Aroldis Chapman and history

[lollipopcurve]

Folks, Chapman Crossroads straight ahead.

Lights out closer, but it may be a mistake to keep him in that role past this year. For all we know, he may be fried for the rest of 2012.

Some good arms in the back of the pen -- no excuse not to mix and match the back end for a couple weeks while they assess what's going on with Aroldis. They should assume he's done for the year -- and then if he bounces back, it's gravy. But this is not an arm you sacrifice on the altar of the 2012 postseason.

[LoganBuck]

His delivery looks different. Hard to describe but it doesn't look like he is driving towards the plate in the same manner. He is more upright.

[lollipopcurve]

His delivery looks different. Hard to describe but it doesn't look like he is driving towards the plate in the same manner. He is more upright.

Yes -- he looks a tad tentative. Not a good sign. No more "running him back out there" as if it's just normal fatigue.

[cumberlandreds]

His delivery looks different. Hard to describe but it doesn't look like he is driving towards the plate in the same manner. He is more upright.

I was listening to the game before I drifted off to sleep last night. Brantley was saying the same thing. He thinks its more mechanics than anything. After Price visited the mound his velocity went up to 96 or 97. That sorta tells me it is a mechanics issue. I hope so anyway.

[Sea Ray]

If it is shoulder fatigue then they ought to shut him down for two weeks. Throwing as hard as he does is going to tend to fatigue a few things so this isn't totally unexpected.

[bucksfan2]

Chapman looks tired. But this may be a blessing in disguise. He is having to use other pitches to get batters out. He isn't able to blow hitters away so he is forced to throw his slider/curve a little more. He is hittable but when it gets fixed that breaking pitch may just be better.

[Jefferson24]

Sounds like dead arm. Have him rest a few weeks, bring him back the last week of the season to get back into a groove. Problem solved.

[lollipopcurve]

Have him rest a few weeks, bring him back the last week of the season to get back into a groove. Problem solved.

Don't skip the MRI.

[klw]

Francisco Cordero was just released. The Reds could snap him up and put him back in the closer's role. No Redszone members heads would explode.

[Jefferson24]

Don't skip the MRI.

good idea, what can it hurt?

[RedEye]

Despite the "dead arm" issue, it's clear that Aroldis has put up one of the strongest season's in the history of his position. Here is Fangraphs' breakdown of the best RP seasons ever. Chapman and Kimbrel are both up there, especially when you look at their Kd9.

[wolfboy]

Despite the "dead arm" issue, it's clear that Aroldis has put up one of the strongest season's in the history of his position. Here is Fangraphs' breakdown of the best RP seasons ever. Chapman and Kimbrel are both up there, especially when you look at their Kd9.

Kimbrel. 2012. Wow.

[cincinnati chili]

The fact that 1995 Curtis Leskanic made this list proves that WAR (which I like) has its imperfections.

[camisadelgolf]

The fact that 1995 Curtis Leskanic made this list proves that WAR (which I like) has its imperfections.

To be fair, he had a great year in Coors Field during the steroid area. To put that in context, Vinny Castilla had an OPS of .911 (113 OPS+). This year, Troy Tulowitzki has an OPS+ of 111, and that's with an OPS of .846. Also, Leskanic led the league in appearances--many of which were for more than one inning at a time. I'm not saying WAR is the most accurate way of measuring his production that year, but I wouldn't be so quick to discredit it either.

[IslandRed]

Saw this one on Grantland today:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...lorida-marlins

More of a feature story than anything, but a good read.