MILWAUKEE -- Maybe after opposing teams see Craig Kimbrel a few times, they will have some better swings and put a few more balls in play. Maybe.
For now, the Braves’ rookie closer is a strikeout machine, a baby-faced delivery system for nearly unhittable gas in the form of 96-97 mph fastballs and occasional curveballs.
Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth inning of Monday’s 2-1 win against the Brewers, giving him five consecutive strikeouts over two appearances.
He struck out 45 of 94 batters in 23 career appearances through Monday, with a 0.40 ERA and .115 opponents’ batting average.
"He's got electric stuff," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "It's special."
In striking out five of the first six batters he faced this season, Kimbrel raised his career strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio from 17.4 to 17.9. The 17.4 ratio he posted last season was the highest in major league history for a pitcher with 20 or more innings.
“I am a strikeout pitcher, but I’m not going out there trying to strike everybody out,” Kimbrel said. “I’m just going out there trying to get three outs, or however many outs I need to get. Any way I can do that is fine with me.”
Through Monday, had pitched 22 2/3 regular-season innings and allowed nine hits, one earned run and 10 walks with 45 strikeouts.
Brewers veteran Craig Counsell was asked after Monday's game who impressed him more: Braves rookie starter Brandon Beachy, who worked out of several jams in his six-inning stint, or Kimbrel.
"The starter was really impressive,” Counsell said. “He settled down as the game went on. He’s got a really good arm. The kid at the end [Kimbrel] has got a special arm. ... They’re rookies, basically in their first or second year in the league, and we haven’t really seen them.”
Division foes will see a lot of Kimbrel. Can we expect things to change significantly once they do?
"They saw it last year," Braves reliever Peter Moylan said. "It's not like he's surprised anyone."
Milestones loom for Chipper
Chipper Jones entered Tuesday needing four hits and seven RBIs to become the second switch-hitter in history with at least 2,500 hits and 1,500 RBIs, joining Eddie Murray.
With only games left on the road trip after Tuesday, and manager Fredi Gonzalez planning to rest Jones on Thursday, there's a good chance he will reach one or both milestones at Turner Field during a nine-game homestand that starts Friday.
Freeman out of lineup
Rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman was out of the lineup Tuesday night for the first time in five games, replaced by veteran utility man Eric Hinske, who got his first start.
Gonzalez said Monday that he planned to get starts for a few bench players during the four-game series. David Ross started in place of McCann on Monday (although McCann pinch-hit and caught the late innings).
Gonzalez said this early in the season, the moves had more to do with getting at-bats for his bench players than rest for regulars. He wants to keep his bench players sharp for pinch-hit appearances and likes doing that via occasional starts.
The manager said rookie Matt Young likely would get a start, either in center field or in left field when Martin Prado moves from left to play third base in place of Jones.
Jurrjens update
Jair Jurrjens is scheduled to throw 75 pitches in a simulated game at noon Wednesday at Triple-A Gwinnett's Coolray Field in Lawrenceville. On the 15-day disabled list for a strained oblique, Jurrjens could start for Gwinnett on April 11 and be in line to return to the Braves' rotation April 16 against the New York Mets.
Mike Minor will start Wednesday against the Brewers. He's filling the fifth-starter spot while Jurrjens is on the DL; Beachy moved from fifth starter to Jurrjens' fourth spot.
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