According to Jorge Arangure of ESPN, Cuban defector and left handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman has been declared a free agent by major league baseball and is now free to sign with any team in the bigs.
Both the Yankees, Red Sox and others are expected to be interested in the fire balling 21-year-old. That seems to be just speculation so far, but it is not hard to see why. The Yankees should certainly be interested with so many questions about their pitching staff next year. Is Andy Pettitte coming back? Can AJ Burnett survive October in the Bronx? Will Joba Chamberlain rebound after a rough season? Speaking of Joba, is Phil Hughes‘ 2010 going to be just like Joba’s 2009?
All of those questions, combined with a weak free agent class for starting pitching, could force the Yankees to become serious bidders for Chapman. Expect the bidding to start at three years and $30 million, but it will probably end up closer to $50 million.
TMS@ 9/26/2009 1:24 PM
The magic number is 3! Let's sweep this series & pop those champagne bottles this weekend so those Boston chowderheads can watch us celebrate!
Finestrg@ 9/26/2009 9:44 PM
I'm definitely interested in this kid Chapman but I have a funny feeling the Yanks won't go hard after him, not when we just broke the bank for CC and AJ - I think they're gonna want to start incorporating from within now behind that rock solid front two. If I had to guess, I think their plan is for Wang to make a full recovery, Joba and Hughes to become full-time starters next year with little or no restrictions, & Ian Kennedy might be asked to fill Pettitte's spot if Andy decides to hang it up or isn't asked back..With CC & AJ that's 6 capable guys right there, 7 if Pettitte returns. Then there are guys like Ivan Nova, Romulo Sanchez & Zach McAllister who are probably ready to start in the majors right now (Nova & Sanchez didn't have overall numbers that blew you away this year but really excelled in the playoffs for SWB & this kid McAllister had a very good season for Trenton after a good year last year in A ball). Then there's even more quality depth that we might have to wait a little longer for, namely Betances, Brackman, Christian Garcia & lefty Wilkins De La Rosa and some other young promising guys that could fly through the organization quickly like Arodys Vizcaino & DJ Mitchell... Just have a feeling that's how they're gonna want to approach putting together their future starting pitching. Hope I'm wrong though, you can never have enough pitching and this kid's young with a top shelf arm...We did let Gerrit Cole get away in the draft, do we let this kid slip through our fingers as well? Then again $50 million is a lot of money to gamble on an unknown quantity that may never develop enough to start at the major league level (I've read that the fastball's well above average but the secondary pitches need a ton of work) & may only wind up being a lefty reliever. Tough call...
Good game today. Listened to the end of the game in the car coming back from my sister-in-law's (I get a kick outta him but Sterling's really a complete train wreck of an announcer btw, let's be honest)... CC brillant yet again. Small thing though - can someone tell me why the hell Molina was hitting with runners on base in the 8th inning in a 1-0 game??? I know he walked, Damon got the big bloop hit and we won the game but was that really the right play there? You wanna commit to resting Jorgie day game after a night game & with the stiff neck no problem, but at least let me see Shelley Duncan or Juan Miranda if not someone else there in that spot and then Cervelli behind the plate top 9 no??? Until the fat lady sings these games are still important - you wanna take the reigns off after we sew this thing up great but until 'til then we gotta win these games. It worked out today but very strange. I can't believe he let him hit there..
TMS@ 9/26/2009 9:47 PM
kid is a lefty that throws 102 mph gas... the Yankees better sign him up & not let their rivals get their filthy paws on him... they can figure out the other logistics later.
Finestrg@ 9/26/2009 10:14 PM
Posted by TMS:
kid is a lefty that throws 102 mph gas... the Yankees better sign him up & not let their rivals get their filthy paws on him... they can figure out the other logistics later.
I'm with you bro. Never seen him pitch but from what I've read you figure best case scenario could be something close to Randy Johnson (this kid's got some size, supposedly pushing 6'5", 200 lb.) and worse case a dominant reliever in the Matt Thorton/Billy Wagner mold. I'll take that, either way. I guess it's worth a shot..
Finestrg@ 9/26/2009 11:13 PM
Just looking at Chapman's wikipedia page and I found something interesting -- apparently one NL scout that's seen Chapman pitch called him "one of the three great pitchers in the world right now who are not in the majors." The others are Yu Darvish and Stephen Strasburg (not actually stated in the linked article though wikipedia speculates those are the two others the scout was referring to).
So who's Yu Darvish? I didn't really follow the WBC when it was on but apparently he played on the Japanese team with Ichiro. Never heard of him though he looks impressive. Young with a full repitoire of solid pitches. What's the deal with this dude? Anyone know? If he ever comes to the States, expect there to be a bidding war like the one we'll probably wind up seeing with Chapman.
Anyway, here's some video of Chapman. He kinda reminds me a little bit of a young Darren Oliver (similar arm angle and release point) only with a much better fastball. He's obviously got some things to work on but the fastball and slider definitely look major league quality to me. Absolutely. Pretty good changeup too..
[Edited by - finestrg on 09-26-2009 11:24 PM]
SupremeCommander@ 9/27/2009 2:46 AM
Darvish is a sinker/forkball type pitcher--fastball variations without typically throwing a standard fastball and doesn't throw a changeup at all. He doesn' use traditional grips though, so his stuff is unique.
If I had a choice, I'd choose to sign Darvish over Chapman. Then again I've watched Darvish... from what I understand Chapman has all the tools but is far from refined. I don't think Darvish has the upside of Chapman, but Darvish is already a great pitcher and Chapman isn't
TMS@ 9/27/2009 1:07 PM
Darvish is definitely nice, he showed himself well during the WBC... i don't think he's eligible to be posted for another few years tho.
