NakamuraAroldis Chapman's Stats
Everyone wants to talk about Aroldis Chapman and his 105mph fastball. But no one has actually looked into his stats. Why? Weren't statistics what actually gave people a general idea of how good a player is? In 2010, his minor league stats actually weren't all that impressive.
Aroldis Chapman's AAA statistics with the Louisville Bats:
9-6, 3.57 ERA, 95.2 IP. 125 SO, 52 BB, .218 OPP BA
It's nothing that impressive. His .218 OPP BA is very good, but 52 BB in less than 100 innings is less than stellar. However, his stats can be broken down further.
Aroldis Chapman as a Starter:
13 Games Started, 5-5, 4.11 ERA, 65.2 IP, 40BB, .246 OPP BA
Not all that impressive now, is it? Too many walks, too many earned runs, but his opponent's batting average is still fairly low. But these aren't the statistics you would expect from a pitcher who throws 105mph.
Aroldis Chapman as a Reliever:
26 Games, 4-1, 2.40 ERA, 30 IP, 8 SV, 49 SO, 12BB, .156 OPP BA
NOW THESE ARE IMPRESSIVE STATS. 2.40 ERA isn't the greatest AAA baseball has seen, but it indicates that the pitcher can get his outs. The amount of walks issued is still fairly high, but the strikeouts he racks is up truly stunning. A .156 OPP BA isn't easily beaten.
Verdict:
Aroldis Chapman will have success in the Major League level, but he won't be someone as amazing as the Reds initially thought upon signing him. No reliever can have an individual impact on a team that significant. Chapman's only chance at living up to that kind of hype would be as a starter, and for the sake of Reds' fans, let's hope that doesn't happen. They don't need someone like Joba Chamberlain.
Aroldis Chapman's AAA statistics with the Louisville Bats:
9-6, 3.57 ERA, 95.2 IP. 125 SO, 52 BB, .218 OPP BA
It's nothing that impressive. His .218 OPP BA is very good, but 52 BB in less than 100 innings is less than stellar. However, his stats can be broken down further.
Aroldis Chapman as a Starter:
13 Games Started, 5-5, 4.11 ERA, 65.2 IP, 40BB, .246 OPP BA
Not all that impressive now, is it? Too many walks, too many earned runs, but his opponent's batting average is still fairly low. But these aren't the statistics you would expect from a pitcher who throws 105mph.
Aroldis Chapman as a Reliever:
26 Games, 4-1, 2.40 ERA, 30 IP, 8 SV, 49 SO, 12BB, .156 OPP BA
NOW THESE ARE IMPRESSIVE STATS. 2.40 ERA isn't the greatest AAA baseball has seen, but it indicates that the pitcher can get his outs. The amount of walks issued is still fairly high, but the strikeouts he racks is up truly stunning. A .156 OPP BA isn't easily beaten.
Verdict:
Aroldis Chapman will have success in the Major League level, but he won't be someone as amazing as the Reds initially thought upon signing him. No reliever can have an individual impact on a team that significant. Chapman's only chance at living up to that kind of hype would be as a starter, and for the sake of Reds' fans, let's hope that doesn't happen. They don't need someone like Joba Chamberlain.
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