Alright, let’s talk about this fella, Craig Kimbrel, and how he throws that baseball. You know, the way he stands and all that. It’s kinda weird, but hey, if it works, it works, right?
First off, that stance of his. He bends over somethin’ fierce, like he’s lookin’ for a lost penny or somethin’. Arm behind his back, too. Folks say he’s been doin’ it forever. I reckon it’s just his way of gettin’ ready to chuck that ball. Heard tell it started ’cause his arm was hurtin’ back when he was just a young’un startin’ out. Somethin’ about his bicep bein’ all sore. So, he started standin’ all funny-like, and it stuck.
Now, he ain’t got a whole lot of pitches. Mostly just that fastball, the one that goes real fast, and that curveball, the one that dips and dives like a scared rabbit. And lemme tell ya, that curveball, it’s somethin’ else. But here’s the thing, if them pitches start losin’ their zip, well, that’s trouble. Especially for a fella who just comes in at the end of the game to close things out. You need that oomph, you know?
- Fastball – Goes real fast.
- Curveball – Dips and dives.
He’s been doin’ this pitchin’ thing for a good long while now. Lots of saves, they say. Means he’s good at gettin’ them last outs. Even when he wasn’t pitchin’ his best, he was still gettin’ them saves. That tells ya somethin’, don’t it? He’s tough, that one. Sticks it out even when things get a bit bumpy.
Folks were sayin’ he wasn’t doin’ so hot for a spell. Walkin’ too many fellas, not strikin’ enough out. But he’s been throwin’ harder lately, throwin’ more strikes. Maybe he figured somethin’ out, changed somethin’ up. I dunno. But it seems like he’s back to his old self, or maybe even better.
And that thing he does with his hands on his hips? Yeah, that’s part of it too. Right foot in front, left foot in back. Looks like he’s ready to draw a gun or somethin’. It’s all part of his style, I guess. Aggressive, they call it. He ain’t messin’ around out there. He’s comin’ at ya with everything he’s got.
He says that bendin’ over thing, it helps him see what the batter’s lookin’ for. Helps him decide what kind of pitch to throw. Different pitches for righties and lefties, you see. It’s all a game of thinkin’ and guessin’ and tryin’ to outsmart the other fella. He used to just be the closer, comin’ in at the end. Now he’s pitchin’ more, bigger role they say. Guess he’s showin’ them he can still do it.
They were talkin’ ’bout how he got the boot from some team. The Orioles, I think it was. But he landed on his feet, didn’t he? Keeps on pitchin’. That’s what you gotta do in this life, keep on goin’ even when things get tough. Just like that time my prize-winning rooster, Rusty, got snatched by a hawk. Broke my heart, it did, but I got another rooster, didn’t I? Life goes on.
So yeah, that Craig Kimbrel, he’s a somethin’ else pitcher with that crazy stance of his. But hey, it works for him. And as long as he keeps gettin’ them outs, I reckon nobody’s gonna complain. He’s got a ring too, you know. Means he won the whole shebang one time. That’s somethin’ to be proud of.
In the end, it’s about results, ain’t it? And he gets results. He throws hard, throws strikes, and gets them saves. That’s what matters. And that funny way he stands? Well, that’s just part of the show.
Tags: [Craig Kimbrel, pitching stance, MLB, baseball, closer, fastball, curveball]
