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The Blue Jays have claimed right-handed reliever Cole Kimball on waivers from the Washington Nationals.  The 26 year-old made his major league debut with Washington this season but tore the labrum of his shoulder in July.

Cole Kimball posted an ERA of 1.93 and a WHIP of 1.357 in 14 innings with the Nationals in 2011.



Cole Kimball was drafted by Washington in the 12th round of the 2006 amateur draft out of Centenary College in New Jersey.  The 6-foot-3, 225 pound Brooklyn native made his pro debut later that year with Vermont.  He had trouble throwing strikes with a strikeout-walk total of 28-24 in 34 innings as he went 1-4 with a 5.82 earned run average.  After getting a handful of starts in 2006, the Nationals made Kimball a full-time starter in 2007 with Vermont.  He finished that season at 3-6 with a 4.20 earned and he increased his strikeout rate to 10.1 every nine innings.  On the negative side, he walked 6.4 batters per nine.  He spent 2008 in Hagerstown that saw him struggle with a 6-8 record and a 5.05 ERA.  In 2009, he became a reliever in Potomac and saved nine games but his ERA ballooned to 6.36 and won just four of nine decisions. 

Kimball turned things around in 2010 when he went a combined 8-1 with Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg and compiled an ERA of 2.17 along with 18 saves.  He struck out a combined 101 batters in 78 2/3 innings and allowed just 50 hits.  That helped offset the 39 free passes he issued.  Kimball began 2011 at Triple-A Syracuse and was 1-0 with 13 2/3 scoreless innings and five saves before getting the call to D.C.  He made his big league debut against the Florida Marlins May 14 and threw a scoreless inning, striking out the first batter he faced in Gaby Sanchez.  His first four appearances were scoreless and was only scored upon in two of his 12 outings.

According to FanGraphs.com, Kimball averages about 93 miles per hour on his fastball and 80 MPH on his curveball while throwing the occasional split-finger at around 82 MPH.  If Cole "Richard" Kimball does recover from his labrum surgery, he can join Casey "David" Janssen in the bullpen and become the Fugitive Duo.  If nothing else, the two can compare notes on what it looks like to have labrum surgery.  If Kimball can bounce back the way Janssen did, the Jays have may themselves a steal.

Also...
  • BlueJays.com has a sneak preview of their new look before its official unveiling Friday.  Starring in the brief clip are Jose Bautista, Ricky Romero, Adam Lind and J.P. Arencibia.
  • The Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets have also made changes for 2012.
Jays Nab Nats Kimball, Provide Peek Of New Uniforms | 18 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
MatO - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 09:53 AM EST (#246771) #
When he was healthy he was walking way too many guys in the minors.  That pattern will result in no chance of success in the AL East never mind overcoming an injury as well.
ayjackson - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 10:15 AM EST (#246775) #
Does he still have three options left?  No harm in the signing since we have the spot available.  If the spot is needed later, we can re-evaluate.
bpoz - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 10:40 AM EST (#246778) #
Good question AYJ.

Hopefully someone will find out.
My guessing, just as an exercise in option rules is:
A 2006 college draft pick. So he needs protection after 4 years so that would be after 2009. Billed as the Closer of the future, he could have spent 2010 on the 40 man and so burned an option. Or else he survived the 2009 Rule 5 ie not picked or returned to Washington.
In 2011 1st game played in ML May 14th so he could have burned an option before the callup if on the 40 man. Last game on June 9th and then DL'd, i am not sure but I suspect that you don't burn an option while on the DL.

Please point out my errors.

I see him back on the 60 day DL when ever that option opens up.
John Northey - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 11:35 AM EST (#246782) #
Kimball is one of those guys teams love to get. Amazing K/9 figures (well over 1 per IP) but also amazing BB/9 figures (over 5 almost all the time).

