Meet the Braves: Craig Kimbrel

FOXSportsSouth.com invites you to meet the Braves as we continue a month-long look at our team, player-by-player. We'll revisit 2011 and project what 2012 might look like. Craig Kimbrel Position: Closer Height: 5-11; Weight: 205 BatThrow: RR Hometown: Huntsville, Ala. Experience: Second season 2011 in review: Kimbrel turned in one of the finest seasons by a Braves closer with a Major League rookie record of 46 saves and a 2.10 ERA, capped by being selected as the NL Rookie of the Year. Kimbrel had 38 consecutive scoreless appearances from June 14 to Sept. 8. Career highlight: Kimbrel was in Hawaii for teammate Peter Moylans wedding when he found out that he was the NL Rookie of the Year, finishing ahead of teammate Freedie Freeman. He was the Braves first rookie of the year since Rafael Furcal in 2000. Outlook: The Braves expect more of the same from Kimbrel, who is having a strong spring. They would like to cut the amount of games he pitched from the 79 in 2011 to a more manageable number. You should know: With 127 strikeouts in 77 innings (14.84 per nine), Kimbrel became the fourth pitcher to whiff at least 14 batters per nine innings and save at least 30 games in the same season.