When the Dodgers bullpen struggles, we hear about it … man, do we hear about it. We hear about it on radio talk shows – especially call-in talk shows, we read about it in the national and local media, and Twitter absolutely explodes when Messrs Baez, Hatcher, Garcia, Howell, Blanton, Coleman, (formerly) Avilan and (currently) Liberator struggle. But the one name that we never seem to hear anything negative about is Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and with good cause – there’s rarely (if ever) anything negative to say about him; not on radio talk shows, not in the national and local media, not even on the world’s critic Twitter.

After beginning the season with a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers bullpen hit one of those rough patches where they were responsible for two of the four losses against the Giants at AT&T Park, and boy did we hear about it. Television, radio, print and blog media immediately began rehashing nightmares past about the Dodgers weakest link being its bullpen – especially the gap between the starters and Jansen. Yet aside from those two games (and two at Dodger Stadium) of the 13 played thus far in the new season, the Dodgers bullpen has been outstanding. Ironically, however, we never seem to hear about this. In fact, we will probably hear nothing about the Dodgers bullpen until they struggle again and it once again becomes front-page negative news.

Jansen has been absolutely brilliant thus far, converting each of his five save opportunities. He is also the glue that holds the Dodgers bullpen together. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although it is unlikely that the criticism of the Dodgers bullpen will ever completely go away, why is it that we are hearing very little about the fact that the Dodgers current eight-man bullpen hasn’t allowed a run in 14 consecutive innings? Why isn’t the media and social media reporting that they have held opposing batters to a .069 batting average (3 for 43) while striking out 14 during those 14 scoreless innings? Yet in spite of this, the negative comments immediately flood social media the very second the Dodgers bullpen gate opens or we’re told that so-and-so is warming up in the ‘pen.

The simple answer, of course, is that people – especially Dodger fans – need something to complain about, justified or otherwise. But the real truth is that the Dodgers bullpen has been absolutely brilliant.

But why the seemingly sudden turnaround? What is it that caused the Dodgers bullpen to go from three bad games to all but one great game since? Although the answer to this may surprise you, it really shouldn’t. A great deal of the bullpen’s recent success falls right back onto the broad shoulders of Kenley Jansen – and not just because of his stellar pitching.

“It’s amazing. He sets the tone. You can see in his eyes, he’s got a different look in them,” said Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell of Jansen. “He’s trying to send a message I think to all of us – ‘This is where it needs to be, this is the example that success looks like’ – and we’re all taking a look at him and that’s what he’s here for.”

After a rough start, veteran left-hander J.P. Howell appears to be back on track. He credits Kenley Jansen for the bullpen’s recent success. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

Howell added that although Jansen hasn’t actually said anything to any of his teammates, he doesn’t need to.

“He’s just doing it by example, like literally,” Howell said. “He’s doing his thing, he’s in the zone in terms of his process and his workouts and his routine, stuff like that, and kind of banking off that. And that’s something I admire and that’s what you do in this league.”

Howell is, or at least was, among those who got off to a rough start this season. He allowed an uncharacteristic six earned runs before even recording an out. The result was a horrendous 53.00 earned run average. Since then, however, he hasn’t allowed even one earned run while picking up his first win of the season, allowing only one hit and striking out two over his next two innings pitched.

“When you have some bad ones you kind of expect to have a good one next. But when you have back-to-back bad ones, when the first opportunity comes, you really challenge yourself to get results,” said Howell. “But at the same time, in order to get those [results], you can’t focus on that and that’s tough to do.”

Whether it’s Kenley Jansen leading by example or new bullpen coach Josh Bard or veteran pitching coach Rick Honeycutt’s influence, the Dodgers bullpen is dialed in right now. But as sure as the sun rises in the east, the moment – I mean the very instant that they again struggle, you can count on the radio talk shows, the national and local media and Twitter to once again tear into the Dodgers bullpen and all of the great work they have put in will be quickly forgotten.

Because … well, that just the way it is.