Aroldis Chapman has been nothing short of amazing. Since being brought up to the majors in August of 2010, he has given up only three earned runs ( all last year, ) in 19.2 innings, while striking out twenty-six. He has also given up only 11 hits. The scary part is that there's more to the story. He is the hardest throwing pitcher ever clocked. Last year he threw a fastball at 105 miles per hour, the fastest pitch ever recorded, but he started this season at an average of about 91 miles per hour. Any concerns were put to bed last night. He threw a few fastballs at 103 miles per hour, but even more amazing, he threw one at 106 according to the Reds' Great American Ballpark radar gun. Other radar guns had it as between 102 and105.
The part that sucks is that he probably could have been a Yankee. There were reports earlier this year that the Yankees had offered Chapman $54 million, but he accepted the Reds offer of $30 million. I don't believe that for a second. I actually believe the opposite. Aroldis Chapman probably hadn't seen $54 million, or for that matter $30 million, even in the movies. The point is that nobody, except Cliff Lee, leaves $24 million on the table, especially to not go to the Yankees, a team which has a history of treating foreign players well.
I believe that the Yankees lowballed Chapman, and didn't even come close to $30 million.
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