Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Kenley Jansen is the Dodgers' Best Closer Ever. He may be Pitching for Your Team very Soon

Aloha, everybody,

Last night Kenley Jansen wrote his name into Dodgers history. He nailed down the 162nd save of his career, passing Eric Gagne to become the all-time saves leader for the Dodgers. 


This mini golden-framed beauty is limited 47/62. 

The man who's record Jansen broke is Monsieur Eric Gagne. 

Here's Gagne before his signature goggles and goatee.
 I'm torn over the legacy of Gagne. Torn because I witnessed - and cheered on - his incredible, super-human feat of 84 consecutive saves. Before Gagne, nobody had ever put together a string any bigger than 54. I loved the entire "Game Over" era at Chavez Ravine.

Goatee sans goggles.
 But here's the rub - Gagne admits to achieving his record numbers through substance enhancement. I didn't know it at the time, and perhaps my Dodger blue glasses just wouldn't allow me to see it.  I always figured it was guys on the other teams who cheated, it wasn't my beloved Dodger heroes! 

As a matter of fact, Gagne later estimated 80% of his teammates were juicing up with him. I'm thinking about expanding on that thought later, on the Dodgers site I write for, LADodgersReport.com. 

I suppose it should have been 85% of the team on the stuff, because if Gagne's allegations are true, 80% sure wasn't enough to win a World Series. 

Limited 17/40
 In the end, I fall on the side of Eric Gagne still being a helluva player, and I'll never forget the thrills I felt seeing those bullpen gates swing open to Guns n Roses "Welcome to the Jungle" every time Gagne sprinted to the mound. 

Besides all that, he's a great ex-Dodger, and participates in Dodgers festivities. He's throwing out the first pitch tonight. 

All of that said, Gagne is no longer the beholder of the Dodgers' saves record. Kenley Jansen is, and until I hear different, I'm believing Jansen earned the record juice-free. 


I mentioned Jansen may be coming to your team soon because the sabremetric boneheads who control the Dodgers' personnel decisions only gave Jansen a one-year contract. 

He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and although I'm sure the Dodgers will want to sign him to a real contract then ( the dopes), he might go mercenary, run up the bidding, and jump teams. 


However, today is not for being cynical. Today Kenley Jansen stands atop Dodgers Mountain. All hail the Saves King! 

Aloha!

2 comments:

  1. Jansen is a beast. He is one of only a few relievers that actually warrants a significant multi year deal. At least some backup plans exist with guys like Chapman and Melancon. Although Melancon is not near as good as the other 2.

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    1. You said it, Matt. He desrves a multi-year deal, and he'll get one.
      I sure hope the Dodgers don't let him get away. We sure don't have anything remotely close to a closer in the pipeline for 2017.

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