How is Craig Kimbrel still unsigned?

[Doug]

He's perhaps the best closer in the game currently, certainly top 5, not too old at 30.

He must have some unrealistic salary demands or something ?. I'm sure he'd find a buyer at something within reason, like say 3 years and 35-40 million. He must want more like 7 years and 150 million, ain't gonna happen dude, especially for a guy expected to throw 60-70 innings in a season.

The whole closer role is so over-rated to start with. A guy comes in to pitch the ninth inning up say 2 runs . The manager might ask ... Do you think you can get me 3 outs and manage to not give up more than one run ?

Any major league pitcher should be able to do that well over 90 percent of the time

 

[Haystacks]

He’s shaky, did you watch the playoffs last year ?

 

[Doug]

Yes, but I won't judge a guy on a small sample size, career wise he ranks amoung the best ever. I think he just wants Harper/ Machado/ A- rod type of contract, ain't happening dude !

The season has started already, probably a month to even get ready after eventually signing since missing Spring training

 

[LargeMarge]

Keuchel being unsigned is even odder

 

[Willie99]

Maybe they're both demanding long term deals, and holding out because this is their last big chance. Waiting for a desperate team to come calling

 

[spiderwebb1983]

I would like for my Braves to sign both of them. Our bullpen is awful and we need a good starter

 

[PoundFoolish]

because closers are the stupidest thing ever in sports. You don't need a high pried closer. There was Mariano and there is everyone else. It just isn't worth t.

 

[Doug]

Apparently he wants 6 years and upwards of 100 M to put him at the absolute Pinnacle for a relief pitcher in history, right there with Chapman and Davis at around 17 M annually, he's 31 in May. Dude averages right around 60 innings a year, 532 innings in 9 years, on the wrong side of 30 too, more like 3 years and 40 M is more realistic, especially with poor results when it really counts in the post season, that's why ain't signed !

The very first baseball player to make one million a year was Nolan Ryan in 1980. His career record is not that great at 324-292, but you have to dig deeper than that, he played on some shitty teams and probably was the pitcher most batters would least like to face, quite possibly the best in the game in 1980. He threw something like 6 no hitters or so and played 27 seasons, that has to be close to a record.

A dollar in 1980 was worth about 3 X a 2019 dollar, so you could say he made 3 M a year to make a fair comparison, now guys can get 30 M a year, even just a nothing special journeyman player routinely gets 10 M, and plenty of guys that basically suck get 20M or more, guys like Ellsbury, Pujols and countless others

 

[camy]

This guy would have a 1,2,3 inning about once every two weeks. Usually would walk at least 2 guys an inning. No close was ever easy. Still can;t believe the Red Sox won 108 games last year. I would never give a huge contract to him.

 

[Doug]

Certainly not 6 years and 100 M, he probably will get like one year and 10-12 M, which ain't bad for 60 innings !

 

[pete7713]

This guy would have a 1,2,3 inning about once every two weeks. Usually would walk at least 2 guys an inning. No close was ever easy. Still can;t believe the Red Sox won 108 games last year. I would never give a huge contract to him.

fake news, his whip last year was 0.995 less than 1 hit and walk per inning combined.

 

[Michelangelo]

Certainly not 6 years and 100 M, he probably will get like one year and 10-12 M, which ain't bad for 60 innings !

That's about what he'll get when someone gets desperate.

 

[pete7713]

[FONT=&quot]By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com november 12 2018[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel has rejected the team's $17.9 million qualifying offer, paving the way for Boston to receive a draft pick in the event Kimbrel signs elsewhere in free agency.[/FONT]

 

[Doug]

Wow turning down 18 M to pitch 60 innings, I guess that's going to come back and bite him in the (__+__), I guess that's only for one year but still far more than a professional like an MD would make in a lifetime, his rapacity will cost him ultimately, he's already lost a month of the season if he signs tomorrow, takes awhile to get ready for the season, maybe 9 M or so for the rest of the season no team is going to go beyond 3-4 years, he's not Rivera, maybe doesn't get his saves always smoothly but the end result has been quite successful overall, except when it counts the most. He is very entertaining to watch with that peculiar delivery and worth a shot for way less than 6/100.

 

[CHOPTALK]

This guy would have a 1,2,3 inning about once every two weeks. Usually would walk at least 2 guys an inning. No close was ever easy. Still can;t believe the Red Sox won 108 games last year. I would never give a huge contract to him.

Complete bullshit

 

[pete7713]

Kind of reminds me what happened to Mike Moustakas last year. In 2017, Moustakas hit a Royals-record 38 home runs and then reached free agency, where he was expected to land his first big contract. Moustakas, who had turned down the Royals’ $17.4 million qualifying offer after the record-breaking season, instead ended up signing back with the royals for $5.5 million in 2018.

 

[Ladeda]

The value of the closer has gone done a ton over the last 5 years. They were overvalued for a long time. Seems similar to running backs in the NFL. Despite have the most physical talent, which often closers and RB's usually have, the position itself just isn't as important as it was once believed to be. In the NFL it seems O-LIne and QB are where you should be putting your money. In baseball its the starters.

 

[Michelangelo]

I want a great closer on my team.

Lots of games are one or two run games going into the ninth inning.

13 of the 22 games played on fri and sat were within 2 runs in the last inning.

 

[Doug]

Do you want to pay a guy 18 M to pitch 60 innings ?

Seems to be any competent reliever should be able to get the job done just about as well.

 

[TheFalls]

...thought Brazier would get the closing job in Boston. (my brother in law's best friend)...he only got a job last year because of my BiL set up his bachelor party in scottsdale...Sox were the only ones to come watch his session. ^!: