Craig Kimbrel 2024

[eddie83]

1 minute ago, emmett16 said:

Nah.  His velo has been down.  He’s been missing spots by feet not inches.  Has been behind in count and been bailed out.  Has gotten lucky repeatedly.  It hasn’t been pretty.  

He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks all year coming into tonight. The 2 walks were this week. His velo had been ticking up.  

[emmett16]

4 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks all year coming into tonight. The 2 walks were this week. His velo had been ticking up.  

It’s looked like smoke and mirrors to me.  

[dystopia]

7 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

Nah.  His velo has been down.  He’s been missing spots by feet not inches.  Has been behind in count and been bailed out.  Has gotten lucky repeatedly.  It hasn’t been pretty.  

His velo has recovered. 

He was lights out before the Angels series. 

[dystopia]

Just now, emmett16 said:

It’s looked like smoke and mirrors to me.  

Oh well that settles it.

[eddie83]

Just now, emmett16 said:

It’s looked like smoke and mirrors to me.  

Had 17/2 K/BB rate. 
 

Needs his fastball up in zone. 

[RZNJ]

20 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks all year coming into tonight. The 2 walks were this week. His velo had been ticking up.  

Good luck finding any smoke and mirrors comments after his mostly dominant outings.   
 

Funny thing is, at 92-94 his command was impeccable and he was unhittable.   Now the velo has been ticking up and the command has been getting iffy and then downright bad tonight.

Edited April 27 by RZNJ

[emmett16]

1 hour ago, dystopia said:

Oh well that settles it.

 

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

Had 17/2 K/BB rate. 
 

Needs his fastball up in zone. 

I guess we will see how or plays out.  I havnt liked what I’ve seen.  

[RZNJ]

3 hours ago, emmett16 said:

 

I guess we will see how or plays out.  I havnt liked what I’ve seen.  

And we can find somewhere after his first five saves when he didn’t walk anyone, where you said “I don’t think this is going to work”?

Of course, if Kimbrel throws like last night where he has no idea where the ball is going things won’t be good.  That won’t change the fact that he was utterly dominant, for the most part, until last night.

[Moose Milligan]

No one saves 100%. Kimbrel will be fine overall. 

[DirtyBird]

57 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

No one saves 100%. Kimbrel will be fine overall. 

Fine for 3 run save opportunities 

[spleen1015]

31 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

Fine for 3 run save opportunities 

7 saves, 2 were with a 3 run lead. I guess you're right.

[Frobby]

I think the main issue is that Kimbrel is turning 36 shortly and he’s not cut out to make 78 appearances a year, which is the pace he’s on.  He did that once when he was 23 years old.  He’s only reached 70 appearance one other time, last year, when he tired at the end of the season.  

If I’m Hyde, I’m doing my best to limit Kimbrel to 5 appearances every two weeks.   If that means someone else has to pitch the 9th in a save situation every so often, so be it.  
 

[sportsfan8703]

Kimbrel just didn’t have it last night. No fastball command. It happens. We got a little lucky in the Angels game too. We need to score some runs and not give away ABs on this team. 

The offense giving away ABs is the concern.  All stat closer. All star closer on the IL. All star set up man. All star SP. Score some runs.  

[Otter]

44 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think the main issue is that Kimbrel is turning 36 shortly and he’s not cut out to make 78 appearances a year, which is the pace he’s on.  He did that once when he was 23 years old.  He’s only reached 70 appearance one other time, last year, when he tired at the end of the season.  

If I’m Hyde, I’m doing my best to limit Kimbrel to 5 appearances every two weeks.   If that means someone else has to pitch the 9th in a save situation every so often, so be it.  
 

This.  The problem is Hyde doesn't really have any other appealing options.  Elias handcuffed him by not bringing in at least one other late inning reliever in the offseason.  

[Malike]

Kimbrel has a career 3.7 BB9. To think he would be a control specialist is setting yourself up for disappointment. He also happens to have a career 14.2 K/9, which more often than not bails him out.