Meet the 2019 Yankees: Aroldis Chapman

The New York Yankees have their ace, but what good is an ace without a solid bullpen, and especially a lockdown closer? Not very good, ask the Boston Red Sox this season (wishful thinking, maybe). The good news for the New York Yankees is that they have that lockdown closer, a couple of them actually, in Aroldis Chapman. Let’s get reacquainted with him before the start of the 2019 season.

Aroldis Chapman, 30-years old for a few more days, is a left-handed throwing closer for the New York Yankees that possesses absolute gas with his left arm. Chapman throws a four-seam fastball that averages out at about 99 MPH, but has gone as high as 105 MPH, an 87 MPH slider, a 102 MPH sinker, and a rarely thrown 91 MPH changeup. All of Chapman’s pitches results in either swings and misses or hard ground balls that are easily fielded by his defense behind him, making him the best closer the Yankees could have pitching inside their home field of Yankee Stadium. If a 105 MPH fastball and a `102 MPH sinker wasn’t intimidating enough, Chapman does this with a 6’4” and 212 lb. frame and borderline violent mechanics.

Albertin Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz was born on February 28, 1988 in Holguin, Cuba. While Chapman and his family were raised in Cuba, it is only because of his grandparents emigrating from Jamaica in order to get a better education for the future generations. Chapman, at just 15-years old, was a first baseman for a local baseball team when a coach noticed how hard Chapman could throw, pushing him to become a pitcher in 2003. Chapman joined the Holguin Sabuesos of the Cuban National Series League in 2006 and was used mainly as a starting pitcher. Chapman was also part of the Cuban national team at the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2009 World Baseball Classic before defecting from Cuba.

Chapman has attempted to defect once in 2008, but he was caught and given a condition reprieve from Raul Castro. Chapman’s second attempt was successful while in Rotterdam, Netherlands where the Cuban national team was participating in the World Port Tournament on July 1, 2009. Chapman established residency in Andorra and petitioned MLB to be granted free agent status. Chapman was declared a free agent by MLB and was quickly snatched up by the Cincinnati Reds who signed him to a six-year contract worth $30.25 million on January 10, 2010. Chapman made his MLB debut that same season, on August 31, 2010, and the young lefty was also added to the Reds postseason roster. Chapman was a reliever for Cincinnati in 2011 but the Reds introduced Chapman as a starter out of the spring in 2012. Injuries to key members of the Reds bullpen didn’t allow that to happen and by May of 2012, Chapman was named the team’s closer by manager Dusty Baker. Chapman was named an All-Star in 2012 and 2013, but during the 2014 season tragedy would strike Chapman, literally.

Chapman was struck by a line drive off the bat of Salvador Perez on March 19, 2014, a spring training game between the Reds and the Kansas City Royals. Chapman had to undergo a surgery to fix a skull fracture above his left eye and a metal plate was inserted into his head to stabilize the fracture. Chapman began the season on the 15-day disabled list but would return on May 10^th of that year. Chapman was once again named an NL All-Star in 2015 before being traded to the New York Yankees on December 28, 2015. The Yankees gave up Caleb Cotham, Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda in the deal after the Reds learned that Chapman was involved, and subsequently suspended, for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. Chapman was suspended for the first 30 games of the 2016 season before the Yankees, who were falling out of contention, traded their closer to the Chicago Cubs for Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren and Rashad Crawford. Chapman would lead the Cubs to the 2016 World Series and eventually their first World Series championship in over 100 seasons.

Chapman hit the free agent market before the 2017 season and was quickly signed by the Yankees on December 15, 2016 for his second stint with the club. Chapman received a five-year deal worth $86 million, at the time the richest deal for a relief pitcher as of 2017. Chapman has been closing games for the Yankees for two seasons now and has led the team to two straight Wild Card berths, but not yet a World Series. Not until the 2019 season, anyway.

Welcome back, Aroldis. I hope the knee inflammation and tendinitis you battled last season is behind you, because we have a lot of work to do here in 2019. No pressure but make us proud. Go Yankees!!

