re: GM Jocketty to overrule Baker: Aroldis Chapman to be in the rotation (Reds)

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Strasburg never pitched more than 123 innings in a season before last year.


Wrong.

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Ok, enlighten me.

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When did the Big Unit ever throw a curveball?

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When Chapman is 6'10" and has a completely unique delivery, he can not learn a curveball. Everyone else has to. Or should, if they want to have a long career once they lose some velocity off of their fastball. He doesn't need Nolan Ryan's curveball, but a decent one would be nice.

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if Chapman was on any other team, he'd already be in the rotation. The only reason there's been a three year delay of him being in the pen is because no one in their right mind trusts Dusty Baker with Chapman's arm

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Another major reason is Madson throwing his arm out before the season started. Madson was to be the closer, if he was healthy Chapman would have been in the rotation last season.

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Ok, enlighten me.

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In 2008 Strasburg threw 97.1 innings for San Diego State. He then turned around and threw another 41 innings over the summer for Team USA. In my book that is almost 140 innings. That is about the same time frame as an MLB season. So that was incorrect.

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Not the same things when you take off almost 2 months from the the end of a college season, then pitch maybe every 2 weeks. They don't tack on work loads of guys that pitch in winder or fall ball.

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Don't forget that the college innings came once a week against severely over matched competition, while the MLB innings came every 5 days against significantly tougher to face hitters.

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when you take off almost 2 months

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He didn't take off anywhere near 2 months.

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They don't tack on work loads of guys that pitch in winder or fall ball.

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That also isn't in the same time frame as a major league season. The fact is that he played in college through May and then was on Team USA through the same summer. The stress on his arm was the same. If you want to discount the innings that he threw for team USA backing up to his college season because he was wearing a different jersey then that just doesn't make any sense.

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And what exactly does this have to do with what we are talking about? Innings are still innings. He was still throwing 98-99 MPH and throwing his breaking pitches.

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To an extent. But facing the 6,7, and 8 hole guys from Cal St Northridge doesn't require the same effort as facing the 6,7, and 8 hole guys from the Braves. He could coast a lot more at SDSU than in the minors, and especially in the majors.

I'm gonna guess he threw a lot less pitches to college guys than a normal pro would in the same innings, but too lazy to look it up

I didn't read all four pages or whatever, but Chapman needs to stay in the bullpen.

He was (arguably) the best closer in the game. And with the Reds rotation already as solid as it is, why throw that off? With Chapman/Broxton in the back of the bullpen, the Reds will blow very, very few leads.

Also, IMO, you could make a strong argument that Latos > Cueto last season. Regardless, Cueto, Latos, Bailey, Arroyo is a solid rotation already. Bailey is finally becoming the superstar everyone thought he would be. Leake I'm ehh on, but he's a fifth starter, NBD. And he can hit

Long story short, keep Chappy as a closer

Because 200 innings >>>>>>>>> 70 innings.

Even if it is at a decrease in statistical production.

How do you not understand this?