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Many at Redleg Nation believe Aroldis Chapman should be moved to the starting rotation. In fact, we’ve held that view all year, based on the idea that a dominant starting pitcher who covers 180-200 innings has substantially more value for a team than a second left-handed set-up reliever who throws 70 innings.
Should those of us who hold this view find yesterday’s words from Reds’ pitching coach Bryan Price to be encouraging news? John Fay interviewed Price and reported:
“I can’t guarantee anything because it will be an organizational decision,” Price said. “However, I do think at some point he’s going to have a chance to start. I think it’s something we will definitely be looking at.
“He’s filled a need for us. He helped last year late in the season and this year as the second left-hander to Billy Bray. That was a void. But I would think in near future he’ll be getting an opportunity to start. That was the intent when we initially signed him.” [Emphasis added, gleefully.]
Price indicated his view that Chapman already has sufficient mastery of a third pitch to be an effective starter. Again, from Fay’s writing:
“Randy Johnson used a change-up, split-fingered pitch later in his career when he lost some velocity more so than early,” Price said. “(Chapman) has a change-up and I think he has a good change-up. To say he needs it, I don’t know if I’d say that. However, if it’s a serviceable pitch, it’s certainly something he would have in his mix.”
[Please note, Chapman was just compared to Randy Johnson by someone who actually coached Randy Johnson.]
Before you pencil Chapman in for the first pitch on Opening Day 2012, keep in mind that Price was clear right at the top of the interview that this was just his opinion and that it would be an organizational decision (translation: someone else). Also, it appears the decision has not been made or at least not yet revealed to the team’s pitching coach.
I suppose one way of looking at the Price interview is as unambiguously good news. On the other hand, maybe Price is trying to take his case public, concerned that he is losing the debate internally. I really doubt it’s the latter, but given how Baker and Jocketty treat these issues as the equivalent of state secrets, Price’s comments were refreshingly clear and forthright.
Isn’t it strange that some of the desisions the Reds have to make seem like common sense to us but are apparently as confusing as a Rubix Cube to Walt and Dusty?
He should learn that Deadfish pitch from Arroyo and throw it like once or twice a start just to blow everyone’s mind.
Just to be clear, Steve, Price said that Chapman *does not need a third pitch* to be effective (as you pointed out, he said Johnson used his third pitch only later in his career, and compared the two [!]). This is what I said earlier this season and everyone jumped down my throat. I might be wrong about it, but Price agrees with me anyways. What I think Chapman needs is better command of his top two pitches. I’d take that over a third pitch, personally.
And I’ve said multiple times…Mario Soto made a career out of only having two pitches…
Ahh, the great Soto. Only two pitches but he’d come at a hitter with many different “looks”. Anyway, as I already registered on another thread, I like and agree with everything Price had to say.
He felt that something was accomplished this season, in terms of getting Chapman to pound the strike zone with fastballs and sliders, so maybe the handling of Chapman hasn’t been as clueless as most of us have felt.
While this certainly doesn’t make any definitive plans regarding Chapman, it can only be taken as a great sign that the pitching coach publicly voiced his opinion saying that Chapman should be given the chance to start (for those of us that want Chapman to be given the chance to start).
I agree with Dave that Chapman only needs two good pitches to be able to succeed, IF he is able to control the FB/SL combo. I also think that if he throws a 3rd pitch it really doesn’t even have to be an average pitch for it to be successful. When a hitter is so geared up for the FB/SL combo, if he throws a change (or whatever) 5-10 times a game, no hitter is going to be looking for that pitch as they are going to have to be geared up for his nasty pitches that the surprise factor will keep them off-balance.
Hate to be a Negative Nelly here: but when asked about what to do about our closer corundum next year if we don’t bring back the expensive CoCo, the first name mentioned, and the only one with any confidence at all, was Aroldis.
I soooo wish Masset would have stayed consistent enough so we wouldn’t even have to entertain this situation.
I’ll be so disappointed if Chapman is in the pen next season. Maybe if we have enough differing opinions among the coaching staff someone will listen to the pitching coach about pitching.
*Question was asked to Dusty, BTW.
@jkbetz07: Good point about dividends from a 3rd pitch, even if it’s seldom used. Price discussed Chapman’s changeup.
@preach: Right but Dusty was not so positive about Chapman as a potential closer. He mentioned control issues and that Chapman’s stuff “changes” after he’s pitched a couple of days in a row.
The main thing for Chapman is that he needs better command of his fastball and slider. In recent outings he’s had trouble throwing the fastball for strikes and has sometimes abandoned the slider. He’ll be in a better position to improve his command as a starter.
@pinson343: “The main thing for Chapman is that he needs better command of his fastball and slider.”
Dave L. already said that above.