Quote:
Originally Posted by muddie
Question for you guys...
Based on Chapman's performances recently and his out of this world heat, do you think he may be considered a closer? Is he already locked in as a starter in the organizations plans? Thanks for feedback.
|
I think its a growing possibility. With the rotation potentially already full, a clear path would be for Chapman to replace Rhodes as the power lefty in 2011 and then slide into closer in place of Cordero in 2012. I hate the thought of burning a potential TOR starter in the pen, but Mariano Rivera made a similar transition under similar circumstances. I'd say that worked out.
We probably won't see any 105s if he's a starter and throwing that hard may take a toll that holding him to 1 inning stints will keep at bay. It will be interesting to see what they do. I'm geared up to see him as a TOR arm, but I wouldn't be surprised or in much disagreement if the Reds took the relief path with Chapman.
A 2012 back-end of Joseph, Masset and Chapman may bring us a new version of the nasty boys. If Valiquette can get his high 90's LH heat under control and Ondrusek can keep progressing with Bailey, Cueto, Volquez, Wood and Leake as the starting staff, it could be a dominant staff with no real weak links.
That's a lot of ifs though.