According to Jorge Arangure of ESPN.com, Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman will arrive in New York today and begin a series of meetings with MLB teams.
In August, Arangure did a video interview for ESPN with Chapman, with clips of him pitching, which you can watch by here.
In July, in a report for ESPN The Magazine, Arangure said many scouts believe Chapman is the best left-handed pitching prospect in the world.
…from what i can gather, out of people around MLB, because he is in his early 20s, left-handed, has a huge personality, a big-time fastball known to reach 100 mph, along with a decent set of secondary pitchers, there is a chance he could land a six-year deal, with numbers getting up around the Daisuke Matsuzaka, $40 to $50 million range…
According to Buster Olney, of ESPN.com, “Some evaluators view Chapman as a left-handed Stephen Strasburg, who was the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft last month.
“He’s pretty special,” a team official told Olney.
Chapman’s agent told Yahoo! Sports in July that his client will be in shape and ready for next spring training.
Update, 2:00 pm:
Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post said, “The Mets have said they’re interested.”
{ 45 comments }
why is he coming to NY? ummm….
He’s nowhere near as refined as Strasburg. But the mystery and intrigue that goes along with being a Cuban defector with get him some extra dollars.
Maybe he’s overhyped and probably is 24, but I think it’s worth taking a shot.
A few extra million here could save a lot of money in the long term. Just ask the 25 or so teams that passed on Porcello in the draft two years ago.
How would you know if he is “nowhere near refined” as Strasburg? Chapman was facing world class hitters, while Strasburg was still in college. I’m willing to bet that hitters he faced were much better than hitters in the Mountain West Conference.
If the Mets don’t seriously pursue this kid, they’re insane. He is a once in a generation type player.
Just basing it on what I’ve heard. Read the stories about him.
What world class hitters was Chapman facing while sequestered in Cuba? You mean the 6.1 innings he pitched in the WBC when he had a 5.68 ERA?
And I’m not talking about Strasburg’s competition, I’m talking about his stuff. That stuff would have dominated at every level, according to people who know a lot more about this than I do.
Also, I can’t say he’s “nowhere near as refined as Strasburg” but you know that he’s “a once in a generation talent”?
How does that work?
NO thanks I would rather have Kikuchi.
Here are Chapman’s numbers:
ip h/9 hr/9 bb/9 k/9
2006 54 8.0 0.8 9.0 9.3
2007 81 6.5 0.4 5.5 11.1
2008 74 6.7 0.4 4.5 9.6
2009 118 8.3 0.5 4.7 9.9
Not too impressive considering that the Cuban league is seen as comporable the US Single A level. This guy has relief pitcher written all over him, and a wild one at that. I would rather give the money to Randy Wolf and to Kikuchi.
This kid sounds pretty interesting… Too bad our owners won’t bid against the Yankees even though they profitted off of Madoff when thousands of other people lost their homes.
I can’t stand our ownership.
They didn’t profit, and they didn’t lose. They came out with 50 million more then they deposited, they are being sued to give that to the people who lost everything. Also they thought their investment was worth 600 million so in reality they lost 300 million.
If you bank account say you put 500 into your saving account. Your deposit had become$1000. You run your life under the assumption that you have $1000. So you decide to go take out $500 bucks. You still think you have your $500 there. Only to find out you have ZERO. You indeed lost $500.
I understand your point but the only thing they lost was opportunity cost. Which is the money that they “hypothetically” lost if they were to have invested the money elsewhere. So Instead of 7% a year on their money they made 1-2% a year. They still came out even and did NOT lose their base which is more than anyone else who investment with Madoff could say. Are you telling me that the Wilpons can’t live on $300,000,000 million (not including their many other successful assets) and still spend tons of money on the Mets?
They made $50,000,000 more than they invested. I’d say that is pretty good considering most people lost their homes.
agreed…. But they are going to have to give that 50 million back.
So net-net they came out even.
The bottom line is this (if the reports are true)… Spend a lot of money this offseason and get this franchise back to respectability.
You mean continue the trend of reckless spending that the Mets have done the last 3 years? You mean maintaining the 2nd highest payroll in the game?
For some Met fans unless the Wilpon’s spend what the Yankees do, they’ll always be seen as cheap.
I agree with you that some Met fans are like that but I’m not one of them…
I wanted the Mets to FIRE Omar and bring in a GM who has won before and could spend the 2nd highest payroll in baseball wisely.
And if the Mets are worth $1 billion and are very profittable whats wrong with spending $150-160 million a year to almost guarantee winning baseball??? Are you happy the way things have gone since 1986?? When we havent won a darn thing? If you are than your expectations are way to low.
You were just being a generalist and made a comment out of line.
When every team in the history of baseball has won with a lower payroll than what the Mets have had the last 3 years it tells you it’s not the amount that’s been spent.
Spending more money hasn’t solved the Mets problems. It’s doubtful spending even more will this off season.
Firing Omar and hiring a competent general manager involves spending more money. Doesnt it?
If you bring in a GM that has won before and has a brain than who cares how much the Mets spend as long as it is done wisely.
The Angels, Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Dodgers etc are among the highest payrolls in baseball. The Red Sox when they won the World Series was around $170 million I believe. All four teams I listed above who have the highest payrolls in baseball – ALL make the playoffs almost every season. SO yes your right having the highest payroll in baseball doesnt guarantee a world series but it almost guarantees the playoffs – IF YOU HAVE COMPETENT MANAGEMENT.
Ok, so management (the people in charge) are the issue not the dollar amount that is being spent. Thank you for making my point.
It’s not how much you spend, it’s how it’s spent. The Mets payroll has increased by over $30 million since 2006 yet the Mets have won fewer games. That in itself should tell us that the decisions that are being made are the problem not the dollar amount.
Actually, the argument can’t be made that they did in fact lose money when you consider opportunity cost. Simply put, it is fair to assume that had they not invested with Madoff, the Wilpon’s would have invested the money somewhere else, as opposed to say stuffing the cash under the mattress. Looking at it conservatively, had they invested in the bond market (with lower risk and lower interest), with an instrument that had an interest rate of 4%, they would have earned $12m in interest in year one. Assume that instead of reinvesting the interest they drew it as income (a foolish assumption, but I don’t have a financial calculator handy), and over 10 years, that is $120m in interest income, or 40% of their initial investment. Not a small figure. I’m not sure how long they had been with Madoff but I’m sure that it had been longer that 10 years. Based on that I think it’s fair to say that they did in fact lose money. Of course it gets better. The Wilpons almost certainly would have reinvested the Income, and as a result, the money would have grown at an even faster rate thanks to compounding interest…under the above scenario, that’s $12m in year 1, $12.5 in year 2, $13m in year 3, $13.5 in year 3, etc. (also it isnt growing exactly $500k each year…annual interest increases each year assuming no withdrawal).
Hope you all enjoyed that Econ 101 refresher!
Do you mean the argument can be made?
I certainly did considering I made the argument….that dang iPhone auto spell chec. Gets me every time
haha I hear ya.
I know what you mean about opportunity cost as I alluded to it above, however making $50 million on top of the money they invested is very good considering we all thought they lost every penny they invested like some people. They still recovered everything.
i agree, take a shot
omar should receive this guy in the airport and talk to him in spanish. maybe he feels confortable in a organization where the GM is hispanic and we can sign him for a discount. I dont know, thats just my opinion.
Tony B is no longer with the team…oh sorry, you meant OMAR lol my bad.
pay the kid what he wants. If he is a bust, so be it, but the risk/reward is worth it IMO. It’s not everyday you get a chance to sign/draft/trade for a potential premier prospect. Last I checked, we could probably use a few more of them.
funny, I think they said the same thing about Dontrelle Willis.
I would love to see this kid succeed with the Mets. Imagine the buzz he would generate, and having him pitch alongside one of the best lefties in the business could be great for his development.
That’s probably the angle the Omar and Co. are going to play. It’s a great angle. The Mets have the money and the kid’s got talent. Why not take a chance on him and see if he works out. At best, he’s our #2, at worst, he’s a #4. Not bad either way.
Holliday, Lackey and Chapman. Then call it a day! (I wish)
No way they can afford all three. The Mets need Holliday, so I’d say you’d have to choose between Lackey and Chapman.
An alternative would be to sign Chapman, and then also sign Marquis or Wolf to a much cheaper deal than Lackey would require.
If they sign Chapman, It better not effect the big league roster.
He’s be part of the minor league budget and not the big league budget. Minor league Signing aren’t part of the big league signing.
This KID (which is what he is) won’t be on the Mets roster next season.
I’d much rather see the money spend on Holliday and Lackey. But, even then, I don’t think we’re getting both. It’d be nice though!
How does anyone know what the Mets can’t afford???? Do you really believe the Mets can’t operate on a $150-165 million payroll and still profit? The franchise is worth almost a billion dollars. We won’t get all three because the Wilpons won’t pay for all three. That is the reason and the reason only. IT has nothing to do with not being able to afford it.
He won’t be pitching in the bug league next season, and probably not the year after, unless this kid is the next Tim Lincecum.
he will sign this offseason. Play winter ball, then probably be sent to A ball to start the year. Depending on how he does, maybe AA by years end. If he takes a normal progression that’s how it will go, AA start the following year, and into AAA if he’s doing well. Maybe MLB Ready by 2012.
