by Amaury Pi Gonzalez
photo credit: citybeat.com New York Yankee pitcher Aroldis Chapman
Not long ago, actually at the beginning of the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, hard throwing left handed reliever Aroldis Chapman had gone to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the news came out of domestic violence against him. Today maybe that issue was resolved, maybe not, but what we do know is that the Cuban flamethrower is going to wear the New York Yankee jersey and will be in Spring Training in Florida in less than three months.
Today, Aroldis Chapman was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Yankees, in return the Yanks got four minor league prospects. Now the 27 time World Champions have one of the best bullpens in the game, with lefty Andrew Miller, also hard thrower righthaned Dellin Betances, and now lefty Aroldis Chapman bringing-up-the-rear during late innings. The Reds continue to get rid of all their high paid talent, they lost Johnny Cueto now with the Giants, and their regular star third baseman Todd Frazier, now with the White Sox.
Chapman made $8 million in salary, during this 2015 season and soon will get a big raise and is eligible for arbitration for a third and final time. He is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history with four seasons and at least 30 saves and at least 100 strikeouts. Over six career seasons (all with the Reds) and after he defected Cuba, has saved 146 games with a 2.17 earned run average, and since 2010 leads all Major League relievers with 15.40 strikeouts per nine innings, and a total of 546 strikeouts, ranking second among all active relievers to Craig Kimbrel with 563 strikeouts.
A lethal weapon in the ninth inning Aroldis Chapman, who throws so darn hard that he’s the only name on the list of the 50 fastest pitches thrown in baseball this year. According to MLB.com, Chapman has thrown the 101 hardest fastballs in 2015, an issue that necessitates a “Chapman Filter” for the page. Enabled, the Chapman Filter shows that Cubs reliever Bruce Rondon threw a 101.7 mph four-seamer on July 18, a pitch faster than any thrown by anyone not named Aroldis Chapman in 2015.
On April 18, 2011, in the ninth inning of a game his Reds won against the Pirates he threw a 106 mile per hour fastball to Pirates star Andrew McCutchen and that, to this day, is Major League Baseball fastest pitch ever thrown.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and is the Spanish radio voice for A’s radio and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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