Aroldis Chapman Review

Realistically, I think that this ends up becoming a Yankees-Red Sox bidding war.

Other high-revenue teams like the Mets, Cubs, White Sox, Tigers, Angels, Dodgers and Phillies don't really have the excessive resources or the need for a player like Chapman, who still is a pretty good amount of projection, and other teams, like the Cards, Mariners, Giants and Athletics, certainly have the money, but it just doesn't make sense to spend that kind of money on a prospect when resources are limited.

If he ends up anywhere other than New York or Boston, I'll be surprised.

My prediction:

1. Every Yankee poster will claim that his team has the inside track.

2. Every Red Sox post will claim that his team has the inside track.

3. Every other poster will complain that the whole thing is rigged and unfair (which it is).

" Every other poster will complain that the whole thing is rigged and unfair (which it is)."

What's unfair, the fact your respective team will ultimately choose not to pursue a free agent they could sign if they really wanted to?

I agree teams like the marlins and pirates won't be able to land Chapman, but if you're spending 90+ mil a year in payroll, I think it's clear you have the capital to sign the guy if you decide it's worth it.

Not sure how whining helps.

Strasburg was not a free agent so it's not a valid comparison.

Jose Iglesias will get his friend over to Boston.

Question- The Dodgers were supposedily(sp?) ruled out of these sweepstakes a few weeks ago. However, that was when we were more focused on Kikuchi. Now that he is staying in Japan, it would seem that they would at least jump in and see what happens. I know no one has reported it, but to me, that doesnt mean much. The Dodgers and Colletti in general like to do business behind the scenes(ie, his extension, Cliff Lee rumors, etc)

"

Could every team "afford" Chapman? Sure. Is it a good use of resources to invest $40m in a guy that most people haven't even see pitch yet? Hardly.

Big payroll teams can afford the risk. To pretend that everyone is playing on the same economic footing is just absurd. Teams ARE NOT worth equal value. They do not generate equal revenues. Their operating budgets are different.

The fact is that you can have a totally pathetic team in NY (think the Mets of 2009) and a very competitive team in Miami. Yet, the revenues and profit will be nowhere close. The Mets, despite their ineptitude (and injuries) are in such a better position to take a risk than the Marlins. And it's not just one year. We would repeat this over and over again and the same would still be true. NY, LA, Boston, Chicago all own serious economic advantages over the other markets.

BTW - my team is a big market player. They have somewhat unlimited resources. That doesn't mean though that I think the system is remotely fair or equitable. I recognize that my Angels and the A's are not playing by the same rules. That's why I have tremendous respect for the A's organization and leadership. They may not get the final results that the Angels do (at least over the past 7-8 years) but they are generally very efficient in playing the cards they are dealt."

Yeah, this is a pretty good way to look at it.

For the Yankees, Chapman busting would merely be a disappointment, like Pavano or Igawa.

For a team like the Athletics, Chapman busting would be a major failure in the front office and have repercussions in the team's financial flexibility for years.

I don't think that just because Boston and the NYY are the 2 teams that would be the most probable to bid the most that they would bid the price up the most at all.

The NYY spend crazy each and every year for fringe players and have done it for decades, it does not matter to them in the least if they are busts and move on, as long as a Steinbrenner is there to keep shoveling bullion into the fire to keep it stoked, they could care less as long as one of them pays off now and then, where in Boston they do not like to take chances on huge gambles with iffy chances.

If this gets into a bidding war at 25M plus, the NYY are going to be the highest bidder, Boston's chances of being chosen are with the minor league development, medical staff that they have and not being rushed like a piece of hamburger through the system.

your training staff let Beckett keep pitching through back pain and their 'training' led to DiceK being out all year. I wouldnt advertise that much

I have to wonder if a guy who throws 100 mph can really be a starter in MLB. Generally,(I know, there's always an exception) when a player throws that kind of heat he ends up in the bullpen where he can maximize his velocity. That being said, can you imagine if the Redsox do pick him up! Bard and Chapman, a young Righty-Lefty combo out of the bullpen that can both throw 100+ mph. That would be incredible!! Papelbon would almost definitely be gone in 2011. Im all for the Redsox signing as many quality arms as they can.

"your training staff let Beckett keep pitching through back pain and their 'training' led to DiceK being out all year. I wouldnt advertise that much"

That same medical staff also knew what was wrong with Beckett's persistent blister issue he had with the Marlins several times each year and he has not had -1- such problem with the Red Sox, not to mention diagnosing properly medical issues other teams have missed entirely, such as Brad Penny by the LAD being a bad one that cones to mind..

Penny*

"That same medical staff also knew what was wrong with Beckett's persistent blister issue he had with the Marlins several times each year and he has not had -1- such problem with the Red Sox"

That is simply not true -- Beckett was DL'ed with a blister problem in 07 and has been hurt several times throughout his Red Sox tenure. You could argue this was his healthiest season on the Red Sox.

I don't think anyone on the Red Sox wants to take credit for anything Brad Penny's done. He was just as terrible on the Red Sox as he was on the Dodgers. Though for John Smoltz's resurgence I think Duncan and LaRussa and the Cardinals would gladly take the credit. What happened there, Johns?

"Though for John Smoltz's resurgence I think Duncan and LaRussa and the Cardinals would gladly take the credit. What happened there, Johns? "

What resurgence are you referring to? A 1 - 3 record and a 4.26 ERA? I'd call that pitching against easier competition.

i say cap signing bonuses. kinda defeats the purpose of giving a last place team a number one pic if they cant sign the picks.

"What resurgence are you referring to? A 1 - 3 record and a 4.26 ERA? I'd call that pitching against easier competition."

Really? You think a 4 run decrease in ERA is solely due to a move to the National League? Believe that, then. Take away his last start at the Reds -- a disaster -- his NL ERA sits under 3. That's how small a sample size we're dealing with. So small it's hard to tell anything -- except there was more in the tank than the Red Sox suspected.

Also notice I said nothing about Matsuzaka in my first post -- I just noticed some revisionist history regarding Beckett I felt should be corrected. I'll say this about Matsuzaka -- he pitched way above his skills in 08 and was heading for a fall no matter what. If he hadn't been legitimately injured he would've been DL'ed with social anxiety disorder by July.

Though I agree the Red Sox have done an admirable job developing those arms in their farm system I'd also point out that for all the hype, only one of those guys is a reliable, front of the line starter.