The Captain's Blog

This wasn’t the scene Joe Torre expected when he summoned Craig Kimbrel from Team USA’s bullpen.

It’s blasphemy to compare anyone to the great Mariano Rivera, but over the past two seasons, Craig Kimbrel has been the next best thing. In fact, in 2012, the Braves’ closer had a season that would standout even if listed among the best years posted by the Yankees’ legend. So, when Joe Torre called upon Kimbrel in last night’s WBC showdown against the Dominican Republic, he probably had a flash back to his days as Yankees’ skipper.  If so, his trip down memory lane came to an abrupt end when the D.R. rallied to win the game.

With an ERA+ of 399 and K/9 rate over 16.7 in 2012, the reputation that preceded Kimbrel into the ninth inning of last night’s game was well deserved, and, one rough outing does little to change that. Still, it’s hard to not come away feeling a little of the bloom has come off Kimbrel’s rose. In some ways, the circumstances of last night’s WBC contest were reminiscent of the 2003 All Star Game. Dodgers’ reliever Eric Gagne entered that year’s Mid Season Classic as the closer du jour, and like Kimbrel now, was considered by many to be the heir apparent to Rivera.  However, when called upon to protect a two-run lead in the eighth, it wasn’t “game over”. Instead, the heralded Gagne walked off the mound with his first and only blown save that season.

Top-10 Seasons by ERA+ and K/9

Note: Minimum 60 innings; includes pitchers with ERA+ > 300 and K/9 > 10; ranked by K/9.
Source: Baseball-reference.com

There are some obvious differences between Kimbrel’s and Gagne’s experience, not the least of which was the relative importance of the game. Although both contests were technically exhibitions, the emotions felt by each player were like night and day. According to Dodgers’ catcher Paul Lo Duca, who was behind the plate when Gagne served up the All Star Game homer, the closer told him he was “not that pumped up”. The same wasn’t true for Kimbrel.

Following the loss, the Braves’ closer compared the atmosphere to the postseason, which Kimbrel first experienced in the 2010 NLDS. Unfortunately for the righty, that too wasn’t a happy memory. Despite pitching well in 4 1/3 innings during the series, what had to eat at Kimbrel was the frame he didn’t finish. With two men on and two out, the young righty was lifted from game four, and the runners he left behind eventually scored the tying and winning tallies. Had Bobby Cox trusted the rookie to slam the door, it might be the Braves, and not the Giants, wearing 2010 championship rings. Also, the young closer might have the first postseason notch on his belt. Instead, Kimbrel was tagged with the loss in his initial attempt to close out a game on the big stage.

Although Kimbrel wears the scarlet letter from the 2010 NLDS, his highest profile failure came the following September in a match-up against the Phillies that was for all intents and purposes a playoff game. Weeks earlier, the Braves had seemed like a lock to win the wild card, but a historic collapse left them on the brink of elimination before the season’s final game. Win or go home were the stakes when Kimbrel was summoned in the top of the ninth to protect a 3-2 lead, but once again, the righty’s dominance faded under the bright lights. With the help of three walks, the Phillies rallied to tie the game off Kimbrel, who despite avoiding a loss, bore responsibility for the team’s eventual defeat.

We shouldn’t have been in that situation. I should have gotten them out before then.” – Craig Kimbrel, quoted by the MLB.com, October 10, 2010

“I didn’t go out there and pitch to my ability. I let my emotions get the best of me, being too excited.” – Craig Kimbrel, quoted by the New York Times, September 29, 2011

“It feels like October, not March. But we lost tonight. I didn’t go out and do my job.” – Craig Kimbrel, quoted by the MLB.com, March 15, 2013

To his credit, Kimbrel has never shied away from his infrequent failures, which, unfortunately for the closer, have occurred in arguably his three most important outings. Although some might scoff at the comparison between games played in March and those with implications for October, if Kimbrel is to be believed, the WBC is being played on a different calendar. Does the Braves’ closer need redemption in this tournament? Certainly not, but, if the understudy is going to assume the legend’s mantle, it has to take place on center stage.