Chapman pulled from Game Today with Stiff Back

[mdccclxix]

Wanting to make the team, he kept it hidden until today when he struggled with his fastball. The feeling now is that he'll not be the 5th starter, but we'll see if he can bounce back.


http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/03/22/price-on-chapman-2/


I feel sorry for the kid, I was just starting to believe he had a shot. Especially after he mowed down the Rox in 8 pitches to start the 6th today. . .

[redsfanmia]

I blame Dusty, he has already ruined the guy and the regular season has not even started yet.;)

[K30]

I blame Dusty, he has already ruined the guy and the regular season has not even started yet.;)

starting the "Blame Dusty" Campaign early this year i see? haha:D

[Kingspoint]

At the beginning of the inning I was saying to myself, "The way Chapman's pitching he's going to throw out his back." His pitching motion didn't look normal. He had a weird motion to his pitching. Turns out he was adjusting for having already thrown out his back, but I didn't recognize it was that. All the professionals did, obviously though. He'll be OK. Again, just one more reason why they're going to start him in the minors for two months, so they can monitor his early growth in a controlled environment.

[Griffey012]

At the beginning of the inning I was saying to myself, "The way Chapman's pitching he's going to throw out his back." His pitching motion didn't look normal. He had a weird motion to his pitching. Turns out he was adjusting for having already thrown out his back, but I didn't recognize it was that. All the professionals did, obviously though. He'll be OK. Again, just one more reason why they're going to start him in the minors for two months, so they can monitor his early growth in a controlled environment.

The professionals realized his back was a problem once he either winced or made motion about it....or because they came to talk to him after he started laboring through a tough inning. I don't know who these godlike wonder men are you think we have on our staff who can magically prevent injuries and shape Chapman into superman under "controlled" conditions. If they were that great they would have noticed an issue in his delivery right away and talked to him after it happened on 2 or 3 consecutive pitches, not after the 35 or so he threw in the inning.

[Kingspoint]

The professionals realized his back was a problem once he either winced or made motion about it....or because they came to talk to him after he started laboring through a tough inning. I don't know who these godlike wonder men are you think we have on our staff who can magically prevent injuries and shape Chapman into superman under "controlled" conditions. If they were that great they would have noticed an issue in his delivery right away and talked to him after it happened on 2 or 3 consecutive pitches, not after the 35 or so he threw in the inning.

Both Mitch Williams and Joe Magraine said they could see it before anyone came out to talk to him. They both said it with as much matter-of-fact as if they were talking about someone walking down the street with a limp.

Now you and I (and almost everyone who posts at REDSZONE) don't possess the experience and knowledge to witness that sort of thing, but to those two men and those like them, it's second-nature.

[Griffey012]

Both Mitch Williams and Joe Magraine said they could see it before anyone came out to talk to him. They both said it with as much matter-of-fact as if they were talking about someone walking down the street with a limp.

Now you and I (and almost everyone who posts at REDSZONE) don't possess the experience and knowledge to witness that sort of thing, but to those two men and those like them, it's second-nature.

Then my question (not to you but to the staff) is why was he left out there so long? When a pitcher alters his mechanics to compensate for discomfort elsewhere, it significantly increases his chances of injuring himself. And in this situation Chapman or some of these other guys are not going to say anything because they are battling for a rotation spot, you kinda start playing with fire.

[Red in Atl]

I will preface this with I assume he is fine and this is a rather normal issue. I personally feel like the best place for him to adjust to the US is in the minors for a few months, let Fossas go with him and give him time to feel normal here.

Rushing him to the bigs is just a bad idea no matter how much we paid him, how mature he seems, how much better his control is etc. I want this guy to be a Red for a long time. And we have plenty of decent options for a 5th starter.

I think Lehr would do a fine job. It's his time and could make him some nice trade bait when Chapman is ready and/or Volquez for that matter.

[BLEEDS]

I think Maloney and Owings both make the team, so they can be swing starters and bullpen guys.

Leake, Chapman, Wood, all need to get extended looks in the minors at this point, and get used to pitching every 5th day, and also see how they react to extended loads.

And, of course, the only reason you need to know why Chapman will start in the minors, is all in his contract and finances. ;)

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Kingspoint]

Then my question (not to you but to the staff) is why was he left out there so long? When a pitcher alters his mechanics to compensate for discomfort elsewhere, it significantly increases his chances of injuring himself. And in this situation Chapman or some of these other guys are not going to say anything because they are battling for a rotation spot, you kinda start playing with fire.

