Kenley Jansen got booed on Wednesday. Would you have done the same?
Hello and happy Thursday.
On Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in delightful and dramatic fashion, putting up three runs in the ninth inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win.
Kenley Jansen was the pitcher who blew the save and recorded the loss. When Jansen gave up the go-ahead home run to Wilmer Flores, the Dodgers fans booed. When he gave up a double to Darin Ruf, they booed. When he threw balls, they booed. When he loaded the bases, they booed. When he walked off the mound, they booed.
This was slightly jarring because the boos were coming from Dodgers fans, and I’m used to booing Kenley Jansen. And unless the San Diego Padres are involved, Giants fans and Dodgers fans are not supposed to boo the same people.
Jansen has had some struggles lately, but he still entered the game with a 1.45 ERA, 12 years of being a Dodger under his belt, and a trio of All-Star selections with the team. Seems like an odd dude to boo.
I don’t say this as any moral judgement, it was just a touch surprising. I don’t remember Giants fans booing many players, let along great players who had a rough outing. Santiago Casilla is the only quality Giant who I can recall getting booed, though I’m sure I’m forgetting someone.
So if you were a Dodger fan — eww, I’m gonna ban you now, sorry — would you have booed Jansen?
Old, random MCC article for you to read
The Giants are collapsing in a way that baseball has never seen (Sept. 20, 2016 — Grant Brisbee)
Giants links
- Grant Brisbee explains the problems with trying to find a closer at the deadline (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Susan Slusser reports that the Giants are interested in Royals pitcher Danny Duffy (SF Chronicle)
- Kerry Crowley on how the Giants latest lineup highlighted the team’s needs at the deadline (Mercury News)
- Tim Kawakami goes inside the unique and successful relationship between Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Alex Pavlovic on how Marco Luciano and Will Wilson have impressed Kai Correa (NBC Sports Bay Area)
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants play the Dodgers tonight at 7:10 p.m. PT.
Have a swell Thursday, one and all.