Comments on: Aroldis Chapman tosses two perfect innings in spring debut

By: tracyhudsonateyourbaby

tracyhudsonateyourbaby — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 17:12:49 +0000

If you can top out at 94 while still getting your off speed pitches below 80, you’re actually doing pretty damn good. The average pitcher has a differential of around 6-8 mph between their fastballs and off speed stuff. A 14 or higher mph differential is pretty damn near unhittable

By: contraryguy

contraryguy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:11:23 +0000

He threw fastballs nearly 90% of the time (and threw his second pitch, whatever you want to call it, less than in past years). I’m among the Reds fans who say “get to 5 innings, every time out” and see what he’s doing by that 90th pitch. The Reds need a lefty starter, but this is a pretty large gamble.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10233&position=P

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:57:57 +0000

If he can command that fastball in the mid 90′s and develop his other pitches…look out.
To clarify…pitches (other) than his slider. If you throw mid 90′s heat then back it up with the occasional offspeed pitch BELOW 80…wow. Serious weapon. And the closer role is a wonderful backup option should he not be able to consistently locate his other pitches. Futures bright. No question.

By: Liam

Liam — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:32:04 +0000

With that kid of success, I wonder if anyone has ever considered using Chapman in a role where he only throws two or fewer innings at a time.

By: thomas844

thomas844 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:01:08 +0000

Because he handled his starters so poorly in 2012. Oh wait that’s right, they were the only team in the MLB that didn’t have one of their pitchers miss a start!

By: jm91rs

jm91rs — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:28:27 +0000

Half of the Reds team is on record as saying he should not be a starter because he has just ONE consistent pitch (I’ve heard arroyo, cozart, ludwick, phillips all mention this). Yes he throws a wicked slider, but not consistently. You can’t throw 9 fastballs and one slider for a ball and call that a 2nd pitch.

My only point in commenting is “great, he is working on other pitches, I hope once he warms up and gets into the year he’s able to dial up the speed a little on his fastball since that’s what really set him apart from most pitchers. I hope he learns the balance of speed and longevity” Nothing more, nothing less, don’t act like you need to talk me back off the ledge or anything, I’m all for him starting.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:54:46 +0000

When you never turn over a lineup, or pitch more than an inning at a time, you don’t need other pitches and should use only your best offerings. Just because Chapman only threw FB/SL last year doesn’t mean he didn’t have other pitches, just that he didn’t use them. There is no way he’d survive as a starter if he just threw FB/SL….no matter the heat, MLB hitters will catch up to it if they see it enough. When trying to turnover a lineup multiple times, you have to show hitters different things, or the 2nd or 3rd time through the line up, you’ll get lit up.

This is the primary difference between a back end starter and an ace. An ace has enough ways to get a hitter out that he can go through the lineup 3-4 times effectively, a lesser starter gets into trouble earlier, often the 3rd time through, which is why so many of those types of pitchers only make it through 5-6 innings.

Also, it was still February yesterday, no pitcher is throwing at 100% in February. Reds fans have no reason to worry, and every reason to be optimistic….for Chapman to show 4 pitches and throw 19 of 23 for strikes is fantastic.

By: bengalsucker

bengalsucker — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:35:17 +0000

too bad Aroldis had a nasty slider last year that crippled hitters. so yoir comment about his two pitches of “fast and faster” is false. and it was his first start in the spring. im willing to bet if Brian Price saw a pitch hit 98 right away hes gonna have a talk with Aroldis. he has to keep it dialed back for now.

By: jm91rs

jm91rs — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:19:48 +0000

If he has all of those pitches now, then great. But last year he had two pitches, fast and faster. And that worked pretty damn well for him. If he’s become a new pitcher with a bunch of stuff to mix in, then yeah he doesn’t need to throw better than 94, but when heat is what made you have one of the most dominant pitching seasons in history, hopefully you’re able to throw it every once in awhile. No one expects him to hit 100 10+ times in a long outing, but if he can’t dial it up there once in awhile he’s putting away the pitch that made him great. We’ll see as spring wears on I guess.

By: brewcrewfan54

brewcrewfan54 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:20:47 +0000

Great potential but after reading an article about how he doesn’t del well with adversity on the mound and gets a little lost the longer he’s out there this doesn’t prove me much. As a pitcher in a game I enjoy I hope he proves me wrong, as a division rival I have to hope he sucks.

By: johnnyb1976

johnnyb1976 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:55:07 +0000

If he’s avg 94 on his fastball and throwing splitters, sliders & a change up at 70 mph he’s going to have hitters spinning or really really late when they do see the fastball again.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:31:18 +0000

Throwing two perfect innings is not, however, very average.

If he is effective I don’t care if he never tops 80 on the gun. He needs to learn to save his heat for when he needs it anyway, so he can save his arm along the way.

By: jm91rs

jm91rs — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:10:02 +0000

It’s the spring so I’m not gonna worry too much, but topping out at 94 is very average. When you make your money throwing heat I hope he can dial it up a little when the season starts

By: dondada10

dondada10 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 02:36:11 +0000

I hope Dusty Baker has learned his lesson and doesn’t have Chapman throw until his shoulder falls off.