Dodgers’ Jansen has a Mariano- type cutter
LOS ANGELES — In the summer of 2010, a hefty, strong- armed pitching prospect was called up from the minors by the Dodgers and handed off to the coaching staff, who took him out to the bullpen to see what they had.
It took just a few pitches into the session for the bullpen catcher that day, Mike Borzello, to suddenly realize he was seeing a oncein- a- lifetime phenomenon — for the second time.
Kenley Jansen’s natural, “straight” fastball had dramatic, late cut to it every time he threw it.
“It was a Mariano- type cutter,” said Borzello, who as a Yankees bullpen catcher 12 years earlier, watched Mariano Rivera have the same natural action on his four- seam fastball.
“It’s the exact same action at the same velocity,” said Borzello, now in his fifth year on the Cubs’ coaching staff. “I’d never seen it before Mo, and I haven’t seen it since, till that day.”
Jansen credited Borzello with helping him develop the pitch into a major- league weapon.
“He would throw it, but he didn’t know where it was going,” said Borzello, who helped turn Rivera into perhaps the greatest closer of all- time — by sheer ability to locate the one unique pitch.
Jansen still has an average slider he can use as a show or chase pitch, but Borzello said: “Overall, he’s like Mariano, you have this pitch, its all you need.”
Can Borzello use his knowledge of the righthander against him?
“Not really,” he said. “I don’t know how you combat it. It’s the same with Mariano. There’s not much you can do. You hope he leaves one [ in the] middle or one doesn’t cut as much as it usually does and you get lucky. Or you somehow get into a hitter’s count and he’s got to bring it on the plate more, which gives you a slightly better chance.
“But it’s a tall task.”
Notes
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was just 1- for- 25 this postseason before his two- run homer in the fourth inning Wednesday. Manager Joe Maddon said he never considered sitting Russell and move Javy Baez from second to short. “Right now Addison and Javy up the middle is our best chance I think to win,” Maddon said. “We still have to win with defense, too.”
Rookie right- hander Carl Edwards Jr. left in the seventh inning because of left hamstring tightness, and Maddon wasn’t sure after the game how serious it was.
“It could have been a cramp. We’re not 100 percent sure yet,” he said. “It wasn’t anything awful. We’ve got to wait until tomorrow to see how he reacts to it. Hopefully it’s just a cramp.”
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