Professional Debut

[TRF]

Excluding Leake from the discussion as he made his professional debut in the majors, Who do you think was more impressive, Chapman or Strasburg?

If you ask ESPN, the answer is Strasburg.

Strasburg K'd 8 in 5 innings. 4 Hits, 4 Runs, 1 ER and 2 BB's. Nice line for a professional debut. At AA

Chapman went 4 2/3 innings 5 Hits 1 R, 0ER 1BB 9 K's. in AAA.

The story for Strasburg's debut was very long. Included lots of details about the game, interviews with him and opposing players. All the relevant stats included

Chapman got 4 tiny paragraphs, one of which was a rehash of him defecting, signing and competing for the 5th rotation spot. no mention of hits, BB's or runs allowed. They did mention he throws really hard though.

At first I was bothered by this. Then I thought it out. Let the kid fly under the radar a bit. I mean sure everybody, the opposing teams especially know about him, but let him pitch away from the media hype machine for a little while as he gets acclimated. That can only help him achieve a comfort level that will help him adjust to life here in the states.

Still, both Leake (I'm bringing him back into the discussion now) and Chapman made their professional debuts and ESPN hardly noticed. Both pitchers did well, but both have some room to grow. You'd think they might mention some teams from the country's midsection every now and then.

[muddie]

If Leake and Chapman were in New York they would have canceled the soaps to cover them yesterday. Don't sweat it.

[dougdirt]

I agree with ESPN that Strasburgs was more impressive than Chapmans. It just simply was. If no one swung a bat the entire game Strasburgs K/BB would have been about the same as it was. Chapman would have had about 6 walks and 5 strikeouts.

The thing that gets me though is Leake's lack of coverage. Even here in Cincinnati. On the Enquirer front page, Chapman is smack dab in the middle of the front page, while Leake is on a sidebar with a picture 25% the size of Chapmans, and he is hitting. Go to the sports page and its the exact same thing, and Chapman also has multiple stories on him in the sports section.

[GIDP]

I agree with ESPN that Strasburgs was more impressive than Chapmans. It just simply was. If no one swung a bat the entire game Strasburgs K/BB would have been about the same as it was. Chapman would have had about 6 walks and 5 strikeouts.

The thing that gets me though is Leake's lack of coverage. Even here in Cincinnati. On the Enquirer front page, Chapman is smack dab in the middle of the front page, while Leake is on a sidebar with a picture 25% the size of Chapmans, and he is hitting. Go to the sports page and its the exact same thing, and Chapman also has multiple stories on him in the sports section.

Yea its a shame about the Leake coverage. I could imagine that in a few other cities the coverage up to the start would have been a major story.

[fearofpopvol1]

I agree with ESPN that Strasburgs was more impressive than Chapmans. It just simply was. If no one swung a bat the entire game Strasburgs K/BB would have been about the same as it was. Chapman would have had about 6 walks and 5 strikeouts.

See, I just don't agree. The results are what count. The final line for Chapman was better in pretty much every way. AND he did it at AAA instead of AA. To think of it another way...if Chapman had the line that Strasburg did and vice-versa, do you really think the media coverage would have been different? I really don't. If anything, the media would have been clamoring over Strasburg's 9 Ks. I think the media is just more interested in Strasburg.

[dougdirt]

See, I just don't agree. The results are what count. The final line for Chapman was better in pretty much every way. AND he did it at AAA instead of AA. To think of it another way...if Chapman had the line that Strasburg did and vice-versa, do you really think the media coverage would have been different? I really don't. If anything, the media would have been clamoring over Strasburg's 9 Ks. I think the media is just more interested in Strasburg.

I am more concerned about projection and right now, Strasburg's game was much more impressive when we look at how it would have played against major leaguers. I am sure the media is more interested in Strasburg, but I think there is a reason for it. Right now, he is simply better and I don't think its close. Chapman has more potential, but right now Strasburg is much better suited to be a starting pitcher in the major leagues.

[Kingspoint]

I agree with ESPN that Strasburgs was more impressive than Chapmans. It just simply was. If no one swung a bat the entire game Strasburgs K/BB would have been about the same as it was. Chapman would have had about 6 walks and 5 strikeouts.

The thing that gets me though is Leake's lack of coverage. Even here in Cincinnati. On the Enquirer front page, Chapman is smack dab in the middle of the front page, while Leake is on a sidebar with a picture 25% the size of Chapmans, and he is hitting. Go to the sports page and its the exact same thing, and Chapman also has multiple stories on him in the sports section.

