Chapman and Winter Ball

[texasdave]

Chapman may pitch winter ball as tune-up

CINCINNATI -- The Reds, who are considering making Aroldis Chapman a rotation candidate for 2012, are contemplating having the left-hander pitch winter ball in the off-season.

"We're discussing the possibility of Chapman playing some place to get him extended out to possibly start," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "There are a lot of things in question now."

Chapman was signed to a six-year, $30 million contract in January 2010 with designs on being a starter. In 51 relief appearances this season entering Tuesday, he is 4-1 with a 3.91 ERA with three of his 18 inherited runners scoring.

This was on www.cincinnatireds.com.

If they up the number of innings a pitcher can increase their workload, do innings in winter ball count against that increase? I think they would. Seems logical. Why waste his innings in winter ball? Reds mismanagement will find a way to screw things up.

[Stray]

The more concerning thing to me is that if we were planning on putting him in the rotation in 2012 we didn't stretch his innings out at all this year. You'd like to be able to gradually increase a guys work load.

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by Stray

The more concerning thing to me is that if we were planning on putting him in the rotation in 2012 we didn't stretch his innings out at all this year. You'd like to be able to gradually increase a guys work load.

Reds mismanagement basically tossed in the towel with their lack of activity at the trade deadline. They had two months to get him working two or three or four innings at a time. But, as usual, sitting on their hands was the order of the day. Because everybody knows that you have one pitcher for the seventh, and one for the eighth and one for the ninth. How do you get your five pitchers in every night if you let one of your relievers pitch multiple innings? That is crazy talk.

[Stray]

Yeah it sucks. It's obvious they really had no idea what to do with him.

I was fine with his role on the team if we were in the race, but out of it he may as well be getting stretched out in Louisville or in bullpen sessions. His spot in the pen at the moment serves no productive purpose.

[HalKing]

Personally I love the idea of stretching him out and getting him ready to be used as a starter. I think the past two seasons have been a complete waste of his potential and talent. What I dislike about this idea is having him do it in a winter ball setting where the Reds have little to zero control over who he'll be working with as a pitching coach. Chapman, for all his talent and potential is still a work in progress as far as mechanics go. Throwing him into a winter ball setting is in my opinion just a set up for disaster. They ought to send him to work with Mario Soto at Soto's academy and strictly concentrate on his mechanics and repeating those. While he should have been in Louisville working with Ted Power for at the very least half of 2011, he wasn't... so I think its inevitable that he starts 2012 with the Bats. Let him get at least a month or so of taking a regular turn in the rotation there and then based on the results bring him to Cincy when he's ready.

[brm7675]

If he is going to be a SP at some point he needs to begin working on that. going to winter ball with the right coaches and team is a good idea, it means they are finally getting this kid into the SP role he should be in. He should be good to go come the 2013 season.

[Krawhitham]

Originally Posted by Stray

The more concerning thing to me is that if we were planning on putting him in the rotation in 2012 we didn't stretch his innings out at all this year. You'd like to be able to gradually increase a guys work load.

They claim you do not want to increase a pitchers workload by more than 30 innings per season, that is why Leake is shut down this season.

Chapman has 46 innings this season, so what he can pitch 76 inning next season, assuming 6 innings per start that is only 12 starts

Now would winter ball innings count on this season or next season? Plus it would suck if Chapman blows out his arm in winter ball.

I do not see how he can start personally, he only has one pitch he can throw for strikes and that one pitch is only a strike 75% of the time.

[drowg14]

Originally Posted by Krawhitham

They claim you do not want to increase a pitchers workload by more than 30 innings per season, that is why Leake is shut down this season.

Chapman has 46 innings this season, so what he can pitch 76 inning next season, assuming 6 innings per start that is only 12 starts

Now would winter ball innings count on this season or next season? Plus it would suck if Chapman blows out his arm in winter ball.

I do not see how he can start personally, he only has one pitch he can throw for strikes and that one pitch is only a strike 75% of the time.

I think 30 ip extra per year is for starters. He will be allowed to pitch more than 76 innings most likely. He has started in the past, and players like CJ Wilson have precedence in relievers becoming starters and having a large jump in IP.

[brm7675]

Originally Posted by Krawhitham

They claim you do not want to increase a pitchers workload by more than 30 innings per season, that is why Leake is shut down this season.

Chapman has 46 innings this season, so what he can pitch 76 inning next season, assuming 6 innings per start that is only 12 starts

Now would winter ball innings count on this season or next season? Plus it would suck if Chapman blows out his arm in winter ball.

I do not see how he can start personally, he only has one pitch he can throw for strikes and that one pitch is only a strike 75% of the time.

How does he only have 1 pitch? Does he need to refine his skills and add a 3rd pitch...sure but he has more then just his fastball.

[jwmann2]

I could def. see Chapman in a 'Tigres Del Licey' uniform this winter. The Dominican league would the place to be.

[Ohayou]

I didn't like the Reds converting him to a reliever to start with. Yeah, he disappointed in his first professional year but they threw him right into AAA and that's still no reason to take a pretty big investment and rush him to the big-leagues in a role he's not really familiar with. He should've been working the kinks out starting at AA or AAA this season.

His one and only flaw is his control, how in the hell do they expect him to get that under control (especially against MLB hitters) when he's limited to 3-4 appearances a week?

I hope he dominates in winter ball and ST, I love watching that delivery.

[jwmann2]

Dominican ball is very competitive but is made up primarily of triple A All Stars and former has-beens like Pablo Ozuna and Amazega from the Marlins.