The Curse of the Billy Goat & Other Baseball Superstitions

If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball or if you’ve ever played baseball down from Little League all the way to the show chances are there is at least a little superstitious blood running through your body. I can remember wearing a red power rangers shirt under my jersey back in my early Little League years and the first time I did I went 3-4 and we won. So what did I do? I wore that same shirt under my jersey every single game until the superstition ran out. If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball you probably also believe in curses no matter what you say out loud. The Curse of the Bambino was a real thing, even if it was just in the heads of the Boston Red Sox fans and players, and until the Curse of the Billy Goat and other superstitions around baseball are broken by Cubs players and fans alike those traditions will remain a part of the game as well.


While the Cubs were looking to break the Curse of the Billy Goat every fall I wanted to take a look at some of the superstitions in baseball and some of the attempts to specifically end the curse surrounding Wrigley Field. Fans have tried to smuggle in goats into Wrigley Field and one local food company, Carnivore Inc., even went as far as to butcher a goat that lived 90 minutes south of Chicago to turn into sausage that would be served in the Chicago suburbs. Was it the thousands of Cubs fans eating a goat during the playoffs that reversed the Curse of the Billy Goat? Stay tuned, but I doubt it. I have a feeling it had more to do with Theo Epstein, a great farm system and a tad bit of luck.


Some other superstitions around baseball include Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Burnett putting a poker chip in his back pocket before taking the mound, Wade Boggs eating fried chicken before every start, Derek Holland watching scenes from “For the Love of the Game,” Jason Giambi and his gold thong he passed around the Yankees clubhouse, CC Sabathia keeps a picture of his children in his jersey while he pitches and so many other superstitions.

Players won’t step on the white line when entering or leaving the field, players won’t get a new hat or batting helmet if they are hitting well, no matter how disgusting they look. Roger Clemens would not take the mound without first rubbing the forehead of Babe Ruth in Monument Park, Phil Hughes doesn’t shave the day he is scheduled to pitch and so many more. Superstitions run rampant in Major League Baseball! Especially on Friday the 13th.


FYI, they Cubs did break the curse in case you missed it. I know you didn’t, but still. So did the Red Sox and their Curse of the Bambino, so I heard anyway. I'm still skeptical. What is your biggest superstition?

Friday the 13th Article Revisit: The Curse of the Billy Goat & Other Baseball Superstitions

You have to admit that if you watch baseball, play baseball or have talked to anyone who has played or watched baseball that there is a certain level of superstition in the game. You also have to admit that if you talk to enough people about Friday the 13^th that there is a similar set of superstitions surrounding the day. What do you get when you have Game One of the ALCS on Friday the 13^th? Well besides the Yankees bombing Dallas Keuchel, my prediction, you also get this article revisit from the 2016 season covering some of the weird known superstitions in baseball as well as the now outdated Curse of the Billy Goat that the Chicago Cubs broke last season. Enjoy the article revisit as we wait on the game tonight inside Minute Maid Park. Go Yankees!!

Sunday, October 9, 2016

The Curse of the Billy Goat & Other Baseball Superstitions

If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball or if you’ve ever played baseball down from Little League all the way to the show chances are there is at least a little superstitious blood running through your body. I can remember wearing a red power rangers shirt under my jersey back in my early Little League years and the first time I did I went 3-4 and we won. So what did I do? I wore that same shirt under my jersey every single game until the superstition ran out. If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball you probably also believe in curses no matter what you say out loud. The Curse of the Bambino was a real thing, even if it was just in the heads of the Boston Red Sox fans and players, and until the Curse of the Billy Goat and other superstitions around baseball are broken by Cubs players and fans alike those traditions will remain a part of the game as well. 

With the Cubs once again looking to break the Curse of the Billy Goat this fall I wanted to take a look at some of the superstitions in baseball and some of the attempts to specifically end the curse surrounding Wrigley Field. Fans have tried to smuggle in goats into Wrigley Field and one local food company, Carnivore Inc., even went as far as to butcher a goat that lived 90 minutes south of Chicago to turn into sausage that will be served in the Chicago suburbs. Will thousands of Cubs fans eating a goat during the playoffs reverse the Curse of the Billy Goat? Stay tuned, but I doubt it. 

Some other superstitions around baseball include Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Burnett putting a poker chip in his back pocket before taking the mound, Wade Boggs eating fried chicken before every start, Derek Holland watching scenes from “For the Love of the Game,” Jason Giambi and his gold thong he passed around the Yankees clubhouse, CC Sabathia keeps a picture of his children in his jersey while he pitches and so many other superstitions. 

