Dirty Craig Kimbrel Absolutely Filthy While Littering Zone with High Fastballs

Call me Fox Mulder, because I want to believe that Craig Kimbrel is real. Through his first four appearances, it was more likely that he’d be designated for assignment than designated the team’s closer again, but something has shifted over the past few weeks. Whether it was a mechanical chicken or an egg of confidence, Kimbrel has begun to resemble the dominant reliever we haven’t seen since his Boston days.

First 4: 2.2 IP, 20 BF, 6 H (2 HR), 7 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 23.63 ERA

Last 3: 3 IP, 11 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA

The Cubs admitted publicly that the closer’s mechanics were “out of whack,” likely a combination of a lower release point and a different setup on the curveball in particular.…