Craig Kimbrel 2024

[Sports Guy]

So basically he’s the same pitcher he has been in recent years. Imagine that.

[bpilktree67]

27 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Yes, and my guess is he’ll hit at least one more rough patch where he’s bad for several outings in a row.  His mechanics are weird and if he gets out of sync it can last a few games.  Also, it’s important not to overuse him.  He threw in 15 of the first 33 games, but since then only 12 of the next 34.   That may just be the way the games have gone, but I think Hyde has been a little more careful with him since that meltdown stretch.  

Yeah and at this point we dont have to use him in every save situation.  The other guys have been very good and just looking at the numbers it is gonna be almost impossible not to make the playoffs.  The division would be great but if the Yanks win 105+ games you just tip your cap to them as they are playing unreal baseball so far and continue to stay healthy.   There are only 6 team in the AL over .500 with Boston at .500.  Assuming 90 wins makes the playoffs(which i think will be less then that actually this year way the top teams are playing all we have to do is go 45-50  the rest of the way to make the playoffs.  The Red Sox and any other team would have to play  above .600 baseball to get to 90 wins.  If we don't get to 90 wins a whole lot more then having to use a different guy in a save situation here and there to give him rest.  

[Just Regular]

On June 15th, last 30 days fWAR has him the best active roster relief pitcher in the American League.

His inning was fun last night - both the player and his former team I think had some feelings to work out.

I haven't surveyed to see if in the 2023 NLCS Kimbrel had the worst cWPA of any pitcher in a long time, but I'd guess it is up there a little bit.

[Can_of_corn]

 

[Aristotelian]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

 

The Yankees announcers were also talking up his struggles against them. Pretty much implying they own Kimbrel. Very frustrating that he chose the Yankees to end his "good Kimbrel" streak.

I will say, he avoided full meltdown mode. He got ahead of most of the guys he faced and the pitch to Stanton was actually a pretty decent breaking ball out of the zone.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

The Yankees announcers were also talking up his struggles against them. Pretty much implying they own Kimbrel. Very frustrating that he chose the Yankees to end his "good Kimbrel" streak.

I will say, he avoided full meltdown mode. He got ahead of most of the guys he faced and the pitch to Stanton was actually a pretty decent breaking ball out of the zone.

He's not bad but I don't want him being the primary option in the playoffs.

I don't trust him to hold a one run lead, I don't trust him to pitch back to back and I don't trust him to go more than one inning.

[Roy Firestone]

if you have to worry about bringing in a closer in a one run game...he's not a great closer anymore. 

[Aristotelian]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He's not bad but I don't want him being the primary option in the playoffs.

I don't trust him to hold a one run lead, I don't trust him to pitch back to back and I don't trust him to go more than one inning.

I don't want him to... but I'm resigned to it. 

[jabba72]

Fascinating because Kimbrel has a 2.67 FIP, which says he's still elite. HR9 is 0.7, but still hasnt come through with a 1 run save.

[Chavez Ravine]

3 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

He's not bad but I don't want him being the primary option in the playoffs.

I don't trust him to hold a one run lead, I don't trust him to pitch back to back and I don't trust him to go more than one inning.

That’s we he gets left off postseason rosters. He is more stuffing than shutdown.

[OnlyOneOriole]

He isn't bad.

 

But in no way to I trust him any in any high leverage situation.

[Three Run Homer]

Like a lot of O's pitchers, he's good enough to help the O's make the playoffs, but not good enough in his current role to help the O's win a World Series.  

[Winning_Season]

4 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

if you have to worry about bringing in a closer in a one run game...he's not a great closer anymore. 

Exactly, closers exist to be brought in for one-run games in the 9th. I felt like Kimbrel had been unreliable in one-run games, but 0-4 is abysmal.

 

Part of this has to be luck, so hopefully he can work it out before October or we need to find another option.

[sportsfan8703]

Kimbrel really turned it around. He’s an all star as of now. 2nd in the AL with 19 saves. 0.99 WHIP. Probably better than Holmes heads up statistically. 

Maybe we pick up that option for next year and take some pressure off Bautista and avoid pitching him back to backs. 

[elextrano8]

39 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Kimbrel really turned it around. He’s an all star as of now. 2nd in the AL with 19 saves. 0.99 WHIP. Probably better than Holmes heads up statistically. 

Maybe we pick up that option for next year and take some pressure off Bautista and avoid pitching him back to backs. 

Maybe it's just me being OOTP-brained, but I'd pick up the option, keeping Kimbrel as closer and using Felix as a stopper.