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Why not?
Dusty Baker is still the manager.
One source told ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure that the Reds expect to sign Chapman, a coveted left-handed pitcher, to a deal believed to be worth $30 million over five years.Yahoo! Sports reported that Chapman agreed to a deal on Sunday morning. Other outlets reported the deal as well.Chapman's representatives said Sunday afternoon that the deal is not done and would not confirm the team, but did say the Reds are "possible.""We have to wait still," agent Rodney Fernandez wrote to ESPN The Magazine in a text message in regard to a possible deal with the Reds. "It's possible. We'll see."
Maybe we can get Arroyo now?.
Dice K had years of professional experience before the Red Sox got him, and is still struggling in the big leagues.
Dice K only have one year where he struggled, and it was because he was tired/injured.Two years ago the guy was one of the better pitchers in the game going somthing like 17 and 3. Also dont forget that he plays in the AL east.
I heard today (on XM 175 while driving around) that it has just been revealed that Dice-K suffered a strained quadracep in the WBC, which led to a hip strain, which caused a shoulder injury. He apparently failed to reveal the quad injury to anyone.
Although they were unable to sign Chapman, Kasten believes the future is bright for the Nationals. He expects Strasburg, Drew Storen and Jordan Zimmerman to make an impact on the team. In fact, Kasten predicts the team will be better in 2010.
Biff got the number though: we offered Chapman 5 years, $25 million. More than the Jays, more than he might ultimately have been worth. Good try.
Biff Lobson back at it again.
They did this knowing they would lose the bid. LAC.
That's 9 out of 10 letters correct. If I got a 90% in most of my classes or anything associated with baseball, I'd be thrilled!
Signed LHP Aroldis Chapman to a six-year, $30.25 million contract. [1/11]For Tuesday, David Laurila's going to have a Q&A on the subject of Aroldis Champman with the Reds' scouting director, Chris Buckley, and you can anticipate that Chapman's going to figure prominently in Kevin Goldstein's forthcoming Reds Top 11 Prospects list, so what I can add here is going to be understandably less substantive as David's reporting or Kevin's prospecting. Admittedly, I come at Cuban players with a certain amount of suspicion, not all of it unreasonably based on Ariel Prieto. Well, OK, some of it, but not all of it. The uneven records of touted emigrés is a matter of record. Against the odd Livan Hernandez or el Duque on the mound, or Kendry Morales and Alexei Ramirez at the plate, there are the counter-examples of Prieto's limitations, or Jose Contreras' overhyped dickering with the Yankees and Red Sox, or the total non-development of Andy Morales or Alay Soler, or Yuniesky Betancourt's accomplished cipherdom.One of the things that came out of past discussions on evaluating Cuban league performances is that the talent there isn't distributed evenly; I might glibly compare it to the 1920s American League, where the schedule's got a few worthwhile teams, and several that exist to fill out the schedule, but Clay Davenport would explain it more effectively than I. When he hasn't been on the national team, Chapman's been pitching for Holguin, not one of the league's (deliberately) established powerhouses. Chapman's performance record has been a bit frightening in every sense of the word. He's been extremely wild, which makes sorting out what to expect that much more interesting and unpredictable. There's more to come when the full spread of projections gets published on-site, but a quick run through PECOTA produced some interesting suggestions about what he could do for the Reds right away: 92 IP, 84 hits, 67 walks, 116 strikeouts, 13 homers allowed (or 8.2 H/9, 5.8 BB/9, and 10.0 K/9), and a 5.25 ERA. That's not the same thing as saying that's what he'll do; it's a projection derived from past performance, and it's broad-strokes suggestive of, you guessed it, an exceptional talent, and one wild as all get out.There's a good dose of salt to take with evaluating Cuban performances, of course, which makes evaluating Chapman's addition that much more a matter of scouting. On that score, I'm looking forward to Kevin Goldstein's Reds Top 11 list as much as you are. Chapman's talent gets touted as aggressively as Contreras or the Hernandezes, and let's face it, lefties who pump gas in the high 90s are rare commodities. Lefties who reliably pump gas in the high 90s at the age of 22, touching triple digits? Well, you can understand where the excitement comes from.Will this impact the Reds in 2010? Seeing him pitch in the majors in the second half, and not 92 innings, seems extremely likely. Obviously, it's a bit of a surprise that the Reds were playing in this particular pool of talent, as well as amusing that a man who defected from Castro-stan would wind up becoming a Red. As far as calculations go, it's especially interesting because on the one hand, we see the Reds essentially sitting out the free-agent market this winter, all the more understandably given the limitations of what's available as well as their own payroll position. Why get in on Jon Garland or Orlando Hudson, after all? Sure, finding a better catcher than Ramon Hernandez or springing for a shortstop would be nice, but here again, the market's short of available answers.So instead, Walt Jocketty took a big hunk of cash and did something extraordinary, with an unpredictable outcome. For a club in Cincinnati's position, that's not such a bad idea, since their immediate chances of landing any difference-making free agents are a bit dodgy (assuming the exercise is even worthwhile, which Matt Swartz has cast a few recent doubts upon). It's an interesting gamble for a club who's strongest suit might be its rotation, but that's a strength that's as much a matter of depth than of any particular greatness. It's a strength whose time stands to pass, as veteran mid-rotation types like Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang are pitching for their 2011 options or impending free agency. Still, when you ponder the possibilities of a best-case future rotation boasting a healthy Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey coming into his own, and Chapman, that's more than a little interesting. Admittedly, that's as optimistic a picture as one could paint, but it is interesting. The Reds may well be in the odd predicament of being able to trade either of their veteran starters at the end of July yet also field a much more interesting team down the stretch, with Volquez on the comeback trail and Chapman potentially nearing readiness.
