Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB: 2018 Baseball Winter Meetings Season Finale

By Manny Gómez

The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" on the center median of Los Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, USA, 09 January 2014. Photo: Britta Pedersen | usage worldwide (Photo by Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" on the center median of Los Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, USA, 09 January 2014. Photo: Britta Pedersen | usage worldwide (Photo by Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
MLB Winter Meetings
HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 18: Joe Kelly #56 and Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after clinching the American League Championship Series in game five against the Houston Astros on October 18, 2018 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

So Long, Jimmy B.

Joe Kelly and Nathan Eovaldi played postseason Hero A and B for the Boston Red Sox in 2018. One of them decided to stay (Eovaldi), while the other has chosen to go (Kelly).

In 11.1 postseason IP in 2018, Kelly posted an 0.81 ERA / 1.09 FIP / 0.721 WHIP. Against the Dodgers in the World Series, in 6 IP, Kelly didn’t allow a run and struck-out 10 batters. It is because of this that the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately jumped on the flame throwing RP, offering Kelly a 3-year deal worth $25M, per John Morosi.

Joe Kelly established himself as a Red Sox Nation favorite when he debuted his alter-ego, a reporter from JWK, Punta Gorda named Jim Buchanan. He further solidified his place in Red Sox folklore when he exchanged punches with former Yankees 1B Tyler Austin.

One of the most complete teams in baseball, the Red Sox only question mark over the last two seasons has been their bullpen. Statistically, they rank among the top of MLB, but the eyeball test will tell you otherwise. They’re the type of bullpen that bends, but rarely breaks.

Losing Kelly might prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but that remains to be seen.

The Highest Paid RP Of All Time?

Craig Kimbrel has established himself as one of the greatest regular season relief pitchers of all time. In fact, since MLB first introduced the save (SV) stat in 1969, among all RP (min. 500 IP) Craig Kimbrel ranks…

  • First in ERA (1.91)
  • First in FIP (1.96)
  • Second in WHIP (0.92)
  • First among active RP in fWAR (19)

Kimbrel is the best reliever available, bar none, but is there such a market in which a relief pitcher is worth 9-figures? Especially, with the analytics revolution proving time an again how useless the SV really is?

Perhaps Kimbrel doesn’t get his 9-figure pay day in the form of a 5-year $100M deal. He still could become the highest paid closer in the game. All he needs is $20M per year to surpass Kenley Jansen’s yearly salary.

Home/MLB News