Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Kenley Jansen Speaks on Big Homestand, Catching Giants

After a disappointing road trip that saw them lose ground in the NL West once again, the Dodgers returned home and got to work. They completed a 6-game homestand that saw them sweep both the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Despite missing a couple games for the birth of his second daughter (4th child) Kenley Jansen appeared in four of those games and nailed down three saves while allowing one hit and punching out 4. After the game, Jansen spoke on how important it was to win these past two series.



“It’s huge. It’s definitely huge knowing that the Giants have been playing unbelievable baseball this whole season. We just got to take care of us and keep playing good baseball. Whenever we think, just worry about us and good things are going to happen. When we do that, ain’t nobody better than us.”

Doing that is easier said than done as it’s been difficult for the Dodgers to make up any ground against San Francisco. Whenever Los Angeles wins the Giants win and whenever the Giants lose the Dodgers aren’t able to take advantage. That changed Wednesday night as the Dodgers moved to within a game and a half with a win and a Giants’ loss to the Padres. 

“We just got to take care of our own business you know, stay healthy, and keep continuing to grind. Take one game at a time. Of course we want to catch them, and of course we want to win the division. At the end of the day, no mater how we get in, we just have to take care business and do us. I think special things are gonna happen.”

With the way the offense has suddenly started to flicker back to life in recent games, the team has been playing some of their best baseball all season. If they can continue that dominance on the mound and at the plate, nothing should stand in their way, not even the Giants. 

NEXT: How Kenley Jansen Went From Getting Booed to Elite Again, Will LA Trust Him in the Postseason?

17 Comments

  1. Do away with the Divisions! Have everyone in the league on one table like soccer. Rest the top two teams in the playoffs, then have the seeded teams 3-6 play in 3 game playoff series, with the bottom two seeds playing the top two seeds in the next round.

    For Example if season ends as the standings are now you’d have:

    1- Giants – Bye
    2- Dodger – Bye
    3- Milwaukee – 1st WC seed
    4- Atlanta – 2nd WC seed
    5- St. Louis – 3rd WC seed
    6- Cincinnati – 4th WC seed

    Wild Card lineup:

    Milwaukee vs Cincinnati (WC1 vs WC4)
    Atlanta vs St. Louis (WC2 vs WC3)

    Say Atlanta and Cincinnati advance as winners, then the NLDS would be the following:

    San Francisco vs Cincinnati (Seed 1 vs Seed 6)
    Los Angeles vs Atlanta (Seed 2 vs Seed 4)

    This way great teams with superior records won’t be on the outside looking in and it would still make for great races to get the best seeding for playoff positions.

  2. Sounds like a plan: why lose some of your best teams right away by having them play each other?

  3. Kenley deserves a pat on the back. he’s really worked on the cutter and curve. He’s definitely doing a much better job for a month or so, but he’s blown so many big games, including 2 against the vagiants that it’s hard to have confidence when it matters the Most….We’ll see how he does against the brewers at the end, and we’ll see in the playoff’s. I don’t see the Dodgers winning it all if Roberts keeps going to Jansen often in every save opportunity. If Roberts pitches him every other game maybe, but Roberts seems to play favorites over who’s fresh etc. Maybe Roberts will go with the Hot hand again like he did with Urias and surprise everyone, but I won’t hold my breathe with anything regarding roberts making the right decisions in crunch time..

      1. I can already see it Paul, the Dodgers are undefeated with their best line up of Betts-Muncy-Turner-Seager-Turner-Pollock-Taylor-Smith, but something tells me DRRRRRRRRR’s will start Bellinger and sit Pollock……The opposing teams of the Brewers and Vagiants will pitch around Smith because of bellinger knowing pitchers spot comes. By playing bellinger teams know they can load the bases and get out of jams. With Pollock in the line up, there are NO holes and the team is deadly. DRRRRRRRR will find a way to screw this up…….

    1. I watched it. The next time the Dodgers play the Vagiants they have 3 players to focus on. Wade,Crawford and Belt. The Pads threw filthy low cutters to belt, then elevated fastballs and had him all over the place. Crawford they walked if need be, and they couldn’t stop Wade. Dodgers need to just start plunking Wade and get him off the plate. The Dodgers always pitch to the Giants, the next time they need to dance around a few hitters. Use the same strategy, conceed 1 run, not 3 or 4….And the Dodgers have to play every game with bellinger on the bench. They have to score early, and Bellinger will squander their chances…Pollock will hit, it’s going to be a good playoff run…

  4. The Gnats can loose until the cows home, but until, I see the Dodgers are 1st and remain there, that is when I will give them credit. Just to many let-downs this year, for me to believe they are the Real deal.

    1. DRRRRRRRRRR, definitely makes it a higher drama atmosphere for sure JR. All I know is last year when Betts homered in the 8th and gave us that 3-1 lead, were you cussing at your T.V. during the commercial?, expecting to see Jansen throwing? like 20,000,000 other dodgers fans were? I couldn’t believe DRRRRRRRR let Urias close them out……..That’s the type of moves we better see from DRRRRRRRRR if we want to win another…….

      1. When Pollock and CT3 both are back and able to play, then I got to believe that Roberts does the right thing and start Pollock in LF, CT3 in CF, Betts in RF. THAT should at least be the official starting OF for October. Enough said. And if Freidman has to direct Roberts to do this, so be it.Bellinger can be late inning defense depending on the score of the game at the time. Bellinger just won’t improve enough offensively by the end of the regular season to warrant him having a starting over any of those above mentioned guys IMHO. .
        GO AZUL!!

      2. Yes I was one of MANY, cussing @ the TV. But I was saying a lot of adult language also on Game 4 (courtesy of Jensen).

        1. Lol’s JR, and none of that should have happened. It’s all in the past but not forgotten. It appears Jansen has plenty of life to his cutter when he’s rested. DRRRRRRRRRRR, needs to rest Bickford more down the stretch, he’s already burned him up before the playoff’s. I believe this entire playoff’s hinges on Joe kelly….Trienen has been over used just like Bickford. Graterol is the new Baez, only difference is graterol’s ball goes farther over the wall. Vessia looks like he’s getting stronger, Price they shouldn’t even waste a roster spot. Hopefully Gonsolin can find the plate…..DRRRRRRRRR manages all these guys , hopefully he reverts to last years success and NOT the previous 5 where he was LOST……

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button