Craig Kimbrel has everything it takes to be an outstanding closer for a long time.
He has poise, confidence, no fear, a mean streak, an ability to forget about the bad days, a 100-mph missile of a fastball and a curve that’s tricky enough to fool anybody.
And he won’t turn 24 until late May.
That’s a potent combination of weapons that the Braves hope prove lethal this year and beyond. But Kimbrel is fighting history.
He appears to be the best of homegrown closers for the Braves, a franchise that often has struggled to develop guys to finish games. They’ve had some short-term success with Mark Wohlers, John Rocker and Kerry Ligtenberg, and going back a couple of decades, with Rick Camp and Steve Bedrosian.
But for the most part, the Braves have found hired guns to close, usually for a season or two or at least until somebody else comes along.
Here’s a look at the Braves’ saves leaders since 2000:
2011 -- Kimbrel, 46
2010 -- Billy Wagner, 37
2009 -- Rafael Soriano, 27
2008 -- Mike Gonzalez, 14
2007 -- Bob Wickman, 20
2006 -- Wickman, 18
2005 -- Chris Reitsma, 15
2004 -- John Smoltz, 44
2003 -- Smoltz, 45
2002 -- Smoltz, 55
2001 -- Rocker, 19
2000 -- Rocker, 24
With Kimbrel, the Braves have a young guy who can blow it by anybody. They have somebody who appears to have the mental makeup AND the impressive physical tools. They have somebody who looks like he’ll be able to handle the pressure of shutting down the ninth for the next decade and beyond.
That doesn’t mean Kimbrel will be the next Mariano Rivera, the Yankees’ stalwart who is the best closer in major league history. There’s only one Rivera.
But there’s no reason why Kimbrel can’t be Trevor Hoffman, who dominated NL hitters for the Padres for most of 16 seasons. Or even Billy Wagner, who graced the Braves with 37 saves in 2010 in the final season of his excellent career.
Kimbrel was nothing short of nasty in 2011, finishing with 46 saves, a total that tied Milwaukee’s John Axford for best in the NL, but also is the second-best total in franchise history, behind John Smoltz’s 55 in 2002.
Perhaps even more impressive was Kimbrel’s scoreless streak that reached 37 2/3 innings and spanned from June 14 to Sept. 8. It was the fifth-longest streak in the majors since the Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser set the record with 59 1/3 scoreless innings in 1988.
But one season is just that.
A larger sample size is needed before Kimbrel can be anointed as one of the best closers in franchise history, even though he’s already ninth all-time, with 47 career saves.
Braves fans have seen hot, young closers before, only to watch them flame out.
Wohlers had 39 saves in 1996 and 33 in 1997. Ligtenberg (Remember his cool pointy sideburns?) had 30 in 1998. Rocker had 38 in 1999.
We all know what happened to them.
Wohlers lost the strike zone. Ligtenberg lost his ability to pitch, no thanks to a torn elbow ligament. Rocker lost the ability to filter his thoughts.
Kimbrel appears to be prepared for the long term. He toned down his work during the offseason, giving his right arm time to rest. He’s thrown four scoreless innings this spring after pitching 12 1/3 in 2011.
The Braves seem determined to lessen his load this year, but a lot depends on the offense and starting pitching. His saves total will depend a lot on how many close games there are in 2012.
If the Braves can save Kimbrel’s arm, he will be saving games for them for years to come.
