BOOM: CRAIG KIMBREL IS A CHICAGO CUB. No more reportedly about it – the dude is at Wrigley Field, is having his press conference today, and it’s really happening.
It’ll be a while yet before he makes his Cubs debut, but it’s officially official that the Cubs, in June, have signed one of the best closers in the game. They had an obvious and significant hole on the roster, and with some investment and some luck, they filled it without the need to expend any prospect currency, *AND* they’ll have Kimbrel around for a couple more years after this one (plus an option for another year after that).
No one can guarantee that Kimbrel won’t feel the effects of his layoff, or that his velocity won’t have crept down with another year of aging. But at 31, he’s far from old in reliever world, and he was close to triple digits by the time last season ended. Perhaps a little extra rest from a deep postseason run (with some command problems late) will actually help him more than hurt him.
Either way, you can only make the moves presented to you as opportunities, and the Cubs took advantage of one of the best June opportunities I can remember.
Highlights of the Cubs’ new closer for your enjoyment: