Aroldis A'Closin'

[DOUGHBOYS]

I won't put this under 'RotoSnips'. I'm not here to poke fun at the story, but comment on the story itself.

'According to Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Aroldis Chapman will be moved back to the bullpen.
"Barring a significant change of minds," writes Daugherty, "the Reds are expected to announce [Thursday] that Chappy will close." It's what manager Dusty Baker has wanted, and what Chapman himself prefers. The Reds would probably be better off maximizing the left-hander's value in the rotation, but there's some risk that comes with that. Chapman will again be an elite fantasy closer. Jonathan Broxton will be a setup man.'

First, the Reds are absolutely right in seeing the errors of their ways in trying to make Chapman a Starter. Chapman is unique in that he is not a one, two, three, or four pitch pitcher. He is a two speed pitcher. The faster he throws, the better off his team is. The reds wanted to cheat and get him more innings by watering down his speed.
It's folly.
Chapman is a thrower more than a pitcher. He enjoys hitting triple digits. And the fans like seeing it. And so do his owners.
The move saves his owners the angst of him hurting himself and the frustration of seeing a pitcher blow batters away at 105 miles an hour transformed into a guy who will leave games in the fifth inning due to pitch counts.
Tea leaves do not have to read to know that.

I have a friend who was a big believer in Chapman starting games. I bet him $100 that he wouldn't win 12 games. I'll let him out of that bet now for a bag of Doritos.
His master plan was to over draft Chapman and handcuff him later with Broxton. I dislike such handcuffs. I believe these to handcuff owners more than the players.
With Chapman back to the bullpen, he now has a Closer drafted in the fifth round and a set up man drafted in the 15th. Just yesterday, his roster showed a Starter and Closer. Now, a Closer and pfftt...
Almost like going to Best Buy to purchase a stereo system, and while there, purchasing an eight track player too, in case the stereo system doesn't work out.

So, does this effect Chapman's draft spot?
Not really.
He was going in the fifth to seventh rounds. He'll be drafted at the same place in most drafts knowing he's a Closer.
The big difference is in KNOWING he is now a Closer. Our teams won't be missing a Starter, while having three-four Closers.
In the mean time, Jonathon Broxton becomes the backup Closer.
And worthy of a flipped middle finger from every slow drafter who drafted him.

[Atlas]

uh....MLB.com now reports Red's denial of a decision on Chapman.

[DOUGHBOYS]

uh....MLB.com now reports Red's denial of a decision on Chapman.

More importantly, so did the Reds.
Sounds like a writer jumped the story.
Or, it could be a front office guy offended that somebody is thought to have done the thinking for him and will hold his own press conference to announce it.

'The nerve of the press! Calling us Smart! Why, I'll show them ! '

[gpchurchill]

broxton to the tigers...for a super-sized bag of doritos

[hot and cold]

Tigers don't want that bum even for free .