Earlier this week when the Dodgers were on the brink of losing their 12th consecutive game, an unnamed Dodgers beat writer asked several players in the Dodgers clubhouse if they were doing anything unusual to help them snap out of their current 1-16 skid. To the surprise of this particular writer, he was told “yes” by a couple of Dodgers players. When asked what it was, the players respectfully told him that they were not at liberty to say.

Lo and behold, Dodger fan and NFL International Content Producer for Spectrum SportsNet Jon Roemer spotted the fictional voodoo doll character Jobu from the popular 1989 baseball movie Major League in a video clip from the NBC Bay Area Sports broadcast of Wednesday night’s game between the Dodgers and Giants at AT&T Park. The clip showed Dodgers manager Dave Roberts conversing with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt … as Jobu looked on.

At first glance, all that was noticed in this Bay Area Sports video clip  is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talking with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. But upon closer inspection, fictional character Jobu from the popular movie Major League can be seen in the Dodgers dugout.
(h/t to @Jonroemer)

It’s no secret that baseball players (and most die-hard baseball fans) are a very superstitious lot, especially when it comes to getting out of and staying out of slumps. In the movie, newly-acquired player Pedro Cerrano (played by veteran actor Dennis Haysbert) uses Jobu to help him hit curveballs.

“Bats. I can no hit curveball,” Pedro tells teammate Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) in his heavy accent. “Straight ball I hit very much. Curveball, bats all break. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bat. I offer him cigar and rum. He will come.”

Major League’s Pedro Cerrano and Jobu.
(Video capture courtesy of IMDB)

Whether or not this is the ‘it’ that the players were referring to when questioned by the beat writer if they were doing anything unusual to help them get out of their LA franchise record-setting slump is and will probably remain a mystery, especially if it involves cigars, rum, or any other voodoo magic. But if it is, all are advised to stay away from Jobu’s rum.

“Very bad … to steal Jobu’s rum. It’s very bad,” warns Pedro.

If Jobu is indeed the secret, it is – as Roemer notes – working, with the Dodgers taking two of three from the Giants to win their first series since August 24-25 and lowering their magic number to seven to clinch their fifth consecutive National League West title. If it is something other than Jobu, who cares … it’s still working.

… and as every sports fanatic in the world knows – It’s only weird if it doesn’t work.