Wagner says Kimbrel looks ready for closer role
With Billy Wagner injured, the Braves could turn to rookie fireballer Craig Kimbrel as their primary closer.
Wagner, for one, believes the 22-year-old Alabaman is ready to handle the role, even in postseason pressure.
“The hardest person to hit is somebody who gets a lot of swings and misses,” Wagner said, and that description certainly fit Kimbrel.
A baby-faced strikeout machine with a 96-97 mph fastball, Kimbrel had five strikeouts in 2-2/3 perfect innings during the first two games of the National League Division Series against San Francisco.
During the regular season, he had a 0.44 ERA and .125 opponents’ average in 21 big-league appearances, with a whopping 40 strikeouts in 20-1/3 innings.
In the Braves’ 5-4, 11-inning win Friday in Game 2, Kimbrel struck out four batters while pitching perfect eighth and ninth innings at San Francisco, in front of the largest crowed ever at AT&T Park.
“From what he’s showing right now, he’s probably mentally ready to be in that closer’s role, and continue to do what he’s doing right now,” Wagner said before Game 3 Sunday. “He’s exciting. He pounds that strike zone. He’s a tough guy to face right now.
“He has a rising fastball, and his breaking ball has probably been a little better than everybody expected. He can throw it ahead in the count, and he can throw it for a swing-and-miss pitch, too. So he kind of gives you that two-headed monster when he’s out there.”
During the season, left-handers hit .176 (6-for-34) against Kimbrel, with seven walks and 18 strikeouts. Righties hit .079 (3-for-38) with nine walks and 22 strikeouts.
Opponents went 2-for-30 with runners in scoring position during the season, with eight walks and 19 strikeouts.
With two strikes, they were 3-for-50 (.060) with five walks and 40 strikeouts.
Craig the K only got better as the season wore on, despite going back and forth between the majors and Triple-A.
He walked three in his third big-league appearance May 15, then did this in his next 20, including the first two NLDS games: 21 innings, seven hits allowed, zero earned runs, 11 walks, 41 strikeouts.
That’s two strikeouts per inning, and one hit per three innings.
In 12 regular-season appearances at Turner Field, Kimbrel allowed a .071 average (3-for-42) with 25 strikeouts and no extra-base hits.
In 14 games in September and October, including postseason, opponents were hitting .091 against him (4-for-44) with four singles, 28 strikeouts and five walks.
“I think when he came up earlier in the year, he was probably a little bit overwhelmed,” Wagner said. ” When he came back [from Triple-A] the second and third time, he was a different kid. I mean, he was mentally ready to be in this bullpen.”
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56 comments Add your comment
Craig the K
October 10th, 2010
5:05 pm
Put me in coach! I’m ready coming out the ‘pen and sticking a bat up their @sses!
hmmmm......
October 10th, 2010
5:05 pm
ditto
Jimmy Beam, you are my friend
October 10th, 2010
7:26 pm
Sure need Kimbrel right now! Top o 9th!
Jonathan Simeone
October 10th, 2010
7:49 pm
Dunn is a good pitcher, but Kimbrel is simply better. Huff has been hitting lefties all week. That move was really stupid. Then, of course, Conrad strikes again. Cox could not go soon enough. If Conrad plays tomorrow Cox should be booed. Also, why do Braves pitchers love to throw sliders to hitters with slider-speed bats? McCann did a terrible job calling pitches in this inning.
T-Pot
October 10th, 2010
7:54 pm
Unbelievable, don’t they teach infielders how to field grounders in the minors. And, Jonathan Simeoine, I agree, why did they not feed Sanches all fast balls when he would swing at anthing he could catch up to. This hurts, so far…….
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
7:56 pm
This team is pathetic. If you look up the word LOSER in the dictionary, you would see a team picture of the 2010 Atlanta Braves. What a joke. How much more motivation does this team need? Yet they fail at every chance. They should do everyone a favor and bow out of the playoffs, they don’t deserve to be there anyways. Thanks for nothing you pathetic losers.
Stumpknocker
October 10th, 2010
7:57 pm
Remember the “Rent a Tex” deal ? ……..Where Elvis Andrus became just so much cannon fotter in the transaction. That’s starting to look pretty big right about now.
