Craig Kimbrel 2024

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Orioles Jim said:

Nelson Cruz had a 5.0 WAR in 2015. The Orioles DH Jimmy Paredes had a 0.2 WAR in 2015.

The AL Wild Card team was the Yankees with 87 wins.

So, uh, close?

You also would have had to paid Cruz, which meant the team wouldn't have been paying someone else. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

You don't know the connection between Cruz and Mountcastle?

Think about it for a few and get back with me.

 

As for being a difference maker, I know Cruz cost the Rangers a WS.  Remind me again how often he went to the playoffs with the Mariners?

No I honestly don't get the connection.

 

What am I missing?

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, OnlyOneOriole said:

For what ever reason CoC hated Cruz back then and he apparently still does. I remember being mystified by it.   I never understood it then, and I still don't. 

I don't hate Cruz.  Never did.

But you don't bank on an old guy that got busted for steroids to have an unprecedented late career surge.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

No I honestly don't get the connection.

 

What am I missing?

Mountcastle was selected with the draft pick the O's got when Cruz signed with the Mariners.

You bring Cruz back, no draft pick and Mountcastle is playing for someone else.

Maybe the Blue Jays?  Wouldn't that be a twist!

[SilverRocket]

2 minutes ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

No I honestly don't get the connection.

 

What am I missing?

Orioles offered Cruz a QO and Mountcastle was the draft pick they got in return for losing him.

[spleen1015]

2 hours ago, eddie83 said:

He was taken out after ball one to the 3rd hitter. 

Looks like I'm the idiot here.

[spleen1015]

58 minutes ago, SilverRocket said:

He threw one ball to the third batter. I see Statcast is incorrect and shows Dillon Tate as throwing that 4-seamer pitch but it was Kimbrel's.

You're right. I'm wrong. My apologies for being a jackass. My frustration from the end of the game came out there. Sorry, mate.

[eddie83]

Just now, spleen1015 said:

Looks like I'm the idiot here.

At least you can admit it. We have all been there. 

[Orioles Jim]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

You also would have had to paid Cruz, which meant the team wouldn't have been paying someone else. 

You mean, we wouldn’t have paid Chris Davis the following offseason in 2015?

I’ve never been convinced until now that the Orioles should have re-upped Nelson Cruz.

[OnlyOneOriole]

15 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Mountcastle was selected with the draft pick the O's got when Cruz signed with the Mariners.

You bring Cruz back, no draft pick and Mountcastle is playing for someone else.

Maybe the Blue Jays?  Wouldn't that be a twist!

Ahhh ok that makes sense. 

[foxfield]

31 minutes ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

I mean they are very similar.   Both very good players.  But Cruz back then to me...always had that 'it' factor.  He was just a clutch player.

 

When the O's could have resigned him I said he is a MUST sign.   Especially for what turned out to be a bargain basement price for what he did the next 5 years.  One of the single worst moves the O's have made since 2000 in not trying to resign him. 

I did not look it up, but as I remember the Orioles actually did try to resign Cruz. He wanted and got a longer contract that turned out to be a good deal. At the time it seemed prudent that the Orioles balked at that. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

1 minute ago, foxfield said:

I did not look it up, but as I remember the Orioles actually did try to resign Cruz. He wanted and got a longer contract that turned out to be a good deal. At the time it seemed prudent that the Orioles balked at that. 

Yeah as I remember it was more about the length than anything.

 

"That's what she said".

[owknows]

[capyy]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Using Kimbrel today put him on a 78 game pace. The only time he worked in more games was when he was 23-years old and he worked 79. Last year he did pitch on 71 games, but was not a closer all last year.

Sounds like a lot to ask a 36-year old pitcher to throw in this many games, all in high leverage situations. 

 

the orioles did the same thing to bautista last year. he was the most heavily used closer in the league, and he throws 100+.

 

Kimbrel had pitched every other day for 10 days including multiple 25 pitch outings. why would you do that to a 36 y/o arm??

 

i'm not one to question an org that clear knows their stuff, but i question this!

[Moshagge3]

So, do I have it right that the last eight hitters Kimbrel has faced, going back to the Angels' Jo Adell walking and then caught stealing, have all reached? Five walks and three XBH?

Of course, four of Kimbrel's last five appearances prior to Friday were to protect ninth inning leads in games the Orioles at one time led 7-2, 7-0, 4-0, and 6-0. As the African proverb says, "it takes a village to overwork a closer."