The adrenaline should have been pumping for Kenley Jansen after the Red Sox' 5-4 win over the Angels Sunday. And it was, just not in the manner one would have guessed.
After loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth, while clinging to a two-run lead, Jansen was able to rebound and collect his fourth save of the year by fanning the final two batters - including one of the planet's best hitters, Mike Trout, for the final out.
Not only had the Sox' closer triumphed in a memorable showdown between what could be a pair of Hall of Famers, but it gave Jansen his 424th career save, tying John Franco for the fifth-most in major league history.
But all of it wasn't top of mind for Jansen. What was were the baseballs.
“I don’t know. I just hope we can get better, quality balls. That’s all I’m saying. It’s embarrassing," he noted. "Of course, pitchers can not use illegal stuff. Great, i agree. But rub the balls. I get that we try to favor hitters more now to create offense. We all get it. You can’t pick no more. You’ve got to pitch with the pitch clock. We all get it. But at least give us some good balls, quality balls, to throw strikes. That’s all I’m asking.”
The discomfort throwing the baseballs was evident from Jansen's first pitch.
In the ninth inning, Los Angeles' first three batters all reached, with Logan O'Hoppe being hit by a pitch, Mickey Moniak dropping in a bloop single to left field and Zach Neto drawing a walk to load up the bases.
After Anthony Rendon made a one-run game with a sacrifice fly to center field - allowing runners to advance to second and third, as well - Jansen came back to strikeout both Luis Rengifo and Trout to give the Red Sox the series win. For his career, Trout is just 1-for-12 with nine strikeouts against Jansen.
But considering the continued inconsistency in finding the strike zone from Jansen, thus far - having given up just one hit over his 5 2/3 innings, but walking eight to go along with nine strikeouts - the baseball issue was top of mind.
“There’s zero excuses at this point. I’ve got to get better but also if you play in the cold weather, windy, and you gets (new) pearls on the balls that are not rubbed well, I don’t know where the ball is going. I don't hit guys. I don’t walk guys. Last time I know, I don’t walk people this much. I started to get frustrated and pissed off to the point I didn’t care no more," Jansen said. "Any balls that came, I’d just throw it back until I found a good ball. It’s just brutal. For me, yes, I have to get better. I’ll always be accountable myself. We're gonna get better on it. But you know, if you have zero help, and your bullpen balls are better rubbed than game balls, it’s embarrassing. I’ve been playing in this league, and from the beginning career to now, it’s getting worse.”
He continued, "It’s been an issue all year. I’ve been talking to a lot of my teammates and they feel the same way. First pitch, get out of my hand, I didn’t know where it was going. Second pitch, same thing. Then I tried to throw a ball down the middle and it’s tough to make an adjustment and also you have the clock ticking so it’s tough. You’ve got to find a way to slow it down and try to do better. It’s OK. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ll always find a way to figure it out."
Jansen isn't the first player to raise awareness to the inconsistencies when it comes to the baseballs, with numerous pitchers pointing to the problem with the equipment even last season. Appearing on the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast last July, Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm surfaced the issue in a pointed fashion.
“That’s the worst thing in our game right now is the baseballs. We don’t have those things figured out worth a crap,” Strahm said. “It is atrocious. You reach your hand in and don’t know if you’re grabbing a tennis ball or a youth baseball.”
He added, "There’s no consistency whatsoever, not even in the dozen balls. You get a dozen, three of them are going to have high seams, three of them are going to low seams, three of them are going to have spaced-out seams, and the others are going to be lopsided.”
Matt Strahm talks bad baseballs
For Jansen, the frustration was too much to ignore, which was evident even when discussing the dramatic conclusion in his team's series-ending victory.
Yet, through it all, there was resignation that the baseball dynamic is what it is, and so is the Red Sox' need to get the best version of their closer.
“I’ve just got to get in, get more repetition. I’ll get it," he said. "Spring was tough for me this year but like I said, there’s zero excuse for me out there. I don’t like the way I’m pitching right now. I’m way better than that and have to be accountable to that and be the guy I am."