Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman defects to Andorra
by Eli Greenspan on Sep 21, 2009 9:13 AM EDT
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Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the biggest name to defect from Cuba since Jose Contreras did back in 2002. Chapman's fastball has been clocked in the triple-digits, and several believe the 21-year old can continue to develop into a solid middle of the rotation pitcher.
Chapman cleared the first major hurdle by defecting to Cuba, but now he must go through a process known as unblocking, where the U.S. Treasury Department of Foreign Assets Control must confirm that his employment doesn't violate the U.S. embargo with Cuba.
So who will pursue the 6-foot-3, 185 pound left hander. He is expected to command more than the 32 million dollar bonus that Contreras received, but which team would pay him?
One scouting director told SI.com that Chapman projects more as a reliever than a starter, so some teams may stay away. The Yankees and Red Sox will likely be in the mix, and maybe the Angels would pursue him.
Do you want your team to spend on the 21-year old Cuban phenom?
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I just don’t understand the numbers being thrown around for a kid who has never pitched in the majors? Everyone who has seen him is convinced he has talent and I’m not disputing that but why does an untested kid get seasoned professionals so excited? Let’s see what he can do first, then let the salary sweepstakes begin.
by csg479 on Sep 21, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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