The New York Mets just decided to invite a ghost from their past into the Citi Field home clubhouse, and frankly, it is about time. For over a decade, Craig Kimbrel has been the recurring nightmare that wouldn’t end for Flushing faithful, a hunched-over figure on the mound ready to snatch away a win with a high-octane heater.
He didn’t just beat the Mets; he humiliated them while wearing the colors of their most hated rivals. Seeing him in a Mets cap feels a bit like watching a retired burglar join the neighborhood watch, but in this bullpen, they will take whatever security they can get.
The Haunting of Citi Field Finally Ends
Statistics tell a story, but they don’t capture the sheer frustration of watching Kimbrel rack up 30 saves against one franchise. That is the most he has collected against any team in his storied career, and most of those came while he was making life miserable for New York in an Atlanta or Philadelphia jersey.
His 1.38 ERA against the Mets is essentially a personal insult. He didn’t just pitch; he dominated, striking out 69 batters in fewer than 46 innings of work. If you can’t beat the guy who has been shoving for fifteen years, you might as well hand him a jersey and see if he has one last act left in the tank.
A Calculated Gamble on a Fading Flame
Nobody is pretending this is the 2011 version of the man who looked invincible. At 37 years old, Kimbrel is clearly in the twilight of a Hall of Fame trajectory, and that early-season velocity dip last year was enough to make any scout break into a cold sweat.
Yet, the late-season surge with the Astros proved the old dog still has some bite left. Posting a 2.45 ERA in Houston during that eleven-inning stretch showed that when the lights get bright, the adrenaline still flows. He was still missing bats at a high clip, evidenced by those 16 punchouts in such a short span.
Low Risk for a Potential High Octane Reward
David Stearns is playing the hits here by offering a minor league deal, which is the ultimate “no-lose” scenario for a front office. If Kimbrel shows up to Port St. Lucie and his fastball is sitting at 92 miles per hour with no life, the team cuts bait and moves on without losing a dime.
But if that signature bird-like stance leads to a resurgent 95-plus, the Mets suddenly have a veteran with 440 career saves sitting in their back pocket. You don’t find a career 159 ERA+ just sitting on the scrap heap every day.
The motivation factor here shouldn’t be overlooked either. Kimbrel knows his career is on the line, and doing it in New York for a contender is the kind of stage that usually brings out the best in guys with his ego.
He has spent his entire life being the villain in this town. Now, he has a chance to retire as a local hero if he can just bridge the gap to the ninth inning a few dozen times. It is a weird, slightly desperate marriage, but in a bullpen that needs veteran stability, the experiment could work.