Philadelphia Fans, You Were Right. Craig Kimbrel Is Absolutely Awful.
I want to say this first, Craig Kimbrel is not the reason that the Orioles have fallen off of a cliff over the last 3 months, especially the last 3 weeks. He's not the reason that the O's have scored 21 runs in their last 11 games. He's not the reason that the entire lineup has pissed down their legs and forgotten how to hit. But I also want to acknowledge that I was wrong and Philadelphia fans were right about Craig Kimbrel.
The second they put pen to paper with him I was told he was awful, I was told he was garbage, I was told he'd derail the entire season, I was told that he would sink the season. He didn't do it on his own but he def cost the Orioles a number of games. He stinks, he's awful, he shouldn't have a job anymore. He should be selling hot dogs outside Camden Yards but I'm sure he'd find a way to knock the table leg out and drop all the hot dogs down the sewer, he stinks. Philly, you were right and I was wrong.
His latest outing for the O's came last night when the Birds were losing (shocking, I know) 4-0 in the 9th. Giants have had trouble scoring, maybe Craig can come in and hold them there and give the Birds a chance in the bottom of the 9th? WRONG. He went strike out, single, stolen base, wild pitch, walk, sac bunt for a hit, walk, strike out, single, double. 4 runs, 2 outs, 34 pitches, hell of a night for the future Hall of Famer. That abomination of a night gave Kimbrel a second half ERA of 11.50 with a WHIP of 2.222. You read that right, in the 2nd half he has a ERA OVER 11! Just incredible numbers for a guy given $13 million this year.
I was going to write a blog about how you can't have him on the postseason roster but honestly who gives a shit now? He sucks, the Orioles suck, they will be lucky to win a single game in October. Doesn't matter who is on the roster, the O's won't score anyways. As of July 7th he had an ERA of 2.10 and we were making the argument that Kimbrel should be an All-Star. How dumb were we?
When they signed him I thought he had SOMETHING left in the tank. I thought he was fine in the backend of the bullpen. He wasn't going to replace Felix Bautista, but no one could. I thought he'd be serviceable throughout the year and he could find a spot in the pen to make his impact. But when the heat of the pennant race really started to heat up he absolutely fell apart, much like the rest of the team. Philly was right, he melts down, he can't do his job anymore, he's been relegated to mop up duty and even then he stinks. I mean he isn't even close to the plate. There is no reason he shouldn't be DFA'd already, it's embarrassing to trot this loser out when the O's have 1 hit and are down 9-0 in the 7th. I've been to hundreds of O's games, HUNDREDS. I've never felt the air get sucked out of the stadium like it does when Kimbrel enters a game. It's a brutal scene.
He pitched well early but still showed signs that he wasn't very good anymore, but he did have a 2 month stretch where he pitched very well. Outside of that he's been awful, absolute dog water. No reason to have him on this club anymore. Again, I was perfectly fine with the signing at the beginning of the year but it's clear that it hasn't worked out. I thought he had more left in the tank, he didn't. He stinks. DFA this guy and let him roam the pastures at the farm upstate where all the other old, aging dogs go. Let him find a new home. I don't care where he goes as long as it's not the Orioles bullpen. Like I said earlier, it's obviously not his fault the offense can't do anything but he is right in the target of O's fans. It was written in the stars that this would never work. Philly fans aren't right a lot, but every kid from Delco in my mentions and comments section telling me to prepare for Craig's meltdown were right. Takes a big man to admit that and I'm here to say it.