Padres Supplemental Bios
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PADRES SUPPLEMENTAL BIOS 46 - Craig Kimbrel - RHP PLAYERS CRAIG KIMBREL RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER 46 KIMBREL BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-11/220 OPENING DAY AGE: 26 SERVICE TIME: 4.066 BORN: May 28, 1988 in Huntsville, AL RESIDENCE: Huntsville AL ACQUIRED: From the Atlanta Braves with OF Melvin Upton, Jr. in exchange for OF Cameron Maybin, OF Carlos Quentin, INF Jordan Paroubeck and RHP Matt Wisler: April 5, 2015 CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2017 (option for 2018) CAREER 2014: Led the National League and ranked second in the Majors with 47 saves, as he converted 47-of-51 save opportunities (92.2%), in his fourth Major League season. QUICK HIT • Recorded a 1.61 ERA (11 ER, 61.2 IP), while striking out 95 batters in 61.2 innings pitched over 63 appearances…held opposing • Has been selected to the National hitters to a .142 batting average. League All-Star team each of his fi rst • Broke the Braves franchise record with his 155th career save on four full seasons in the league, 2011-14. 6/6 at ARI in his 16th save of the season, passing Hall of Famer • John Smoltz’s previous record of 154. • Has fi nished in the top three in MLB in • Earned the 150th save of his career on 5/18 at STL at 25 years, saves in each of his fi rst four seasons 355 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in Major League history in the league. to reach the 150 save mark. • Converted his fi nal 26 save opportunities, from 6/24 through the • First MLB Win: May 20, 2010 vs. Cincinnati end of the season…over the 32-game span he pitched at a 0.84 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 32.1 innings, while allowing just 14 hits • First MLB Save: September 19, 2010 at (.131 opponents’ batting average). New York-NL • Worked more than 1.0 inning on three occasions: 6/6 at ARI (1.1 IP, 1 K) and 7/10 at NYM (1.1 IP, 1 K) and converted a save in each of those outings…also, 8/2 (1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) when he suffered his third loss of the season. • Pitched at a 1.03 ERA in 36 games (29 saves) at home…his ERA in 27 games (20 saves) on the road was 2.36. • Allowed just two home runs on the season, 6/20 at WSH (loss) and 9/10 at WSH (no-decision). • Was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star team. and struck out three of his four batters faced in 1.0 scoreless inning (he pitched the seventh inning). 2013: Put together a historic season in his third full year in the majors, as he led National League relievers in ERA (1.21) and saves (50), while ranking fourth in strikeouts with 98...fi nished fourth in voting for the National League Cy Young Award. • His career-high 50 saves tied for the Major-League lead with BAL’s Jim Johnson...became the youngest player (25 years old) in Major League history to reach the 50-save plateau in a season with his 50th save on 9/27 vs. PHI... • Became the second-youngest pitcher in Major League history to record 100 career saves (#100, 5/9 at SF)... Became the second player in Braves history to record at least 50 saves in a season…John Smoltz established the record with 55 in 2002. • With his 40th save on 7/24, became fi rst pitcher in Major League history with 40+ saves in each of his fi rst three seasons. • Was named Major League Baseball’s Delivery Man of the Month for August after converting 12-of-12 save opportunities, while striking out 19 over 16.1 IP…it was the third time in his career to win the award. • Named to the National League All-Star team for the third straight year. • Made one appearance in the National League Division Series vs. Los Angeles..converted his fi rst career postseason save by recording four outs over the eighth and ninth innings on 10/4 in Game 2...it marked his third career four-out save and second on the season. • Signed a four-year contract (with an option for a fi fth year) through the 2017 season on February 16, 2014. 