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Debunking ESPN’s Claim Of Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen Being Overrated

Jeff Spiegel
3 Min Read
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The headline used by ESPN caught me: “The most overrated player on all 30 MLB teams.” I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for clicks like this. So as the page waited to load, I made my internal predictions for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The favorite would have to be an aging Adrian Gonzalez — someone whose numbers are nearing career lows as father time catches up with him (I know, he’s only 34, but he seems older).

Then there was the sleeper pick: someone like Joc Pederson? He became a familiar name in last year’s Home Run Derby, so maybe his perception had outgrown his performance?

Finally, there was Yasiel Puig. But is he really overrated anymore, having been sent to the Minors?

By the time the page loaded, I was shocked — none of these three players were mentioned. Instead, it was Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

Kenley Jansen?

Here’s how David Schoenfield rationalized that decision:

I feel bad about this one. His numbers are so dominant, with a 1.27 ERA, 67 strikeouts and just seven walks in 49 innings. But he has somehow managed to blow five saves, and the Dodgers lost four of those games. He had two blown saves last year but five in 2014. His save percentage just isn’t anything special.

Huh?

It’s almost as though Schoenfield is saying: Kenley is just so dominant, but he did have five bad games…

Somehow the person who is tied for second in the Majors with 34 saves, is first in National League ERA, first in NL FIP and tied for first in WAR among relievers, is overrated?

Yes, Jansen has blown a five saves. But even looking into those instances reveals how foolish that statistic is in judging someone.

In Jansen’s five blown saves, he has allowed a total of six earned runs. So sure, ignore the fact that he’s never allowed more than two runs in an appearance, that he has only allowed runs in five appearances all season (49 innings pitched) and that he sports a 0.70 WHIP.

We’re talking about five blown saves. Really?

Jeff Spiegel was raised in California but currently resides in Portland, Oregon. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he worked in sports before entering journalism full time — first as a Sports Reporter and then as the Associate Editor of a local newspaper. Online, he has been writing about both the Dodgers and Raiders since 2012 — having written for DodgersNation.com and SBNation.com prior to joining both DodgerBlue.com and RaidersNation.com. He left full-time journalism in 2012 to become a pastor. Jeff can be found on Twitter at @JeffSpiegel. Favorite Dodger I'm going past and present (sort of) on this one. Recently, I was a die hard Yasiel Puig guy. The energy he played with was amazing and the hope and expectation he brought every single night was captivating. Whether it was a rifle from the warning track to throw a guy out at second, an aggressive bat flip or licking his bat, I was here for ALL of the Yasiel Puig era. Past tense, I'd go with Eric Gagné. This wasn't so much about Gagné himself as it was the experience of cheering for him. Yes, he was on steroids — but the dude was unlike any pitcher I've ever seen — he was NASTY. I still stand by the claim that if I needed one out and my life depended on it, and could choose any pitcher from any era to get me that out, I'm taking roided up Gagné in a heartbeat. Favorite Dodger Moment A few jump to mind immediately. Being born in November of 1988, I missed the last World Series by weeks — which also meant I didn't get to see the Dodgers win a playoff game until I was nearly 16. They had made the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, but were swept both times. In 2004, though, I got to see them win behind a complete game shutout from Jose Lima, and that was pretty freaking special. The next in-person moment that came to mind was the Manny Ramirez bobblehead night pinch-hit grand slam from 2009. Vin Scully claimed it was the loudest he had heard Dodger Stadium in 20 years, and it's hard to disagree. As far as ones I didn't get to see live, I'll throw one more out there: the back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs that tied a game against the Padres in 2006 (plus the walk-off from Nomar Garciaparra in extra innings) was an all-timer. Obviously, the impending Dodgers World Series will quickly jump to the top of this list...