Chapman Fast Tracks with Reds

Reports on Sunday indicate that Cuban free-agent lefthander Aroldis Chapman has agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Reds on a four-year, plus an option deal that could total $30 million. The deal was first reported by Foxsports.com with details added by MLB.com. It could be announced on Monday.

The surprising contract offer by the Reds, who had remained silent throughout the process, simply means that the Jays, Angels, Red Sox, Marlins and Yankees get to stuff their money back in their pockets for other uses. The range of rejected offers was rumoured to be between $13 million (Marlins) and $23 million (Jays) all of them considered to be signing bonuses paid over four years.

If indeed the previously non-contending Reds have authorized GM Walt Jocketty to make that offer to the Hendricks brothers, it likely means that Cincinnati plans on bringing him to the majors some time during the 2010 season -- sooner rather than later. When the 22-year-old Chapman was dealing with his original agent, the inexperienced Edwin Mejia, one of the early demands that scared off many teams until the agent switch, was that the Cuban defector be brought directly to the majors. They had backed off of that demand, but if the careful Reds are willing to break the bank, they want him there now.

In addition to the Reds status as a building franchise, but immediate non-contenders is the fact that pitching in the NL, in particular the NL Central, gives Chapman his best chance at early success. Blessed with a fastball that hits the century mark, his slider and change are not major-league ready. The best course for his career would be to spend some time in the minors and emerge whenever he's ready. 

Jays' fans in defeat can take solace in the fact that the process of the Chapman negotiation has demonstrated that ownership is not reluctant to spend money if the situation so warrants. In this case it was the addition of a young, talented, controllable player to go with the stockpile that they seem to be building up heading towards nine choices in the first three rounds of this June's draft. 

    

Comments

[erc]

Can't speak for anyone but myself, but to me, they are headed in the right direction. Spend the money on a live arm that has a chance to be really good. Didn't get their man this time, but it was a nice try.
Put the mid-level, veteran pieces in place once you have a talented core to challenge the Evil Empire and the Spend Sox. Don't try to buy your way to respectability, unless you plan on spending like NYY.
Anyone who really likes baseball, likes watching young players develop. Lind and Hill, and maybe Snider, are well worth watching.
Spend the money on young talent and have enough in reserve to keep them once they develop. That works a lot better for me than bringing in a patchwork adddition of mid-level vets.

[Colt McCoy]

I'm glad the jays didn't pick him. $30 million seems too much for a guy with no mlb experience and a lack of control.

[Darryl]

It was nice to see the Jays in the running for Chapman. While they missed out I do hope they take this money they planned to use for him and put it into the draft (ie slot money)