Excitement was tempered Sunday when the Los Angeles Dodgers had four players — Cody Bellinger, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager — named to the National League roster for the 2017 MLB All-Star Game.
Not only is the club, current owners of the best record in the NL, going without a starter in the Midsummer Classic for a second consecutive year, but Justin Turner and Alex Wood headlined the All-Star snubs.
So while discussing his second All-Star Game nod, Jansen took aim at a Dodgers fan base for their failure to vote Seager and Turner as starters. Jansen stood by his remarks Tuesday and also praised the organization’s fans, via Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:
“I’ve never ripped my fans,” he said. “I’ve just got to say what I say as a leader in this clubhouse. Is it a risky thing? Yes, it is. At the end of the day, man, I know we have the best fans in the world. We want J.T. to be in there. He deserves to be in there.”
Jansen’s words appear to have carried some weight, as Turner won the Final Vote to secure the last spot on the NL roster. He received a record 20.8 million votes.
Should Wood make the NL roster as a replacement for a pitcher who’s unavailable or injured, the Dodgers’ six All-Stars would be a first since 1991.
So while Jansen’s comments may have agitated some, there’s also the possibility they motivated others to turn out in support of Turner. Regardless, the closer has not been one to mince words or hide his true feelings. In this instance, for the better.
