Aroldis Chapman was causing a stir before he ever took the mound at Great American Ballpark, or anywhere in the states for that matter. The Reds won the bidding war for the hard throwing left hander, and fans immediately anticipated his debut. All I knew about Chapman when he was signed is that he threw the ball hard, really really hard. Since joining the Reds Chapman has had his ups and downs, call ups and send downs, but he has always shown the potential. Since returning from his last stint in Louisville he has been the player fans had hoped for in the little time he has seen on the hill. He hasn’t hit 105 recently, but he appears to have toned it down a bit so that he can locate his pitches more effectively. Mix the scary fastball in with his nasty slider, and Chapman is a hard guy to hit. Hopefully we will see Dusty put a little more confidence in Chapman and give him a few more late game appearances. As long as he keeps his control…. under control, Aroldis Chapman can be a big part of the Reds late season effort to play catch up in the NL Central.
Adam Lucas Designs 