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
7:57 pm
Brooks Conrad should be riding the pine the rest of the way as well. Decent with the bat, horrendous with the glove. Not to mention that he pops up a bunt attempt, what a putz.
zenman
October 10th, 2010
8:01 pm
3 errors, what a horrible effort from a major league (?) Player.
nick
October 10th, 2010
8:03 pm
words can’t even describe how i feel right now
Jonathan Simeone
October 10th, 2010
8:08 pm
As a longtime Braves fan I have become use to difficult losses punctuated by terrible managing, but this one really hurts. This team is certainly not good enough to win a championship–especially with all of the injurries they have had; however, the heart they have played with has been impressive and has made them a joy to watch. We can only hope that next year they are managed by someone who is not so stupid. Go Braves! I’ll be watching tomorrow.
Mike
October 10th, 2010
8:12 pm
Thanks Conrad, great effort at keeping your eye on the ball when trying to: catch an easy fly ball, attempt to lay down a critical bump and lastly, when it is time for leaders to step up, allow a ball to go through your legs – way to get your body in front of the ball. I agree with the other comments that have been made – if Cox plays you tomorrow, he’s an idiot. Plain and simple.
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
8:13 pm
Hey Braves fans, you want some merchandise cheap? Check ebay in a little while. You will see a authentic Chipper Jones jersey, an authentic bat signed by Brian McCann, and a 2010 team signed baseball from spring training this year personally retrieved by me (pics to prove)
I give up on this team. They are a bunch of posers. I have never seen a team that had so much motivation just flush everything away. Their first hit tonight at home with a sold out crowd cheering everything they did came via a pitcher? How pathetic is that? In the first game all they could do is muster up 2 hits, score 0 runs, and strike out 14 times? Do they even realize this is the playoffs?
What they deserve is to come to the field tomorrow night and have about 1000 fans there. Why should us hard working fans spend big bucks (that go into these players bank accounts) work out tails off and watch this team play a kids sport and throw it all away on their way to collecting huge paychecks whether they win or lose?
I’m done, this team is useless, they are pathetic, and they are undeserving to be in the playoffs. Maybe next season I will have a better outlook on this team. Get rid of some useless so called players (Cabrera, McLouth, Conrad, Saito, Glaus) just to name a few and maybe things will be different. Of course not seeing the most predictable manager the past decade in the dugout will significantly make me more inclined to watch this hapless team next season. So thanks to the Atlanta Braves for again letting your fan base down, finally getting back to the playoffs just to falter miserably, and having a great chance at the beginning of August to win another division championship just to flush it down the toilet like a pile of crap. All you guys have done is let your fans down, now its time we fans pay you back. I hope nobody shows up for your final game tomorrow, and by all means, I am anticipating this being your final game of the season.
Bama Brave
October 10th, 2010
8:13 pm
Man if Brooks Conrad plays again I’m done watching them
Jonathan Simeone
October 10th, 2010
8:16 pm
Maybe, Conrad can pretend he has a flu or something. We cannot rely on Cox suddenly showing some brains. Believe it or not, this team can still beat the Giants. They will get killed by the Phillies, but it is still possible that they advance. The players deserve our support.
Bama Fan #2
October 10th, 2010
8:17 pm
Nice choke job braves!!
tball
October 10th, 2010
8:18 pm
I rally want to know why the HELL was Conrad starting today! He has proven over and over again that he is NOT Major League material. How do you call a three time gold glove off a play! Also how much $$ is he betting that the Giants win the series!
No player is that bad!!!
Bill M.
October 10th, 2010
8:19 pm
Bobby Cox will never learn. He’s so dam hard headed it’s pitiful. Conrad cost the Braves this game. He’s a mental wreck. Put Glaus at 3rd or Hernandez and Infante at 2nd. I’ll be glad when this season is over and Cox is gone. They need to get rid half of these clowns. Why didn’t he bring in Farnsworth instead of Moylan? Don’t guess it would make any difference if they can’t field.The Braves are really down and will be lucky if they score a run tomorrow night.
Alan 10
October 10th, 2010
8:23 pm
Bobby would be better off to listen to WAGS but no, he had to try his magic with the bull pen and look what it got us.
jim
October 10th, 2010
8:25 pm
I do not blame Bobby for any of the previous playoff losses, but this one is on him. Conrad should have been replaced by diory hernandez at the start of the inning. This was Bobby’s Bill Buckner moment. After the error, however, we were left with Farnsworth, Saito, Beachy, and Martinez in the pen.
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
8:29 pm
No excuses, this team just doesn’t have “IT”.. They are the worst team in the playoffs NL or AL and don’t deserve to be where they are. There are several teams from both leagues that are sitting at home right now that would have made much more with the Braves opportunity. They are pathetic, plain and simple.
