They should be concerned though. Dodger’s spring training would not be complete without at least one tight or strained hamstring. Enter franchise closer Kenley Jansen. That’s right Kenley, (who has yet to pitch at all this spring) has been diagnosed with a tight hamstring. Apparently his hammy tightened up before the Dodger’s 6-4 win over the Royals on Friday afternoon. Kenley felt the tightness during pregame warm-ups and the Dodgers of course would rather be cautious with their all-star closer. So they have held him out from game action.
Kenley has been “on vacation” since spring training began. Basically he hasn’t pitched at all. The Dodgers are trying to give a few of their relievers extra time since they’ve all had an extended workload from last season’s World Series run. It would be nice if Kenley would take it easy over the next week so the Dodgers avoid Kenley having to start the season on the disabled list. The Dodgers don’t need that aggravation and we don’t either.
Kenley tossed 68.1 innings during the 2017 regular season. The big closer saved 41 games and posted a 1.32 ERA while appearing in 65 games. He struck out 109 batters and walked only 7 during what has been considered one of his finest seasons to date.
Kenley also appeared in 13 of the Dodger’s 15 postseason games while tossing 16.2 October frames. Kenley pitched in 6 of the 7 World Series games for the Dodgers. Kenley was supposed to make his Cactus League debut on Friday afternoon before he felt the tightness in his hamstring.
The Dodger’s plan is to have Kenley pitch in a B game on Monday before making his spring debut next Thursday against the Royals at Camelback Ranch. That will be two weeks before opening day. Manager Dave Roberts has said that the injury is not serious and that Kenley will receive treatment on Saturday. The Dodgers think that Kenley (and most of the relievers) doesn’t need more than a couple of weeks to be game ready by opening day.
It’s time for Kenley’s vacation to come to an end. Opening day is only a few weeks away and the Dodgers are going to need him to be prepared. Kenley’s 68.1 innings pitched in 2017 is the third most innings tossed in his eight season MLB career. Jansen threw 68.2 innings in 2016 and threw 76.2 innings in 2013 which is still the most frames he’s thrown since he made his MLB debut back in 2010.
“The Dodgers are trying to give a few of their relievers extra time since they’ve all had an extended workload from last season’s World Series run”.
They’ve had 4 months off. They pitched a few extra innings, they didn’t have surgery. His hammy is probably tight because he hasn’t done squat for 120 days.
I’m just relaying the message. Don’t shoot the messenger
I haven’t shot anybody in decades Scott. You’re safe. It just seems weird to me that 30 year old relievers might need longer than 4 months to rest up. They play baseball for a living.
In other news, Greinke is said to be having trouble throwing in the 90s this spring. He can still be effective but that’s got to be a major concern for the DBacks given his contract.
Maybe it’s just me, but Cubs look primed to remind everyone they’re still around. Their players seem to be playing with a chip on their shoulders.
Agree about the Cubs. Looks like the same 3 teams again.
Greinke has gone through this before. He threw over 200 innings last year, putting up 6 WAR, more than earning his money. He’s 34. Might be time to take a FAZ approach – 28 starts, 158 innings. He can still earn his dough that way. Won’t be 6 WAR, but it doesn’t need to be, does it.
I thought they said this same thing about Greinke in spring training, last year.
I don’t think his velocity is as important, since he knows how to pitch.
I think Kershaw needs to look at what Greinke is doing, since he hasn’t had great velocity, because Kershaw is probably averaging 93 or lower now.
Kershaw needs to learn how to use his off speed pitches more, especially when he is down on the count.
Because Kershaw is far to predictable, because he almost always throws a fastball, when he is down on the count.
MJ……Kershaw has been in the majors for 10 years. He knows when and how to use the weapons he has. He is not going to throw his 3rd best pitch in a clutch situation. It is going to be Uncle Charlie or that hard slider on the back foot. The guy has won 3 Cy Young’s to Greinke’s one. I think he knows what he is doing.
Michael
I was talking about those same pitches, instead of his fastball.
A curve ball is an off speed pitch, and his slider is also an off speed pitch, compared to his fastball!
And he doesn’t pitch backwards much.
And he hasn’t been successful doing it his way, in the post season, in a short series, when he has to face the same team twice, has he?
And Honeycutt and others, have tried to tell him to change it up, in the post season, in those short series!
And I was talking about Greinke, because after Greinke lost his good velocity, he learned how to pitch differently.
And Kershaw’s velocity is going down.
And he hasn’t won Cy Young, after the age of thirty, has he?
Greinke should have, in his last year, on the Dodgers!
And Kershaw will be thirty soon!
Like it makes a difference MJ. He should have won last year. He had more wins and a lower ERA than Scherzer and he was on a Pennant winner. A lot of good pitchers do not have great post season numbers. And you are talking about the best pitcher in the game today. Plus he was out six weeks and he still had more wins than Scherzer, less losses in fewer innings. I know everyone thinks he should change things up. And there might come a point in time when he will. After his velocity is down around 88-91 maybe. Whatever he is doing it works and I doubt fans like you and I can judge a guy who is as good as he is nor can we look at the way he pitches and say he needs to change this or that. He has major league level coaches to help him….all we do is gripe. 30 is not that old. Koufax retired at 32 but it was injury related. Ryan who was a power pitcher his entire career retired in his 40’s as did Randy Johnson. Every player is different.
Given how hard it is to repeat to the World Series, I think I’d consider the Cubs favorites.
I think the Nat’s are better than the Cubs, plus they are hungry.
I think it is way to early to tell, which team is going to be the favorite, of all the top teams, that are favored.
It is interestingly on how some are predicting where the Giants will be, this year.
They seem like I team, that can go either way in a extreme, because they don’t have much depth, and there everyday players, are mostly older veterans.
If I was a Cub fan, I wouldn’t put much hope in Darvish in the off season, although he pitched better then our other starters, in the two prior series, before the World Series.
Because it seems all of the pitchers that have been labeled bad in the post season by their bad, or sub par performances, seem to never put this behind themselves, in baseball right now, like Darvish, Price, and other pitchers.
They always seem to find a way to give up a couple HRs, or have one terrible inning in the postseason, although they are better in the regular season.
And Darvish was given two starts to redeem himself, and he didn’t even make an incremental inch of improvement, unbelievable!
Some pundits giving Font a leg up on making the team. Would be the 2nd long man in the pen and spot starter….I do not see it, but then again I am not seeing him everyday. Dodgers have a dilemma on their hands with the catchers. The 2 playing best are not considered the starters. But Ruiz is ticketed for AA at least with Will Smith the guy at AAA. But Farmer is making a very strong case to make the team. He is outhitting both Barnes and Grandal. And his catching has improved a lot. Peter would be the dark horse to make the team.
I’d love to see Peter beat out Utley, but I have no opinion of consequence.
If Utley did not have that 2 year deal, I think he would….of course it is only 2 million and they could eat it…….BUT……his clubhouse demeanor is what he is being paid for.
They gave Utley that two year deal, to get under the luxury tax.
He isn’t really on a two year contract.