Chapman to bullpen now official

[Patrick Bateman]

When? After he's been a reliever for another couple years? The Reds will be in 'win now' mode next year and the year after as well. It's almost like they're trying to make the Bengals look like they're run well.

The constant suggestion that the Reds are run poorly based on the disdain for one decision is pretty difficult to take seriously.

Since Cast and Jock have taken over, the Reds have been one of the better organizations run. Not many mid/small market teams are currently enjoying the success of late, let alone as well built for the future.

[Trajinous]

When? After he's been a reliever for another couple years? The Reds will be in 'win now' mode next year and the year after as well. It's almost like they're trying to make the Bengals look like they're run well.

The win-now excuse is bull.... I bet they are also giving a 100% of effort out there to.

Having a good starter gives the Reds a better chance at winning. There's something here they aren't telling us. I've read Chapman wants to close so maybe it's that's easy. He's a strange guy so maybe he'd rather work one inning and take the glory of a save. Hold on, I have to go grab my tin foil hat....

[westofyou]

If the Reds are stupid and win the NL Central 2 out of every 3 years then I'll take stupid.

[REDREAD]

Teams that use spring training numbers as the primarty deciding factor in determining who wins a spot over another player are teams that aren't sucessful in the long run.

IMOHOYAWTY

It depends.

Am I worried about Ludwick's spring training numbers? No.

What about someone like Parra? Well, he's fighting for a job. He isn't there to work on stuff and just get in shape like the established players. He darn well better treat every appearance he gets in spring training as if it's his only chance to audition, because that might be the truth. So, he needs to come out with his best effort.

I don't think teams just look at the final stat line and make a decision. They watch the guy throw in a live game situation and judge this talent. So I think spring training is a valid way to evaluate Parra's fastball, for example. His career stats tell you some things, but there's no substitute for seeing how he's throwing right now.

[Trajinous]

“(The media) has made a big deal out of this,” Jocketty said. “You’ve exaggerated the point. There has not been a big in-house battle. We approached this spring exactly the same as last year with Chapman. He was either going to be a starter or closer."

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...pman-to-close/

Shenanigans! Price said Chapman was being bred as a starter. Last year, Chapman was a starter til Madsen went down then was a set-up guy.

This wouldn't be as big of a deal if Chapman wasn't signed as a starter but he was.

[dougdirt]

Side effect of Chapman as the closer? He will throw fewer innings in 2013. He had 6 games where he went more than 3 outs before he was made the closer, including several two inning outings. After being named the closer, he had one game with more than 3 outs recorded, on May 27th.

[edabbs44]

Well, I was wrong.

Eating crow as we speak. Signing Broxton = Major fail if Chapman actually moves back to the 'pen. That's $21 million we could have used in a much-better way.

Isn't Broxton only getting $4MM this year?

Who knows, maybe Chapman to the rotation makes more sense next year with Bronson potentially rolling off. Then the $17MM owed to Brox makes everyone feel better.

[IslandRed]

This year we have Cingrani and Corcino to hopefully choose from if something happens in the rotation.

As for what changed, there could be 100 different things. All of which have been debated about in this thread already.

Yep. And if any of those things could cast Chapman in a negative light, they'll keep it to themselves. That's one thing I like about the way the organization has been run lately, they don't hang players out to dry in the media. If that means they have to take the slings and arrows themselves because they can't give the real reason for what they're doing, so be it.

[redsfandan]

The current Reds will score pretty high on a "well run organization" ranking in their industry.

Cmon, first he's going to be a starter, then he's not, then he is, then he's not, ...

I've also seen the Reds ranked highly as an organization. But, I doubt it was because of their handling of Chapman.

[757690]

Well, I was wrong.

Eating crow as we speak. Signing Broxton = Major fail if Chapman actually moves back to the 'pen. That's $21 million we could have used in a much-better way.

Broxton's $21M could have been used in a much better way regardless of how Chapman is used. He's not a good closer. Which is the biggest reason why I'm not that upset with Chapman as closer. I was never confident in Broxton.

[Patrick Bateman]

Cmon, first he's going to be a starter, then he's not, then he is, then he's not, ...

I've also seen the Reds ranked highly as an organization. But, I doubt it was because of their handling of Chapman.

That's because normally when people rank organizations, they don't base it arbitrarily on one decision.

Every organization gets some things wrong, and some things right.

In the end, the Reds have been getting moer than their fair share right, and in the end, we may never know if they got this one right or not.

[AtomicDumpling]

"If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything."

Here is my opinion...

[Raisor]

It could be worse, we could be Cubs fans.

I'm changing my season prediction.

I now think the Reds will only win the division by 10 games instead of by 14.

[redsfandan]

It could be worse, we could be Cubs fans.

I'm changing my season prediction.

I now think the Reds will only win the division by 10 games instead of by 14.

Yeah, but I think I wouldn't mind trading gms with them.

[edabbs44]

Yeah, but I think I wouldn't mind trading gms with them.

You mean the same guy who kept Papelbon as closer while giving Matt Clement (6.61 ERA), Kyle Snyder (6.02 ERA) and a 43 year old David Wells (4.98 ERA) 30 combined starts in 2006?