Selected Media Coverage of Aroldis Chapman July-November, 2009

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Top Cuban prospect defects

By Jorge Arangure Jr. ESPN The Magazine Aroldis Chapman, a Cuban considered by many scouts to be the best left-handed pitching prospect in the world, has defected from the national team, several sources have confirmed to ESPN The Magazine.

Aroldis Chapman has a tantalizing 100 mph fastball, but also question marks about his other pitches -- and his maturity.

Chapman, 21, walked out of his hotel in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where Cuba was participating in a tournament, and never returned, according to the Spanish-language Web site cubaencuentro.com, which first reported Chapman's defection.

Chapman told the site he was still in Europe, but would not reveal his location for safety reasons. "I walked out easily, right through the hotel door, and I hopped into a car and left," Chapman told cubaencuentro.com. "It was easy. Now the plan is to sign with a major league team." A source said Chapman was scheduled to fly to Miami on Thursday. Chapman would be the most heralded defector since Jose Contreras, who left the national team in 2002 during a tournament in Mexico. By several estimates, Chapman could garner a contract worth anywhere from $30 million to $60 million. Contreras, now with the Chicago White Sox, received a four-year, $32 million contract from the New York Yankees in 2003, which at the time was the biggest ever given to a Cuban defector. "Without a doubt [he is the best player to defect since Contreras]," agent Jaime Torres said Thursday. Torres, who represented Contreras and is considered the top agent for Cuban defectors, said he has had no contact with Chapman yet. Yankees senior vice president Mark Newman, when contacted by ESPN The Magazine, said it's "safe to assume" the Yankees would have interest in Chapman. Chapman is not a complete unknown; he pitched for Cuba at the World Baseball Classic this past spring. "This is shocking," one international scouting director said about the magnitude of the defection. Yet Chapman is still considered a fairly raw prospect. Though many considered him to be the most talented pitcher on the Cuban squad, Chapman posted only a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 innings during the WBC. Last year in the National Series in Cuba, Chapman had a 4.03 ERA in 118 1/3 innings. And though his pitches have been clocked at 100 mph, some consider Chapman's secondary pitches to be only average. For that reason, many believe Chapman likely would have to start his professional career in the minors. There also might be a question of Chapman's maturity level. Several times at the WBC, Chapman was demonstrative in his displeasure at the umpire's strike zone. At times, several of his teammates had to go to the mound to calm him. And when he was finally removed in the third inning of a 6-0 loss against Japan in pool play, Chapman did not look at manager Higinio Velez, running straight into the clubhouse without slapping hands with any of his teammates. Yet in that start, Chapman showed exactly why he will be highly coveted: In the first inning, Chapman threw a 100 mph pitch. Later in that game, Chapman hit 102 mph. "I think the fastball he showed at the Classic was good enough," Torres said, jokingly. Chapman also appears to have the charisma to make him a star in the majors. During the WBC, he regularly mugged for cameras and always offered smiles at reporters, though because of Cuba team rules, he was not allowed to speak to any of them. "I'm very happy," Chapman said on cubaencuentro.com. "Until now everything has come out fine. This is the plan that I had and this was a decision I took. I wanted to test myself in the highest levels of baseball." Because it's likely Chapman surrendered his passport to Cuban officials after arriving in Europe -- all Cuban players routinely do so, prior to any appearance outside of Cuba -- he will have some complications in establishing residency. Jorge Arangure Jr. is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. He can be contacted at jorge.arangure@espn3.com.

Olney: A left-handed Strasburg

The most intense bidding of the winter will not be over Matt Holliday, nor Jason Bay. It will not be John Lackey who is going to have the most bidders frothing after him. No, it will be Aroldis Chapman, the 21-year-old pitcher who reportedly defected from Cuba while traveling with the national team in the Netherlands. To put his talent in perspective: Some evaluators view Chapman as a left-handed Stephen Strasburg, who was the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft last month. "He's pretty special," said one official. He has a fastball clocked at 101 mph or 102 mph, and a "plus" curveball and "plus" slider, to use the scouts' vernacular. But unlike Strasburg, his market will not be restricted to the one team that drafted him. It may be about six months before his situation is settled to the point where teams will be able to make bids, but when that can happen, you can expect a Daisuke Matsuzaka-like feeding frenzy to ensue. Jose Contreras signed a $32 million deal with the Yankees earlier this decade, but he was much older than Chapman. Matsuzaka was 25 years old when the Boston Red Sox committed $103 million in a posting fee and contract to sign him. Chapman's situation is incredibly unique, because he's so young, so talented -- all of his best years presumably in front of him -- and so well known among evaluators. -- Buster Olney Pasted from <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4302422&type=story>

Cuba acknowledges top pitcher's defection HAVANA (AP) — Cuba has acknowledged the defection of baseball pitcher Aroldis Chapman, a week after he walked away from a tournament in the Netherlands. The Communist Party daily Granma said Friday that Chapman has contracted baseball agent Jaime Torres to represent him. Cuba previously had said nothing about Chapman's defection, despite widespread media coverage in exile-dominated Miami. The 21-year-old Chapman attracted international attention during the World Baseball Classic with a fastball of up to 100 mph (160 kph). He is considered among the top left-handed pitchers in the world, and the best pitcher to abandon Cuba since Jose Contreras left in 2002. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2009-07-10-3856199754_x.htm Pasted from <http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Cuba+acknowledges+top+pitcher%27s+defection+-+USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=406494782&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2F2009-07-10-3856199754_x.htm&partnerID=1662>

Monday, July 13, 2009

Chapman signs with agent ESPN.com news services ST. LOUIS -- Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who defected this month after arriving with his national team for a tournament in the Netherlands, has signed with an agent. Chapman will be represented by Athletes Premier International, which is headed by Edwin Leonel Mejia. If Chapman follows the path of previous Cuban baseball players who defected, he would establish residency outside the United States and become a free agent, able to sign with any of the 30 major league teams. Chapman is currently in Europe, a spokesman for the agency told ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure Jr. "I am very excited to be starting a new chapter in my life and have Edwin and the rest of the team at Athletes Premier by my side to help me realize my dreams," Chapman said in a statement Monday. Chapman pitched twice for Cuba in this year's World Baseball Classic. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report. Pasted from <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4324481&type=story>

Aroldis Chapman Finds A New Home By: Darren Heitner | 1 Comments

Last week, the world baseball community was abuzz about the news that one of Cuba’s top young pitchers, Aroldis Chapman, defected from the Cuban national team and was roaming around somewhere in Europe. Fantasy baseball players immediately jotted his name down, baseball columnists were wondering what team he would be signed by, and I was trying to figure out which agency would get the rights to represent the Cuban defector. I thought maybe it would be my Twitter buddy, Joe Kehoskie. He is an established agent who, on his LinkedIN profile, claims to specialize in the representation of Cuban baseball defectors. He has represented more Cuban defectors than any other active baseball agent and ranks in the top three historically. I am not sure if Kehoskie was actively recruiting Chapman, but Chapman ended up going with a different agency: Athletes Premier International. API is a young agency. Three Co-Partners founded API in 2006, and they decided to elect Edwin Leonel Mejia as the CEO. The website, which is less than a week old, does not list any client names and only has one press release. That press release is the announcement of Chapman signing with the company. API is also on Twitter. Exactly a week ago, CEO Edwin Mejia wrote, WATCH OUT Scott Boras there is a new kid on the block and we coming for that number 1 SPOT!!! www.athletespremier.com A day later, paparazzi are no joke!!! Gotta be real careful from now on! The Bomb almost got DROPPED!!!! Stay tuned… www.athletespremier.com And then on Friday, Ok this is just friggin crazy! Dudes are just out right trying to buy us now! Even the juggernauts of this game are getting worried! API I sense a little excitement. Pasted from <http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/07/14/aroldis-chapman-finds-a-new-home/>

Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman signs with agent Posted on Monday, 07.13.09 Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman signs with agent The Associated Press ST. LOUIS — Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who defected this month after arriving with his national team for a tournament in the Netherlands, has signed with an agent. Chapman will be represented by Athletes Premier International, which is headed by Edwin Leonel Mejia. If Chapman follows the path of previous Cuban baseball players who defected, he would establish residency outside the United States and become a free agent, able to sign with any of the 30 major league teams. “I am very excited to be starting a new chapter in my life and have Edwin and the rest of the team at Athletes Premier by my side to help me realize my dreams,” Chapman said in a statement Monday. Chapman pitched twice for Cuba in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman signs with agent – Breaking News – Sports - MiamiHerald.com (13 July 2009) http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/breaking-news/story/1139686.html Pasted from <http://www.cubaverdad.net/weblog/cuban-defector-aroldis-chapman-signs-with-agent/>

Where In The World Is Aroldis Chapman? Posted Jul. 14, 2009 3:30 pm by Will Lingo Filed under: International We’re still not sure exactly where Cuban lefthander Aroldis Chapman is, but at least we have narrowed it down to a continent. Chapman has taken the next step toward a career in Organized Baseball with the hiring of an agent, following his defection from the Cuban national team on July 1 while in the Netherlands for the World Port Tournament. Athletes Premier International trumpeted its "representation and marketing agreement" with Chapman in a press release on Monday. When asked where Chapman was and when he might sign, a spokesman responded: "Aroldis is currently with Edwin Mejia in Europe. We will announce where he plans to establish residency and his next steps as soon as that information is available." Mejia is the founder of Athletes Premier International, and according to the company’s release is a licensed attorney in Massachusetts and New York. The agency was established in 2006 and "represents historically underserved athletes from Latin America and the inner cities of the United States," the release says. "Aroldis is a tremendous person and athlete," Mejia says in the release. "He is the highest-caliber athlete to sign with our agency, and it is an honor and a privilege to help him achieve his professional and personal goals."