If a coach can get him to find the strikezone he could be amazing. If not, well, guess it was worth a waiver claim.
92-93 - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 11:43 AM EST (#246783) #
Kimball was added to the 40 last winter and thus burned his first option in 2011 when he was sent down to Syracuse.

One wouldn't burn an option on the DL because you can't send down an injured player to the minors. I believe that's part of the reason that players on the 40 who aren't going to make the team are optioned down 2 weeks before the end of spring training - if they get hurt you have to keep them on the MLB DL accruing service time.
Lylemcr - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 12:06 PM EST (#246789) #
For a second there, I thought I saw the Jays acquired Kimbrel....  I wish
China fan - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 01:05 PM EST (#246794) #
Well, this is pretty huge news:  MLB is adding an additional Wild Card team for each league, beginning in 2012 or 2013 at the latest.
sam - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 01:11 PM EST (#246795) #
Ya this is huge. I'm pretty excited about it.
dan gordon - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 01:27 PM EST (#246798) #
The Fan says the additional wild card team will be added starting 2013.  Houston moves to the AL West the same season, presumably requiring 1 interleague series going on at all times during the season.  The Jays chances of making the playoffs just got a big boost.
ayjackson - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 01:35 PM EST (#246799) #
Not a fan of a one-game playoff.  They should have moved to two divisions and two wild-cards.
Ryan Day - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 01:52 PM EST (#246801) #
It's fascinating to see how much things have changed. 5-10 years ago, a shoulder injury was generally the kiss of death for a pitcher. Now, teams have so much confidence in surgery/rehab that they're acquiring players they know were injured.
China fan - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 02:19 PM EST (#246803) #

Although the extra Wild Card is most likely in 2013, there is some possibility that it could be added as early as 2012, according to reports that I've seen today.  If so, this could have a huge impact on AA's off-season plans.  It will be a lot more difficult to fob off 2012 as yet another "rebuilding year." 

For what it's worth, in his latest mailbag, Richard Griffin repeatedly insists that AA is serious about making a big move in 2012, with several key acquisitions planned over the next few months, of more than the usual Rajai Davis or John Rauch type.

Gerry - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 03:56 PM EST (#246819) #

I would prefer a 3 game playoff but that starts to disadvantage the other playoff teams so I can live with the one game playoff. 

The extra wild card is really an AL East rule, it gives Tampa, Baltimore and Toronto a better chance to make the playoffs when they are up against the big payrolls.  The second advantage is that it makes it tougher to win the world series as a wild card.

There have been 17 world series since the introduction of the wild card.  On average, the wild card should have won 4.25 times and been runnerup 4.25 times.  The actual number should be less because the wild card teams have fewer wins than the division champs and should be inferior teams.   In reality there have been 5 wild card WS winners and 5 wild card runners up.  This change to a one game playoff reduces the chances of a wild card winning and now makes winning the division more important.

Jevant - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 04:15 PM EST (#246821) #
I agree.  Making a one-game playoff is not the goal here.
Richard S.S. - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 07:33 PM EST (#246840) #

...Making a one-game playoff is not the goal here.

Of course it is the goal here.   One-game playoffs are mostly luck as to whether or not you advance.   If you can`t get here, the significance of a one-game playoff is immaterial.

James W - Thursday, November 17 2011 @ 07:52 PM EST (#246844) #
My apologies for putting words in Jevant's mouth here, but it's clear to me that he's saying the goal is to win the division, and avoid one-game playoffs.  Why aim for second or third when you can aim for first?
Mike Forbes - Friday, November 18 2011 @ 11:45 AM EST (#246875) #
For those interested, sportsnet.ca will be carrying the press conference with the Jays unveil their new logo/uniforms. I'm hoping for a KC Royals like color scheme with the retro style logo we've all seen.
Mike Forbes - Friday, November 18 2011 @ 11:46 AM EST (#246876) #
Should also note that the conference starts in 15 minutes.
Jays Nab Nats Kimball, Provide Peek Of New Uniforms | 18 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.