The Red Dragon

Thorburn:

Fireballers get all the attention in prospect land, so it’s not a coincidence that most of the pitchers profiled in this space have above-average torque.  In this case, Chapman’s hip-shoulder separation actually breaks the scale.

‘Roldi combines all of the ingredients to achieve maximum torque. He utilizes freakish flexibility to generate a ridiculous load with his upper half, and delays trunk rotation until well after foot strike.  The result is perhaps the greatest torque that I have ever seen on a pitcher, though it would take motion analysis data to validate that claim. The heavy scapular load does bring along some potential baggage, given the conditioning necessary for such a high-maintenance delivery. Chapman also carries a slight inverted W, for what it’s worth. …

‘If Viciedo can get $10 million, then what am I worth’ ask Cuban ballplayers

Campbell @ Toronto Star:

Neither Morales nor Escobar was a full-time starter in Cuba, but each has excelled in the majors. And Krieger says eyes across the island opened wide when Viciedo signed with the White Sox.

Touted as Cuba’s next great shortstop, Viciedo entered the National Series as a 15-year-old in 2005, and hit 14 home runs the next year. From there, Krieger says, his production declined, yet after defecting in 2008 he still signed a four-year, $10-million (all figures U.S.) deal with Chicago.

“Viciedo had a very significant impact on the thinking of Cuban players,” he said. “They thought, `If he can get $10 million, then what am I worth?” …

Aroldis Chapman profile

Baseball-Intellect:

With the start of free agency upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to profile the most talked about player on the market…a player that will be amongst the most sought after, but a player in which relatively little is known about. That player is Aroldis Chapman, the 21 year old left handed Cuban who defected earlier this year.

Bidding for Chapman’s services is expected to get as high as $60 million and will likely be no less than $40 million. Teams that are interested in Chapman include the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, and of course the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. I’m sure there are others, but those are the teams I’ve heard about the most.

As with most Cuban defects, the hype tends to be extremely strong and often overstated. Is that also the case with Chapman? Let’s explore…

Links, we got links, we got lots and lots of links.

– Mark Buehrle’s perfect game is the theme of an exhibit at the Art Institute.

– The Pods talks are back on. But Kenny won’t sacrifice other needs to fill the leadoff role.

– Dotel and Dye are officially ‘Type A free-agents’. Dotel filed for free-agency.

– Kenny expects the youngsters to contribute.

– Kenny will seek Carlos Quentin’s permission if he wants to move him to Right Field.

– Sox interest in Aroldis Chapman appears lukewarm says van dyck.

– Here’s the Elias free-agent rankings list. BA’s Q&A is here.

– Sox’ odds to win the 2010 World Series: 28-1.

– Phil Rogers wonders if Kenny will go after Roy Halladay.

Sox interested in Aroldis Chapman? [UPDATE]

MLBTR:

MLBTR has learned that the Cubs and White Sox have expressed interest in free agenty lefty Aroldis Chapman.  The Cardinals have been more aggressive than those clubs, and plan to meet with Chapman next week. …

Here are some videos of Chapman. And here are his Cuban National Series stats:

Year	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
2005-06	3	5	4.33	15	15	0	54	48	33	26	5	54	56	.240
2006-07	4	3	2.77	23	12	7	81	59	26	25	4	50	100	.207
2007-08	6	7	3.89	16	16	0	74	55	36	32	3	37	79	.200
2008-09	11	4	4.03	22	20	0	118	109	56	53	7	62	130	.252
TOTALS	24	19	3.74	76	63	7	328	271	151	136	19	203	365	.227

Chapman’s birthday is reported as Feb. 28, 1988.

Don’t forget Alfredo Despaigne Kenny!

UPDATE: Here’s a more detailed version of his stats:

	  G GS GF GR  W  L  PCT SHO SV    IP   AB   BF   H  AVG   R  ER  ERA  SO  BB IBB 2B 3B HR HBP WP
2005-06 15 15  0  0  3  5 .375   0  0    54  200  263  48 .240  33  26 4.33  56  54   1  7  0  5   5  3
2006-07 23 12  0 11  4  3 .571   0  7  81.1  285  350  59 .207  26  25 2.77 100  50   0  8  1  4   9  5
2007-08 16 16  2  0  6  7 .462   1  0    74  275  324  55 .200  36  32 3.89  79  37   2 10  3  3   8  1
2008-09 22 20  1  2 11  4 .733   0  0 118.1  433  515 109 .252  56  53 4.03 130  62   2 16  0  7   9 14
  2009P  2  2  1  0  0  2 .000   0  0    14   51   60  12 .235   6   5 3.21  14   7   1  2  0  1   1  0
 TOTALS 78 65  4 13 24 21 .533   1  7 341.2 1244 1512 283 .227 157 141 3.72 379 210   6 43  4 20  32 23

Aroldis Chapman’s Cuban League stats

Here are Chapman’s number in Cuba’s Serie Nacional from Chapman’s agency via BA:

Year	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG
2005-06	3	5	4.33	15	15	0	54	48	33	26	5	54	56	.240
2006-07	4	3	2.77	23	12	7	81	59	26	25	4	50	100	.207
2007-08	6	7	3.89	16	16	0	74	55	36	32	3	37	79	.200
2008-09	11	4	4.03	22	20	0	118	109	56	53	7	62	130	.252
TOTALS	24	19	3.74	76	63	7	328	271	151	136	19	203	365	.227

Chapman’s birthday is reported as Feb. 28, 1988.

UPDATE: Here’s a more detailed version of Chapman’s stats:

Year	G	GS	GF	GR	W	L	PCT	SHO	SV	IP	AB	BF	H	AVG	R	ER	ERA	SO	BB	IBB	2B	3B	HR	HBP	WP
2005-06	15	15	0	0	3	5	.375	0	0	54	200	263	48	.240	33	26	4.33	56	54	1	7	0	5	5	3
2006-07	23	12	0	11	4	3	.571	0	7	81.1	285	350	59	.207	26	25	2.77	100	50	0	8	1	4	9	5
2007-08	16	16	2	0	6	7	.462	1	0	74	275	324	55	.200	36	32	3.89	79	37	2	10	3	3	8	1
2008-09	22	20	1	2	11	4	.733	0	0	118.1	433	515	109	.252	56	53	4.03	130	62	2	16	0	7	9	14
2009P	2	2	1	0	0	2	.000	0	0	14	51	60	12	.235	6	5	3.21	14	7	1	2	0	1	1	0
TOTALS	78	65	4	13	24	21	.533	1	7	341.2	1244	1512	283	.227	157	141	3.72	379	210	6	43	4	20	32	23

text format:

	  G GS GF GR  W  L  PCT SHO SV    IP   AB   BF   H  AVG   R  ER  ERA  SO  BB IBB 2B 3B HR HBP WP
2005-06 15 15  0  0  3  5 .375   0  0    54  200  263  48 .240  33  26 4.33  56  54   1  7  0  5   5  3
2006-07 23 12  0 11  4  3 .571   0  7  81.1  285  350  59 .207  26  25 2.77 100  50   0  8  1  4   9  5
2007-08 16 16  2  0  6  7 .462   1  0    74  275  324  55 .200  36  32 3.89  79  37   2 10  3  3   8  1
2008-09 22 20  1  2 11  4 .733   0  0 118.1  433  515 109 .252  56  53 4.03 130  62   2 16  0  7   9 14
  2009P  2  2  1  0  0  2 .000   0  0    14   51   60  12 .235   6   5 3.21  14   7   1  2  0  1   1  0
 TOTALS 78 65  4 13 24 21 .533   1  7 341.2 1244 1512 283 .227 157 141 3.72 379 210   6 43  4 20  32 23

BA: No Evidence that Aroldis Chapman Is 26

BA’s J.J. Cooper says “none of the scouts we talked to thought [Aroldis] Chapman was 26 and there wasn’t any report anywhere we could find that said anything of the sort.”

What’s Aroldis Chapman’s age?

Yesterday I kept hearing 21. Today I read in SI/CNN that:

Chapman pitched for Cuba during the World Baseball Classic in March, where he posted a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 innings. Reports during that tournament listed Chapman’s age as 26.

More on Aroldis Chapman (UPDATE)

As it was mentioned earlier, 21 year old southpaw Aroldis Chapman left the Cuban national team with the intention to defect (that sounds like Capt. Remius!).

ESPN’s Jorge Arengure writes:

Chapman is still considered a fairly raw prospect. … And though his pitches have been clocked at 100 mph, some consider Chapman’s secondary pitches to be only average. For that reason, many believe Chapman likely would have to start his professional career in the minors.

However, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes that:

To put his talent in perspective: Some evaluators view Chapman as a left-handed Stephen Strasburg. “He’s pretty special,” said one official. He has a fastball clocked at 101 or 102 MPH, and a plus curveball and plus slider, to use the scouts’ vernacular.

If Olney’s right, the bidding for Chapman will be off the hook.

UPDATE: Jose’s and Alexei’s take after the jump

Cuban National team’s WBC No. 1 starter leaves team

John Manuel:

Lefthanded pitcher Aroldis Chapman, the hardest thrower for Cuba and its de facto No. 1 starter during the 2009 World Baseball Classic, reportedly has left the Cuban national team (Google translation) in the Netherlands. One veteran international scout has confirmed to BA that Chapman has left the team and is seeking to defect. … He did pitch in the WBC this spring, though, hitting 100 mph on the radar gun and averaging 93 mph in a 44-pitch outing against Japan. He also pitched against Australia in Mexico City, where a scout we talked to this spring saw him and was impressed.

Here’s one scout’s opinion:

“He was unreal in Mexico City and just OK in San Diego. There were rumors heading into Mexico that he wouldn’t be there because they were afraid he would defect, but he was there and was lights out. If you are looking for more than that in a pitcher, you’ll be searching your whole life. He was so much fun to watch. If he’s 21 like he’s listed, the sky’s the limit. You’ve got honestly just one or two tweaks that could be made but he could go straight to the top of a big league rotation. He’s got a great body, definitely has high pockets, absolutely. He’s on top of the hitter, his release has extension, he’s got the ball coming out of there at 100 mph. He’s absolutely electric.”

video of Chapman pitching after the jump