The release confirms that Chapman is 21, though it says he was born on Feb. 28, 1988 in Cayo Mambi, Frank Pais, Holguin, Cuba. While that birthplace is consistent with previous reports, the birthdate is six months later than the one cited in other sources: Sept. 11, 1987. The release says that Chapman’s wife and young daughter, as well as his parents and two sisters, remain in Cuba. It also includes his career statistics from Cuba’s professional league, Serie Nacional, where he spent four seasons with Holguin:

Year W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

2005-06

3 5 4.33 15 15 0 54 48 33 26 5 54 56 .240

2006-07

4 3 2.77 23 12 7 81 59 26 25 4 50 100 .207

2007-08

6 7 3.89 16 16 0 74 55 36 32 3 37 79 .200

2008-09

11 4 4.03 22 20 0 118 109 56 53 7 62 130 .252

TOTALS 24 19 3.74 76 63 7 328 271 151 136 19 203 365 .227

Pasted from <http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=5608>

Sports Industrialists Published July 15, 2009 Names In The News

Thornton Signs Onto Baseball-Themed Film Based On "Three Nights In August"

FX has ordered a "semiscripted comedy pilot" for a new show, "The League," which "centers on a fantasy football league and tackles issues of marriage, friendship, parenting and love." Producers JEFF and JACKIE MARCUS SCHAFFER are producing and creating the pilot episode, currently in progress, with Jeff also serving as Director (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/15)....Actor BILLY BOB THORNTON has signed on as a producing partner on the baseball-themed movie "THREE NIGHTS IN AUGUST," based on the book by BUZZ BISSINGER that examines a three-game series between the Cubs and Cardinals in '03 (DAILY VARIETY, 7/15). NOT KIDDING AROUND: In Pittsburgh, Jason Cato reports Penguins C SIDNEY CROSBY is the "latest celebrity victim of impersonation," as a MySpace page titled "If You See Crosby" asked fans for "help to raise $3,000 for Phelps Park" in Minneapolis. The page promised Crosby would donate a "game-played, autographed stick" in exchange for a donation. But Penguins VP/Communications Tom McMillan said, "This is not Sidney Crosby. He does not have a MySpace page." MySpace removed the site upon the request of CAA, which reps Crosby (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 7/15). SHARK BITES: Golfer GREG NORMAN said PGA Tour Commissioner TIM FINCHEM "must be using smoke and mirrors to keep [the Tour] buoyant." Norman: "Either that or he's working his way through a huge war chest. ... I wouldn't want to be in his shoes, to tell you the truth." Norman said the U.S. economy is "dead and it's a long time before it's coming back." Norman: "Run what's considered a small to medium business like mine, in the [$200-500M] turnover range, and there's no incentives to grow. It's going to take a long time for business to recover and the rest of the world is going to recover quicker than America" (London DAILY MAIL, 7/15). NAMES: Cuban P AROLDIS CHAPMAN has signed with Athletes Premier Int'l (API) for representation. Chapman defected from Cuba on July 1 and plans to seek a contract with an MLB club (API)....U.S. Olympic gymnast SHAWN JOHNSON said that a "book deal is next." Johnson: "I'm trying to come out with a three-book series for teens or kids" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 7/13)....The NFL's Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society has named the Steelers Physician DR. ANTHONY YATES as the top team physician this year (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/15)....Angels Owner ARTE MORENO has paid $12.1M for a new home in Corona del Mar, California (OCBJ.com, 7/13). Pasted from <http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=archive.printArticle&articleId=131756>

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 Updated: November 1, 1:05 AM ET New world of hope awaits Chapman By Jorge Arangure Jr. ESPN The Magazine BARCELONA, Spain -- As he sits under a starry night on the patio of a restaurant, Aroldis Chapman plays with a small, hand-held video camera used to record his workout from earlier that day. He punches at buttons with his unusually long, lean fingers -- which give the pitching phenom an advantage when

spinning a curveball. Once Chapman discovers how to watch video on the camera, he is awestruck by the images of himself throwing a bullpen session. He stares for a few moments without saying a word.

ESPN THE MAGAZINE What does Aroldis Chapman know about the majors? How will he be showcased? Read more from Jorge Arangure Jr. about the Cuban left-hander in the August 24 issue of ESPN The Magazine by clicking here. Chapman then becomes enthralled with someone's iPhone, his current obsession. He wonders aloud how he can get one. Chapman swipes at the screen and asks if it's possible to download a chat application so he can converse with friends -- new ones from Spain, and old ones from Cuba. He looks at the iPhone with lust, like covetous major league scouts look at him. "We can go to the United States and then buy an unblocked iPhone," says a friend. "But it will be a little bit more expensive." There's an inherent innocence and endearing sweetness to the 21-year-old Chapman. The world, so big now since he defected from the Cuban national team almost a month ago, comes at him full force, like one of his 100 mph fastballs. Yet he can hardly get enough of it. His appetite for all new things is immense. Chapman often eats two steaks at a time for dinner. He plays video games until the early hours of the morning. He sleeps each day past noon. He enjoys going to discos. He likes designer jeans and big clunky watches that conspicuously sit on his wrist like a wall clock. He's awestruck by fast, fancy cars. He likes long, thick gold chains that hang around his thin neck. He listens to his agent's fiancée's iPod for hours. Chapman is fascinated by technology. Mostly, he enjoys the things he's never had.

INSIDER: MORE ON CHAPMAN Chapman is almost certainly the 21 years old he claims to be. He has the passport and the youthful bravado to prove it. "I want to be the best pitcher in the world," he brashly proclaims. "I'm not yet. But with work I can be." Chapman wants it all and soon he will be able to get it. At some point a major league team will give him a contract somewhere in the $40 million to $100 million range. But will he be better for it? Will all the newness the world offers overwhelm and change him? After failing in his first attempt to defect in the spring of 2008, Chapman on July 1 walked out of his hotel in Rotterdam, Netherlands -- where the Cuban national team was playing in the World Port Tournament -- climbed into the passenger seat of a car driven by an acquaintance, and was whisked away. In Cuba, he left behind his father, mother, two sisters, girlfriend and newborn baby, whom he's never seen in person. Immediately, Chapman became the most coveted amateur baseball player in the world. In the ensuing moments after his defection, a conflict for the ages began -- the fight for Chapman's soul.

"What was I supposed to do?" The sun had begun to set on Playa Blanca, on the southeast coast of Cuba, one particular day in March 2008 when two blue lights first appeared on the horizon, swirling in the air like beacons from a lighthouse. From a distance, inside a small, shanty-like beach house, it was not clear what the lights were, but even a first-time defector like Aroldis Chapman knew the blue lights weren't a good sign. A few days earlier, an acquaintance of Chapman's from near his hometown of Cayo Mambi, in the province of Holguin, had approached him and offered a chance at millions of dollars, riches that Chapman couldn't even imagine. Chapman lived with five family members in a small, three-room house with a roof that often leaked after a strong rainfall.

A family friend is surrounded by Chapman's family -- his father, Juan Alberto Chapman Benett; his mother, Maria Caridad De La Cruz; and his two sisters, Yusmila and Yurixan.

Though Chapman was a budding star in the Cuban National Series for the Holguin Sabuesos and for the Cuban national team, he was not treated like one. In Holguin, Chapman spent his off days watching television on his family's old 34-inch set. When he was bored, he'd borrow his friend's bike, a rickety thing with bent wheels and broken pedals. Chapman comes from a humble upbringing. Juan Alberto Chapman Benett and his wife, Maria Caridad De La Cruz, always hoped for great things from their son Albertin, whom they named after a Cuban movie star. But mostly everybody called Albertin by his middle name Aroldis (pronounced "AH-roll-dis"), which had been an uncle's name. Chapman's father was a boxing trainer and then later worked for the city. His mother did not work. Chapman's paternal grandparents had emigrated from Jamaica to Cuba in order to get a better education, but even that move was not enough to turn the family's fortunes. The Chapmans, whose last name can be traced to English settlers in Jamaica in the late 1600s, were not a prominent family. It did not take long for Aroldis Chapman to be intrigued by the acquaintance's plan to defect. The man told Chapman he would need to get in a car, travel south to Playa Blanca and then wait in a beach house until nightfall. At that point, Chapman and several others, under the blanket of darkness, would get into a boat and sail to another country, toward freedom. From there, Chapman would be free to establish citizenship and play in the major leagues. The plan seemed simple enough. Chapman said yes. But as the blue lights began to get closer to the beach house, Chapman could see that they were mounted on top of a white, boxy car -- the familiar Lada, an export vehicle from Russia, Cuba's longtime ideological cousin -- often driven by police. Eventually, the police arrived and rounded up everybody, including the star baseball player. "The first thing I thought," Chapman says, "was that my career was over." The police took Chapman to his house, but soon afterward he was summoned to a meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro in Havana. Chapman did not know what to expect. He feared the worst. “ I knew that if they didn't allow me to play anymore, I would leave Cuba immediately. I mean what was I supposed to do? Baseball is the only thing I know. ” -- Aroldis Chapman, after his first attempt to defect was thwarted "I knew that if they didn't allow me to play anymore, I would leave Cuba immediately," Chapman says. "I mean, what was I supposed to do? Baseball is the only thing I know." Instead, Chapman got a conditional reprieve. Castro suspended Chapman for the remainder of the National Series season and also kept him off Cuba's national team for the Beijing Olympics. But surprisingly, Chapman was allowed to return to the National Series this season and rejoin the national team in time for the World Baseball Classic.

No official reason was given for the decision, though it's widely believed that Castro, and his brother Fidel -- both from Holguin -- did not want to weaken their beloved hometown Sabuesos for too long. Also, without Chapman, Cuba's chances in the WBC seemed dim. So Chapman was brought back. But that hardly appeased him. Though the government did not take away his career, Chapman did not emerge from the meeting feeling victorious. Instead, he became more determined to get out. He no longer wanted to be at the mercy of government men who hardly cared about his well-being while denying him the things in life he felt he deserved. Soon after that day, Chapman made the decision to do everything he could to defect. He would remain loyal to the government and to his team until the perfect day arrived when he could leave. Perhaps it was then, before his actual escape, when the fight for Chapman's soul began.

"I might never see them again" In the spring of this year, the Cuban national team gathered in Havana to prepare for the World Port Tournament, a minor event that would serve as a precursor to the World Baseball Cup in September in Spain. From the team that had been embarrassingly eliminated in the second round of the WBC, only five players traveled to the tournament in Rotterdam, and Chapman was among them. Not that Chapman had distinguished himself at the WBC, either. Faced with a tight strike zone, Chapman crumbled against Japan and allowed three runs in just 2 1/3 innings. But Chapman was still considered the team's ace and was scheduled to pitch Cuba's first game in Holland. By this time, Chapman had no plans to pitch. He was going to defect in Rotterdam.

"I thought that in that tournament it would be easier [to defect]," Chapman says. "There would be less security." After the incident in Playa Blanca, men often approached Chapman and promised they could take him to freedom. Chapman refused each time. Though he's not certain, Chapman believes the police intercepted a cell phone call from one of the 10 people scheduled to leave that night on the boat. Chapman knew that with more people involved in the plot, the better chance there was of getting caught. So he told no one in Cuba of his plan, not even his family, nor his pregnant girlfriend of two years, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas. To fully mask his plan, Chapman prepared for the tournament as if he were actually going to pitch. Often during the middle of practice, Chapman wistfully looked at teammates and made sure to take in scenes that he could save in his memory. "I thought more about spending time with my teammates because I might never see them again," Chapman says. When the Cuban team boarded a plane for Holland on July 1, Chapman's stomach began to roil with nerves. He thought about the

family he would leave behind. He thought about what his parents and sisters would think. Mostly, he worried about his girlfriend and their baby, Ashanti Brianna, who had been born just three days earlier on June 28 while Chapman was practicing in Havana.

Aroldis Chapman, who pitched for Cuba in the WBC, reportedly has thrown a 102-mph fastball.

