Braves' fans can breath a sigh of relief.
The Braves and all-star closer Craig Kimbrel agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract on Sunday. Kimbrel, a three-time All-Star, has led the National League in saves each of the last three years.
"We are very excited to agree to terms with Craig, who we feel is the best closer in Major League Baseball," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "He is one of the key pieces of our pitching staff and we are happy to keep him in a Braves uniform for at least four more years."
Kimbrel, 25, has 139 saves and a 1.39 ERA in four Major League seasons. In 227.1 innings, he has 381 strikeouts, a 15.1 K/9 ratio.
"First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the ability that he has and blessing me to allow my family to be so close to me and be in the place where I've grown up always wanting to be," said Kimbrel. "Now, I get to say I get to be here for four or five more years. If I didn't want to be here, this wouldn't be going on. I couldn't be any happier."
Kimbrel is also happy to stay home, with a team and teammates he grew up with.
"I want to stay here with a group of guys that I came up with and I'm comfortable with," Kimbrel told writers. "In the game of baseball, it's who you're around, it's the team you're on and the guys you're surrounded by. We have an awesome core here. I think this is a core that can win for a long time."
Twenty years in the future, when fans look back on this signing, they will regard it as a bargain. Kimbrel has the potential to be the greatest closer in Major League history, far surpassing Mariano Rivera in terms of regular season statistics.
Rivera had a 2.96 ERA in his first 246.1 innings of work, spanning from 1995-1997. No one can doubt that Rivera is forever associated with postseason dominance. Kimbrel will never approach the level of importance to baseball history and winning that Rivera demonstrated throughout his career. However, Kimbrel's numbers speak for themselves. His 1.39 ERA would be the lowest in MLB history if he ever reaches the 1000.0 innings minimum for consideration. Rivera retired with a 2.21 ERA, the 13th lowest in MLB and best since Walter Johnson retired in 1927. Imagine if Kimbrel keeps going!
Since coming up in 2010, Kimbrel has averaged 41 saves per season. Put on your fifth grade math caps for a moment. If he continues to average 41 saves a season over the next 15 seasons (which would put him at 19 MLB seasons, equal to Rivera) he would retire with approximately 754 career saves, 102 more than Rivera himself.
"It's one of those things where, when somebody sets that bar, you want to know what he did, and how he did it," Kimbrel told the Wall Street Journal in July about speaking with Rivera.
It won't be long before young closers and relievers approach Kimbrel and ask for his advice. He has the potential to be the next Mariano Rivera. No wait, he has the potential to be the first Craig Kimbrel. His potential is limitless. Heck, look the the economy of baseball. Twenty years from now, $42 million for a closer may be nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if great closers made $50-$60 million total on their contracts.
I also wouldn't be surprised if Kimbrel earned $100 million on a five-year contract someday. He has that potential. If anyone can carry the torch and take the task of being the next Rivera, it's Kimbrel.
And isn't it ironic that it takes a "Brave" man to carry that torch?
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