2012: Converted 42-of-45 save opportunities while posting an ERA of 1.01 with 116 strikeouts and only 27 hits allowed in 62.2 innings pitched...Finished fi fth in National League Cy Young Award voting and fi nished eighth in NL MVP voting (the highest fi nish of any pitcher). • Became just the second Brave to post two 40-save seasons (John Smoltz, three times, 2002-04). • Achieved several pitching feats that had never been accomplished by a modern Major League pitcher (min. 60.0 IP): his 16.7 strikeouts per nine innings (116 K/62.2 IP) was the highest in Major League history; posted a .126 opponents’ batting average, the lowest since 1900; his .358 OPS was the lowest in the Expansion era; had a strikeouts-to-hits ratio of 4.3-to-1, the best single-season ratio in the live-ball era • His 42 saves ranked tied for fi rst (T3rd in MLB) in the National League (with STL’s Jason Motte)...Ranked second among NL relievers with 116 strikeouts...107 of his last 170 outs recorded were via strikeout, including 91 of his last 141, dating to 5/20 (also had a strikeout/wild pitch on 6/13 & 9/26). • Named to his second consecutive All-Star team and used seven pitches to strike out his only two batters faced (Asdrubal Cabrera and Ian Kinsler)... • Named MLB Delivery Man of the Month for September after going 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 13 scoreless appearances...converted 10-of-10 save opportunities and fanned 25 over 12.2 innings pitched. • Named to the provisional roster of Team USA for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. • Tossed 1.0 perfect inning in the Wild Card Game vs. STL on 10/5, striking out one. PLAYERS 2011: Recorded a National-League-tying and rookie-record-setting 46 saves and was named the Baseball Writers’ Association of America unanimous National League Rookie of the Year award winner. • Received 32 fi rst-place votes becoming the 10th unanimous BBWAA NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year selection... Teammate 1B Freddie Freeman fi nished second in the voting, marking the third time that NL teammates fi nished 1-2 in the voting. • Became the sixth relief pitcher honored and it was the seventh time an Atlanta Brave was honored...Named the Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year. • Was also named Sporting News’ “First-Half National League Rookie of the Year” and earned a spot on Sporting News’ National League All-Star team. • Named Atlanta’s “Professional Athlete of the Year” for 2011 by the Atlanta Sports Council. • Was added to the National League All-Star roster on 7/10 in place of SF’s Matt Cain...came on in relief of teammate Jair Jurrjens with two outs in the seventh inning and retired one-of-two batters faced to earn a hold in his fi rst All- Star game appearance. • His 46 saves tied with MIL’s John Axford for most in the NL and second in the Majors behind DET’s Jose Valverde.. • Fanned 127-of-306 batters faced (42%), leading all Major League relievers in strikeouts. • Snapped a 37.2 inning, 38 outing scoreless innings streak on 9/9 at STL...the streak was the longest in the majors that season and the fi fth-longest in the majors since Orel Hershiser established the MLB record of 59.1 IP in 1988. • Named the NL’s Rookie of the Month for August, going 10-for-10 in save opportunities and allowing no runs in 13 appearances (12.2 IP) while fanning 23 batters and allowing a .143 average. • With his 41st save on 8/31 vs. WSH, passed Texas’ Neftali Feliz (40, 2010) for the most saves by a Major League rookie (since 1969). • Tossed a scoreless ninth inning on 7/9 at PHI to record his 28th save, extending his own record for most saves for a Major League rookie before the All-Star break (since 1969)...his 17th save, recorded 6/3 at NYM, set the NL rookie record for most saves prior to the All-Star break. • Named the NL’s Rookie of the Month for June after going 1-0 with eight saves and a 1.53 ERA in 14 appearances, with 25 strikeouts and just fi ve walks in 14.0 IP. 2010: Entered the season as the Braves’ fi fth-best prospect and as having the “Best Fastball” in all of Single-A according to Baseball America. • Opened the year at Triple-A Gwinnett (AAA) where he recorded a 1.62 ERA in 48 relief appearances, including 23 saves, before a promotion to the majors for his fi rst career appearance on a ML roster on 5/5. • Appeared on the Major League roster on four separate occasions with each transaction taking place with GWI... Promoted to the majors for the fi rst time on 5/5; optioned 5/22: recalled 6/5; optioned 6/22: recalled 8/27; optioned 8/29: recalled 9/7 for the remainder of the season. • Posted a perfect 4-0 record with a 0.44 ERA in 21 appearances in relief for the Major League Club...in 20.2 innings pitched with ATL, recorded 40 strikeouts.