Raidelmis and Chapman had met at a party almost two years ago. He had charmed her with a joke and the two instantly became a couple. Chapman often calls her his wife even though they aren't legally married. Chapman says the best thing he could do for his new family was to defect. "[The baby's birth] helped me to become more committed to the sport," he says. "I had to double my effort." What complicated matters was that Chapman was not sure what day in Holland he would defect. Since he had not confided in others, Chapman did not have a solid plan. The team passed through customs after arriving in Holland. For reasons that remain unexplained, the Cuban Baseball Federation did not follow protocol and confiscate players' passports. Instead, players held on to their passports as they arrived at the Domina Hotel in Rotterdam. Chapman had his opening. With his passport, Chapman had two distinct advantages: He could prove his identity, and he could also establish residency more easily in another country, which was a key requirement in becoming a free agent. The Cuban team arrived at the hotel, had lunch and then individually posed for tournament credential photos. Chapman then went upstairs to room 227 to hang out with his roommate, pitcher Vladimir Garcia. "I started to think about everything, my family, the people I left behind, my friends," Chapman says. "I was thinking I would never see them again. That's when I made up my mind." Moments later, Chapman told Garcia that he was heading downstairs for a smoke. Chapman walked out of the room carrying just his passport and a pack of cigarettes. At some point during his short time at the hotel, Chapman called a friend with whom he had not spoken in some time, but whom he knew would be in Holland for the tournament. The friend told Chapman that he and another person would be waiting in a car outside the hotel. Upon getting to the lobby, Chapman, expecting a crowd, noticed there was nobody to thwart his escape. Wearing a blue polo and blue, standard-issue adidas warm-up pants, Chapman then waited five minutes

for his friends to arrive, walked out the hotel door without any interference, and hopped into the car. It took two days for Chapman, with the whole baseball world wondering where he was, to get the nerve to call his girlfriend from Holland. Raidelmis worried she would never see Chapman again. He reassured her they would someday be reunited. Chapman did not have the courage to speak to his parents until the day after he had spoken to his girlfriend. "They did feel a little upset because of what I had done, but if I was fine, they were going to be fine,"

Chapman says. Though his nerves still rankled him, Chapman spent his first four days of freedom partying in Amsterdam. The third day after Chapman's defection, Pedro*, a childhood friend from Cuba who was now living in the United States, arrived in Holland. Pedro was a junior college player who was being advised by Edwin Leonel Mejia, an agent with the relatively new firm of Athletes Premier International. Mejia arrived on Chapman's fourth day in Holland. On that day, Chapman signed a contract with Mejia, who was then certified by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Aroldis Chapman hopes to be reunited with his girlfriend, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas, and his daughter, Ashanti Brianna, who remain in Cuba.

The next day, Chapman, Mejia, Pedro, Pedro's father (who also knew Chapman) and a bodyguard squeezed into a car and drove 22 hours straight through France to get to Barcelona, stopping only for meals. What a sight it was for people along the French countryside to see dark-skinned Latino men hop out of a car to ask for a place to eat. Chapman chuckles at the thought of it. For those precious moments, freedom tasted like a baguette. It was official: Chapman was a free agent.

"It almost doesn't seem real" A small, gray sedan crackles onto the gravel parking lot of the Viladecans Baseball Stadium, a former Olympic stadium in a Barcelona suburb, on a late July afternoon. Three men are packed into the backseat. A husky man is driving the car. From the front passenger seat, Chapman emerges, listening to an iPod. Chapman travels with the same group of people every day: Mejia, Pedro, Pedro's father and a bodyguard the group sarcastically calls "GPS" because of his tendency to frequently get lost. It's a tight-knit group -- all of them are Cuban, except for Mejia -- though outside forces are already threatening to break up this entourage. A few days before ESPN's visit to Barcelona, an agent's representative arrived at Chapman's workout and tried to slip the pitcher a note. It was the first time an agent had been bold enough to send someone in person to speak to Chapman. Usually, agents or one of their minions call one of Chapman's friends. So far, Chapman has spurned all overtures from other agents and he promises to remain loyal to Mejia.

Aroldis Chapman is confident that he will be a successful major league pitcher.

Friends say loyalty is one of Chapman's best virtues. The first phone call Chapman made after his defection was to Pedro. "It almost doesn't seem real he's here," Pedro says. In fact, it was Pedro who first convinced Chapman to play organized baseball. One day Pedro's team needed a first baseman, so he called Chapman, who until then had been a boxer. "He's loved baseball ever since," Pedro says.

Chapman trusts his friend unconditionally. The two are rarely apart. Without Pedro's endorsement, Chapman would have never picked Mejia, who has never represented a player on a major league team's 40-man roster. Chapman's relationship with Mejia seems safe as long as Pedro remains loyal to Mejia. To protect Chapman, and really to protect himself as well, Mejia decided not to move Chapman to the Dominican Republic, where most defectors usually go. "We didn't want him bothered," Mejia says. "We didn't want him harassed. We didn't want the poachers to be bothering him." But temptation is everywhere. Chapman mostly practices in isolation, yet people around Viladecans Stadium began to show up once they found out ESPN was attending the workout. Chapman and Pedro quickly become distracted by two girls who end up in the dugout. The two Cubans chuckle and make jokes, like two underclassmen at a high school dance. A year from now, there will be more people, more poachers, more girls, more money, more toys, more cars, more food, more everything. Really, the fight for Chapman's soul has only just begun. Jorge Arangure Jr. is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. *Editor's Note: Pedro's name has been changed to protect his family in Cuba. Pasted from <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4381376&type=story>

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Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Updated: August 13, 1:39 PM ET Need a LHP who throws 100 MPH? By Jorge Arangure Jr. ESPN The Magazine This story appears in the August 24 issue of ESPN The Magazine. To see Outside the Lines' coverage of Chapman -- also by Jorge Arangure Jr -- please click here. A black sport utility vehicle darts in and out of Barcelona traffic, maneuvering around pedestrians and racing past aggressive taxis during rush hour. Inside the SUV, Aroldis Chapman looks like a bobblehead as he bounces with each hard turn. He stares out the window at this majestic city, his home since he defected from Cuba last month. One particular structure, Las Arenas in Plaza de España -- the famed bullring in the middle of the city --piques his curiosity. When he hears that this relic is being transformed into an entertainment complex, Chapman nods. He, too, is undergoing a transformation: from a poor amateur baseball player to an iPod-wearing, hip-hop-loving, commercial entity complete with entourage and publicity firm. "Is this the place where they have the running of the bulls?" Chapman asks in Spanish. He's told that happens in Pamplona. "Man, I don't understand that," he says, shaking his head. "Those people are crazy." Someone in the car jokes that perhaps Chapman is loco for leaving Cuba's league, the Serie Nacional, to face the likes of Albert Pujols, who may be even scarier than a bull. "Pujols?" he says. "Who is that?" When asked which big leaguers he's heard of, Chapman names David Ortiz, Manny Ramírez, Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez -- and there's one other. "What's the name of that Yankees shortstop?" he says. Chapman, who had little TV access to professional games back in Cuba, knows even less about major league baseball than major league baseball knows about him. The one thing MLB scouts do know is that

this 21-year-old prospect can fling a baseball harder than any other lefthanded pitcher in the world. Like this year's No. 1 draft pick, righthander Stephen Strasburg, Chapman has been clocked at an astounding 102 mph, which could earn him the largest contract ever given to a Cuban defector. "He's not major league ready," says one National League scout who's seen Chapman several times. "At the same time, how many guys throw 100 mph? And for-real 100 mph, not just because the scoreboard is jacked." Chapman's handlers in the nascent sports agency Athletes Premier International see him as a transcendent figure, a player for the ages who can spark interest in America, Latin America and perhaps even in Europe, which is likely to become his new home. Edwin Leonel Mejia, Chapman's agent, won't confirm that the pitcher will establish residency in Barcelona, but since that's where he lives and trains, it seems like a safe assumption. He's been here since he walked out of the Cuban national team's hotel during a tournament in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Prior to a TV taping with ESPN in late July, Chapman's first major interview since leaving Cuba, Mejia reminds him to mention his love of soccer superpower FC Barcelona, envisioning a future commercial partnership. One of Chapman's first purchases after arriving in town was a Barcelona jersey with his name and his No. 52 on the back. "I really like FC Barcelona and athletes like Messi," Chapman says with a toothy grin when the camera rolls. "I'd really like to meet them." The marketing of Aroldis Chapman, to major league teams and to the world, has begun.

Aroldis Chapman works on his form.

On the outskirts of Barcelona, Chapman starts a bullpen session at Viladecans Baseball Stadium, where Cuba's gold medal-winning team played in the 1992 Olympics. It's now the home of a local semipro club. The kid is a sight to see, a 6'4", 185-pound bundle of elongated fingers, arms and legs. The baseball comes out of his hand like a rock snapped out of a slingshot, pounding the catcher's glove with great force, causing a loud "thwack" that echoes throughout the empty stadium. At this point, the baseball world mostly considers Chapman a thrower rather than a pitcher. During the workout, his fastballs land in the middle of the strike zone, but when he begins to unleash his breaking stuff, several coaches move away from the backstop to avoid getting hit by balls bouncing off the catcher. The curveballs that do hit their target, however, drop several inches. Like many Cuban pitchers, Chapman has a vast repertoire: two-seam fastball, cut fastball, curve, slider, splitter and two or three

kinds of changeups. But unlike many Cuban pitchers who throw a lot of junk (see: Liván and Orlando Hernández), the flamethrowing Chapman needs to master only one or two off-speed pitches to be effective in the majors. Right now scouts rate his secondary pitches as merely average, which is understandable considering he began to throw them less than five years ago. As a young kid, Chapman was a boxer, trained by his father. He started playing baseball at age 11 and was a first baseman until 15, when his team one day needed someone to take the mound. He rarely played first base again. "In Cuba, the first thing they teach you is how to throw the fastball," he says. "I was a fast learner." By age 17, Chapman was Cuba's best pitching prospect. His coaches spent a lot of time developing his talent, and he became a regular on the national team and a star in the Serie Nacional. Though his career record was a tepid 24-21, Chapman twice led the league in strikeouts. But his ERA has jumped the past three seasons, from a career-best 2.77 in 2006-07 to 3.94 last season. "He is a premium arm but doesn't yet have the polish to be a star in the major leagues, which is what you would be paying for," says one American League team executive. "His command would have to dramatically improve. He can do that, but there will be no more blowing away every hitter who comes to the plate." Still, Chapman's velocity is intoxicating. Nearly all of baseball's big-money teams -- the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels, Dodgers and Cubs -- figure to at least kick the tires once he officially becomes a free agent. One high-ranking executive of a club that has interest says that before entering the bidding he'll need a lot more information, including Chapman's injury history, maturity level, family situation and proof of age. And, of course, big league scouts want to see him throw in person. Team Chapman says that MLB reps can visit him in Barcelona, but that he doesn't plan to work out for them. And Mejia, a relative unknown who hooked up with Chapman post-defection through a Cuban friend, says the phenom doesn't want to start his career in the minors. But if a club is to cough up $30 million or more, Team Chapman may have to adjust. "I would be shocked if people did not have to see this guy pitch before they invested," says an AL executive. "We don't exactly have access to scout the games in Cuba. So why would he not want to throw?" That's a question that will need to be answered. As for the other issues, Chapman has a passport that lists him as 21, and he claims to have never been seriously injured. His four years in the Serie Nacional indicate a healthy run, with his innings increasing to a high of 132e last season. But his maturity level was questioned after his meltdown against Japan in this year's World Baseball Classic (three runs, three walks in just 2e innings). Several times, he walked around the mound in anger after ball-strike calls. "I wasn't accustomed to this style of umpiring," Chapman says. "I think Cuban ballplayers have one defect that we must improve: We argue too much about pitches." Even more complicated than his demeanor is Chapman's family situation. Back in Cuba he has a newborn daughter, Ashanti Brianna, with his girlfriend of two years, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas. The baby was born on June 28, three days before Chapman defected, and he has never met her. He also left behind his parents, Juan Alberto Chapman Benett and Maria Caridad De La Cruz, and two sisters, Yusmila and Yurixan. "I miss them a great deal, but you have to know how to recover and move on," says Aroldis, who hopes one day to be reunited with all of them. "I took this step and had to move forward. I can't go back."

