MLB is starved for good arms, especially if they’re lefthanded throwers, and there seems to be something exotic about coming from another country, like Japan as was the case with Daisuke Matsuzaka, or Cuba as is the case with Aroldis Chapman. Now it’s being reported that the Red Sox are really interested in Chapman, Boston is also interested in John Lackey, and they already have Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and youngsters Clay Buchholz & Michael Bowden.
Aroldis’ defection from Cuba wasn’t as dramatic as some of his fellow countrymen, who’ve fled Castro’s Cuba in search of the big bucks of baseball in America. The Cuban National team was in the Netherlands for a baseball tournament, Chapman simply walked out the front door of the hotel, into the car, driven by an acquaintance. He petitioned MLB and now is on his way to the show.
Tomorrow the 21 year old lefthanded Cuban pitcher will throw for several ballclubs in Houston. Back in July, when he defected, it was thought it would take $40 million to sign him, but now it looks like he’ll be a relative bargain, possibly signing for as little as under $20 million, you have to remember times are tough. If you’ve got a young boy, be sure to teach him to throw a baseball with his lefthand.
The major players in the bidding war for the services of Aroldis Chapman will be the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.