Craig Kimbrel 2024

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, EddeeEddee said:

Can't believe he's going to give him more chances.  Well, maybe one more chance but it's inevitable Kimbrel will melt down again more likely sooner than later.  He just doesn't have it anymore.

He was dominant for his first 10-11 appearances, so I don’t buy “he just doesn’t have it anymore.”   He doesn’t have it right now, that’s for sure.   The O’s will try to nurse him back to it.  They invested too much not to try.  

[deward]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

He was dominant for his first 10-11 appearances, so I don’t buy “he just doesn’t have it anymore.”   He doesn’t have it right now, that’s for sure.   The O’s will try to nurse him back to it.  They invested too much not to try.  

Fangraphs did a piece on his early success and concluded that, while his stuff has clearly declined, he was getting a ton of called strikes on what seemed to be hittable pitches, and expressed concern that it wouldn't be sustainable. We all have to hope that he's not as bad as he's looked lately, but there may have been a smoke and mirrors aspect to the first three weeks.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/call-him-butter-because-craig-kimbrel-is-on-a-roll/

[G54377]

12 hours ago, Malike said:

The kid throwing 89 MPH fastballs last night, all night who dominated the O's doesn't have elite stuff. You can close games at 95 MPH, you can't close games when you can only throw the ball to the backstop or right down the middle of the plate.

I said elite stuff and no command. He has had neither in like a month. I'm not sure what you are cherry picking from what I said that would mean I was incorrect. 

[catseyepub]

This reinforces how very special Mariano Rivera was.

[Spy Fox]

6 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

I thought it was weak and unprofessional of him to literally pound sand after giving up the walk. There may be physical stuff going on but the physical stuff has affected his confidence..If he was mentally 100% he wouldn't be letting his emotions show like that.

I don't mind him showing a little emotion there.  Do you feel similarly about guys slamming their bats after striking out? 

At any rate I took it as a sign of frustration, not unconfidence.

[Sports Guy]

Last year, Kimbrel gave up 5 total runs in 3 of his first 4 outings. 

In the beginning of May (ironically) he gave up 6 runs in 1 IP spanning 2 outings.

Over his next 30 appearances, he gave up 7 runs..good for a 2.1 ERA.

Through the rest of August, he gave up 5 runs in 4 appearances.

He then gave up 2 runs in the month of Sept.

2022 was similar. He just goes through some stretches of not being good and way longer stretches of being very good.

[Can_of_corn]

 

[oriolediehard]

The O's need to find a closer now!!!   We can't afford to lose games at the end just to make Kimbrel happy.  Kimbrel only did good early in the year because hitters haven't caught up to pitchers yet.  Now hitters are warmed up and Kimbrel is very hittable.  We were lucky we won last nights game.  Use Kimbrel for mop up duty in a blowout.

[Greg Pappas]

I'm not sure if it's just a short-term slump, related to the injury, or just a natural age-related regression.  But I've not been comfortable with this pen since Bautista went down, during the entire off-season, nor thus far this season.  If we get Prime Kimbrel, then yes, it makes a big difference.  Yet, even with that (not likely) the other bullpen options, outside of Cano, Coulombe, and maybe Perez, are not good enough to make for a quality pen.  Reinforcements could arrive soon from the starter pool, but regardless, that's for another discussion.

Edited May 9 by Greg Pappas

[Philip]

17 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

It was 3-1 when Kimbrel was taken out, right?  Akin only needed to get one out before 2 runs scored, correct?

The fact that Akin failed doesn’t change the valid observation that Kimbrel failed.

I don’t understand why they gave him 13 million, but they did, and I do understand why they aren’t going to dump him. But I doubt he should be closer(full disclosure, I hate a dedicated closer anyway) and he should have a very short leash.

And we should start pestering Oakland about Miller.

BTW, his pitches seem to miss outside, to the same approximate area. Could that mean something?

[deward]

1 hour ago, Greg Pappas said:

I'm not sure if it's just a short-term slump, related to the injury, or just a natural age-related regression.  But I've not been comfortable with this pen since Bautista went down, during the entire off-season, nor thus far this season.  If we get Prime Kimbrel, then yes, it makes a big difference.  Yet, even with that (not likely) the other bullpen options, outside of Cano, Coulombe, and maybe Perez, are not good enough to make for a quality pen.  Reinforcements could arrive soon from the starter pool, but regardless, that's for another discussion.

Prime Kimbrel is gone to baseball Vahalla, never to return.

[banks703]

Love the move to throw Craig earlier in the game. If he’s going to get right, doing it in lower leverage spots is the way. 

[EdwinRip]

1 hour ago, banks703 said:

Love the move to throw Craig earlier in the game. If he’s going to get right, doing it in lower leverage spots is the way. 

Except he came in during a high leverage spot.

[banks703]

4 minutes ago, EdwinRip said:

Except he came in during a high leverage spot.

Except the Leverage Index was 0.35, which, by definition is in fact low. 

[Billy F-Face3]

1 hour ago, banks703 said:

Except the Leverage Index was 0.35, which, by definition is in fact low. 

It was a 1 run ball game based on the MLB timeline story I just watched. 1 run is not low leverage.