Chapman could become MLB's next superstar -- or his story could silently fade away.

On July 1, the day Chapman defected, the Cuban national team arrived in Rotterdam, passed through customs and headed to the Domina Hotel shortly after 1 p.m. For reasons unknown, the Cuban Baseball Federation did not confiscate passports. "Allowing players to hold their passports all the way to the hotel is a major departure from prior Cuban security protocol," says Joe Kehoskie, an agent who has represented several Cuban players. "In the past, they would be forced to surrender their passports as soon as they cleared customs." Once at the hotel, the team had lunch. At around 2 p.m., Chapman went to Room 227, said hello to roommate Vladimir García and told him he was going down to the lobby to have a cigarette. The entire time, Chapman kept his passport in his pocket. Because this was a minor tournament, he figured security would be minimal, but being able to keep his passport was an unexpected bonus. This wasn't his first attempt to defect. In March 2008, Chapman was caught in Cuba before he could get on a boat. As punishment, he was left off the Olympic team that won the silver medal in Beijing. But in Rotterdam, there was no extra security monitoring him. After five minutes in the lobby, he simply walked out the door, got into the passenger seat of a car (he won't say who was driving) and sped away a free man. Days later, Chapman, Mejia and two other friends drove 15 hours to Barcelona. With his passport, Chapman was easily able to pass from the Netherlands to Belgium to France to Spain. "I think God helped me because they didn't collect the passports," he says. Chapman's passport, issued on April 18, 2007, appears authentic. It's a road map of his playing career. A green sheet of paper affixed inside reflects his participation in the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil, when he debuted for the Cuban national team. And there's a red-white-and-blue sheet issued on Feb. 17, 2009, that reads: "09 World Baseball Classic. Cuba Delegation (Team Member)." Most important for Chapman, the passport should expedite the process for his free agency. For now, the man without a country practices two hours a day, five days a week at Viladecans Stadium. When he was with the Cuban national team, Chapman and his teammates did calisthenics in a choreographed synchronicity worthy of a Broadway musical. On this July day at Viladecans, he stretches solo -- a striking scene that truly demonstrates how he no longer represents anyone or anything other than himself.

Never before has such a prospect from Cuba arrived at such a tender age. For that reason alone, Chapman could land a deal that eclipses countryman José Contreras' $32 million contract, the record for a Cuban player. When the Yankees gave Contreras that deal, in February 2003, he was much more established than Chapman. Contreras was also 31 and past his prime. Although Chapman considers himself a shy, introverted person, his charisma is obvious, which could lead to endorsement opportunities. During the WBC, he wasn't allowed to give interviews, but he would smile at reporters and sign autographs for fans. In Barcelona, though nervous at first, he quickly became comfortable in front of a camera. He is always polite, thanks people for their time and shakes their hands. Very soon Chapman will gain legal residency outside the United States, which will allow Mejia to apply formally for free agency. After an MLB investigation confirms Chapman's age and residency, Mejia can then inform all 30 teams of the pitcher's availability -- and the bidding will begin. If all goes well, perhaps as early as next season Chapman will pitch against the likes of Pujols, Big Papi and, yes, even that shortstop on the Yankees. Or maybe he'll be Derek Jeter's teammate. No matter where Chapman winds up, he has one clear goal in mind: "I want to be the best pitcher in the world." Pasted from <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4390829&type=story>

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Friday, July 17, 2009 Updated: July 18, 2:32 PM ET Cuban shopping spree For the past several years, the Cuban representation market has been dominated by agent Jaime Torres, whose clients include Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras, among others. And although Torres is still the biggest name, there are others appearing on the scene eager to challenge him. Athletes Premier International's recent announcement that they are representing highly touted pitcher Aroldis Chapman, a Cuban defector, surely makes them a formidable challenger. But also add to that list a fledgling group of friends in South Florida, including former New York Met Jorge Luis Toca, who formed the Prestige Management Firm. Their first big-name Cuban client is first baseman Jose Julio Ruiz, a former National Series all-star. Their clientele has expanded to also represent:

Yadil Mujica, 24, SS: Played in the National Series for the past five seasons. Hit .358 last year.

Israel Soto, 22, RHP: A hard thrower whose fastball has been clocked in the mid-to-upper 90s, though one talent evaluator said Soto has yet to show much command with that fastball.

Luis Fonseca, 24, CF: Good overall athlete who hit .287 last year in the National Series. Joan Chaviano, 21, C: Defensive-minded catcher who hit .234 last year. Mayke Reyes, 22, CF: Has played mostly in Cuba's developmental league. Reinier Roll, 22, RHP: A talented, hard thrower (mid-90s), whose skills have yet to match

his ERA (4.25 last year in National Series). An evaluator said Roll had a "great arm." Adalberto Ibarra, 22, Utility: Hit .341 last year in National Series while playing several

positions.

All of Prestige's players are still in Miami, though they are expected to soon head to the Dominican Republic to begin the process of becoming free agents. Prestige began by training several players, including Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo, Noel Arguelles and recent Boston signee Jose Iglesias, for Torres. Soon after training Arguelles and Iglesias, the group decided to form its own agency. Joel Bello, one of the group's founders, said they've steered away from trying to represent any of Torres' clients, including Iglesias and Arguelles, who left Torres for the SFX agency. Torres has filed a grievance against the two players. "We've never gone after any player we've trained for anybody else," says Bello, who is also a police officer in South Florida. "I didn't think it was a good idea for [Arguelles and Iglesias] to leave Jaime. I didn't see that as something proper. I advised them against it." The group now also represents outfielder Felix Perez, who was set to sign a $3.5 million deal with the New York Yankees earlier this year, before being suspended by Major League Baseball for lying about his age. Bello said Perez will work out with Prestige's trainers during his suspension. HANLEY'S NEW APPROACH During the All-Star break, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez claimed to have become a more complete hitter, citing his higher batting average (.346 this year compared to .301 last year) at the expense of hitting home runs (he is projected to hit about five fewer homers this season). "I'm hitting more with people in scoring position, so I'm cutting down on my swing," Ramirez said. Yet a quick look at some metrics at fangraphs.com reveals that perhaps Ramirez is more lucky than advanced as a hitter. Ramirez is hitting fly balls at a higher ratio than he did last year: a .97 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio compared to 1.25 last year. Ramirez is also swinging at a higher percentage of pitches outside the strike zone (24.9 percent this year compared to 18.3 percent last year) and is swinging at more pitches this year in general (47.4 percent compared to 40.9 percent). Ramirez's batting average on balls in play is also up from last year (.378 versus .332), making it likely that Ramirez's average is due for a dip in the second half. MIGGY CONCEDES In 2006 the Baltimore Orioles' attempt to trade Miguel Tejada to the Los Angeles Angels hit a large snag when Tejada expressed hesitation to play anything other than shortstop -- at the time the Angels had Orlando Cabrera at shortstop. Tejada had grown up idolizing Dominican shortstop Alfredo Griffin and was hesitant at the time to give up his beloved position. This week at the All-Star Game, Tejada, a free agent at the end of the year, reiterated what he first said at the WBC earlier this year: He's willing to play third base. Tejada said he'd even play second base next year. "I'm in a better position this year [than I was the last time I was becoming a free agent] because I'm giving teams more options," Tejada said. "I can play third base or even second base." Tejada will surely have to take a serious pay cut from his $14.8 million salary, though perhaps his options will increase now that he's willing to play somewhere other than shortstop. Tejada has never regularly played another position in the majors, but he played third base for the Dominican Republic during the WBC. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4336299&type=blogEntry>

BP Daily: Evaluating the next big thing Aroldis Chapman's projected MLB stats don't justify his hype Comment Email Print Share By Clay Davenport

Baseball Prospectus Archive There's been another defection from the land of Castro. Aroldis Chapman is a 21-year-old Cuban émigré -- and we're more certain about his age than we are for most Cuban players -- who walked out of a Dutch hotel in July while playing in a tournament. Given the likelihood of a bidding war as frenzied as the one that once took place over Jose Contreras, he's someone you should have on your radar; he might attract as much interest as some top pitchers who will be available this offseason. Chapman is a bit of a string bean at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds. He throws left-handed -- always attractive -- but what puts him truly over the top is that he throws 100 mph (and even harder). Over the past four years on the Cuban club Holguin, he's put up some good numbers: a 24-19 record with 365 strikeouts in 327.2 innings to complement a 3.74 ERA.

Stefan RuizAroldis Chapman can bring the heat, but when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. One interesting way to look at Chapman is through PBRA, a runs-allowed estimator called Pitcher Base-Run Average. This measure basically evaluates the pitcher's rate of runs allowed by accounting for everything he gives up or generates, interpreted to a league where the average runs-allowed mark is 4.50. Chapman's PBRA is 3.81 across the past four seasons. That's pretty impressive, but there is a big "but" you need to know when evaluating. Holguin is one of the 16 teams that forms Cuba's top league on an island with a population of about 11.5 million. That's only slightly larger than the Dominican Republic (9.5 million), and about the same size as Ohio. They may be baseball-crazy, but that's only about 1/14 the ratio between the U.S. population and major leagues -- 300 million for 30 teams -- and ignores the fact that MLB draws talent from outside the U.S. as well. Obviously, we would expect the level of play in the Cuban league to be lower than in the U.S. By comparing the statistics of players who have left Cuba and come to the US -- such as Yuniesky Betancourt, Kendry Morales and Alexei Ramirez -- in terms of what they've done there and their subsequent accomplishments in the majors, we can get a good idea of the level of play in Cuba. The changes in their statistics suggest that the Cuban level of play is similar to the Low-A leagues here in the U.S., something like the South Atlantic or Midwest Leagues. Allowing for that level of play, over four years at the major league level in the United States, Chapman would project out with a 10-23 won-loss record, tossing 303 strikeouts in 294.2 innings of work and an ERA around 6.66.

