Kenley Jansen (7-21-24)

DV catches up with the Dodgers all-time leader in saves before the series finale between the Dodgers and Red Sox. 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I'm joing right now by the manthat had three hundred and fifty saves in
his Dodger career, the most byany Dodger pitcher in the franchise history going
all the way back to Brooklyn,and he is one of only five pitchers
to have four hundred and thirty ninesaves on the way to Cooperstown, the

(00:20):
one and only Kenley Jansen, Kenley, Great to have you back at Dodger
Stadium. Great to have you backto if say, I mean, shit,
man, I'm glad to be backhere seeing you in Yeah. Man,
Like you say, man, it'scrazy to hear the Chiaplin, But
we gotta stay motivated and keep going. It feels like all the hugs and

(00:40):
all that friendly stuff has gone outthe window after yesterday. It feels like,
you know what, all the emotionsand friendliness is gone. I mean
as baseball. You know that's myfirst home when I give up this year
and you know, first blown savessince April. Hey, you know that's
sometimes stay humble, right, keepyou humble, and you know it just

(01:03):
shows you. Right, what didyou say to kyk No, I mean,
for any guy on that team,if that have to happen. You
know, I'm glad it happened withKK. You know, I love KK.
Great teammates of mine, having themwith the Dodgers and less share with
the Red Sox. So I meanit put a good swing at the ball

(01:23):
and tip my cap to him,you know. And today's now today when
you saw Key K today, what'sthat feeling like? Same feeling? Just
show him some love, man,you know, like I say, it's
been a long teammate of mine andlike you say, man, we playing
against each other now, but youknow, we do what we have to
do during the game, but youknow, on the sidelines, off the

(01:48):
field, will just show each otherlove. Man. That's that's That's what
it is about the one part thatI love. It's not just seeing you
with some of the staff, butsome of your former teammates and the guy
that you were teammates with longer thananybody. You saved more games for Kershaw
than any other reliever in his career. What's it like to be back with
him? I love cursh Man.Like I say, man, I'll be

(02:12):
I'll be watching this guy pitch hisfirst game closely because I was catching him
and and and in Mile League baseball. I was his first, you know,
And yeah, now I've got alot of saves for him also too,
So it's it's always awesome to seehim. Man, every time I
come here around, that's the firstguy I wanted to see in this cursh
You guys were together back in VeroBeach and Kenley Jansen is back at Dodgers

(02:37):
Stadium. Kenley, when you lookback at your career, can you take
it all in? Or you're inthe moment right now. And obviously the
goal is five hundred saves. Well, the goal is you know, I'll
try to get like I say,right now, you know you look at
five hundred, but then you know, I'll stay motivated. Man, I
want to play this game for alittle bit longer, and I believe he

(02:59):
could do something special things and Igotta keep my body in shave. And
yeah, we're aiming for five hundredright now, and you know, a
couple of seasons hopefully can get it. So, like I say, man,
it's the law for the game thatI have since it was a five
years old kid growing up watching theBraves, watching my favorite player, Fred
McGrath, watching Andrew Jones hit thetwo Homeless and Will says, never thought

(03:22):
that, you know I will behere too, So I'm having an unbelievable
career. And yeah, of coursethat's that's that's a thing you focus on.
But also, you know, winningchampionship is my first priority. So
you know, I wanna, Iwant to. I want to get another
one. I know you do.And you never know where you might get
that next one. You never know, so that's the good thing about it.

(03:45):
Kenley Jansen is our guest. KenLey always loyal to LA. His
teammates were wearing Celtics jersey to celebratethe Boston NBA championship, but Kenley would
not wear the green, So westill love you in Lah. Yeah,
I can't, man, I can'tdo that. Man. I mean,
I'm I'm growing up as a kidwatching Shack play with the magic, breaking
the rains. I'm becoming his favoriteplayer. And then when he got when

(04:09):
he got sent over to LA,you know, ninety six, you know,
ever since, I've been a leaguerfan. So like I said,
man, purple goal, that's whereI belong. And as much respect to
have of the Red Sox fans andand and Boston fans overall, but I
think they all get it. Alsoto it. If I'm a huge fan

(04:30):
growing up being a Lakers, youknow, it's I'm happy for them to
win the championship, but it's alsohard to wear that uniform. Kenley.
Can't wait until we celebrate you atDodger Stadium after a great career, a
Hall of Fame worthy career, andI envision number seventy four being down the
left field line with all those Dodgergreats one day. Great to have you

(04:51):
back here, and I'll let youget ready for the game. All right,
I said, thank you, thankyou for having me there. He
is the all time saves leader andDodger franchise, his story, The one
and only Kenley Jansen