He’s pretty much the same age as guys drafted out of college, and will probably be treated as such.
Yeah, would be very hard to see him in bigs next year. Reports say he’s pretty raw. Although maybe Jerry can start him in the pen, shuttle to into rotation a week later and bounce him back and forth all year.
But seriously, I think Holliday and Chapman would be a very nice start to the offseason. Complement them with some buy-low pitching guys (no thanks on Lackey) and some solid defensive guys at other spots and I’m ready to roll.
I’d be pretty upset if Holliday and Champan were our off season upgrades.
I’m all for Holliday but we need a top quality pitcher that can be slotted in to the #2 spot and be depended upon every 5 days. Like it or not, Lackey is that guy.
He’s durable, competitive and *should* be a 13 to 16 game winner in the NL.
IF Lackey is healthy for a full season he’s a potential 20 game winner in the NL. The guy is flat out NASTY.
He has averaged 14 wins per season and only 8.5 losses in the AL the last 6 seasons, averaging 33 Starts per season (lower the last 2 seasons) Winning 45% of all the games he has started while losing only 28%.
He’s been a little bangged up the last 2 season and still made 24 and 27 starts. He’s a beast, and exactly what the rotation needs. He’ll be on the top of his game for another 3-4 years so a 5 year contract won’t be too much of a concern. He’s only 31, while AJ Burnett was 32. so asking for a 5 year is ok.
No doubt Lackey is a good pitcher. But he’s spent a fair amount of time on the DL the last two years, and pitchers don’t usually get healthier as they get older.
I just think there are more cost effective ways to get better pitching. Nothing improves your staff like shoring up your defense and it can be done at a fraction of the price.
I dont see how they get both Holliday and Lackey, so I’ll definitely take Holliday. There are other ways to improve pitching through buy-low guys and by improving defense.
I know what your saying. And I’d rather sign Holliday as well.
Shoring up the defense would mean a adios to our second baseman. Which we would all love, but I’m not so sure it’s going to happen. I would love to see it though. Other then that your looking at Wright, Reyes, Murphy, Holliday, Beltran, Franceour.
I don’t know where much of the upgrade on defense is. And i do believe the Mets can Add both Holliday and Lackey and remain within their budget.
This is true. There aren’t many open spots. Obviously, Reyes being back will be a big help to groundball pitchers like Pelfrey.
Would like to see Wilson Valdez back since I think he’s the best/cheapest utility infield option who can play short and second well. If they dont get Holliday, they should bring in a stud defender for left field rather than getting a good hitter and bad defender like Bay. And get a great defensive 4th OF (endy-type) who can spell Francoeur.
This kid is an absolute stud…. a complete BEAST! Bring him to the Metsies!
He is a walk machine.
Holliday, Lackey, Chapman would be the ultimate offseason. Not gonna happen but i would satisfy all primary needs. Power bat, #2 pitcher, stud prospect. If i had to choose, i woud get Holliday and Chapman, then sign Marquis/Wolf/Harden. We may not be as good next year (which can be debated given what Wolf did this year) but after we could be very strong. With Chapman (think he will develop quickly), Mejia, Holt, Neise, then Familia and Rodriguez down the road. Plus they we will have F-Mart (who i still believe in, to young to discount, give him a full year next year in AAA and we will see) Nieuwenhuis and Davis coming for offense.
I like this plan outside of Marquis. I don’t think he’s any good and will be way overpaid. You can already see him appealing to the Mets with the NY angle.
But other than that, it’s solid and I agree the future may not be as bleak as I originally thought. That said, I dont trust the front office to do the right thing, but we’ll see.
That NY angle really helped Tim Redding out.
Just cause he’s a staten island native doesn’t mean he’ll be successful here. He’s an ok pitcher who eats innings every year. He’s no different then john garland.
A) A guy like Chapman with that ceiling is worth taking a shot at.
B) It is not that the Mets merely spend money “recklessly,” it is more how they refuse to go over budget, even by a smidgum. Sure, they sign bad contracts, all teams do, but they use the “highest payroll in the NL” line as a fallback so they can be cheap by NY standards. For example, they let a mere 5-10 million dollars prevent them from filling the need for an additional bat in Dunn, Abreu, or Ibanez. That kind of sealed their fate (as did committing to Murphy) before the yr started. They spend enough to create the facade of decency, but don’t go the extra mile (nobody is expecting them to be the Yankees, but would an extra signing here or there hurt) to get over the hump… ever.
I agree that the mets aren’t cheap and I don’t really think Madoff affected them but at think at this point the organization being where it is, the discontent, the anger, they have to go out and spend and make this team championship caliber. If I were them I’d want to do everything I could to put the best team out there on the field. There can be a change next season, a winning season but there has to be money spent and spent wisely
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