Aroldis Chapman, future closer?

[edabbs44]

Figured this would probably need its own thread.

“We would still leave (starting) as an option,” Jocketty said. “He definitely could be a top-of-the-rotation guy. He’s either going to have to do that or be a closer. I don’t see him being a set-up guy forever.”

My feeling is we’re going to give him an opportunity to start because he has a chance to be a shutdown starter,” pitching coach Bryan Price said. “He certainly has the stuff of a guy who can pitch at the top of a rotation. However, I don’t think that No. 1 starters are defined solely by stuff. I think there are a lot things that we don’t know about Aroldis that will help him define his best role for this club.

“This year, might help define where he is best suited to help us in the near future.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...of-the-future/

[Tommyjohn25]

Seems fair to me. He needs to show he can keep his pitch count down IMO. He won't do much good as a starter if he can't make it out of the 4th inning without being at 100 pitches. I think he can do it, however.

[OnBaseMachine]

What a huge waste of talent it would be if the Reds never give Chapman the opportunity to start.

[RedFanAlways1966]

I am not sure Chapman has ever thrown more than 120 innings in a single year. That concerns me. Almost as if the REDS need to stair-step him up to a level where he can start once every 5 games. I'd rather have him starting. No doubt about it.

[edabbs44]

I'd be interested to hear the internal discussions here. Maybe he doesn't have the stamina. Maybe they don't think that he'll fully develop a third pitch. They obviously know the value of a starter vs. a reliever, so there must be a valid argument for him staying a reliever if that's a direction they are strongly considering.

[Blitz Dorsey]

There is no question in my mind he will eventually be a starter. It would have been like making Randy Johnson a closer instead of a starter. And remember when Randy Johnson was dominating at the age of 22-23? Of course you don't because he didn't get good until about the age of 26 or 27. Chapman might not be a starter this season, but he'll definitely be one down the road. Keeping him in the bullpen would be akin to wasting his talents (due to much-less IP).

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

There is no question in my mind he will eventually be a starter. It would have been like making Randy Johnson a closer instead of a starter. And remember when Randy Johnson was dominating at the age of 22-23? Of course you don't because he didn't get good until about the age of 26 or 27. Chapman might not be a starter this season, but he'll definitely be one down the road. Keeping him in the bullpen would be akin to wasting his talents (due to much-less IP).

Chapman might not be in the Reds' plans when he is 26 or 27 due to FA demands. Would that change your mind?

[The Voice of IH]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

What a huge waste of talent it would be if the Reds never give Chapman the opportunity to start.

well, to be fair they did give him a chance to start last spring

[savafan]

I could see Massett, Arredondo and Chapman be the new "Nasty Boys".

Still, I'd love to see Chapman as a starter.

[jojo]

Aroldis Chapman, future closer? I hope not.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

I'd be interested to hear the internal discussions here. Maybe he doesn't have the stamina. Maybe they don't think that he'll fully develop a third pitch. They obviously know the value of a starter vs. a reliever, so there must be a valid argument for him staying a reliever if that's a direction they are strongly considering.

Doesn't the Price quote kind of sum it it? Pitchability. Right now they see him as a thrower not a pitcher.

[Griffey012]

I wonder if they would you Chapman as a 2 inning type closer more like what we used to see out of Eckersley, Smith, and some of those guys.

If Chapman throws 100 innings a year as a closer of dominant ball he would still be very, very valuable. But if he is used as a traditional closer and throws around 65 im not such a fan.

[savafan]

I'm too lazy to look it up, does anyone know what Chapman's average annual salary is?

[RedsManRick]

Originally Posted by savafan

I'm too lazy to look it up, does anyone know what Chapman's average annual salary is?

It's hard to say. His contract has some moving parts:

He got a $16M bonus that's spread out over 10 years.

Salary wise, he goes '10:$1M, '11:$1M, '12:$2M, '13:$2M, '14:$3M, '15:$5M player option.

However, once he's qualified for arbitration, the remainder of his salary (option not included) becomes a bonus and he becomes arb eligible.

Assuming he stays in the majors, that should be after 2013. So for the next 3 years, the Reds are paying him $2.5-$3.0M per.

[savafan]

Well, at that price, he's still a bargain if he can be a lights out closer and the Reds have some pretty good depth in the rotation...

I'd still rather see Arredondo take over as the eventual closer, as early as this season.