Steve Webb
Team’s best closer ever heads to rival ATL
LOS ANGELES – The Jansen era is officially over. The best late-inning reliever that the Dodgers ever had is a Dodger no more. Kenley Jansen, who signed as a catcher with Dodgers while he was still a teenager in Curacao, has come to terms with the Atlanta Braves on a one year 16-million dollar deal. This makes the already-formidable Braves bullpen even more dangerous and puts the job of Dodgers’ closer open for the time being.
Jansen posted a 2.22 ERA while cashing in 38 of 43 save opportunities for the Dodgers last year. Kenley is a three-time All-Star. He has notched 350 career saves, the most in team history and the most ever with one ball club.
Jansen’s Dodger career is Cooperstown-worthy. According to an article at mlb.com, Jansen is among the elite closer in baseball history:
The 34-year-old’s 2.37 career ERA is the third lowest for a pitcher with at least 700 career innings in the Live Ball Era (since 1920), trailing only Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner, and nobody in that group comes close to matching his identical 2.37 FIP (which focuses on the things a pitcher can control the most — strikeouts, walks and home runs). Jansen also leads the group in strikeout rate (36.8%).
Mark Bowman, mlb.com
There will be much more to say in the coming days when we can give a full requiem for Jansen’s Dodgers’ career. But for now, it’s a gut-punch.
Godspeed, Kenley Jansen, Godspeed.
