Craig Kimbrel 2024

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

53 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

That is true.  The velocity is down a bit, but he can still get to anyone.  

The key is Kimbrel still gets good movement on his pitches and his windup is unconventional compared to most other pitchers in the league. You have to take the good and the bad with Kimbrel when the movement on his pitches leads to walks and hit batters.

[Aristotelian]

23 minutes ago, BRobinsonfan said:

Felix Bautista had an 84.6% save rate in 2023. 

And Kimbrel has some nice numbers: 13.1 K/9, 0.989 WHIP, 2.37 ERA, 2.70 FIP. He's not the best but I'd support bringing him back just in case Felix has a setback. 

[sportsfan8703]

Kimbrel is an All Star.  I think most people's concerns are not that he's a fine regular season closer, even an All Star, but is he a playoff closer?  The Phillies did not think so last season.  It doesn't mean that this year's playoffs won't be different.  Maybe he's just not a guy you want in the game with a 1 run save situation.  

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Correct.  I said that Felix made me nervous sometimes and got a lot of flak for that.

He did have an absurd K-rate and you're correct that he had the ability to get six outs.  But if the splitter wasn't on point, it could be a wild ride.

I think people were giving Jim Johnson a hard time back in the day for exactly that...didn't have an elite K-rate, pitched to contact a little bit too much.  

 

It’s always rankled me how much crap Johnson took that year.  Buck put him out there 59 times in save situations — that’s a ton, and many of them were nail biters.   He pitched three games in a row twice, he threw 4 days out of 5 and even 5 days out of 6.   The dude was a horse.   

[Malike]

Someone on Reddit posted this and I thought it was interesting. The Phillies are right with SD, WAS, and ATL.

[Malike]

8 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Kimbrel is an All Star.  I think most people's concerns are not that he's a fine regular season closer, even an All Star, but is he a playoff closer?  The Phillies did not think so last season.  It doesn't mean that this year's playoffs won't be different.  Maybe he's just not a guy you want in the game with a 1 run save situation.  

I think the issue with Kimbrel is you can't throw him 70 IP a year at this point, and expect him to have something left for the playoffs.

[RZNJ]

Unless he gets injured or falls apart, he’s easily going to have his most  saves since 2018.

[Ohfan67]

13 minutes ago, Malike said:

Someone on Reddit posted this and I thought it was interesting. The Phillies are right with SD, WAS, and ATL.

Thanks for sharing. But man that graph triggers me. I have spent decades editing graphs made by newbie grad students. I would love to tell the creator for goodness sake reverse those axes so the “good” bullpens have positive residuals and not negative residuals!! Sorry for aside geek frustrations. 

[Malike]

Kimbrel, so far, is pretty well in line with his career.

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, Malike said:

Kimbrel, so far, is pretty well in line with his career.

Pretty remarkable, honestly, for a 36-year old pitcher. 

Classic Elias, too. He's getting his money's worth for a durable pitcher who is pitching at or above his career norms. Just like he is with Burnes, and like he did with Lyles and Gibson. 

The only one that didn't work out was Givens. 

Edited Wednesday at 15:04 by interloper

[ScGO's]

Kimbrel, Burnes, and Gray Rod make the All Star Team?

[Too Tall]

Full Pack - Oh the memories!!!! Kimbrel is not only all star caliber but maybe working toward Hall of Fame too.  I still find it hard to watch the ninth inning. I'll generally do something else and turn back to see what happened. Then if good, watch the recap. I need to manage my stress! 

[ledzepp8]

46 minutes ago, ScGO's said:

Kimbrel, Burnes, and Gray Rod make the All Star Team?

I think definitely Burnes and Kimbrel. I could see Grayson either way. I would understand the argument that he’s not deserving but then again he’s got 10 wins (which I’m sure managers still put emphasis on). 

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Malike said:

Someone on Reddit posted this and I thought it was interesting. The Phillies are right with SD, WAS, and ATL.

I'd be curious to see tough saves vs easy saves, and early vs late saves. A save opportunity can be coming into a bases-loaded, no out situation in the 6th with a one-run lead. Or it can be up three to start the ninth with the 7-8-9 hitters coming up. And you can't assume those will even out over the season.

[spiritof66]

2 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

This is what Adley was telling the Mariners hitters last night in the ninth inning.

Did something show up, last night or today, confirming that Kimbrel hit the secong guy in the ninth? Looked to me like he miseed him.