Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman held a workout in Houston Tuesday in an attempt to stir more interest around his fireballing left-arm. Fifteen teams were represented at the workout to see what the 21 year old is capable of.
Aroldis Chapman Shows 15 Teams (80 Percent Of) What He’s Got
↵Well, at least 80 percent of what he’s capable of:
↵↵“His delivery is better than what we saw him throw at the [2009 World Baseball Classic],” one NL executive told SI.com. “His delivery is a lot better and his control is a lot better.”
↵[...]
↵Chapman’s representatives informed team officials -- which an SI.com source says came from approximately 60 percent of Major League clubs -- that he would throw at about 80 percent capacity. The executive says Chapman touched 97 mph on the radar gun with a four-seam fastball, which, the executive says “makes it hard to believe he was only throwing 80 percent.”
↵↵If Chapman was really throwing at 80 percent, that means his 97 mile-per-hour fastball would actually clock in around 121 miles per hour. I’m no baseball historian, but I’m pretty sure that’s never been done in professional baseball before. Or any baseball. Ever. It would also be approximately 19 miles per hour faster than he’s ever supposedly been clocked at. Impressive, indeed.
↵Nevertheless, if scouts were impressed by him at 80 percent, just imagine what it’ll be like when he’s standing on the mound of [insert name of ballpark of team that spends a lot of money] at 100 percent. Or, if he’s really gritty and goes the extra mile, 110 percent.
↵Watch out, Nolan.
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