Cardinals Doubleheader 8/19

[BigBoy]

No chance we can hold this without more runs

[BigBoy]

Kimbrel with his first save

[jstraw]

[rok]

So is Kimbrel back? He's look great his last couple of outings.

[4FP]

So is Kimbrel back? He's look great his last couple of outings.

Don't get roped in.

[Butcher]

Keeping some emotional distance from Kimbrel until he can get his ERA under 4.00

[rok]

I want to believe in something.

[Auz]

That was the best Kimbrel has ever pitched in a Cubs uniform. 

[mrfelina]

He's looked close to this before in spurts last year at least to my eyes.

 

Bottom line for me, is that he gets in trouble because of walks which I think will be a constant for him.

He can't get out of trouble any longer like he used to and that, to me, will always be his albatross. 

 

I can't believe Ross had the balls to use him in this situation. Impressive managerial move. I didn't think for a second he was going to pitch a scoreless inning but I'm glad his stuff looked livelier than it has thus far. Fastball looked electric. Seemed to have less control of his curve. 

 

But I'd really rather not have to see him in save situations. We don't have the room for him to lose 3 games for us before we figure out we have to use him in the 7th or 8th in match-ups that works for him.

 

I get the argument that this team isn't going anywhere without an effective Kimrel but I don't see us as having a choice. Hope I'm wrong but I don't see him being an effective closer in this game anymore.