That's a very good question. I'm certain that they all noticed it. Even during Baker's "interview" with the TV crew, he looked pretty concerned about what was going on. He should have been out of the inning if Sutton hadn't missed the double-play ball. Then it was a couple more batters while Dusty was talking to the television audience live. He was pretty distracted. He sent Bryan Price out. Then the TV interview was dropped so Baker could speak to Price and find out what was going on. They jumped out there in the middle of a batter's count (2-1) and did take him out as they could see what was wrong and called for the trainer.

It's probably just precautionary, but these are the things they need to send him down to the minors for. They need to know if there's something he's doing that might cause something like this, etc. They want to have all their bases covered before they move him full-time into the Major League starting rotation. There's no rush on this guy. They are going to take their time.

As Mitch Williams said, "If this guy gets a boo-boo, they're going to over-react to it", and justifiably so, considering his potential and the monetary investment they've made.

[The Voice of IH]

lets take this one slow, Price said that it was a normal spring problem, they may have to sit him for an outing, but he will be back. If you really want to think someone's career is over....Think Edison Volquez.....

[Griffey012]

That's a very good question. I'm certain that they all noticed it. Even during Baker's "interview" with the TV crew, he looked pretty concerned about what was going on. He should have been out of the inning if Sutton hadn't missed the double-play ball. Then it was a couple more batters while Dusty was talking to the television audience live. He was pretty distracted. He sent Bryan Price out. Then the TV interview was dropped so Baker could speak to Price and find out what was going on. They jumped out there in the middle of a batter's count (2-1) and did take him out as they could see what was wrong and called for the trainer.

It's probably just precautionary, but these are the things they need to send him down to the minors for. They need to know if there's something he's doing that might cause something like this, etc. They want to have all their bases covered before they move him full-time into the Major League starting rotation. There's no rush on this guy. They are going to take their time.

As Mitch Williams said, "If this guy gets a boo-boo, they're going to over-react to it", and justifiably so, considering his potential and the monetary investment they've made.

I didn't get to catch the game on tv, but I was reading through the game thread on tORG and that was the way they also made it sound as if Chapman didn't look right an was throwing a lot of offspeed and really just laboring (when Dusty was him hawing around the booth). I was just really irritated it took them that long to get out to him, and it should be that way with any pitcher not just Chapman, if they don't look right figure out why ASAP.

[Griffey012]

lets take this one slow, Price said that it was a normal spring problem, they may have to sit him for an outing, but he will be back. If you really want to think someone's career is over....Think Edison Volquez.....

Volquez will be back and stronger just like pretty much everyone else who gets TJ surgery these days. He is already throwing off a mound.

[The Voice of IH]

I hope you are 100% correct Griffy :thumbup:

[krm1580]

Volquez had more issues in his elbow that just tearing the ligament. I hope he comes back as good as he was before, but I am not counting on it.

[Griffey012]

Volquez had more issues in his elbow that just tearing the ligament. I hope he comes back as good as he was before, but I am not counting on it.

I really never read to much into his injury, just that i knew he was having tommy john and that was enough for me. What else was wrong/injured with it?

[krm1580]

I really never read to much into his injury, just that i knew he was having tommy john and that was enough for me. What else was wrong/injured with it?

I remember reading last year it was more serious than just Tommy John proceedure. I looked it up and apparently he had a torn flexor mass as well. I am not a doctor so I don't know how much of a difference it makes but the article made it sound more serious. Here is the article.

http://cnati.com/blogs/ctrent/2009/08/volquez-has-tommy-john-surgery.php

[Kingspoint]

I was reading through the game thread on tORG and made it sound as if Chapman didn't look right...

You made me curious, so I read through the game thread and there wasn't one mention of anyone saying that Chapman didn't look right prior to the trainer coming to the mound. There was the mention that he wasn't throwing his fastball, but no one noticed in the ORG that Chapman had some physical issues with his pitching, except the one person that said he was struggling with his release point because some of the pitches were high and wide. But, Brantley said as much several times because he said, when Chapman misses high and away, it's because he's not standing up all the way and getting that leg back, causing him to drop his arm too soon with his motion.