Players won’t step on the white line when entering or leaving the field, players won’t get a new hat or batting helmet if they are hitting well no matter how disgusting they look, Roger Clemens would not take the mound without first rubbing the forehead of Babe Ruth in Monument Park, Phil Hughes doesn’t shave the day he is scheduled to pitch and so much more. Superstitions run rampant in Major League Baseball! 

So will the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series since 1908 and will any other superstitions or outlandish beliefs be put to bed before the end of the 2016 season? Stay tuned. 

FYI, they Cubs did break the curse in case you missed it. I know you didn’t, but still. 

Meet a Prospect: Aroldis Chapman (Again)

For the second time in just about a calendar year the New York Yankees have acquired “The Cuban Missile” Aroldis Chapman to be their everyday closer in the Bronx. Woo hoo! The first time, for whatever reason, we did not officially introduce him to the Yankees faithful but this time I have a feeling he might be sticking around a little longer… so without further ado let’s meet Mr. Chapman again. This is Meet a Prospect: The Aroldis Chapman Edition.

Albertin Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz was born on February 28, 1988 in Holguin, Cuba. Chapman had a boxing trainer for a father and two sisters in his three-room house in Cuba (rooms, not bedrooms) and as a young child Chapman was taught to box, not play baseball. When Chapman finally did begin playing baseball it was as a first baseman, not as a pitcher. It was in 2003 when a coach noticed Chapman’s arm that he was converted to the pitching mound full time.

Chapman joined the Holguin Sabuesos of the Cuban National Series League in 2006 as a starting pitcher and was a part of the 2007 Pan American Games representing the Cuban national team as well as the 2009 MLB World Baseball Classic before defecting from Cuba in 2009. Chapman had tried to defect from Cuba in 2008, an act that kept him from participating in the Summer Olympics that year, but then President Raul Castro gave him a conditional reprieve.

Chapman was signed by the Cincinnati Reds after declaring his citizenship in Andora to a six-year deal worth $30.25 million with bonuses worth $16.25 million paid over the next 11 years. Chapman set many records for the fastest pitches thrown for the Reds while mowing down MLB ready hitters. Chapman worked as a starter for the Reds in 2010 and even made a playoff appearance for the team before switching full time to the relief role we know him in today before the 2011 season.

Chapman earned his first All-Star Game trip in 2012 as a closer for the Reds and followed that up for Cincinnati with a return trip in 2013 as well. Chapman and his blazing 100+ MPH fastballs were here to stay and nothing could stop them it seemed. Well maybe except for a line drive off the bat of Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez. Perez hit Chapman with a line drive off the bat in a spring training game on March 19, 2014 causing a skull fracture above Chapman’s left eye and a metal plate to be inserted into his head to stabilize the fracture.

Chapman began the 2014 season on the disabled list due to the fracture in his skull and did not return to the baseball diamond until May 10^th of that season. Chapman’s 2014 season and 2015 seasons went off without a hitch until the left-hander was almost traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the winter before the 2016 season. Apparently Chapman had a domestic violence case pending against him from earlier that winter which kept the Dodgers from acquiring him. The New York Yankees came in with a lesser package of prospects and acquired the left-hander giving up Rookie Davis, Tony Renda, Caleb Cotham and Eric Jagielo. Chapman missed the first 30 games of the season due to his domestic violence incident from the offseason and by July 25^th he was no longer a Yankee.

The Yankees traded Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren and Rashad Crawford with hopes that New York could rebuild their farm system while the Cubs could win a World Series. Success and success as the Yankees have one of, if not the, highest touted farm systems in all of Major League Baseball in 2017 due to this trade and trades like it while Aroldis Chapman helped lead the Cubs to their first World Series victory since the Curse of the Billy Goat was cast in 1908.

Chapman, World Series ring on his finger, hit free agency after the 2016 season ended and has now found a home back in the Bronx. For the next five seasons Aroldis Chapman will be closing games inside of Yankee Stadium and that makes me very, very happy. Welcome back Aroldis, the family missed you!

World Series Game 6 Thread: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

It's that time ladies and gentleman, November baseball and Game 6 of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. Get hyped! Will the drought for the Chicago Cubs continue while the Cleveland Indians own little drought comes to an end or will the Cubs live to fight another day tomorrow in Game 7? There's only one way to find out, let's watch.

Tonight the Cubs will send Jake Arrieta to the mound to square off against Josh Tomlin. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and you can watch on FOX. Enjoy.

