Lost in the shuffle of the Dodger’s thrilling come from behind 9-7 victory over the Reds on Sunday afternoon was Kenley Jansen. Sure Corey Seager hit a go-ahead grand slam home run in the bottom of the eighth and the Dodgers mounted a six-run rally in that same frame to overcome a 7-3 deficit, but what also happened in the very next frame was Kenley Jansen recording his 200th career save.
That is no joke and quite a career milestone. Jansen is a monster and has gotten off to one of the best starts for a reliever in MLB history. While he has only saved 11 games this season (primarily because the Dodgers either win by a blowout, or get shutout) he has yet to walk a single batter this season.
Our big beloved island boy has posted a 4-0 record and a 1.03 ERA in 25 games and 26.1 innings pitched. So far he has struck out 43 and walked none. That’s right, zero. Zip. Nada. As a matter of fact, he’s only allowed three earned runs all season long. That comes out to a 0.44 FIP and just 5.5 hits per nine innings of work. Kenley has a 0.6 WHIP and has struck out 14.7 per nine. Oh yeah and he doesn’t have a strikeout to walk ratio. That’s because he hasn’t walked anyone!!!
Kenley has a long way to go before he reaches Trevor Hoffman or Mariano Rivera levels. Still, 200 saves is quite impressive. Kenley is without a doubt the greatest Dodger closer in franchise history. If his dominant season continues, I think he could be considered for the Cy Young award. Can you say California love? Man, Kenley is a beast.
Congrats Kenley….well done…
Jeren Kendall. Sounds like a dirtballer. Top 15 pick that fell a bit. Good pick by most accounts. He will need to learn how to hit better pitching. Strikes out was too much for a guy 5’10” 180. He ain’t Mickey Mantle.
No definitely a basketballer, Jeren Abdul Kendall, geez everyone knows who he is, duh!
Didn’t that loudmouth from last year want to get rid of him? Timmons, I believe. He also wants to trade Kershaw!
That particular loudmouth said a lot of crazy things.
With the 62nd pick Dodgers pick the 94th ranked player, a big right hander from Texas. Not likely a Muslim basketballer, but I don’t know him:
http://www.truebluela.com/2017/6/12/15789592/2017-mlb-draft-dodgers-rounds-1-2-recap-interview
I’m being moderated, again, and who knows how long it will be stuck there, so I’ll just try a repost:
With the 62nd pick Dodgers pick the 94th ranked player, a big right hander from Texas. Not likely a Muslim basketballer, but I don’t know him:
http://www.truebluela.com/2017/6/12/15789592/2017-mlb-draft-dodgers-rounds-1-2-recap-interview
STRENGTHS
Coming back for his junior season was the right thing to do, as Cooper’s stock has soared this spring. He has a stereotypical “big guy from Texas” fastball at 91-96 MPH, and he commands the fastball well.
He’s not just a fastball pitcher, able to mix in a curve, cutter/slider, and change-up. The curveball was his best pitch as a freshman but since the injury he’s done good work developing his other two pitches, giving him four quality options. He usually throws strikes and has the complete arsenal needed to start in the majors. His makeup is also considered a strong positive.
WEAKNESSES
Although his mechanics are consistent the heat isn’t exactly “easy” and his radar gun readings sometimes decline as a game progresses, although his full quiver of secondaries helps compensate. His command is occasionally erratic and will need to firm up at the highest levels. The redshirt season makes him an “old” junior at age 22.
OVERALL PROJECTION
Cooper has maintained steady stock as a late second or third round pick all spring but he could go as high as the supplemental round due to his relative lack of leverage and his status as an advanced college arm. He could reach the majors fairly quickly.
He, Buehler, and Sheffield are all the same age, older than Urias and Alvarez. That could be the staff in ’20, unless they are all traded for Bartolo Colon and CC Sabathia.
I’m sure he will be another name that the FAZophants will be touting as another ‘ace’ in the minors.
As the FAZoWHEEL churns…….
‘First-round selection Jeren Kendall, a speedy center fielder from Vanderbilt, hit .307/.372/.556 with 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases as a junior, but also struck out 74 times in 295 plate appearances (25.1%).
“That’s an area of improvement,” Dodgers scouting director Billy Gasparino said on a conference call. “I’m sure our player development staff will starting working on how to improve it.”’
How has that being working out for a few others in the organization?
Let’s see. You can now be a first round draft pick by hitting .307 and striking out 25% of the time. Wow.
Vanderbilt played the likes of UIC (3), Southeastern Louisiana (2), Central Arkansas (2), Belmont (1), Lipscomb (1) (Vandy scored a total of 27 runs against Belmont & Lipscomb), Tennessee-Martin (1) (another 11 runs), Tennessee Tech (1), Middle Tennessee State (2) (Vandy scored a total of 38 runs in those 2 games).
Strong hands’ quick feet. Check out available video of his swing. It’s solid. I’m thinking they begin work immediately on his strike zone management and two strike approach. I say that hoping he actually listens. If he’s another Pederson, uh oh.
I hadn’t seen any video but he sounds just like a guy they would draft. To only hit .307 as an upperclassman at a D-1 school while striking out 25% of the time, one would have to be swinging for the fences or they are partially blind.
Badger
I read that this guy really has elite speed as compared to Joc.
Joc Pederson was drafted in the 11th round.