Chapman's work wouldn't be considered nearly as impressive in the U.S. Yes, he's a hard thrower, but one with little idea where the ball is going. He doesn't give up a lot of hits … but when he does? He gets crushed. We have 30 years of minor league translations available for comparison, and I went looking for other 21-year-old pitchers with similar stat lines. These are his closest dozen comparisons, statistically:

1. Adam Bostick, 2004 Greensboro: He was switched to relief this year, and is currently at Triple-A with the Mets.

2. Ted Langdon, 1984 Cedar Rapids: He topped out at Double-A. 3. Joe Young, 1996 Hagerstown: He topped out at Double-A. 4. Brian Fuentes, 1997 Wisconsin: He switched to relief. You should know him today; he's

closing for the Angels. 5. Kevin Franchi, 1986 Macon: He topped out in Class A ball. 6. Andy Sisco, 2004 Daytona: A Rule 5 pick in 2004, he pitched a few years in the majors in

relief before getting hurt. 7. Mike Gonzalez, 1999 Lynchburg: He's a successful major league reliever. 8. Oliver Perez, 2003 San Diego: Chapman's only top comp in the majors at 21 from

among his top 30 comparables, and the only one who remained a starting pitcher. 9. Ken Dayley, 1980 Savannah: He had an 11-year major league career, 90 percent of it

spent pitching in relief. 10. Jose DeJesus, 1986 Fort Myers: He spent two decent years as a starter with the Phillies

before injuries hit. 11. Scott Linebrink, 1998 Shreveport: Another pitcher with a successful major league career

after switching to relief. 12. Carlos Hernandez, 2001 Round Rock: Another career derailed by injuries, but he's still

pitching in the Rays' system. Of his 12 best comps, only Oliver Perez has produced a reasonably successful career as a starting pitcher. Four have had solid careers as relievers, three were derailed by injuries after reaching the majors and four never made it that far (although Bostick is still trying and has a shot). So where does that leave us? With a drool-worthy fastball sure to excite some enthusiastic bidding, but a performance record that's short of the sort of excellence that might help us propel Chapman to the same level as this winter's top free-agent pitchers, whether we're talking about John Lackey, the more fragile Erik Bedard and Rich Harden, or veteran hurlers such as Jason Marquis and Jarrod Washburn. Because of the promise of that fastball, however, don't be surprised if the bidding tops that four-year, $10 million deal that put fellow defector Dayan Viciedo with the White Sox last winter, because if there's one thing that holds true, it's that Cubans are like catnip for big league GMs. Clay Davenport is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/news/story?id=4395918>

Chapman working out somewhere in Spain.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Updated: August 17, 2:16 PM ET Answering questions about Aroldis Chapman Very soon, Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman will establish residency outside of the United States, which will then expedite the process for his application to Major League Baseball for free agency. If you haven't read about him yet, check out my recent feature from ESPN The Magazine. After interviewing Aroldis in Barcelona, Spain almost two weeks ago, it seemed logical to me that he would be establishing residency in Spain. But on Wednesday, Chapman's agent Edwin Mejia suggested that Chapman may be establishing residency outside of Spain, though he would not specify where. This adds even more intrigue to the next chapter of the Chapman saga. And it raises even more questions about his future: Which country could he be headed to? Holland, the country where Chapman defected, may prove to be the easiest place, legally, for him to establish residency. But there is also a possibility that Mejia is being coy, and Chapman will stay in Barcelona. How long until he pitches in the U.S.? Though Chapman trains five days a week, four hours a day (a regimen that includes on-the-field training, conditioning and weight training), it likely will be almost a year from the time he last pitched in Cuba to the time when he throws his first pitch in a professional game in the United States. Will he have to make a stop in the minors? Though he was 11-4 in Cuba after the World Baseball Classic, some teams still believe he needs to catch up developmentally before he can pitch in the majors. Mejia clarified that while Chapman won't throw in a showcase workout, he is open to throwing for individual teams. Is he headed for new representation? Already Mejia and his agency, Athletes Premier International, have come under attack from all corners of the agent market. Most recently, an article in the paper Nuevo Heraldo out of Miami, suggested that Mejia is unfit to represent Chapman.

Contemplating his next step.

Chapman, despite the article's suggestion that he's essentially being held hostage, appears to be happy living his life in Barcelona surrounded by one of his best friends from childhood. The article also implies that Mejia will be unable to negotiate a deal for Chapman because he is not certified by the Major League Baseball Players Association. But that is untrue. Elizabeth Kidder, spokesperson for the MLBPA, confirmed to me on July 23 that Mejia was certified. Regardless, Mejia should expect these types of attacks until Chapman either signs with a team or picks a new agent. Agents are awaiting a misstep from Mejia and API, which despite having a small academy in the Dominican and representing a couple of minor leaguers, is considered a newcomer. Some agents have already made overtures to Chapman in Spain. We've examined Chapman's fascinating past not only in the ESPN The Magazine story, but also in a television feature on Outside the Lines and this story on espn.com. There is no doubt that Chapman's future will be just as fascinating. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4393910&type=blogEntry>

Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman defects

By Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports Jul 2, 1:58 pm EDT The agent for several Cuban major leaguers said he could have defector Aroldis Chapman signed, in shape and ready for next spring training, but has not yet heard from Chapman, who he understood was on his way to Miami on Thursday after leaving the Cuban national team at a tournament in the Netherlands. More From Tim Brown

Manny makes it all about Manny Feb 23, 2010

Lincecum is no speed Freak Feb 22, 2010Jaime Torres, who has represented Jose Contreras(notes), Yunieski Betancourt, Alexei Ramirez(notes) and Dayan Viciedo(notes), among others, said he’d confirmed with the Cuban delegation that Chapman had defected. Chapman, who is left-handed and throws 100 mph, is one of the world’s top pitching prospects. He is 21. If he wants to avoid the draft and become a free agent, Chapman must first establish legal residency in a country outside of the U.S. or Cuba. The Dominican Republic has been a popular choice. Torres said he hoped to speak to Chapman before he chooses a representative. “With the proper work and dedication and coaching he could make a team out of spring training, or maybe late in winter ball,” Torres said. “He could easily be a No. 2 in a rotation right now. “The last pitcher I could compare him to is Contreras. He’s proven himself at a high level.” The baseball world was abuzz with the news of Chapman, who pitched in the World Baseball Classic. Many scouts observed during the second round of that tournament that the three best pitching prospects – San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg, Japan’s Yu Darvish and Chapman – were within a few miles of each other. A Yankees source said the club would be very interested in signing Chapman. Of course, said one general manager with a laugh, “I’m sure all 30 teams will be interested to some degree.” Pasted from <http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AnmeofRBNzxQJuMw8pNlVgo8R9MF?slug=ti-chapmandefects070209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns&print=1>

Top Ten: Baseball’s Future Stars

© ANTONIO LEVI/AFP/Getty Images

No. 8 (tie): Aroldis Chapman Team: N/A Position: Starting Pitcher Age: 22 The lanky southpaw defected from Cuba in July, and with his considerable talents, he's already garnered a score of suitors. "Control issues make him a wildcard," say Swanay. "But he still figures to spark an intense bidding war this winter." Pasted from <http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/08/baseball-future-stars-lifestyle-sports-baseball-prospects_slide_4.html>

GREGORY BULL / ASSOCIATED PRESS Aroldis Chapman pitches for Cuba against Australia in a World Baseball Classic game in March.

Hard-throwing lefty from Cuba has drawn a lot of interest By Larry Stone Times baseball reporter Envision a 21-year-old pitcher — left-handed, no less — that has lit up radar guns to the tune of 102 mph, drawing raves from scouts as the southpaw Stephen Strasburg. Now consider that this pitcher is not just a myth, but a living, breathing entity, who can be found these days in, of all places, Madrid. And just one other thing: He's a free agent, poised to sign in the upcoming weeks with a major-league team. Perhaps even the Mariners. Meet Aroldis Chapman, a Cuban who defected in July during the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, was driven to Barcelona, eventually established residency in Andorra — a small country (population, 84,000) located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains between Spain and France — and, on Sept. 25, was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball. "Whoever signs him will be getting a true gem," said Edwin Mejia of Athletes Premier International, the White Plains, N.Y., agency that is representing Chapman. "A unique talent like this comes across every 40 or 50 years."

Mejia, a graduate of Boston University Law School, is a fledgling agent, but Scott Boras couldn't have said it any better. Sure enough, a bidding war is expected to ensue over Chapman's rights that hasn't been seen involving a Cuban defector since Jose Contreras signed a four-year, $32 million deal in 2003 with the Yankees. That outcome so infuriated Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, also hot after Contreras, that he reportedly broke a chair in his hotel. While the usual big-market teams are expected to be heavily involved — the Dodgers, Angels and Mets along with the Yankees and Red Sox — the word in scouting circles is that the Mariners are also a serious player. They are said to have scouted Chapman extensively for the past several years as his reputation in international circles grew. Chapman crossed paths with Ichiro in the World Baseball Classic (where he had a 5.68 earned-run average in 6-1/3 innings while pitching for Cuba, giving up three runs in just 2-1/3 innings against Japan) and is said to be aware of the presence of Felix Hernandez anchoring the Mariners' rotation. In fact, one person close to the situation confirmed that the Mariners are one of the few teams that actually saw Chapman throw in Barcelona when he was working out at the old Olympics baseball facility, before moving his base of operations to Madrid. Mejia, in a phone interview Friday, declined to discuss which teams have made contact. But he did confirm that Chapman has cleared all the necessary logistical and governmental hurdles, "and teams are free to sign him tomorrow if they agree to the proper terms. At this point, we're being very patient." On the other hand, with the major-league free agents — including an impact pitcher like John Lackey — hitting the open market after the World Series, it makes sense to strike soon with Chapman while they have a captive audience. It's possible that Chapman's people could stage a showcase for teams to scout and meet the pitcher — or they could skip that process entirely and cut a deal. Mejia would only say, "We're going to have a nice surprise for everyone soon." Meanwhile, Chapman himself is throwing bullpen sessions, working out and running in Madrid, and has put on 15 pounds since his defection, Mejia said. He had been listed at 6 feet 3, 185 pounds. Scouts are unanimous that Chapman has a magnificent arm and an overpowering fastball with the potential to be a No. 1 starter, but there is some concern over his secondary pitches. He throws a slider, split-fingered fastball, changeup and curveball. "I love Chapman, but as a prospect and not as a major-league ready pitcher," said agent Joe Kehoskie, who has extensive experience with Cuban baseball players. As a lefty who throws in the 100 mph range, Chapman might have more upside than any other pitcher on the planet, but he's still very raw. Aside from a high strikeout rate, Chapman never dominated the Cuban National Series, and some of his key metrics have been trending in the wrong direction. For example, his ERA in the Cuban National Series rose from 2.77 to 3.89 to 4.03 over the last three seasons. Chapman never was named to the Cuban all-star game in his four seasons, and his 2009 WBC appearance was his only top-level international event. There is also concern, one baseball executive said, over his tendency to sometimes lose his composure on the mound. At the WBC, Chapman was clearly distressed by a strike zone that was smaller than in Cuba, and when removed against Japan, didn't look at his manager as he ran off the mound. "When you're asked to lay out big-time money, you want to know the total package," said the executive. "You want to know if he can control his emotions." Other scouts, however, say they like Chapman's competitiveness and fire and point out that he is just 21 and was under extreme pressure in Cuba. "A lot of pitchers — great pitchers — have shown emotion on the mound," Mejia said. "I don't think it's a big concern. There have been more incidents of him keeping his composure than not keeping it."