World Series Game Three Thread: Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs

Here we go ladies and gentleman, Game Three of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The Indians were not able to protect home-field advantage, not that this is a huge deal in Major League Baseball in my opinion, and head into Chicago for the next three games with the series tied at a win each. The Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound tonight looking to take the team to the next step in breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat while the Indians will look to break their own personal World Series drought with Josh Tomlin taking the mound looking for a victory. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET and it can be seen on FOX.

Enjoy the game everyone! 

World Series Game Two Preview: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

Here we go ladies and gents, we’re back for Game Two of the 2016 World Series. Tonight Game Two will be played inside Cleveland’s Progressive Field with Trevor Bauer taking the mound for the home team while the Cubs counter with Jake Arrieta. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET and can be seen on FOX. Let’s take a look at the pitching.

Bauer saw his last start end early after a pinky injury forced him to leave just after 0.2 innings pitched. Whether the extra rest will help or hurt Bauer remains to be seen so tune in tonight to find out. 

Arrieta is also well rested entering this start as he has not pitched since his Game 3 loss on the NLCS. Again the extra rest could help or hurt the pitcher tonight so stay tuned to see who is sharp and who may hand their team a loss. 

Tune in and see which World Series drought comes to an end all series long. This is the last baseball we have before the long, cold winter ahead. 

My 2016 World Series Predictions

The pitching matchups are in, the lineups have been set and the contenders are ready. Who wins the World Series? Do the Cleveland Indians bring home their first World Series title since 1948 in their first trip to the Fall Classic in 19-years or are the Cubs, who are scoffing at the Indians 58-year wait as they read this, finally set to make history and reverse the curse?

Every bone in my body wants to go with the Cubs and who am I to resist my gut feeling. The Cubs are going to do it. It may take four games, it may take seven games or anything in between but I think the Cubs do it. They might make it interesting and they may add a little drama and flair to the whole experience like the Boston Red Sox did in 2004 with the 3-0 come-from-behind victory against the Yankees but the Chicago Cubs get it done.

Theo Epstein will forever go down in history as the man who broke every curse in Major League Baseball. Hey the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. That’s close to being a curse, isn’t it?

Cubs in 7. Also isn’t it ironic that the two closers in this World Series were both Yankees a few months ago? Do we get a World Series ring or something for trading them away? I think we should. Just saying. 

World Series Game One Preview: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians 10/25

Here we go ladies and gentleman, the 2016 World Series kicks off tonight inside Progressive Field with the Cleveland Indians playing host to the Chicago Cubs. Who had these two teams reaching the World Series in 2016 before the season? I had the Cubs but I don’t think many outside the Ohio area had Cleveland in the World Series before the season began. If you did, kudos to you. Tonight it all begins. Will the Cleveland Indians win their first World Series since 1948 or will the Chicago Cubs finally break the Curse of the Billy Goat? Let’s find out. The starting pitchers for tonight’s Fall Classic opener will be Jon Lester for the Cubs and Corey Kluber for the Indians.

Lester is no stranger to the postseason or the World Series and will bring his 2.50 career postseason ERA with him into the start tonight. Lester has seen Cleveland plenty as a member of the Boston Red Sox and has a career 7-1 record against them with a 3.03 ERA, these are not those same Indians though.

Kluber takes the mound for the first World Series game in Cleveland Indians history since their loss to the Florida Marlins in 1997. Kluber has not been shy about his first postseason appearances this year posting a 0.98 ERA in three games including two shutouts so it’s unlikely that the bright lights bother him too much at home tonight for the Indians.

The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on FOX. Tune in to watch.

MLB Postseason Schedule for 10/20

The American League rests tonight and the National League takes center stage once again as the Chicago Cubs fly to Los Angeles and Dodgers Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs have to have the Curse of the Billy Goat in the back of their head, especially after getting down 2-1 in the best of seven series. They can say they don’t but we all know that they do. Overcome, I want to see the curse broken!

Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers (Game 5) – 8:08 pm ET on Fox Sports One

My Predictions for the 2016 NLDS

Ladies and gentleman the National League Division series have been decided and only two teams stand in the way of one another fighting for one final position. The World Series. Who will take it home? Will it be the Chicago Cubs who will finally reverse the Curse of the Billy Goat and win their first World Series in over 100 years or will it be the Los Angeles Dodgers who took the Washington Nationals to the brink before finally sending them home for the long winter ahead. Will it be the Cubs who won the National League Central Division race and sent the San Francisco Giants home in the NLDS or will it be the Los Angeles Dodgers who won a decisive Game 5 on the road just two nights ago? Let’s find out.

