More positive reaction on Chapman

[VR]

Aroldis spelled backwards is Sidlora

[redsmetz]

A piece from today's Washington Post about Chapman juxtaposed with Strasburg

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...031102516.html

[Big Klu]

The quote I put up left off part of McCoy's response: “My ancestors are from Jamaica and moved to Cuba,” said Chapman. OK, mon, so who in Jamaica is named Chapman. I digress. .

It sounded like McCoy was questioning why anyone in Jamaica would be named Chapman, hence my comment about it having been a British colony. The other primary Latin player without an Anglo name was David Green from Nicaragua. I think there were places in Nicaragua where folks moved over from Belize (formerly British Honduras), which would explain his name too.

Blue Jays slugger George Bell was from the Dominican Republic.

[traderumor]

I would imagine the big market fans are now questioning the well that was poisoned when it became apparent that Chapman was not as enamored with the big boys as the foreign free agents normally are.

The Reds seem to have finally been in the right place at the right time on this one. Chapman's agent seems to be a good one, investing in his client's long-term possibility of success instead of just going for the money grab from day one.

There is certainly enough history of setting up these young men to fail by sending them to the toughest fan and media markets right off the bat that his agent looked for something outside of the big market pressure cookers, even if it sacrificed a few current dollars.

[lollipopcurve]

The Reds seem to have finally been in the right place at the right time on this one.

No luck was involved, the way I see it. They sold their opportunity better than several other teams did.

[BCubb2003]

Blue Jays slugger George Bell was from the Dominican Republic.

As was some guy named Vladimir. And there's a Canadian with an Italian name. And Homer is a pitcher.

[Chip R]

A few days ago the Tampa Bay Rays signed a Cuban player by the name of Leslie Anderson. Again, not exactly a surname you would expect for a Cuban.

Nor a first name.

[OnBaseMachine]

Nice article by Phil Rogers.

So who’s better: Chapman or Strasburg?

That’s the great baseball argument of the moment, one that turned white hot after the two newcomers combined for this pitching line in their spring debuts: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO. There’s no right or wrong answer. The amazing thing is there can be a discussion

Follow the link for the rest:
http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/...osition=recent

[Matt700wlw]

Bob Feller's an idiot.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...6971/index.htm

[RBA]

Bob Feller's an idiot.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...6971/index.htm

The joke went over my head.

[Big Klu]

Bob Feller is a bitter old man who resents the fact that players today (and for the last 40 years) made more money than he did. I think he also resents the fact that he lost time to World War II. While I greatly respect the sacrifice he made in the war, he needs to come to grips with the fact that he wasn't alone in losing productive years to WWII, and in fact he should be grateful that came back at all--let alone in one piece! Thousands of American boys gave their lives at Monte Cassino, Anzio, Normandy, Bastogne, the Ardennes, Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and other places. But Feller always seems to have this attitude that the world owes him something.

[traderumor]

No luck was involved, the way I see it. They sold their opportunity better than several other teams did.

They only had the opportunity to sell because they weren't necessarily looking for the largest bidder. That is a relatively new development in the foreign free agent market.

[bucksfan2]

I'm optimistic that Reds management seems committed to letting him go at his own pace. Short of throwing no-hitters every time out, I don't think there's really a chance he starts with the big clubs. He's going to get some time in the minors to adjust culturally. But it sure is excited to see how much more coachable and polished he is than the original rumors suggested.

I had thought that there is no way possible Chapman starts with the Reds. With each outing, and everything that I read, it looks like he has a shot to start with the big league club.

But I also realize that its spring training and ST starts should be taken with a grain of salt. I am not worried about Harrang as of right now so I really shouldn't be so excited about Chapman. With the advant of ESPN and Chapman's status his success is being over hyped and his bad outings will be over hyped as well.

[OnBaseMachine]

From Hal McCoy:

THE DYNAMICS of watching the development and learning process of lefthanded Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman are enlightening.

On an early morning, with the dew still kissing the grass, Chapman was standing on a bullpen mound in deep discussion with pitching coach Brian Price, catcher Corky Miller and interpreter Tony Fossas.

Chapman spoke rapidly in the Spanish and Fossas said, “He says so far he has thrown fastballs on the first pitch to every hitter he has faced. He’d like permission to shake off the catcher because he’d like to throw some first-pitch sliders.”

for the complete article:
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/pages/l...53&feedID=4017

[lollipopcurve]

They only had the opportunity to sell because they weren't necessarily looking for the largest bidder. That is a relatively new development in the foreign free agent market.

Agreed. It is an interesting and welcome development. But I still object to classifying the signing as "right place, right time." Chapman hardly fell into their lap. The FO and ownership deserve a ton of credit for the signing.