Chapman 'Muy Bueno' in Cactus Debut

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Rubbery in the arm and hips, Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman whirled and flung fastballs that averaged 97 miles per hour Monday in his first Cactus League game since the Reds signed him for $30.5 million. The supple left-hander impressed an American League scout, among others, not because he threw two scoreless innings against the Royals, but because of how smoothly he furnished 99 mph fastballs and sliders that reached 90 mph at Goodyear Ballpark.

"He's not just a hard thrower," the scout said. "He has a good delivery. Good timing. Flexible."

Chapman, although not pinpoint with his accuracy, threw 15 strikes out of 26 pitches. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder struck out three of his final four hitters. The only hit he allowed was to a guy from the same island: Cuban friend Brayan Pena -- Kansas City's No. 2 catcher.

Unlike his teammates, Pena knew what to expect. He caught Chapman's pitches this past winter, flying to Miami as a replacement for another catcher who found Chapman's pitches too hot to handle. The two share not only a passion for baseball but the United States, Pena crying when he became a U.S. citizen. He still gets misty when asked about it.

Pena was the first hitter who awaited Chapman. Ater the pitcher fell behind 2-0, Pena ripped a two-seam fastball to left field for a single.

The Royals didn't get another hit.

Chapman's best sequence came against Royals leadoff man David DeJesus, his fourth batter. A 97-mph pitch over the outside corner was followed by a 90-mph slider in the same spot for a second called strike. Next was an outside slider that induced an ugly swing for strike three.

But afterward, DeJesus wasn't ready to rubber-stamp Chapman for Cooperstown just yet, saying that as hitters become more familiar with him, the story could be different.

"He's human," DeJesus said.

He's not just a hard thrower. He has a good delivery. Good timing. Flexible.
-- An AL scout on Aroldis Chapman It was easy to see Chapman's pitches, DeJesus said. "It's a straight fastball. He threw a little slider, then a big slider."

Chapman defected last July, walking out of a hotel in the Netherlands where the Cuban national team was staying. His mentor and translator with the Reds, Single-A pitching coach Tony Fossas, said that Chapman's challenges of adjusting to a new culture make baseball easy for him by comparison.

"I think for him, it's a piece of cake, to be honest," Fossas said.

In the World Baseball Classic last March, he posted a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 innings. Previously he compiled a 4.03 ERA over 118 1/3 innings in the National Series in Cuba.

Fossas said Chapman has already sharpened his delivery because of video sessions, more advanced than those in Cuba.

"He's very bright, very smart," Fossas said. "He's a workaholic."

Chapman threw only one changeup, a total that the AL scout deemed a bit disappointing.

"If he's going to throw only two pitches, he's going to end up as a reliever," he said.

However, Fossas praised Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez, who lockers next to Chapman, for sticking with the fastball and slider, because it was only Chapman's second outing of spring training and his first in a game.

"I think as we go on in spring training," Fossas said, "you should see him throw more changeups."

Said Chapman: "I felt a lot more comfortable, a lot better today (than when he faced Reds hitters last week)."

Chapman's hype might be causing some scouts to fib a little. One claimed a 102-mph clocking today. Still, the lefty reportedly has been clocked in the 100-102 range. Many of his fastball registered at 97 Monday. Chapman laughed when someone suggested the 102 clocking.

"If it did hit that," he said, "it was just one of those things."

When first asked about his outing, Chapman smiled. He then gave a response that even the gringo sporstwriters could understand.

Muy bueno, muy bueno.