He made the majors and not as a scrub.
Let’s stop treating him as a bad example of Dodgers player development and scouting.
was hoping the Giants would grab him as best talent available. He was projected to go much higher based on the strength of his other tools at a premium position. Giants could use him. It will be another opportunity for regret if he fixes mechancial problems and succeeds with the Blue Crew.
I think Dodgers wise not to let him slip any further – they seem to know what they are doing on draft day.
Rye
I bet the Giants are still kicking themselves, from that Mike Leake trade.
‘Kendall often whiffs at pitches thrown in and out of the strike zone, even when facing below-average college pitchers. He tends to pull the ball–even when he’s pitched away–and the ball consistently comes off his barrel with authority. Kendall compares favorably with Corey Ray, the Louisville outfielder that Milwaukee drafted fifth overall in 2016, but Ray made more contact as a junior and showed more present hitting ability. ‘
Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/mlb-2017-draft-tracker-a/#02IPMRXwt5kCWIqh.99
So let’s look at Corey Ray…..to date his career minor league slash line is .246/.318/.389 AND he was a more refined hitter leaving college. Corey Ray is striking out at a 29% clip. Hmmm.
It’s possible Kendall went fishing a lot because pitchers wouldn’t throw him strikes. I’ve told this story before, but I think it’s appropriate to tell it again. We played Riverside Poly when Bobby Bonds was there. The guy looked 30 years old at 17 and could hit anything. Pitchers wouldn’t go near the strike zone with him in the box. When the All Orange County team came out he was obviously first team but in going down the list everybody on it hit .390 and above. His average at the end of the year was .297. I’ll never forget that. He hit .297 without ever seeing a strike.
I’m encouraged by this pick. He’s a left handed hitter with 80 speed. He could be our centerfielder for years. And, if he learns to command the strike zone, he could lead off.
Badger
In high school we played Riverside Poly, because they were in our league.
They didn’t have a very good softball team, but I don’t know about there baseball team, at that time.
But in high school, usually if a team had a good softball team, they also had a good baseball team too, and vice versa.
You know that is the same high school that Reggie and Cheryl Miller, went to.
I believe Cheryl Miller was about two or three years behind me in high school, when I was a senior.
But just before school ended my senior year, my coach asked me if I would play in the Summer Olympic development team in basket ball, and Cheryl Miller, was on the team.
But I was going to play softball, so I didn’t play basketball, that summer.
And I didn’t think my 65 Ford Falcon would make the drive to Cal state LA and back, to many times anyways.
Of course I wish I would have took the offer more seriously, because they needed a pure point guard badly, because all of their guards were mostly off guards, and shooters.
And when I went to high school, most of the teams in Riverside and Corona, didn’t play teams in Orange County.
Because there were enough high schools then, to play in that general vicinity.
The farthest out we would go to, was Palm Springs.
But I am assuming your team must of played Riverside Poly in a practice game, but I could be wrong.
It was a practice game, and we went there to play them. We did not play them my junior and senior year. We played them that year in football too. Bonds was a single wing tailback with the snap going directly to him 8 out of 10 times. They were the only team I saw in 3 years of high school football that ran that offense. It was old school. Bonds could throw the ball well, but didn’t do it often. Didn’t need to. Bonds left, Bonds right and down the field they went.
I don’t recall girls softball or basketball at my school. In fact, all I remember is field hockey. Sounds like you were pretty good.
Badger
I was ok.
But they didn’t have girls sports, until the first year, I was in high school.
And all of the Junior highs, had girls sports, that same year too, so they didn’t have girls sports, when I was in junior high yet.
But I played softball in a girls league, when I was eleven years old, on.
I do remember Orange County, always had good, softball teams.
I remember they had a semi pro team, called the Lionettes in Orange County, when I was young too.
We didn’t have a field hockey team.
We didn’t have a soccer team at that time, but I wished we did.
Because I was not a big tennis or volleyball player, and soccer would have been during that season.
I remember seeing old pictures of girls playing basketball, in the midwest, and they were not allowed to dribble to much.
Yeah, am sure that the physical presence of Jeren Kendall in the box intimidated college pitchers. Hell, if I would have been told that he looks to pull everything and swings through a lot of pitches, I would have been saying ‘LET HIM BAT ALL DAY FOR EVERYONE.’
I recognize the hyperbolic sarcasm. Absurdity noted, but if you let him “BAT ALL DAY FOR EVERYONE” – you are going to get your ass kicked 10 times out of 10. His career slash line was .309/.386/.553 with 67 stolen bases and 156 runs in 184 games. Those are Trout-like numbers. Bat him 35 times a game, with him on base and him in the hole, and your pitching staff is going to need therapy.
Not impressive for a first round hitter. Just watch. College baseball is a hitters game. His numbers are weak considering. Good pitchers would be sending him back to the dugout at least 8 out of 10 times. This will be fun to watch. Stay tune.
Dodgers selected a catcher named Wong…..was he the Wong choice? Sorry, could not pass that up. Gonzo to the DL, Pederson activated. So Bellinger will be at 1st for a while. It is put up or shut up time for Joc.
This day in Dodgers history. Kershaw begins his 41 inning scoreless streak.
I can get behind Puig with that HR to the opposite field!
That is when he is hitting at his best!
Breaking: Dodgers are good.