What About a One-Year Deal, Craig Kimbrel?
The word on the street is that Craig Kimbrel was still looking for a $100 million deal at the end of March. It’s a breathtaking number that clearly no team was interested in.
The sudden market shift toward avoiding financial obligations to older players and locking up younger players to long-term deals seems to have left Kimbrel high and dry. There is a potential Hall of Fame closer just sitting at home waiting for a proverbial call to the bullpen.
When we say here that Craig Kimbrel was demanding an ridiculous amount of money, we’re actually talking about his agent. This gentleman not only misread the marketplace at the beginning of the off-season, but also misread it throughout the off-season.
And now, Mr. Agent Guy, we are well into the actual season. It’s time to change course. It’s time for a one-year deal.
Kimbrel is not getting $100 million. However, maybe we can pay him enough that even if he got injured, it would still be somewhat worth it to not just wait until next year for a multi-year deal.
He’s turning 31 years old this year. Let’s guess based on other closers that he could probably pitch for about six or seven more years. There are exceptions, of course. Mariano Rivera pitched until almost his 44th birthday. Though he was a robot sent from the future to destroy the will of men.
A big money, in-season one-year deal isn’t unprecedented. Maybe you remember back in 2007 when Roger Clemens agreed to a one-year contract for $28 million with the Yankees in early May. He wound up earning about $18.5 million under the deal, which cost the Yankees approximately $7 million in additional luxury tax.
Kimbrel wouldn’t quite get $28 million for one year. However, it would probably need to be more than the Qualifying Offer he turned down from the Red Sox. A $20 million contract would be the highest a closer was ever paid in a single year. Kimbrel gets a record-setting contract and whatever team signs him is only obligated for this year. Win-Win.
So, let’s find him a job where he makes a nice paycheck. He can show the world he’s still Craig Kimbrel and go into the next off-season with more reasonable expectations. And hopefully a new agent.
The one team that we won’t include on here is the Boston Red Sox. For all of their troubles this year so far, the bullpen has been OK. So, unless Kimbrel would be willing to be used as an “opener,” I think we’re better served just getting him a job where he could really help.
Phillies
This is an almost perfect landing spot for Kimbrel on a one-year deal. The Phillies are doing well and they have the money needed to make this deal work. Their bullpen has been decent, but the closer role is currently being run on a committee basis, so no one is going to get all upset if The New Guy shows up. At this level of team performance, the two wins that Kimbrel adds could mean the difference between a division title and a wild card spot.
Braves/Nationals
While we’re talking NL East, we might as well mention that both of these teams have winning records. And both of these teams could use some bullpen help. For the Nationals, the Trevor Rosenthal experiment has imploded and Sean Doolittle could use some help. The Braves might be interested but it looks like they want to take all their rookie pitchers for a test-drive before the make any moves.
Twins
The Indians appear to have released their stranglehold on the AL Central with a combination of pitching injuries and an offense that is quite a bit weaker than any of their opponents could have wished for. Thanks to Joe Mauer, the team now has some payroll flexibility and they probably need a closer more than any team in the league.
Brewers
It’s possible the Brewers will just run Josh Hader out to the mound every night until his arm detaches. Maybe when Jeremy Jeffress is healthy, that will help. Or, maybe, and I’m just spitballing here, they can sign a free agent closer to come in and build that bullpen back to where it was last year.
Dodgers
Now we’re getting into the compromise area. Kimbrel would probably get some saves to add to his Hall of Fame credentials. But he’d be the set-up guy for the Dodgers. Of course, they just showered Joe Kelley with cash in the off-season, so maybe they’re not too excited about adding another for Red Sox pitcher. The Dodgers bullpen has been a weakness so far, but a Kenley Jansen-Craig Kimbrel combo would be devastating.
Mariners
Yes, the Seattle Mariners. They’re in first place. Yes, it’s early. Even if they’re not going to win the division, this team is putting together some quality all-around team performances. So, they add Kimbrel to the back end of their bullpen and give themselves another couple wins toward one of those Wild Card spots. They don’t have to give up any prospects, but – and GM Jerry Dipoto will LOVE this – if the wheels fall off the cart, the Mariners can trade Kimbrel to a contender.
