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  6. article_body => "<p>Craig Kimbrel\u2019s debut season with the Cubs didn\u2019t go well. The closer on a Hall of Fame trajectory went 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA (8.00 FIP) and 1.597 WHIP in 2019, converting 13 of 16 save tries.<\/p>\n<p>Kimbrel had an abnormal preseason last year and didn\u2019t make his season debut until late June. 2020 is a clean slate for the right-hander, but Major League Baseball is looking at an unorthodox season due to the COVID-19 crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Whenever the season starts, Kimbrel has the chance to start fresh and put last year\u2019s struggles behind him. Until then, here\u2019s a few things to know about him:<\/p>\n<p>1. Kimbrel was born in Huntsville, Ala., and played quarterback as a junior and senior at Lee High School. Per a <a href=\"http:\/\/craigkimbrel.com\/q-a\" target=\"_blank\">Q&amp;A on his website,<\/a> the school featured a run-oriented offense, and Kimbrel said he \"wasn't<a href=\"http:\/\/craigkimbrel.com\/q-a\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/a>really<a href=\"http:\/\/craigkimbrel.com\/q-a\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/a>good<a href=\"http:\/\/craigkimbrel.com\/q-a\" target=\"_blank\">.<\/a>\" Alas.<\/p>\n<p>2. Post-grad, Kimbrel attended Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala. He went 8-0 with a 1.99 ERA as a freshman, leading to the Braves selecting him in the 33rd round of the 2007 draft.<\/p>\n<p>Kimbrel returned to school and improved his draft stock, going 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 81 innings as a sophomore. Atlanta drafted him again in 2008, this time in the third round.<\/p>\n<p>3. Kimbrel\u2019s pitching stance is notorious \u2014 he bends his torso parallel to the ground and dangles his arm at a 90-degree angle. But he doesn\u2019t do it for kicks. It became <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/sports\/padres\/sdut-padres-closer-craig-kimbrel-unorthodox-stance-2015apr13-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">too painful for him <\/a>to hold his arm behind his back in 2010, when he suffered from biceps tendinitis.<\/p>\n<p>Opposing fans have made fun of the stance, but hey, it\u2019s unique.<\/p>\n<iframe width=\"480\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lsjb3p_bga8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe> \n<p>4. During his time with the Red Sox (2017-18) Kimbrel and his teammates \u2014 including David Price, Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts \u2014 became avid fans of \u201cFortnite,\u201d the multiplayer-focused video game that took the world by storm two years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s say we get back at 11 p.m. from a game, we\u2019ll play until 1 a.m., 1:30 a.m., 2 a.m. depending on what time our game is the next day,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/344976\/2018\/05\/07\/mccaffrey-fortnite-has-become-a-force-inside-the-red-sox-clubhouse\/\" target=\"_blank\">David Price told <em>The Athletic<\/em> in 2018<\/a>. \u201cBut day games or off days, we can put some time in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Same, David. Same.<\/p>\n<em><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2PxAcKd\">Click here<\/a> to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of the Chicago <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/chicago\/cubs\">Cubs<\/a> easily on your device.<\/em> \n"
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Craig Kimbrel’s debut season with the Cubs didn’t go well. The closer on a Hall of Fame trajectory went 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA (8.00 FIP) and 1.597 WHIP in 2019, converting 13 of 16 save tries.

Kimbrel had an abnormal preseason last year and didn’t make his season debut until late June. 2020 is a clean slate for the right-hander, but Major League Baseball is looking at an unorthodox season due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Whenever the season starts, Kimbrel has the chance to start fresh and put last year’s struggles behind him. Until then, here’s a few things to know about him:

1. Kimbrel was born in Huntsville, Ala., and played quarterback as a junior and senior at Lee High School. Per a Q&A on his website, the school featured a run-oriented offense, and Kimbrel said he "wasn't really good." Alas.

2. Post-grad, Kimbrel attended Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala. He went 8-0 with a 1.99 ERA as a freshman, leading to the Braves selecting him in the 33rd round of the 2007 draft.

Kimbrel returned to school and improved his draft stock, going 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 81 innings as a sophomore. Atlanta drafted him again in 2008, this time in the third round.

3. Kimbrel’s pitching stance is notorious — he bends his torso parallel to the ground and dangles his arm at a 90-degree angle. But he doesn’t do it for kicks. It became too painful for him to hold his arm behind his back in 2010, when he suffered from biceps tendinitis.

 

Opposing fans have made fun of the stance, but hey, it’s unique.

4. During his time with the Red Sox (2017-18) Kimbrel and his teammates — including David Price, Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts — became avid fans of “Fortnite,” the multiplayer-focused video game that took the world by storm two years ago.

“Let’s say we get back at 11 p.m. from a game, we’ll play until 1 a.m., 1:30 a.m., 2 a.m. depending on what time our game is the next day,” David Price told The Athletic in 2018. “But day games or off days, we can put some time in.”

Same, David. Same.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Cubs easily on your device.