VDesai@ 9/27/2009 9:57 PM
Very satisfying sweep. So much for the early season struggles against Boston. This has been a good week in terms of the Yankee rotation putting together some good starts 1-4.
jimimou@ 9/28/2009 9:01 AM
yanks even up the series 9-9 w the red-sucks for the year. they had early dominance, we have late....still dont think we can blink on them in the post season. them or anaheim would be a great series to watch. personally, i'd like to see us play the angels so we can beat them and get that monkey off our backs w that club.
playoffs w homefield should be exciting and a needed boost for the team to get deep into the playoffs and hopefully win it all.
SupremeCommander@ 9/28/2009 9:44 AM
Posted by jimimou:
yanks even up the series 9-9 w the red-sucks for the year. they had early dominance, we have late....still dont think we can blink on them in the post season. them or anaheim would be a great series to watch. personally, i'd like to see us play the angels so we can beat them and get that monkey off our backs w that club.
playoffs w homefield should be exciting and a needed boost for the team to get deep into the playoffs and hopefully win it all.
what's awesome is I don't give a fuck who the Yankees play anymore... they're rollin. And it's been a while since I said that regarding any of my teams... maybe the 2001 Yanks were the last time I said that--and not because that team was good, just because it felt like fate.
**
I think it's safe to say that the Yanks have the best infield in baseball. The corners field and hit for power, the middle turns the double play and makes history:
Cano singled for his 200th hit this year. He joined Jeter as the only second base-shortstop teammate tandem to reach the mark in the same season, the Elias Sports Bureau said.
djsunyc@ 9/28/2009 9:50 AM
props to cano. the guy usually bats 7th and he got 200 hits. nuts. the guy doesn't get enough positive press. if he was just a bit better with RISP, he would be batting .340 with 100+ rbi's too.
Bonn1997@ 9/28/2009 10:14 AM
He'd be a more complete player if he had better plate discipline. He's still very good though.
[Edited by - bonn1997 on 09-28-2009 10:14 AM]
Finestrg@ 9/28/2009 10:18 AM
Posted by djsunyc:
props to cano. the guy usually bats 7th and he got 200 hits. nuts. the guy doesn't get enough positive press. if he was just a bit better with RISP, he would be batting .340 with 100+ rbi's too.
Yup. And he's a vacuum at 2nd too. Their whole infield has got to be one of the best two-way infields ever assembled. Jeter and Cano are the best I've ever seen going back on balls - and they make it look so easy...
Allanfan20@ 9/28/2009 10:39 AM
Posted by Finestrg:
Posted by djsunyc:
props to cano. the guy usually bats 7th and he got 200 hits. nuts. the guy doesn't get enough positive press. if he was just a bit better with RISP, he would be batting .340 with 100+ rbi's too.
Yup. And he's a vacuum at 2nd too. Their whole infield has got to be one of the best two-way infields ever assembled. Jeter and Cano are the best I've ever seen going back on balls - and they make it look so easy...
Cano makes it look so easy it's scary. Those nonchalant LOOKING throws are difficult as hell but he makes it look like brushing your teeth in the morning. It's crazy how he's able to pull all of that off.
VDesai@ 9/28/2009 10:45 AM
I think Cano might be the best defensive 2nd baseman in the league right now. His range and hands are scary good.
nyk4ever@ 9/28/2009 12:51 PM
Posted by VDesai:
I think Cano might be the best defensive 2nd baseman in the league right now. His range and hands are scary good.
I agree Des and it's a complete 180 from what he looked last year. He definitely sharpened up his game over last winter, which is what I think many of us here were looking for him to do. Just an outstanding year for Robbie this year.
jimimou@ 9/28/2009 4:05 PM
red sox fans really are a buncha douchebags....
Teacher and Sox Fan Tells His Student to Turn his Yankee Shirt Inside Out By Cameron Martin Monday, September 28, 2009 at 2:21 pm ET
Few things in this world are more pathetic than an adult subjecting children to their sports fanatacism. Take the Red Sox fan in Baldwinsville, New York, who allegedly ordered a 9-year-old student to turn his Yankees shirt inside out for the rest of the day. Is it this kid’s fault he’s a Yankees fan? No. He wasn’t even cognizant of his surroundings the last time the Yankees won the World Series (2000), so Nathan Johns’ allegiance is obviously based on his family and his unfortunate place of residence. But you can’t lay that on the kid. And you certainly can’t tell him to turn his CC Sabathia jersey inside out, even if that jersey speaks to the boy’s recently purchased loyalty.
Yet that’s what teacher Peter Addabbo allegedly did last Wednesday. And when Nathan Johns went home and told his parents? Whoa, boy. They insist the boy’s First Amendment rights were violated, and the story raised such a stink locally that the Yankees have now gotten involved and will now award Johns with some kind of loyalty reward.
Yankees Special Events, Alumni Services & Fan Services Manager, Robert Bernstein, received an article from the town paper describing what happened. Now, Nate’s expecting a gift basket from the team as a "thank you" for his loyalty.
Bernstein wouldn’t say what’s in the basket; he says the Yankees want to keep that a surprise.
Meanwhile, the school is investigating the complaint, Superintendent Jeanne Dangle said. She told reporters she’s still collecting the facts, and will contact the parents once she’s talked to the other students and the instructor at the center of the controversy. (WPIX.com)
Maybe the teacher was kidding. (Likely). Maybe it doesn’t matter. (Definitely). You don’t bring the stupidity of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry into the classroom, teacher. You wait for a student who’s a Red Sox fan to start a fight with this Yankee fan, then you wait till the Sox fan gets in a few good shots before breaking it up. Seriously, I should be a teacher.
