Every year, or at least every year since 2012, we’ve taken some time after the season was over to look at the past 162 games through the lens of the players that played them (and the management that was in charge of them). Last year, the Exit Interview series spent less time digging into splits and finding numerical oddities and more time reflecting on the player and their season. It was a style that seemed to work so we’re going to bring it back again this year. The legendary cardinalsgifs is back to bring us excellent series art, so it’s all downhill after you see that!
Player: John King
Stats: 3-3, 56 G, 60 IP, 58 H, 5 HR, 14 BB, 38 K, 2.85 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.200 WHIP, 0.8 bWAR
Statcast: 6.2% barrel, 27.2% sweet spot, 109.7 max exit velocity, .280 wOBA, .303 xwOBA, 15.3 K%, 5.6 BB%
Grade: B
Sometimes you just need a reliable, no-nonsense, fairly low leverage guy in the bullpen. When King came over as part of the Jordan Montgomery trade, it seemed like a throw-in to get through 2023. King made it through the winter, though, and while he was never exciting, he came to be a solid part of a bullpen that was the major strength of the team. He was effective against lefties, with a 19/4 strikeout/walk ratio against those that shared his perspective on life. He didn’t strike many people out on either side of the plate but he got a ton of ground balls and that helped him get out of a lot of situations.
All that could be blah and boring but as a blah and boring accountant, I can appreciate what he brings to the table. When things are going right, there are going to be these kind of players either in the bullpen or on the bench. Guys that you don’t want out there all the time but when they do come in, you feel pretty confident that the job’s going to get done. These aren’t the guys that get the big bucks or are coveted assets when they are available by trade or on the free agent market, but they raise the floor of a team and they give a little security. In this world, that goes a long way.
What is in store for 2025: With a limited strikeout rate and the general inconsistency of bullpen arms, there’s a strong chance that things will catch up with King in 2025. However, he’s worked himself into getting the benefit of the doubt. He’s going into just his second arbitration year so the club will probably sign him to a one-year contract that avoids that but not any sort of long-term deal just in case things get out of hand. Hopefully we see him continue to do his job quietly and unspectacularly for yet another season.