Few believe that Chapman — who left behind a girlfriend and recently born baby in Cuba, as well as his parents and two sisters — is ready to start his career in the major leagues. But one scout said, "He's extremely close to the big-league level." Since defecting, Chapman has done a handful of interviews in Spanish, one with USA Today and an extensive one with ESPN. "I want to be the best pitcher in the world," he told ESPN's Jorge Arangure in August. "I'm not yet. But with work I can be." Pasted from <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2010035468&zsection_id=2002119751&slug=stone11&date=20091010>

Posted: Monday September 21, 2009 7:28AM; Updated: Monday September 21, 2009 11:13AM

Coveted Cuban defector Chapman establishes residency in Andorra Story Highlights Chapman cleared the first and most difficult of the three major hurdles This may make him available for free agency before the playoffs begin Chapman's expected to command more than the $32M Jose Contreras received

By Melissa Segura, SI.com NEW YORK -- The streets of Andorra, the tiny European nation nestled between the French-Spanish border, are a shopper's dream. The duty-fee nation is home to retailers offering the finest fragrances, the most precious of gems, and now, one of the most coveted of pitching arms. Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban left-hander equipped with a 102 mph fastball, established residency last week in Andorra, SI.com has learned. Chapman's Andorran residency clears the first and most difficult of the three major hurdles to becoming a major league free agent. Because Chapman had his passport -- an almost unheard of occurrence for a Cuban defector -- establishing residency took a fraction of the time needed for most defectors and may make him available for free agency before the playoffs begin, his agents say. Edwin Leonel Mejia of Athletes Premier International, Chapman's agent, says his client's Andorran papers "creates a new channel for players to establish residency." Cuban defectors have historically chosen Latin American nations like the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, or Guatemala for establishing residency. By becoming a citizen of a country besides the United States, Cuban players circumvent the U.S. embargo with Cuba and slip through a major league loophole which allows players from the third-party countries to enter the lucrative free-agent market rather than be subjected to the draft, where slotting systems help to control prices.

Mejia calls Chapman's European residency "the most important baseball event" in the continent's history. Major League Baseball began an aggressive campaign to expand its reach in Europe. The Atlanta Braves, for example, opened an academy this spring in the Canary Islands. Chapman's career record is 24-21 and he twice led the Serie Nacional, Cuba's professional league, in strikeouts. Despite the mediocre record, the money Chapman will command is expected to exceed the $32 million signing bonus the New York Yankees paid Cuban right-hander Jose Contreras, who was 31 when he joined the Yankees in 2002. Andorra's lack of income tax means Chapman will save money in his new homeland, Mejia says. Industry sources expect big-market behemoths like the Red Sox and Yankees to open their wallets for Chapman, while one scouting director tells SI.com that Chapman projects as a middle reliever rather than a high-dollar starter. But Chapman will be in what some baseball insiders describe as a shallow free-agent pitching pool, thereby driving up his price. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound pitcher walked away from his hotel in Rotterdam, Holland on July 1, when the Cuban national team was preparing to play in an international tournament. While most Cubans don't defect until they are past their prime, Chapman, at age 21, is a rarity in that he has time to go along with his talent. Chapman has petitioned Major League Baseball to be declared a free agent. Lastly, the pitcher will have to go through a process known as unblocking, where the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control must ensure that the pitcher's employment doesn't violate the United States embargo with Cuba. Andorra, then, will have one more luxury item to call its own. Pasted from <http://si.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Cuban+defector+Aroldis+Chapman+establishes+residency+in+Andorra+-+SI.com+-+MLB&expire=&urlID=411032585&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2009%2Fbaseball%2Fmore%2F09%2F18%2Fchapman.andorra%2F&partnerID=2356>

Cuban defector generating interest with pitching heat By Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY On Monday, the same day Aroldis Chapman's representatives announced the Cuban defector had established legal residency in Andorra, Henry Rodriguez and his 100 mph fastball made a forgettable major league debut with the Oakland A's. The next day, San Francisco Giants rookie Waldis Joaquin reached triple digits with his fastball as well but failed to retire any of the four batters he faced. Chapman's heater, which was clocked at 100 mph during the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, became a coveted asset the moment he defected July 1 during a tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Once he's granted free agency by Major League Baseball, which might happen by late October, the 21-year-old left-hander figures to be the subject of a bidding war that could top the $32 million the New York Yankees paid in 2003 for fellow Cuban Jose Contreras. Whether that proves to be a wise investment won't be known for some time, and it's already the subject of much debate, despite the 100 mph fastball.

Even though Chapman, 6-2 and 185 pounds, went only 24-21 in four years in Cuba's Serie Nacional, his ERA climbing from a low of 2.77 during the 2006-07 season to 4.03 last season, and he posted a 5.68

ERA in 6⅓ innings at the WBC, his potential as a dominant starter has created a stir among baseball

people. "His best number right now is the one that's on that little radar gun," said Eddie Bane, the Los Angeles Angels' director of scouting. "There's more to pitching than that, but you don't see many guys with that number, so you pay attention." "I went for it" Escaping the Castro regime turned out to be simple and nerve-wracking at the same time. Chapman, who had tried and failed to flee Cuba by boat in March 2008, had made arrangements with a contact from Cuba to pick him up by car at the team hotel in Rotterdam on the afternoon of his arrival. To Chapman's happy surprise, Cuban officials neglected to confiscate the players' passports, their usual policy after passing through customs, so he had a document proving his identity and age. That would eventually expedite his getting new residency. No one impeded Chapman's escape this time. All he had to do was walk into the waiting car. Still, the thought of turning his back on his teammates and family — his parents, two sisters, girlfriend and baby daughter remain in Cuba — gave him pause. "I was very nervous when I saw the guy in the hotel, and he told me this was the moment," Chapman said in a telephone interview in Spanish. "I didn't know what to do, but I had decided to take that step and I went for it." Along with a friend from Cuba who now plays college baseball in the USA — Chapman declined to name him — and Edwin Leonel Mejia, who is now his agent, Chapman drove to Barcelona and began training in July at the baseball facilities used for the 1992 Olympics. About six weeks ago he moved two hours north to Andorra, a country of 84,000 lodged in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. The European location has mostly kept the news media and potential poachers at bay, but Mejia says Chapman will consider traveling to the USA to showcase himself once he gains free agency. Mejia won't get into specifics about which teams might bid for Chapman or how much it might take to sign him, saying only, "My sense and common sense dictates that there will be many teams interested in his services." Cultural changes In addition to his vaunted fastball, Chapman throws a slider, splitter, curve and changeup. The

overpowering repertoire allowed him to strike out 379 in 341⅔ innings in his Cuban league career, but

he walked 210 and had a 3.72 overall ERA. In his WBC start against Japan, Chapman was visibly upset over a strike zone he regarded as smaller than in Cuba. "He has a great arm, but he has only one pitch, is not very coachable and would not have made the current national team," said author and journalist Peter Bjarkman, who has written extensively about Cuban baseball and travels to the island frequently. Besides polishing his skills, Chapman will have to adjust to the American culture. He has taken steps in that direction with a fondness for iPhones and the music of rapper 50 Cent. In addition, he has begun a Rosetta Stone English language program. Chapman believes none of the challenges he encounters will compare with the difficulty of walking away from his previous life. "It's easier to face a hitter, no matter how good he is, than to deal with the situation I dealt with a few months ago," Chapman said.

"So I wouldn't be scared to face any hitters. It's not like they're going to bite me. All they can do is get a hit off me. "It was a stressful time when I left the team and my family behind, when I had to worry that Cuban security may come after me. But all that's in the past." Pasted from <http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Cuban+defector+generating+interest+with+pitching+heat+-+USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=411331857&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2F2009-09-24-cuban-defector-pitching_N.htm&partnerID=1662>

Red Sox impressed by Greinke Boston skipper, hitters tip their caps to Royals ace September 23, 2009, 12:40 AM By: Amy Nelson KANSAS CITY -- Zack Greinke stood against the wall in the postgame press room at Kauffman Stadium, looking down at his shoes while his manager praised him. It may not have been comfortable for Greinke, but his manager pressed on, making the case for his star pitcher. "I have a very difficult time thinking there's anybody in the major leagues ... as good a pitcher as Zack Greinke is in the year 2009," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. [+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel Zack Greinke held the Red Sox to just twho hits over six innings, and has surendered just one earned run over his last five starts. Greinke changed speeds, darted in and out of the strike zone, and threw almost everything he had at the Red Sox on Tuesday night, beating them 5-1 and improving to 15-8 this season. His ERA is now 2.08, he has allowed just one earned run over his last five starts, and he is the front-runner for the Cy Young award. His night was made easier when Paul Byrd allowed five runs in the first inning. Byrd, who in 2002 was the last Royal to win 15 games in a season, pitched efficiently after the first inning. "The first inning wasn't very pretty," manager Terry Francona said. "But after that he pitched great. He kept our bullpen intact." While Byrd's 6 2/3 innings was a help to Boston's bullpen, he was certainly no Greinke. "He had everything," Francona said of the Royals' ace. "That's impressive. Velocity, maybe the best slider in the game ... seeing it firsthand, that was impressive stuff." In this decade, Pedro Martinez has been the only AL pitcher who has had an ERA below 2.50 at the end of the season, doing it three times but winning the Cy Young only once. Greinke will not make it to 20

wins, but it will seem difficult to deny him the award with the numbers he's posted. Against the Red Sox on Tuesday, he needed only six innings and 91 pitches, leaving the game, he said, because he was tiring. The Red Sox batters didn't seem to think so. "The radar gun and everything looked the same," Jason Bay said. "If he was a little tired, he didn't show it to us." Greinke, who was hit by a line drive in the elbow during his last start, had a modest take on his night. "I didn't feel as crisp," he said. "I didn't really use the curveball a lot. ... It wasn't amazing, but it was a good outing." That was all he needed against Boston.

Martinez makes Sox history The only two players who got hits off Greinke were Dustin Pedroia, who doubled in the first inning, and Victor Martinez, who singled in the sixth. For Pedroia it extended his hitting streak to 14 games. For Martinez, it was yet another achievement since coming to this team. He now has a 21-game hitting streak, and according to Elias Sports Bureau, that's the longest such streak for a switch-hitter in Red Sox history. The last Boston switch-hitter to have such a streak was Reggie Smith in 1969, who hit in 19 straight games. Overall, the longest hitting streak in team history was Dom DiMaggio's 34-gamer in 1949.