Alan 10
October 10th, 2010
8:32 pm
Stop and think about it, definition of an outfielder, do you think JHayward will ever learn to play the position, after all he has been the starter all year, remember, Conrad is a journey man bench player.
someone other than a cox wanna ne next year for manager
October 10th, 2010
8:32 pm
Enter your comments here
someone other than a cox wanna be next year for manager
October 10th, 2010
8:39 pm
Who in their right mind doesn’t pinch hit for Conrad and insert a new infielder (3b)into the line up. Great ab of HINSKE wasted by Cox. Hinske at the least should have been at 3rd and Infante at 2b. It’s a sorry lazy excuse to keep saying Braves don’t have someone other than Conrad. What a JOKE. Sorry all the way around. Conrad will make more errors tomorrow.Our very own Steve Sax meets Jerry Royster. Braves should get blown out tomorrow. Can’t win in SF anyway. CHOKE.
Jonathan Simeone
October 10th, 2010
8:43 pm
Before today Huff had one hit in two at bats against Dunn this series. In his previous at bat he got a hit off of Venters. What was the big reason to bring in a lefty then? Kimbrel was by far the best they had left and he should have been given a chance to finish the game. There is no other conclusion that could have been drawn there, especially when you cannot afford to have the ball put in play. I think there’s a 70 percent chance Conrad starts tomorrow night–how sad is that?
J-Dawg
October 10th, 2010
8:44 pm
I agree Conard should have never started and shouldn’t start tomorrow. Cox over managed the bullpen tonight in the 9th. Cox should have left Kimbrel in the game even after the single to face Huff. But Cox has always went with righty-lefty thing but sometimes you just have to trust a pitchers stuff and Kimbrel got the stuff.
Ken Stallings
October 10th, 2010
8:44 pm
Conrad wasn’t satisfied with his one error per game NLDS performance!
Today he had to up the ante with three errors in one game!
If he hit a home run every at bat it still wouldn’t be worth his disaster of a glove in the field!
The Abs Man
October 10th, 2010
8:46 pm
What was the dumber move–two of the all-time worst pitching changes–for the worst—(and mean it sincerely from both the gut and in my brain) WHICH I PREDICTED BEFORE IT HAPPENED, in fact the split second move was made—Bochy removing Sanchez for meatball Arrriverderci Romo or BrainDead Bobby Cox removing Kimbrel?
Called before Hinske took a pitch—-Romo will blow 1-0 lead—Braves had no shot vs. Sanchez….and then Cox returned unforced error by removing Kimbrel for Dunn who gave up single to Huff which tied score, 2-2…..DUNN is no way shape ot form better than Kimbrel whether lefty, righty or corpse batting…..
All called prior to post.
No past-posting here….
And I have been a Braves’ fan since 1957 when seeing the Milwaukee Braves play Yanks in World Series…..
dadopee
October 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
The Sunday game is over. After a short period of elation, thanks to Hinske, the braves lost it. What I hope happened after the game is that someone took Brooks Conrad aside and said something like, Son, this is just a game; the sun will rise tomorrow and and a new day will dawn. I was ashamed by the reaction of the home fans, how they booed Conrad early in the game. How quickly they forgot the heroics he produced during the regular season.
Mike
October 10th, 2010
8:50 pm
Bobby, please show some balls and put ANYONE but Conrad in tomorrow. He’s not capable of playing in the infield. He’s awful, period. Yes, we all know you want him to “play through it” but in doing so, you will be placing the entire team at risk which is selfish, foolish and plain stupid. It’s not brain surgery, Bobby – wise up and make some changes so that we can be competitive. Hmmm, San Fran’s manager replaced the “Kung Fu Panda” today because he made a key error – turned out his replacement played well and helped his team.
justin1
October 10th, 2010
9:02 pm
WELL, YOU CAN HANG THIS LOSS ON BOBBY (AGAIN) AND OF COURSE, BROOKSY.
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU TAKE OUT KIMBRELL???
HE’S ALREADY IN THE FIRE. WHY PUT ANOTHER ROOKIE INTO AN EVEN HOTTER FIRE??!!!
BOBBY GETS TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE LEFTY LEFTY, RIGHT RIGHT MATCHUPS.
THEYRE NOT THAT CRUCIAL. HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN HUFF OUT. WE WILL NEVER KNOW NOW.
AND THAT IS WHY BOBBY COX IS THE WORST POSTSEASON MANAGER OF ALL TIME.
I LOVE THE BRAVES, BUT BOBBY, GOOD RIDDANCE.
