Aroldis Chapman back to the bullpen

[Ennder]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/21924907

 

I never thought he'd make it as a starter but I can't say I look forward to facing him as the closer either. This significantly cuts into the Red's starter depth though. Their pitching prospects are mostly A and AA right now and the filler guys they have after the top 5 are pretty weak. That is one nasty bullpen though.

[Warning Track Power]

I strongly disagree with this move despite how good of a closer he is. While this is probably the best move for this season, an Ace, which he could be, is worth far more than a closer. Look at the Brewers success in picking up closers (Kolb, Turnbow, Torres, Axford, Hoffman). Yeah they may have only been good for a season but they are more easily found than an Ace. I think the Reds at least have to see if he can start.

 

On a side note, how upset would we be having paid Broxton $7m/year to be our setup man? Yuck.

[derflotr]

Thank goodness.

[TooLiveBrew]

I strongly disagree with this move despite how good of a closer he is. While this is probably the best move for this season, an Ace, which he could be, is worth far more than a closer. Look at the Brewers success in picking up closers (Kolb, Turnbow, Torres, Axford, Hoffman). Yeah they may have only been good for a season but they are more easily found than an Ace. I think the Reds at least have to see if he can start.

 

On a side note, how upset would we be having paid Broxton $7m/year to be our setup man? Yuck.

I fully agree, but the Reds seem to have a bit of a problem on their hands in that department:

 

"I would like to be a closer, but that's not in my hands"

[PrinceFielderx1]

The Reds should have made him a starting pitcher years ago. They made a huge mistake with him.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I think the Reds are making a mistake not keeping him as a starter. As has been said, he would have a lot more value as a top of the rotation starter or ace than he does as closer. And this is on top of the fact that they paid Broxton as a closer in the offseason. Chapman is obviously a dominant closer, but not giving him a longer look as a starter just seems short-sighted. I also agree with you PrinceFielderx1 that they should've made him a starter to begin with.

[danzig6767]

I think the Reds are making a mistake not keeping him as a starter. As has been said, he would have a lot more value as a top of the rotation starter or ace than he does as closer. And this is on top of the fact that they paid Broxton as a closer in the offseason. Chapman is obviously a dominant closer, but not giving him a longer look as a starter just seems short-sighted. I also agree with you PrinceFielderx1 that they should've made him a starter to begin with.

 

Of course if Chapman would become an ace, that would be more valuable than him as a lock down closer.

 

That said, if both he and Broxton pitch like they did last season, they would form a very enviable duo and thus would be a major strength at protecting wins.

 

One just needs to look at our very own Brewers the last two years to see the importance of back end of the bullpen guys in today's baseball where those guys pitch in nearly every game within 1-3 runs. In 2011, that back end of the pen was huge in securing a playoff berth and then huge in blowing a potential playoff berth last year.

 

Granted, you'd rather find productive closers and set up men on the cheap than spending big money or using an insane arm like Chapman in the rotation, but it's not often that teams make the playoffs in today's baseball if they aren't good at protecting leads late in games, so it's a good problem to have for the Reds.