Craig Kimbrel has finally lowered his asking price

After languishing in free agency, All Star closer Craig Kimbrel has finally lowered his asking price.

One of the biggest surprises in free agency this offseason was that Craig Kimbrel remained unsigned. As one of the top closers in baseball history, let alone in the game today, his continued stay on the market was shocking. Then it was learned that he was asking for a five or six year deal worth $100 million, which made it understandable why teams were balking at his asking price.

Now, two and a half weeks into the season, that price has dropped. According to reports, Kimbrel is now looking for a deal that is akin to the contracts signed by Wade Davis and Zack Britton.

Had Kimbrel entered the offseason with realistic expectations, he likely would have already found a contract. It seemed foolhardy to expect the type of deal he was angling for, especially given the free agency freeze of the year before. Looking for a contract similar to Davis would have been the perfect starting point entering the offseason.

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There is no question that he would deserve such a deal. Last year, he posted another solid season, with a 2.74 ERA and a 0.995 WHiP, notching 42 saves while striking out 96 batters in 62.1 innings. However, he walked 31 batters as well, as he struggled with his command during the second half of the season.

Those struggles continued into the postseason. He was thought to be tipping his pitches, and was subsequently hit hard in the playoffs. Perhaps with an eye to those issues, Kimbrel was not called upon to close out Game Five of the World Series, with Chris Sale getting the ball to clinch the championship.

Perhaps now, with his asking price having dropped, he will find work. There are teams with an eye on the postseason that have seen their bullpen struggle, or been devastated by injuries. Kimbrel would certainly be a solution to their problems, an All Star closer who has been one of the best that the game has ever seen.

Craig Kimbrel has lowered his asking price. Perhaps this means that he will find a team in the near future.