Dodgers mailbag: Will the team re-sign Kenley Jansen?

The Dodgers are 62-49. That translates to a 91-win pace. The Dodgers trail San Francisco by one game in the National League West, as the Giants continue to stumble. The Dodgers are far from perfect, given the daily worries about the rotation and the season-long taxation of the bullpen. Yet they overcame the dangerous Boston lineup this weekend in a series victory.

The next two weeks present an opportunity. The Dodgers will play the Phillies six times in the next 11 days starting Monday, plus three games against Pittsburgh and three against the Reds. That sets up a showdown with the Giants on Aug. 23-25 at Dodger Stadium. During the fortnight leading up to the series, San Francisco plays the Marlins, the Orioles, the Pirates and the Mets.

So the Dodgers could be in first place the next time they play San Francisco. Or not. That’s the beauty of the sport. Or the torment. Until then, let’s answer some questions. As always, you can send them to me on Twitter @McCulloughTimes. Let’s do this.

It will probably take a five-year contract with a base salary of more than $12 million, if not more, to lock up Kenley Jansen this winter. There is a good chance the Dodgers do not re-sign him, as there is a good chance any team does not re-sign a player once he reaches the open market. Free agency is an unpredictable beast. Aroldis Chapman will also be available, and the Dodgers showed their affinity for him last winter.

I wrote a feature about Jansen’s situation before the All-Star game. It’s tricky for the Dodgers. I am quite curious to see how they pursue Jansen with Chapman also available.  

You can discuss a pursuit of Jose Fernandez whenever you want, but it probably won’t be relevant until he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season.

I am not going to argue that Scott Van Slyke is a better baseball player than Yasiel Puig. But it is fallacious to suggest that there is not an overlap between Puig’s temperamental issues, his performance on the field and his influence on his teammates. Everything counts. Showing up late to meetings counts. Not taking batting practice on days when he might be called off the bench counts. Not listening to instruction counts. It all matters. 

If a player cannot meet the requirements of professionalism and decorum set as the clubhouse standard, then the player must hit enough to make his presence worthwhile. A nice stretch coming off the disabled list — a much-quoted .830 OPS string that was interrupted by a lengthy layoff to rest a hamstring injury — was not enough to keep Puig on the roster. For a group as analytically versed as this front office, that should give you a clue into the level of discontent about Puig’s behavior. 

Farhan Zaidi spoke for the front office to reporters about Puig after the team announced the demotion. He is the general manager, and his comments were quite interesting. I wrote a story explaining Puig’s demotion last week.

The overwhelming consensus among the players I spoke to was happiness with the team’s additions at the deadline. So, to answer your question, no.

But, in a bigger sense: Who the heck cares? The players are paid to play the game, not express “trust and confidence” in management. It might sound like a Draconian system, but it’s the only one baseball has.

If a group of players chooses to fold because, theoretically, management does not provide them with new players at the deadline, then they are not a group of players worth investing in.

The Dodgers have lowered their payroll in both of Andrew Friedman’s seasons at the helm. They will continue to try to shed excess salary in the coming years while maintaining a competitive club.

I am not sure Dave Roberts forces people to call him “Doc,” but it is his nickname, and people like nicknames. I like nicknames. My friends use several for me. I will not reveal them here, because they are not interesting, but I will repeat my contention that nicknames are good. 

He had Tommy John surgery last year.

It sure looks that way. Joc Pederson has stabilized after that fear-inducing second half of 2015 into a flawed but useful player. He has an .805 on-base plus slugging percentage, can play center field and makes the major-league minimum. That’s a very, very valuable asset.

Is he the player you want at the plate with the tying run at third base and one out? Not necessarily. There are still plenty of holes in his swing. But he continues to show his power, and the Dodgers are hopeful his batting average will improve as he develops.

I am including this nonsense for two reasons:

1. At first, I thought he wrote “Vassegh,” and that made me smile.
2. I believe social media has allowed people to say deranged things without consequence, and it’s worthwhile to remember that words have meaning.

I have no emotional connection with the Dodgers. It’s a job, but one I feel very fortunate to have.