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CHICAGO – What does Craig Kimbrel's signature for the Chicago Cubs mean?
As long as he is the Kimbrel who has dominated the competition en route to 333 career stops, with the second highest exit rate (400 innings minimum) of all time, that means it all.
Whether it was Kimbrel or another loved one, the Cubs were desperately in need of emergency help at the end of the round. In this case, it was not just the ninth inning – although their three losses when leading after eight this season are tied for the most baseball. They were struggling to reach the ninth with a lead. Their save percentage of 52% entering Wednesday was second place in baseball. Perhaps more than anything, this decision will relieve the cubs' upper arms of daily pressure.
"It's lengthening our office," said starter Jon Lester. "You do not have to worry about matching guys and & gt; and for tomorrow?" I think we can play this game a little more now. "
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Many of those failed games ended in rounds 7-9, where Chicago have already lost six games this season. So this movement gives the Cubs the depth they desire and need. Now, everyone in the office can simply go down one notch on the depth chart. Pedro Strop, an installation player, may find a more familiar role in the eighth inning, while right-handers Brandon Kintzler and Steve Cishek – both extremely valuable up until now – can bridge the gap between the middle innings and the last innings. Cishek has six stops and Strop has five, but both will be called sooner.
"This will deepen our project," said Strop. "We will see a closer work in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings."
The Cubs are still missing a left-handed lock-up – that's what the June / July trading season will be like – but now, the pen looks like it's expected to be back in February: equipped with ####################################################################### 39 a real door-closer and several arms to retrieve it. And nobody should be abused.
Of course, all this is irrelevant if Kimbrel is not the former Kimbrel, the pre-2018 playoffs. Last October, he released an average of 5.91 for eventual world champion Boston Red Sox. And pessimists among the Cubs fans will highlight the recent history of unofficial pitchers on the team and perhaps keep their enthusiasm until they see the right-hander in action.
Speaking of when will Kimbrel be ready for the major leagues? Cubs manager Joe Maddon tackled the hypothesis over the weekend. "Probably a minimum of three weeks," Maddon said before she knew how ready Kimbrel was. "There will be a process to inform him."
Craig Kimbrel could be with the Chicago Cubs sooner than later. Recently, during workouts featuring his equipment for the teams, Kimbrel was electric. His physique is Thursday, sources told ESPN, and joining the Cubs before June 20 is a realistic goal.
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 6, 2019
Maddon mentioned a spring training routine consisting of six or seven minor league games over several weeks. It may take longer or shorter – some certainly believe it to be shorter – but the Cubs should have their new close fight before the calendar runs out in July.
"It's like we're getting a gift on Christmas morning and we had to wait to open it for about a week before coming here," Lester said.
It may take more than a week, but the Cubs will soon have one of the best of its kind. Some might lament the team's inaction this past season, knowing that Brandon Morrow, injured, would be absent at least until May. And although Kimbrel is almost there, the team is unable to recover the defeats of the last round of the first two months. After losing the division in a tiebreaker game last season, the Cubs had to make that move as soon as possible.
As most of the big mid-season exchanges take place in July, the Cubs have managed to stand out. And of course, they did not have to sell any assets other than the money spent to sign Kimbrel. Thus, with respect to transactions, all persons with whom they could negotiate may instead be used in exchanges for other purposes.
All the case depends on Kimbrel. If the 31-year-old is too rusty – or just above the hill – the Cubs have a new headache. And one for a few more seasons, since his contract lasts at least 2021.
At present, Cubs can intersect by adding a reconciliation point to their checklist – in fact, for now and in the near future And in doing so, they have re-imposed themselves as the favorites of the National League Central – a division they won previously with Wade Davis as their loved ones and Aroldis Chapman in front of him. Will Kimbrel add to this legacy? His new teammates think so.
"He's great," said Strop. "Let's hope it's fit for us to win a world series – that's what we all want."
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