Dodgers fans want Kenley Jansen removed as closer but Dave Roberts doesn’t care
By John Buhler
Los Angeles Dodgers fans are done with Kenley Jansen closing out baseball games.
Kenley Jansen is the Los Angeles Dodgers closer, but the fanbase is not happy about it.
Jansen came in to get the save up 4-2 at home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card series. Though Jansen seems to have no giddy-up on his fastball anymore, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts is totally cool with trotting him out there in more high-pressure situations. That is absolutely the last thing Dodgers fans want to hear right now in the first day of October.
After watching video of Kenley Jansen's inning last night, Dave Roberts said it was better than he originally thought.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) October 1, 2020
If Kenley Jansen is why the Dodgers don’t win it all, Los Angeles will implode.
The Dodgers have been the best team in baseball all season long. It might have been a 60-game, coronavirus-shortened MLB campaign, but they separated themselves from the rest of the pack. It’s been over 30 years since the Boys in Blue last won a league championship. If they don’t get it done this year, this era of Dodgers baseball might be seen as the Buffalo Bills of baseball.
Kenley Jansen warming up with just a 2 run lead pic.twitter.com/8KLdWJFUfC
— rg (@raulyg) October 1, 2020
Every time Kenley Jansen comes out for the 9th. pic.twitter.com/nN2OX6nsrq
— Koko (@KokoTwelve) October 1, 2020
watching Kenley Jansen pitch is painful
— George Martin (@Traneofthought_) October 1, 2020
i have no idea what I’m watching anymore
I cry every time the dodgers put in Kenley Jansen
— $amuel. (@DaddySammy24) October 1, 2020
Dodgers fans right now seeing Kenley Jansen come in to close the game with less than a 3 run lead... #LATogether pic.twitter.com/AKulbfaiYB
— Mark Brockett (@Tuff_Overlord) October 1, 2020
If Kenley Jansen entered a game throwing 87 a month ago, I think he goes on the IL.
— Casey Mysticism (@Seebygoldma) October 1, 2020
This aint good.
Imagine having Blake Treinen Brusdar Graterol Victor Gonzalez Pedro Baez and Adam Kolarek and still go to Kenley Jansen to close out games smh.
— Z (@ZackGouId) October 1, 2020
Hopefully Kenley Jansen’s car breaks down on the 101 at rush hour, and he misses the game. We were lucky those 88mph meat balls weren’t deposited in the bleachers. Worst he’s looked all year.
— Donald Bilinski (@DonaldBilinski1) October 1, 2020
Kenley Jansen in to close it out...#Dodgers #LATogether pic.twitter.com/PfiNNfQgeI
— Frank Ojeda (@UCLADodgerFrank) October 1, 2020
Jessica Mendoza ..just compared colome to....kenley...Jansen..
— The1whoknocks (@The1whoknocks4) October 1, 2020
Kenley Jansen sure likes to make it interesting.....2 out walk.... now facing a Christian Yelich in the 9th... pic.twitter.com/0zasPpKS5s
— Tim Cates (@timcates) October 1, 2020
Scariest words for any Dodger fan to hear these days...”Kenley Jansen is warming up in the bullpen.”
— eric stephens 🧊 (@iceman_washere) October 1, 2020
As you can tell by the sensible folks on Twitter, Dodgers fans see Jansen for what he is: A shell of himself. If he goes out there and throws 87 MPH meatballs to the Brewers, the Dodgers should still be able to advance without issue. However, if he pitches like this in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres or the St. Louis Cardinals, you can kiss the Dodgers’ World Series dreams goodbye.
Should the Dodgers do what is expected of them and get to the NLCS, no, that’s not going to work against the likes of the Atlanta Braves, the Chicago Cubs or the Miami Marlins. If the Dodgers win the pennant again, excellent American League teams like the New York Yankees or the Tampa Bay Rays will take advantage of the underwhelming Dodgers closer Roberts keeps trotting out there.
Next. Max Fried, Ian Anderson were Joey Votto, Reds’ nightmare. dark
The Dodgers are the best team in baseball and if they don’t win the World Series this season, they will never hear the end of it. Should sluggers like Paul Goldschmidt, Fernando Tatis Jr., Freddie Freeman or Aaron Judge hit one of Jansen’s offerings into the adjacent Texas county, it might cost Roberts his job out of blatant negligence and managerial malpractice. He is their weakest link.
Despite being up 1-0 on the Brewers, Dodgers fans are not excited about the team’s closer at all.