Chapman Headed to Arizona

It looks like the season isn’t over for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman. The Reds appear very serious about turning Chapman into a starter for 2012 so they’re sending him to the Arizona Fall League to stretch out the arm. He’ll be making his debut Monday.

@m_sheldon: Aroldis Chapman to pitch 3 games in Arizona Fall Lg Oct 24, 27, 31 #reds

Part of my mind thinks how will this really stretch his arm out? I mean really, he’ll pitch in three meaningless games in October then take three and a half months off before the start of Spring Training. What will that do for him? Seriously.

At the same time, I think this is a good idea. He’s had some time off since the Reds season ended so he’d get a chance to air the arm out and keep the strength up.

What I really question though is can Chapman be an effective big league starter? He’s had some success as a reliever, he has a 3.60 ERA with 90 strikeouts over 69 career appearances. In 2011, he struck out 71 over 50 innings pitched. The 90 strikeouts and eye popping 100+ mph fastballs show he has the raw talent to succeed.

The problem though is can he translate that raw talent into the stuff you’d expect from a top of the rotation starter. The top of the rotation is where the Reds think he’ll be but will he ever control that 100+ mph fastball to give a team seven plus innings per start?

The knock on Chapman has always been his control which he struggled with again in 2011. Yes, he struck out 71 over 50 innings pitched, but he also walked 41 batters. With high walk and strikeout numbers are we wrong to assume that he’ll have very high pitch counts early in every start?

Hopefully Aroldis can learn how to become a pitcher and not just a hard thrower. The talent is there and he can definitely be a top of the rotation starter. Can you imagine a Washingtion Nationals / Reds game with Chapman facing off against Stephen Strasburg?? I think the radar gun would break.

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Tags: Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds, MLB