(670 The Score) Walking into Wrigley Field wasn’t anything new for White Sox star reliever Craig Kimbrel on Friday, but entering the visitor’s clubhouse at the ballpark was certainly a new route after he spent the last three seasons with the Cubs.
Having been traded from the fourth-place Cubs to the first-place White Sox last week just before the deadline, Kimbrel has enjoyed where he landed and is happy to be in the middle of a championship push.
“Winning teams expect to win,” Kimbrel said of the White Sox. “That is what I have seen so far – that everyone expects to win each game. That’s what winning teams have to do. High expectations are a good thing.”
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Before the Cubs hosted the White Sox, Kimbrel spent the early part of his Friday catching up with his former bullpen mates and hearing from the crowd.
"People have been really nice,” Kimbrel said. “They have said they appreciated what I did when I was here. They said they really enjoyed watching me this year.”
Kimbrel, 33, is having a sensational season, posting a 0.47 ERA and 0.67 WHIP in 41 appearances, the first 39 of which came with the Cubs.
“I caught how good it is, and I have watched how good it can be,” Cubs manager David Ross said of Kimbrel's stuff "I don't like seeing it on the other side, but I am happy he is in a spot to compete. I will catch up with him at some point, but hopefully he is not running out there. It would be nice to keep him on the shelf the next three days.”
Kimbrel has adjusted to his co-closing role with Liam Hendriks, who like Kimbrel also earned All-Star honors this season. Kimbrel understands he’ll sometimes be called upon for the save and sometimes he’ll be used as a setup man. Manager Tony La Russa makes sure to communicate in advance what each player’s role will be on a given day.
“Obviously, it's a little different,” Kimbrel said. “The energy is a little different. It changes also where you are playing and what the atmosphere is like. You still have to get those outs regardless. I did have a little experience doing it last year. That definitely helps out.
“The way it's worked out so far is we close on set days. Tony said he will always let us know. We will see how it works. I mean, you do need time to get in a good rhythm. That always helps. You don't want too many days off. Obviously, there is a fine line between too much and not enough. That is what we will try to figure out.”
Kimbrel is getting along well with Hendriks, who’s a non-stop talker.
“We have pretty much the same schedule and routine,” Kimbrel said. “He was joking yesterday that he stays in (the clubhouse) for five innings just to give everyone a break. I thought that was pretty funny. He has great energy and the type of energy you want to be around. That kind of energy feeds into everyone else. You can't help but love that.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.