FEEL SORRY FOR BROOKS. YOU CAN BE PISSED AT HIM ALL YOU WANT BUT NONE OF KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE A ROOKIE INFIELDER THROWN INTO THE HEAT OF A PENNANT RACE. HE OBVIOUSLY MUFFED SOME ROUTINE BALLS THAT ULTIMATELY COST US THE GAME, BUT HE WOULDNT HAVE EVEN HAD THE CHANCE TO MAKE THE LAST ERROR IF NOT FOR THE PATENTED BOBBY COX POSTSEASON MISTAKES.
dap01
October 10th, 2010
9:05 pm
Why does Cox continue to play Conrad when Brooks can’t play even one game without an error?
Come on, try Glaus.
joedub
October 10th, 2010
9:15 pm
I know what the problem is – Joe Simpson is doing a Phillies game, when he ought to be doing an Atlanta one. D Lowe is gonna come up big tommorow. C’mon guys. Game 5.
It's a chopper to Chipper
October 10th, 2010
9:24 pm
It is embarrasing to hear the fans boo Brooks. He’s been put in a position he doesn’t play. He’s always been a defensive backup at third. I don’t understand why he is at second in the first place. I feel sorry for the guy and I would image he won’t sleep tonight. This is just completely screwed up!
Kevin
October 10th, 2010
9:27 pm
No one feels worse for this loss than Bobby. I guarantee it. He knows he made a mistake leaving Conrad at 2B. It’s one thing if Conrad was hitting the ball well but he hasn’t done anything this series.
But I know pain. I’m from Buffalo and I’ve lived through the Scott Norwood wide right in the superbowl in 1991 vs the Giants. I never thought a game would come close to that feeling I had that night. But tonight just about matched it.
Let’s hope the Braves can sneak one out at home tomorrow and then Wednesday don’t take the bat off your shoulder’s…just let Lincecum work up his pitch count. I’d rather see Linecum strike out 9 in a row than to see all these players swining at balls in the dirt.
UKUGA
October 10th, 2010
9:30 pm
Well, Bobby didn’t agree.
He went with the C. Montgomery Burns approach, at the first sing of trouble.
Mike
October 10th, 2010
9:31 pm
Let not forget the incredible series that the Jay-Hey or sorry I mean Jay-K kid is having. He has disappeared. His performance equally as responsible as Conrads. Having post season experience sitting on the bench has cost us this series.
mojo
October 10th, 2010
9:34 pm
The 9th inning blunders really hurt but I am more disappointed by our lack of offensive production. We have not had “good at bats” for most of the series. We are not staying on the ball. The games are close so everyone seems to be trying to tie it up with one big cut. We need to get back to driving the ball right back up the middle. It helps everyone of them stay on the pitch and good things happen.
Brooks Conrad deserves all the encouragement we can give him. He is one of our guys and he has made a great contribution to the success of this team in 2010.
Frank from KS (now living in CO)
October 10th, 2010
9:34 pm
You learn WAY BACK in flipping Little League…to get DOWN on grounders. NOT down half-way….. &%$#@!
Me thinks Mr. Conrad needs to go back to LL and try and LEARN the fundamentals before returning the majors.
Kevin
October 10th, 2010
9:38 pm
Bobby just doesn’t adapt as well as he used to be. Heyward is clearly struggling in his first postseason series. I would’ve moved him down in the order at least if he’s not hitting he installs some fear in opponents that he could change the game with one swing.
Tomorrows ideal lineup would be…..
Infante-2B
Gonzalez- SS
McCann- C
Lee- 1B
Glaus- 3B
J Hey- RF
Ankiel- CF
McLouth- LF
Lowe- P
Glaus may have glass knees but he can still play as he showed the other night. Gonzalez needs to get the pressure off of him batting in the middle of the lineup so moving him up to 2nd might help out. There would be less pressure on Heyward. And at least with McLouth we have a solid defender in LF and he can’t be any worse than we got out there now. It’s all a pipe dream that won’t happen though.
jim
October 10th, 2010
9:38 pm
Heyward has disappeared ever since the HR in the last Met series. He has literally hit one line drive since that series — a line out to CF.
It's a chopper to Chipper
October 10th, 2010
9:40 pm
They said during the game that TP was helping Jason to close up the holes in his swing. That’s a scary thought. Now I think he’s ruined Jason.