Bay's homer streak ends Left fielder Jason Bay went homer-less for the first time in five games, and he didn't drive in a run on Tuesday, snapping a seven-game RBI streak. If he had homered or recorded an RBI, he would have been in special company. Here's what the Stats & Information department at ESPN passed along:

Most Consecutive Games With a HR Red Sox LF, Since 1954

Yr. - Player Games

'58 Ted Williams 5

'09 Jason Bay 4

'78 Jim Rice 4

'69 Carl Yastrzemski 4

'67 Carl Yastrzemski 4

'57 Ted Williams 4

It was the second seven-game streak this season in which Bay has driven in at least one run. According to Elias, Bay is the first Red Sox player to have two seven-game RBI streaks in one season since Ted Williams in 1950.

Expect the Red Sox to be interested in Chapman With the news this week that Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman has established residency in the small European country of Andorra, the natural assumption was that many teams would wade into the bidding once the 21-year-old becomes a free agent. While clubs await official word from Major League Baseball about Chapman's free-agent status, expect the Red Sox to have serious interest. Boston almost certainly will want to see Chapman throw in person. His agent, Edwin Leonel Mejia, told ESPN The Magazine that he will likely have private workouts for teams, not a showcase. But until Chapman is officially declared a free agent, the teams, including the Red Sox, won't know exactly what the rules of engagement will be until Chapman's agent sets them.

If and when teams are officially allowed to see Chapman in person, they will have to travel to Europe; the Red Sox would likely send at least international scouting director Craig Shipley and people within his department, and possibly other members of the front office at some point. Back in 2002, general manager Theo Epstein flew to Nicaragua to try to woo Jose Contreras, whom the Yankees signed to a four-year, $32 million deal. That later prompted team president Larry Lucchino's famous "evil empire" quote. For now, teams will gather as much information they can and will look for any possible advantage once it comes time to negotiate. While Chapman's favorite player is Contreras -- who is now with the Rockies -- the Red Sox have Cuban-born Luis Tiant, the former star pitcher who could be called upon to make a phone call or perhaps even visit.

Quick hits Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli stopped by Boston's clubhouse before Tuesday night's game. The relationship between Pioli and Francona dates back to Francona's first year in Boston, when both men were honored at an award banquet. Pioli, then with the New England Patriots, has kept in touch with Francona over the years. On Wednesday morning, Francona and perhaps some of the staff likely will check out a Chiefs practice at Arrowhead Stadium, right next to Kauffman Stadium. ... The likely rotation this weekend at Yankee Stadium will be Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Byrd. For the Yankees, it will be Joba Chamberlain, CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. ... Before the game, Red Sox reliever Billy Wagner was sitting in the dugout when he spotted Royals catcher Miguel Olivo coming toward him with a sheepish smile. Wagner gave Olivo a hard time about his success against him; Olivo is 8-for-12 (.667) vs. Wagner lifetime with two homers and a 1.833 OPS. "I look up [at the scoreboard], you're a .240 hitter and I can't ever get you out," Wagner told Olivo as he approached. Pasted from <http://espn.go.com/boston/columns/blog?post=4496263&name=nelson>

Cuban client Aroldis Chapman a big deal to agent

By Michael Silverman / Red Sox Notebook Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - Added 154d 15h ago KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Aroldis Chapman, the newest resident of Andorra, is on course to be the hottest pitching commodity available in the offseason. Expect the Red Sox [team stats] to be among the many teams who will explore signing the 21-year-old left-hander, whose features include a 100-plus mph fastball, a 6-foot-4 frame and four years of professional experience pitching in Cuba. Pasted from <http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1199366>

Buzz: Mets have not yet talked to Aroldis Chapman October 22, 2009 at 4:39 pm · 24 comments by Matthew Cerrone Update, 5:40 pm:

The Mets now expect to meet with Aroldis Chapman later this week, according to David Lennon of

Newsday. Original Post: According to Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, the Cubs and White Sox have expressed interest in free-agent LHP Aroldis Chapman. In a post to Twitter, Dierke said, “The Mets have not yet met with Chapman, in case you were wondering.” …thanks, tim… in fact, i was wondering… Yesterday, Jorge Arangure of ESPN.com said Chapman had arrive in New York to begin a series of meetings with MLB teams. In July, in a report for ESPN The Magazine, Arangure said many scouts believe Chapman is the best left-handed pitching prospect in the world. Pasted from <http://www.metsblog.com/2009/10/22/buzz-mets-have-not-yet-talked-to-aroldis-chapman/>

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Aroldis Chapman comes of age the hard way Very soon, when Aroldis Chapman takes the mound for his first outing of the spring, an air of mystery will be removed that has trailed him since the moment he defected from the Cuban national team during a tournament in the Netherlands last July. Finally, Chapman will cease being "Chapman the prodigy" and he will simply become "Chapman the pitcher." At first, Chapman was labeled by his original agents, Athletes Premier International, as a transcendent player, the biggest prospect to ever come out of Cuba, one who would change the way Cubans are marketed in America. Chapman's next agents, Hendricks Sports Management, simply dropped the hyperbole and marketed Chapman as a standout pitcher on the free agent market. Ultimately, Chapman's heralded free agency ended up being mostly a dud. Chapman did not sign with a large market team, did not break the record for the biggest deal given to a Cuban defector and he has yet to sign any large endorsement deals. Though at first glance, Chapman's six-year, $30.25 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds appears stout, the reality is that the contract is heavily team-friendly. "Smoke and mirrors by Hendricks," said one high-ranking team executive. "They have phonied up a deal." Chapman received a $16.25 million signing bonus, but that money wasn't paid immediately to him. Instead, Chapman received only $1.5 million of that bonus upfront, with the rest being paid to him in installments over the next several years. By comparison, Jose Iglesias, the Cuban shortstop who signed

with the Boston Red Sox this offseason, received a $6 million upfront signing bonus. It will take Chapman two years to match what Iglesias received at the moment he signed. Even though the contract is technically structured for six years, Chapman will receive almost a third of the contract's total money -- and half of his total bonus -- in deferred payments from 2014-2020. As any financial expert can tell you, the buying power of an amount of money in 2010 will be drastically different than it will be in 2020. In the best-case scenario, Chapman will make the major league team out of spring training this year and will pitch well enough so that he remains on the major league roster for the next three seasons. If that's the case, then Chapman's contract years in 2013-14 become a bonus and he will head into arbitration. But even in that situation, Chapman will only have received $15 million through the first three years of the contract. And an important distinction needs to be made: Chapman's official annual salary in 2012 will be two million -- remember that the other payments owed to him that year will be bonuses. That $2 million would be the number used to determine Chapman's 2013 salary in arbitration. Let's not forget also, that it's the Reds who in essence control when Chapman makes his major league debut, and ultimately, how quickly he gets to arbitration. So in the end, Chapman's contract did not match the hype. Realistically, it's difficult to blame the Hendricks or API for Chapman's market. Ultimately teams were going to bid what they wanted regardless of who represented Chapman. Some clubs doubted Chapman was mature enough to handle the responsibilities of being a multi-million-dollar major leaguer. Chapman's abrupt decision to drop his original agent also raised questions. Though several people close to him say Chapman is not a bad guy, the mere perception of bad makeup affected his market. It's telling that the two teams who scouted him the most, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, did not become a finalist to sign him. Perhaps they knew things that other teams didn't. Regardless, one can assume that any 21-year-old will grow out of immaturity. Most concerning for some was Chapman's unfamiliarity with major league baseball and the seeming lack of pitching acumen that was a result. Simply put, Chapman does not appear to be a baseball fan. Chapman has admitted he did not know anything about the Cuban-born Tony Perez, the former Reds Hall of Fame first baseman, who is well known and well regarded in his home country. It's understandable that Chapman may not be familiar with current stars such as Albert Pujols or Derek Jeter (as he admitted to ESPN The Magazine last summer), but you would think a Cuban baseball star should be familiar with Perez. His lack of baseball knowledge was a sign to some that Chapman would have a difficult time mastering the art of pitching, which ultimately will determine his success in the majors, regardless of how physically gifted he might be. Nobody around Chapman would say that he does not train hard enough. But many question whether he actually loves baseball and cares enough to be a student of the game. Can Chapman be a defining figure for a franchise looking to return to prominence? That mystery will remain for some time. As one Cuban baseball authority is quick to point out, though, Chapman's team in the Cuban National Series, the Sabuesos de Holguin, have actually performed better this season without Chapman than they did in the three previous years with him. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=4938883&type=blogEntry>

Chapman pays a visit to the U.S. Wednesday, October 21, 2009 | Print Entry Posted by Jorge Arangure Jr. On Wednesday, prized Cuban left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman will arrive in New York to begin a series of meetings with several general managers, Chapman's agent, Edwin Mejia, confirmed to La Esquina.

The 21-year-old will visit several cities, Mejia said, but the agent would not confirm a specific itinerary. It's expected he will visit with officials from the Yankees and Red Sox, among others. "Aroldis is very excited to be coming to the states and plans to spend some time in the cities of the teams interested in him, exploring the sights and meeting the fans in addition to the team representatives," Mejia wrote in an e-mail. Chapman, who some consider the best Latino amateur to enter the free-agent market, is expected to command a contract anywhere from $40-60 million. As I wrote in ESPN The Magazine, it is believed the Yankees and Red Sox will be the top bidders. Sources close to the situation indicate that other teams thought to have interest in Chapman -- including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels -- have yet to seriously inquire about the pitcher. A front-office executive from one MLB club indicated the Dodgers aren't likely to be serious suitors for Chapman. Other teams that have yet to show formal interest in Chapman -- such as the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants -- are now beginning to pay varying degrees of attention to the free agent. Teams that meet with Chapman on this trip likely will ask to view Chapman's passport and other documentation to verify his age and identity. MLB's memo to teams when it announced that Chapman had been awarded free agency this summer included this passage: "Please be advised that the Commissioner's Office has not yet verified the age or identity of this player, or any other matter in that respect beyond his current status as a resident of Andorra. Each club should follow its own practices in verifying such information as it sees fit." Confirming Chapman's age or identity isn't likely to be a big issue, however, because the lefty has his original Cuban documentation. Chapman's passport appears legitimate, featuring stamps from several of the player's trips while he was a member of the Cuban national team. The stamps include one from the U.S. State Department for Chapman's visit to San Diego for the World Baseball Classic this past spring. Chapman's tour of the United States represents a reversal of sorts for the Cuban's management. Earlier this year in an interview in Barcelona with La Esquina, Mejia said teams would have to visit Chapman in Europe if they wanted to talk face-to-face. Since then, several teams have expressed hesitation about the logistics of a trip to Europe (where Chapman established residency in Andorra) and the idea of offering him a large contract without seeing him in person. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=arangure_jorge_jr&month=10&year=2009>

Several prospects back on the market Friday, October 23, 2009 | Print Entry Posted by Jorge Arangure Jr. Cuban outfielder Felix Perez -- who had been suspended for a year by Major League Baseball on May 26 after having lied about his age -- was reinstated last week and is now eligible to sign with any team. Perez, who is 24 years old and not 20 as he had originally claimed, was set to sign with the New York Yankees for $3.5 million before his suspension. "This action was taken because it was concluded that circumstances existed that allowed the Commissioner's Office to exercise some discretion in the reduction of the suspension," wrote Lou Melendez, MLB's vice president of international operations, in an e-mail. Melendez declined to provide more details about the circumstances which led to Perez's reinstatement. Joel Bello, one of Perez's agents, also declined to provide details. Perez had originally been represented by Jaime Torres -- who represents such Cuban stars as Alexei Ramirez and Jose Contreras -- but Perez parted ways with Torres soon after he was suspended. Bello said Perez continues to work out and is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to sign with a team. Scouts are mixed as to Perez's potential, though certainly his stock has dropped after MLB discovered

the age discrepancy. It's unlikely he will get a deal close to the $3.5 million he was scheduled to receive from the Yankees, whom Bello says have still shown interest in Perez. "Felix has gotten bigger and stronger since the first time I saw him in the Dominican Republic," Bello wrote in an e-mail. "He has an incredible drive and is a true professional on and off the field. The only thing that matters to Felix is playing baseball and putting on a show for the fans. When Felix signed in the Dominican Republic he used to drive himself to the field and trained himself along with other players. There was no structure to the training and it was unsupervised. Since joining us he has been working six days a week following a baseball-specific training program."

