The Red Sox go “Old School” with Craig Kimbrel

The Boston Red Sox recent use of Craig Kimbrel for a five-out save may result in a strategic change to bullpen use. Will the Red Sox continue to occasionally use Kimbrel for an inning?

BoSox Injection’s Daniel Cassese recently published an article on manager John Farrell’s use of Craig Kimbrel in slightly different late game situations. What came into play is two of an ever-increasing list of metrics that certainly cause me to reach for my extra-large bottle of pain relievers – not to be confused with the baseball type of reliever’s who sometimes start a throbbing headache.

I will not go into any great explanation of the two statistics that are used. A link is here for WPA and SD/MD that will give a tutorial explanation and the logic behind them. Kimbrel was handed the opportunity to get a five-out save. Not a rarity, but certainly not your standard approach to bullpen operations in this regimented age of pitching.

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What it is for me is the concept of a “hot hand” and that seems to have evaporated from pitching mentality. In another age a staff would usually have a four man rotation and ten pitchers – that was it. The numbers certainly dictated a “hot hand” approach which is simple, if you pitch a good inning you get another inning. A reliever going multiple innings was not unusual – it was expected.

Dick Radatz pitched five seasons for the Red Sox and for the first three Radatz was about as good as it gets. From 1962-64 Radatz appeared in 201 games – all in relief – and tossed 414 innings. Twice Radatz led the American League in saves and games finished. Eventually, Radatz blew his arm out so maybe an argument can be formulated for overuse.

Bob Stanley also had a remarkable three-year run from 1982-84 in which “The Steamer” appeared in 169 games and spun an impressive 420.1 innings – all in relief. Stanley also had 69 saves as both a closer and long relief. Multiple innings were the pitching calling card for Stanley.

Going back to the late 1950s Mike Fornieles was the closer for the Red Sox and that means more than one inning. From 1959-61 Fornieles appeared in 173 games with 310.1 innings pitched. A save situation would often be a two-inning deal.

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I like what Farrell is doing with Kimbrel as long as it stays selective. Kimbrel apparently has discovered the location of the plate as his 5.09 BB/9 of 2016 is just an unpleasant memory. That figure is now a minuscule 1.1. Strikes mean fewer pitches and that can mean you just may see five and six out saves.

Will there be a philosophical change in bullpen approach?

Baseball goes through phases and quite possibly a return to the 100+ innings pitched for a closer will return. That also would apply to the other bullpen pitchers who may get multiple innings. The Red Sox recently used Heath Hembree for two innings against Toronto and followed that up with 3.1 innings against Baltimore. Matt Barnes has also delivered more than a frame four times this season and – like Hembree – is quite capable of the extended work.

Usually, managers will toss the regimented strategy book in the shredder when the playoffs arrive. With each game potentially the last game they revert to “old school” and even closers are sent into the fray for longer periods of time.

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The big issue is the fragile arms – or are they fragile? With the importance of pitching and the enormous salaries being given to relievers the protection aspect sets in. That could change if a Kimbrel shows the ability to occasionally go multiple innings with no dire consequences – either health or pitching quality. So far Kimbrel seems to enjoy it.