Baker looking for easy way out of Chapman debate

You brought him up with the thought he would be a starter one day, so why not give him a chance in April/May.....

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 08:23 AM ET  03.15 by HILLBILLY

You brought him up with the thought he would be a starter one day, so why not give him a chance in April/May.....

Because regradless of what is said say about uames i nAPril/May not being that meaningful and it being early and all that, at the end of a pennant race all the games are taken in total. It would be a **** if he lost three or four games in the Spring before they decided he simply wasn't good enough to be a starter and then they lost a spot in the palyoffs because of those three or four losses.
The whole idea of Spring Training is to make those decisions before the real season begins.

There should not be a debate about Chapman, the way he blew hitters away out of the pen last year, what is the GM thinking - CLOSER.

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 09:19 AM ET  03.15 by toad

There should not be a debate about Chapman, the way he blew hitters away out of the pen last year, what is the GM thinking - CLOSER.

Agreed. Plus, he only has two pitches. They'll catch up to his fastball the 3rd time through the lineup.

Dusty and Chappy should talk to Joba and Goose Gossage about the wisdom of this move.

A shut down closer is the way to go, ask the Yankees, they won a few game with some guy closing about 618 of them...... so far.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 09:32 AM ET  03.15 by The Moose

Agreed. Plus, he only has two pitches. They'll catch up to his fastball the 3rd time through the lineup.

Disagree - there are no 3rd times around in todays game(mostly). You last less than 6 innings - 7 if your lucky.... In spring training last year - he did great as a starter. Then they lost some Bull Pen players. That's why he didn't jump then to a starter role.

Let him start - get it going. See how it develops. I believe he can be a starter. Just quit jerking him around and get it done.

I believe ownership wants him as a starter becasue of the $8M a year salary and the fact that Broxton is making around $7M now.

as a reds fan this is the dumbest idea they have come up with yet. yes they signed him with the idea for him to be a starter but this was before he showed he was a dominate closer. this is not cuba and he struggled with control and going more than 5 innings in the minors before they brought him up in 2010. he struggles with stamina and control if he pitches more than 1 inning or pitches more than 2 days in a row. why risk hurting his arm trying to make him do something je can't? plus in the unlikely event he does work out you will have the innings limit which will defeat the purpose of making him a starter. plus if this does work out you can be sure the yankees or red sox will be thankful to the reds for developing him when they sign him as a free agent since the "small market" reds will not be able to afford him. as for broxton if he shows he can do the job and they move chapman back to the pen then I am sure they will not have a problem trading him to a team that needs a closer.

wiseup: Last year as a closer he threw fastball and slider. Working with Chapman as a starter the Reds are working with Chapman throwing a curve and a change up. These are new pitches for Chapman and it might take a while for him to master them. As far as an inngs cap, U see the Reds keeping Leake In bull pen When Chapman pitches, he would probably be limited to 5 or 6 innigs, then bring in Leake to finish. By limiting Chapman to 6 innings with 30 starts would only be 180 inngs. which would be right about the limit for this year. If Chapman works out as a starter it would give the Reds their first left handed starter they have had in quite a while.

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 01:27 PM ET  03.15 by wiseup

wiseup: Last year as a closer he threw fastball and slider. Working with Chapman as a starter the Reds are working with Chapman throwing a curve and a change up. These are new pitches for Chapman and it might take a while for him to master them. As far as an inngs cap, U see the Reds keeping Leake In bull pen When Chapman pitches, he would probably be limited to 5 or 6 innigs, then bring in Leake to finish. By limiting Chapman to 6 innings with 30 starts would only be 180 inngs. which would be right about the limit for this year. If Chapman works out as a starter it would give the Reds their first left handed starter they have had in quite a while.

I can jive with that.

All that matters is how this ends up. If Chapman pitches 150 innings this year, it works. If his arm acts up, it's a bust.

The writer needs to understand that after Chapman pitches 6-7 innings, they stand a chance of getting their brains beat in because anyone else they send out there will look very hittable to a Major Leaguer, Keep him in The Pen!!!

Be careful with this...think Neftali Feliz with the Rangers. Push him out there every 5th day, but keep an eye on him. Strasberg rules apply here maybe?