Kevin
October 10th, 2010
9:43 pm
Heyward has his best stats hitting 6th in the lineup…
.359 Average
.469 OBP
.846 SLG
1.315 OPS
6 Homeruns
11 RBi’s
And that’s just in 39 at bats there this year. Why not try him back there? Get the pressure off of him.
bigboi
October 10th, 2010
9:50 pm
I’m surprised no one blamed TP for the errors.
jim
October 10th, 2010
9:54 pm
Glaus made a gutsy throw, but there wasn’t evidence of whether or not he could field the position. Starting Diory Hernandez at 2nd or 3rd, might be an option if it is judged Glaus cannot play third, but I can go along with Kevin’s lineup. If the lefty pitches, Diaz will probably be in LF and you might go
Infante
Diaz/McLouth
Lee
McCann
Glaus
Heyward
Gonzo
Ankiel
Lowe
guard
October 10th, 2010
10:10 pm
Kimbel’s walk was just as bad as the error. Errors are part of game and it just happen to be Conrad. Tomorrow he might hit the game winning homerun.
Jgainsey
October 10th, 2010
10:18 pm
I think everything considered, the Braves fans have been pretty tame with Conrad. Can you imagine if this had happened to a player on one of the “Big Market” teams? The guy would probably need to go into to hiding with Bartman.
Personally, I probably wouldn’t boo the guy.. just not my personality type I guess. But I have no problem with the people who were at the game tonight letting him hear it. That’s just part of the game. I mean seriously, if you can’t get booed for making three errors in one night, what can you get booed for?
Jgainsey
October 10th, 2010
10:20 pm
@Guard
Walk are not worse than errors. Especially ones that allow the game winning run in a playoff game. You’re kidding yourself if you really believe that.
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
10:24 pm
Tomorrow’s lineup should be.
1. Infante-2B
2. Gonzalez-SS
3. McCann-C
4. Lee-1B
5. Heyward-RF
6. Glaus-3B
7. Hinske-LF
8. Ankiel-CF
9. Lowe-P
Or maybe McLouth in LF and Hinske at 3B. If Conrad is in there, then I hope the Braves lose tomorrow and the Bobby Cox era in Atlanta is officially over. The way they are playing, it doesn’t matter what lineup they put out there, they will lose.
LOSERS
October 10th, 2010
10:31 pm
I also hope Chipper retires and we can use his salary to sign a different impact player no matter what position he plays that can stay healthy and help this team on a consistent basis. I am tired of over paid, injury prone players.
Our biggest blow was the loss of Prado. He will be our leader next season no doubt. Hinske needs to be brought back on at least a 2 year extension. He can fill in at 3rd, 1st, and LF plus he is a great bat off the bench. Once we unload Chipper’s contract we will be in a good position to upgrade in perhaps multiple positions. I for one love what CJ has done for this team over the years, but at this point in his career he is just a overpaid liability.
In a perfect scenario CJ comes back as our hitting coach, Mazzone comes back as our pitching coach, and I would like to see either Torre or Gonzalez as our new manager.
UH.....yeah
October 10th, 2010
10:33 pm
“Wagner says Kimbrel looks ready for closer role”
Yeah, he was stellar tonight as he helped us lose.
CajunStorm
October 10th, 2010
10:45 pm
#1 Bobby Cox should NOT have taken Kimbrel out!! He has a .044 batting averae against with runners in scoring position and we needed 1 more out.
#2 Bobby Cox should have walked onto that damn field and took the glove from Brooks Conrad!! He is mentally DONE and of NO use to the Braves right now! In fact he is a MAJOR detriment. why WAS Diory not in the game for a defensive replacemnet? Who didn’t know he was going to pop that bunt up?
#3 Bobby Cox is a great manager and I thank you for the memories but GAWD…tonight’s 9th inning was TERRIBLE!!
lifelong braves fan
October 10th, 2010
10:54 pm
can not believe kimbrel through a slider to sanchez at 1 and 2. just can’t believe mccann let him throw that slider instead of sticking with the fastball on freddy sanchez.
The Booby and Brooksy show
October 11th, 2010
7:32 am
Wagner needs to shut up. No one above him listens to him anyway. So shut up and retire already. I am running this team into the ground not You
The Booby and Brooksy show
October 11th, 2010
7:35 am
It’s a tradition in Atlanta to throw a slider when you are a power pitcher and pay for it. That is what Wohlers threw Leyritz .
BELIEVE!!!!!
October 11th, 2010
1:04 pm
They can do it! Those guys have lost so much sleep from traveling and have this tremendous pressure on them to suceed and they WILL!!! No matter how many errors were made last night they still hung in there!!! LETS GOOOOOOOO BRAVES!!!!