CNATI: Cincinnati OH Sports Journalism

Spring Training 2010

Chapmania continues to grow

By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted March 12, 2010 6:41 PM ET

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It doesn't matter that Aroldis Chapman threw another two scoreless innings, reached 100 mph on the radar gun or that he was occasionally wild and had little control of his slider.

Good or bad, there's no decisions being made about Chapman anytime soon.

"I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "We've just got to keep him on a rotation, see how he does. See how he is, we don't really know what we have. I think everyone's getting a bit ahead of themselves."

It's not just the folks in Cincinnati, but everywhere, that seem to be getting Chapmania. Reports of triple-digits and an intriguing backstory will always get attention, whether it's Syd Finch, Stephen Strasburg or Aroldis Chapman.

"I understand it, but I don't have to adhere to it," Baker said.

And that's why Friday's results aren't as important as anyone may want them to be.

Chapman's first pitch was wide to Jason Repko and there were oohs, aahs and I-told-you-sos. Chapman's first inning featured nearly as many balls (nine) as strikes (10) and he wasn't perfect. He also gave up two infield singles, but didn't allow a run or walk anyone.

Chapman struck out two in a perfect second inning, getting both Matt Kemp and Casey Blake on changeups. Kemp watch a pitch go 100 mph for strike one and swung at a 90 mph changeup for strike three. Blake watched an 83 mph change for strike three.

In all, Chapman said he worked more on his offspeed stuff, but never found the pitch. He had trouble in the dry air getting a good grip on the ball. He also struggled some to find the plate with his fastball, but in the end, he didn't walk anybody and struck out two. He threw 35 pitches, 20 strikes, despite fighting a cold.

"I felt good, I just missed a couple of pitches out of the zone, I was trying to get them over the plate but they went the other way," Chapman said through Tony Fossas, the Class A Dayton pitching coach that also serves as Chapman's interpreter. "The last few games I haven't used the breaking ball much at all, so the last two hitters I threw more off-speed pitches because I wanted to try them out."

Chapman is scheduled to make his next appearance to be dissected next Wednesday, when the Reds have a day-night doubleheader on St. Patrick's Day. By then, he could be slated not just for the rotation or Opening Day start, but Hall of Fame.

"It's hard to plan for something when you don't know what you're getting into, you don't know what things may arise," Baker said. "He's still got to get his driver's license, social security card, there's a lot of things he still has to get -- I think baseball and pitching are his sanctuary away from all the other stuff."

In two outings, he's been very good. Striking out five batters in four innings pitch, walking just one. Of the three hits he's allowed, one has left the infield.

Four innings of professional baseball is hardly an indicator of the future. But the pure quality of the pitches shows why there's so much excitement around each of his starts. Chapman said he's not bothered that his every move is being watched and every pitch dissected.

"He doesn't really speak English, he's not paying attention that he's got a lot of money and people are interested in him," said catcher Ramon Hernandez, who has the locker next to Chapman's. "He's just going to go out and pitch and try to pitch in the big leagues."

Chapman hasn't been in the country long, but he's been here long enough to know that's where he wants to be, and not just because he's probably already heard horror stories of 13-hour bus rides in the Southern League.

"My plan is to make the big league team, but if it doesn't work out, I'll go to the minors and work hard to get back up here," Chapman said.

Even that kind of talk is premature, Baker said. There's so much to be seen. The Reds hope to pitch him again next week either against the Brewers or Indians in Goodyear and throughout the spring.

"I've only seen him four innings, it's a long way to go," Hernandez said. "If he's not there, he's close. He's still young, he's 22 years old. He's still got to pitch to professional hitters. He's got to establish his fastball first and pitch off that. He's got a lot of work to do."

But there's also the potential. Baker compared his situation to that of Fernando Valenzuela, a teammate of Baker's with the Dodgers.

"All I know is Fernando could speak English, he just didn't want to. That wasn't a bad idea for him," Baker said. "There could be Chapman-mania if he comes up and does what Fernando did. But how many Fernandos are there?"

Not many, but there aren't too many Chapmans, either. At least that we've seen so far.

Categories: Cincinnati Reds, Featured Stories, Spring Training 2010

Tags: Aroldis Chapman, Casey Blake, Dusty Baker, Fernando Valenzuela, Matt Kemp