not a good game manager with pitchers he has proven that by losing a game with bad decisions each WS.
I believe in using whoever is “Hot”. Understanding that sometimes guys are going to give up runs. Baez gave up a HR the other night but he has been great. Sadler has been a real find, he has good control with a nice mix of pitches and velocity. Kelly has been filthy. And yes sometimes you get hit but he is on an overall great stretch. May and Gonsolin along with Urias should be considered for the BP in the playoffs.
Agreed, tmaxter, and that also goes for how lineups are made out.
Interestingly, the club has entered a portion of the season where every weakness is being showcased. Bellinger slumping, far too many defensive errors, Ryu losing it, Jansen lost it, hitters back to swinging out of the zone, and the “un-trade” at the deadline aka the “nothing burger special”. You expect a problem to come up on any club, no matter how good, but the current theme for the Dodgers is “If it can go wrong it will and at the worst possible time”. Hopefully one or more of these problems will go away. If not, Robert’s approach of patience for all things, combined with the front office strategy of no new deals this year, may be just the recipe to end the Dodger’s WS hopes in the first round of playoffs. Should that happen, the decades old wait since 88 will loom large in the fan base.
Skoonj6, it just might be better should the Dodgers get removed from the PS after that 1st round rather than having an absolute tremendous chance of failing for a 3rd consecutive WS, especially if they lose it for a 3rd straight time on their home field.
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Exactly Leigh. I dont understand that type of thinking either.
I guess you 2 want to wear the humiliation of 3 straight losses
“I don’t think we’re going to back off on the workload. We’re going to keep running him [Jansen] out there. We’re going to need him, we’re counting on him.”
Well then if Dodgers get bounced in the NLDS this year it may have been because of Roberts continued insistence on saying Dodgers must count on him and need him in October under these current circumstances. But the offense I believe honestly won’t be able to compete with the better pitching they will see and they will see plenty of LHP for obvious reasons shown this year.
Bottom of the 9th. Wrigley Field. NLCS. Dodgers up 3-2 with the heart of the Cubs lineup coming up. Is Roberts still “going to keep running him out there?”
And Roberts and the Dodgers keep talking about “October” and “We might see the Yankees down the road.” Who said they are going to make it back to the World Series? Anyone whose ever played the game will tell you that you never look past your opponent. They might be playing golf while the Astros battle the Braves in the World Series.
Chris, right on point here!
I agree the Braves are very good and the Nats are surging at the right time as are the Cardinals. Baseball is a game of momentum.
The Dodgers are slumping in all facets right now. Roberts insistence to play guys like Peterson who is a boom or bust guy versus Beaty who consistently makes contact and move or score a RISP is incredibly wrong.
Jansen so far has lost velocity and the late break on his cutter. This is not very fixable for a closer. Kershaw was able to adjust as he can allow a run or two or three every outing. A Closers do not have that luxury.
I do not understand why they do not bring up and play Lux. He is killing the ball. Scrubs they picked up like White etc are not the answer. IF you truly believe in the Farm System bring them up and play them! May and Gonsolin have gotten valuable experience and exposure. Both have work to do but we have all seen the talent and possibilities. Those two will probably compete for starting rotation positions next year.
free wins, just vote for him……roberts sounds like a political speech……sounds like re-runs of yesteryears……last three years jansen has been reclining in efficiency and no effort has been made to bench him or get a replacement…….all we hear is talk, talk, talk and that don’t win games and he still gets the big money for just “showing” up…….
Chris, for your specific scenario is why I thought the Dodgers FO should have traded top prospect for an elite closer this past trade deadline. Because the way I see it, your either all in or your not. So if your scenario comes to frowishen and the Dodgers get the short end of that scenario, know that having Lux and others wont ease the pain.
After proving again last night the Dodgers, who I have been an avid fan of since 1945, have zero pitching what choice does he have?
If the Dodgers were in a tight race, then Jansen would have to be pulled. But since their not, it’s best to keep running him out there to try to fix him before the postseason.
How can this supposed FO of analytical geniuses look at our bullpen and think it’s ok? An average fan merely has to look at the stats and know it stinks. Another mess tonight in Arizona with a another blown save and Garcia balking – balking!! – in the winning run. Jansen is completely done as even an average closer, let alone elite. His strikeout of Judge was the proverbial blind squirrel tale. Garcia has given up 14 homers in about 56 innings which is brutal. Kelly regressed the other nigh to his early season form. I have zero hope for us ending the 30 year drought this year. Without a WS title, it’s time to clean out the FO. They neglected again to get the relief pitching we desperately needed so this is on them.
If the Dodgers don’t won the WS this year, Roberts must go. Doesn’t know what it takes to win. Has no clue how to use pitchers.
I do not blame the FO for not making a trade deadline move as the Pirates were insane asking for Lux and others! People wanted to pay insane money for Harper look at how that is going. People wanted them to trade Smith and he looks like a young Posey with more potential than Realmuto. They wanted the FO to trade Bellinger several years ago. People want the next shiny thing.
What I will criticize the FO for is not bringing up young arms sooner to attempt to fix the very weak Bullpen. And they should bring up more young arms to audition for this year and next. If your business plan is to utilize your Farm Team then utilize the Farm Team!!
Where they went wrong was not signing relievers in the offseason for money. Then they wouldn’t have to trade prospects at the deadline. But I forgot, the multibillionaires are on a strict budget pocketing the cash like greedy scum
The Dodgers are playing like crap.They’re very lucky the National League West is extremely weak as well as 90% of the National League. They have to stop worrying about Cy Young and MVP awards and concentrate on the ultimate prize a World Series Championship for LA.
WSH can beat them with their 1-3 starters
How many more saves does Jansen have to blow before Roberts sends someone else in . This is the reason they won’t win the big games .Sure they will get in the playoffs but won’t get very far
how many runs does Jansen have to give up. before.. sure win. tonite. till 2 runs came in top o ninth. really
how many runs does Jansen have to give up. before..everone gets it..???