Earlier today we looked at how the Cubs offense has done against the Dodgers Game One starter Kenta Maeda and we also checked out how the Dodgers offense has done this season against the Cubs starter Jon Lester who starts tonight for Chicago and we’ve also seen what these two teams have done against each other head-to-head this season. So who wins and how many games will it take? Boy this one is harder to call if you ask me.

I want to go with the Cubs because they are clearly the better team in almost every aspect of the game. The Cubs have a better offense, a better defense, better pitching and they are young and hungry. Can the team get the whole curse out of their minds before they become their own worst enemies though? Ultimately I think that they can but I don’t think it will be as easy as it should be for the Cubbies.

I’m taking the Cubs in the NLCS but I can see it taking six games before they do it. The Cubs have to choke away a game or two just to make it interesting, don’t they?

Get ready for your Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians World Series in 2016 ladies and gentleman. 

NLCS: Recapping the Head-to-Head Matchups from 2016

Yesterday morning we took a look at the six matchups between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Indians before the ALCS officially kicked off between the two clubs and today we will do the same for the two remaining teams in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs pretty much steamrolled any and all teams they had put in front of them this season en route to the best record in Major League Baseball but the Dodgers were no slouch either winning the National League West Division. Who had the upper hand during the regular season between these two historic clubs? Let’s find out.

Rk	Date	Tm		Opp	R	RA	Win	Loss	Save
50	Tuesday, May 31	CHC		LAD	0	5	Blanton	Richard
51	Wednesday, Jun 1	CHC		LAD	2	1	Lester	Bolsinger
52	Thursday, Jun 2	CHC		LAD	7	2	Hendricks	Urias
127	Friday, Aug 26	CHC	@	LAD	6	4	Wood	Liberatore	Chapman
128	Saturday, Aug 27	CHC	@	LAD	2	3	Urias	Hammel	Jansen
129	Sunday, Aug 28	CHC	@	LAD	0	1	Blanton	Cahill	Jansen

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference. 

The Curse of the Billy Goat & Other Baseball Superstitions

If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball or if you’ve ever played baseball down from Little League all the way to the show chances are there is at least a little superstitious blood running through your body. I can remember wearing a red power rangers shirt under my jersey back in my early Little League years and the first time I did I went 3-4 and we won. So what did I do? I wore that same shirt under my jersey every single game until the superstition ran out. If you’re a fan of Major League Baseball you probably also believe in curses no matter what you say out loud. The Curse of the Bambino was a real thing, even if it was just in the heads of the Boston Red Sox fans and players, and until the Curse of the Billy Goat and other superstitions around baseball are broken by Cubs players and fans alike those traditions will remain a part of the game as well. 

With the Cubs once again looking to break the Curse of the Billy Goat this fall I wanted to take a look at some of the superstitions in baseball and some of the attempts to specifically end the curse surrounding Wrigley Field. Fans have tried to smuggle in goats into Wrigley Field and one local food company, Carnivore Inc., even went as far as to butcher a goat that lived 90 minutes south of Chicago to turn into sausage that will be served in the Chicago suburbs. Will thousands of Cubs fans eating a goat during the playoffs reverse the Curse of the Billy Goat? Stay tuned, but I doubt it. 

Some other superstitions around baseball include Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Burnett putting a poke chip in his back pocket before taking the mound, Wade Boggs eating fried chicken before every start, Derek Holland watching scenes from “For the Love of the Game,” Jason Giambi and his gold thong he passed around the Yankees clubhouse, CC Sabathia keeps a picture of his children in his jersey while he pitches and so many other superstitions. 

Players won’t step on the white line when entering or leaving the field, players won’t get a new hat or batting helmet if they are hitting well no matter how disgusting they look, Roger Clemens would not take the mound without first rubbing the forehead of Babe Ruth in Monument Park, Phil Hughes doesn’t shave the day he is scheduled to pitch and so much more. Superstitions run rampant in Major League Baseball! 

So will the Chicago Cubs win their first World Series since 1908 and will any other superstitions or outlandish beliefs be put to bed before the end of the 2016 season? Stay tuned.