That's just non-sense for the papers to do that. Leake won the job in Spring Training. He's the #8 player selected in the draft. He's the first pitcher since the 1920's to get 2 hits in his first major league game. He guts it out for 107 pitches. He pitched the REDS into their first Series win of the season (while showing the rest of the club how to be patient at the plate) The two stories aren't even comparable.

[OnBaseMachine]

Chapman's debut was better than Strasburg's, IMO. Chapman allowed one fewer ER, one less walk, and had one more K despite playing at a higher level.

[Redmachine2003]

Chapman's debut was better than Strasburg's, IMO. Chapman allowed one fewer ER, one less walk, and had one more K despite playing at a higher level.

I have to agree with this. And not to mention you can be effectively wild and keep them guessing all game long. If your pounding the strike zone all the time they will time it and run in to some but if they are going to swing at the bad stuff you keep throwing it because they cant hit it with an ironing board.

[dougdirt]

I have to agree with this. And not to mention you can be effectively wild and keep them guessing all game long. If your pounding the strike zone all the time they will time it and run in to some but if they are going to swing at the bad stuff you keep throwing it because they cant hit it with an ironing board.

Except Chapman was missing the catchers initial target by 1 and 2 feet, often. If they were setting up that way, it would be one thing, but when you are missing the catchers target by that much, its not what you are implying.

[TheNext44]

Except Chapman was missing the catchers initial target by 1 and 2 feet, often. If they were setting up that way, it would be one thing, but when you are missing the catchers target by that much, its not what you are implying.

You're not the only one to say that Chapman's numbers were skewed by pitching against minor leaguers. C.Trent quoted the Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish, who said that if he were pitching in the majors, he'd walked 8, he was that wild. So I believe you when you said that Strasburg had a better debut.

But do you really think that ESPN picked up on that, and that was the reason why there was less coverage of Chapman's debut than Strasburg's? Karl Ravech and Buster Olney are going to notice this and because of this they decide to give more attention to Strasburg? lol

No matter how well they did, or how well they do, Strasburg is going to get all the ink, because he's a Boras client, and plays for an East Coast Organization.

[fearofpopvol1]

You're not the only one to say that Chapman's numbers were skewed by pitching against minor leaguers. C.Trent quoted the Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish, who said that if he were pitching in the majors, he'd walked 8, he was that wild. So I believe you when you said that Strasburg had a better debut.

But do you really think that ESPN picked up on that, and that was the reason why there was less coverage of Chapman's debut than Strasburg's? Karl Ravech and Buster Olney are going to notice this and because of this they decide to give more attention to Strasburg? lol

No matter how well they did, or how well they do, Strasburg is going to get all the ink, because he's a Boras client, and plays for an East Coast Organization.

yes, this. though i don't think the boras angle matters that much. i don't even know if the east coast part matters.

the bottom line...ESPN is in love with stars and phenoms, especially ones that are highly touted. read the headlines on their site...it's not about what a team has done, it's nearly always about an individual. i'm looking right now at their homepage and out of the 10 headlines they have, 9/10 mention an individual in it. sports illustrated is the same way too. it's all about the stars anymore. i don't think it was that way so much in the 70s or 80s.

[RiverRat13]

To play devil's advocate regarding Chapman's numbers, from what I read on here and other places, four of the hits Chapman gave up were of the infield variety. If we are playing the "what if" game as far as what would have happened in the bigs, wouldn't it be possible that Chapman would have only given up one or two hits had he had a major league defense behind him? If you are going to knock the minor league hitters he faced, isn't it fair to knock the minor league fielders behind him? Especially a minor league defense that by all accounts has struggled the first week of the season.

[TRF]

I watched the game. Chapman wasn't missing by two feet. He got some calls, as all pitchers do. But he wasn't missing by 24 inches and getting called strikes. He blew them away. Does he, like Strasburg and Leake (who walked 7 I believe) have some learning to do? Of course. But his debut, at a higher level than Strasburg, was simply more impressive. Leake should have got as large a writeup as Strasburg as he was making his debut in MLB. But Leake isn't as hyped. He isn't heralded as the savior of the organization like Strasburg is. Chapman makes for a great story as he is young and a Cuban defector, but by now, who doesn't know that. Yet that information was 1/4 of the write up of his professional debut.

pathetic.

[Topcat]

If Leake and Chapman were in New York they would have canceled the soaps to cover them yesterday. Don't sweat it.

That Sir is a spot on statement