Mateo to Giants? Last weekend's much-publicized workout in the Dominican Republic for several of trainer Edgar Mercedes' top prospects was a smashing success for outfielder Wagner Mateo, whose $3.1 million deal was recently voided by the St. Louis Cardinals after the team discovered Mateo had a degenerative eye condition. Mateo put on an impressive batting practice display, according to several observers, and may be close to signing with the San Francisco Giants within the next two weeks, according to one Dominican baseball source. The Giants were one of the teams who had originally bid for Mateo prior to his agreement with the Cardinals. The workout did not go as well for Cuban left-handed pitcher Noel Arguelles, whose fastball topped out at 91 mph. Arguelles defected from Cuba more than a year ago -- along with shortstop Jose Iglesias, who recently signed an $8.25 million deal with the Red Sox -- and was declared a free agent earlier this year. Arguelles has been unable to get a team to match his asking price and Saturday's workout did not help. At his best, several scouts saw Arguelles throw in the mid-90s, but he's been unable to match that in recent workouts. Here is video from Arguelles' workout from Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus. McDaniel also has this video of Mateo.

Sano gets visa This week's news that Miguel Angel Sano received his work visa finally concludes a long and frustrating chapter for the shortstop prospect. Now Sano's career can finally begin. Though MLB investigated Sano's age for months -- and did not come to a definitive conclusion -- the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican needed only about two weeks to determine that Sano was eligible to receive a work visa. But Sano can't relax just yet. If MLB or the Consulate finds information at any point in the future that determines that he lied about his age, Sano can be suspended or denied a work visa. Sano hopes to begin his career in the United States next year, bypassing the Dominican Summer League.

This and that • Bello said his agency now represents Ruby Silva, a 20-year-old Cuban CF, who hit .276 with four home runs for Havana. Silva, Bello said, was a member of the Cuban junior national team. One of Bello's other clients, Cuban first baseman Jose Julio Ruiz, continues to impress scouts and could get a multi-million dollar bonus. • Jose Iglesias has had a promising start to his professional career. The Red Sox shortstop is hitting .333 with one home run in five games for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League. Scouts continue to rave about Iglesias' glove skills. • Teams have begun to line up visits with prized Cuban left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman after his arrival in New York on Wednesday. Chapman reportedly met with the Mets today and has meetings set with the Cardinals (Monday) and Red Sox (Wednesday). He'll talk to the Yankees eventually, too, but right now he's more interested in going to Yankee Stadium tomorrow -- as a fan. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=arangure_jorge_jr&month=10&year=2009>

Chapman to meet with Orioles, others Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Print Entry Posted by Jorge Arangure Jr. Edwin Mejia, agent for Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, says he will meet with representatives of the Baltimore Orioles sometime in the next couple of days in New York City. Additionally, Mejia and Chapman also will meet with representatives of the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers this weekend or early next week. On Wednesday, the highly touted Cuban defector had a positive visit with Boston Red Sox officials at Fenway Park. Chapman met several Red Sox players, who were at Fenway by coincidence. Mejia joked that Chapman, 21, came away most impressed with Fenway's deep right field. Chapman met informally with New York Yankees officials during Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. It's likely he will meet with them again in a more formal setting. Chapman also met with the New York Mets last week at Citi Field. The Los Angeles Angels also have expressed a desire to see Chapman work out and may schedule a meeting soon. Pasted from <http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=arangure_jorge_jr&month=10&year=2009>

Strong Interest In Aroldis Chapman

By Tim Dierkes [October 25, 2009 at 12:35pm CST] SUNDAY, 12:35pm: As suggested by Lennon earlier, Chapman's price tag is too high for the Mets. Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports (via Twitter) that the Mets were told Chapman wants up to $60MM to sign. SATURDAY, 7:23pm: John Stockstill - the Orioles' director of international scouting - has confirmed that the club will meet with Chapman and his agent next week in New York, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN.com. In a piece yesterday, Kubatko wrote that he doesn't think Baltimore will end up signing the 21-year-old. SATURDAY, 2:38pm: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports the A's have also had interest in Chapman since he became a free agent. However, they were not among the teams that met the hard-throwing left-hander in New York this week. FRIDAY, 1:59pm: Lennon says (via Twitter) that the Mets won't bid $40-60MM for Chapman. FRIDAY, 1:19pm: Add the Blue Jays to the mix of teams interested in Chapman, according to our source. Also, the Orioles have maintained interest and want to meet. THURSDAY, 2:39pm: MLBTR has learned that the Cubs and White Sox have expressed interest in free agenty lefty Aroldis Chapman. The Cardinals have been more aggressive than those clubs, and plan to meet with Chapman next week. The Yankees and Red Sox, of course, have also been among the aggressive suitors. A meeting with the Mets will come later this week, according to Newsday's David Lennon. The Chapman tour began yesterday in New York, as the 21-year-old's agency decided not to make MLB clubs come to Andorra. ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. believes Chapman will command a contract in the $40-60MM range. Pasted from <http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/10/cubs-white-sox-cards-interested-in-aroldis-chapman.html>

Defector Chapman looking to sign Cuban lefty arrives in U.S. to meet with big league teams

Aroldis Chapman pitches strong for four innings, striking out seven By Bill Chastain / MLB.com 10/22/09 10:14 AM ET Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman arrived in New York on Wednesday seeking the opportunity to sign with a Major League team and cash in on what the market might yield for a 21-year-old left-hander with top-of-the-rotation potential, according to multiple reports. Chapman showcased his abilities for Cuba in March during the World Baseball Classic before defecting this summer when Cuba played in a tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. After defecting, Chapman established residency in Andorra. Several teams had planned to see Chapman throw in Europe, but upon the advice of his agent, Edwin Mejia, he decided to apply for a visa and come to the United States to showcase his abilities. Chapman stands 6-foot-4 and throws with an easy motion that has reportedly produced fastballs clocked as high as 102 mph. He also is said to have a quality curve and slider. New York will likely be the first of many stops for Chapman, who should land a substantial deal based on the relatively weak crop of available free-agent starters this coming offseason. The Yankees and the Red Sox, among other teams, are reported to have interest in signing Chapman, bringing back memories of a similar competition between the two American League East giants to sign Jose Contreras in 2002. The Cuban right-hander eventually signed a four-year deal worth $32 million with the Yankees. Despite Chapman's many tools, he is considered somewhat of an unknown commodity and could need some refinement in the Minor Leagues before moving to the Major League level. During the World Baseball Classic, Chapman had a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 innings, and in the National Series in Cuba in 2008 he posted a 4.03 ERA in 118 1/3 innings. "Until now, everything has come out fine," Chapman told the Web site cubaencuentro.com. "This is the plan that I had and this was a decision I took. I wanted to test myself in the highest levels of baseball." Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Pasted from <http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091022&content_id=7523932&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&affiliateId=facebook_share>

2009 Pro-Side Scouting Report: Aroldis Chapman, LHP

Posted By John Klima on July 2, 2009

Aroldis Chapman, LHP Cuban National Team (Free Agent) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Tall, lean and loose, thick legs, high hips, long arms, legs and fingers. Whippy body; physically matured, limber and powerful. STRENGTHS: FB pitches at 93-95 with glove-side run, topped 100, several 97-98. 2-seam FB at 91-92. SL 82 and hard, glove-side sink. Overall command average to below-average. FB control ranges from average to above average. Workhorse type; different look from left-side; looks like an athlete. Repeats delivery and well-coordinated for big man, smooth gas, easy effort, arm speed is a blur. WEAKNESSES: Freeze frame him and it looks like his elbow will snap off. Lacks third pitch, DNS CB, would need third pitch and different plane variation to become true top-tier starter. Doesn’t show a flair for pitch ability; relies mostly on FB velocity and control of that pitch. Highly talented though still incomplete arm, inconsistent command and control are concerns. Needs to learn to pitch like a professional. SUMMARY: True rarity, power arm from LHP, easy gas, should be a No. 1 starter based on pure physicality of stuff and body. Two put-away power pitches; prefer if he had a third show-me off-speed pitch to start with. Age listed at 21, but body looks more like 28. As is, could have a year or two of exceptional success and a number of workhorse years if he can stay healthy. Overall Future Potential: 60 Pasted from <http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/07/02/aroldis-chapman-report/>

Mets meeting with Cuban defector Chapman today

By Adam Rubin The Mets are expected to have face-to-face dialogue with 21-year-old lefthander Aroldis Chapman and agent Edwin Mejia today. Chapman, who defected from Cuba and established residency in Andorra to avoid the draft, arrived in New York this week. He reportedly throws 100 mph. A Mets scout already has watched Chapman work out when the pitcher was in Barcelona, Spain. It was not a private workout for them, but the scout managed to find out where he was working out and when he would be there and showed up. Still, the buzz is that the Mets have not been one of the more aggressive teams in pursuing Chapman. Here's the detailed bio Chapman's reps prepared about him ... Albertin Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz Bats: Left Throws: Left Height: 6' 4" Weight: 185 lb. Born: February, 28, 1988 in Cayo Mambí, Frank País, Holguín, Cuba * Has a wife and young daughter as well as parents and two sisters still living in Cuba * Holds the Cuban National Series record for fastest pitch thrown in a game at 102 mph. * Has a fastball (two seam or four seam), sinking fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and a forkball * Led the Cuban National Series twice in strikeouts in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009. * Was recognized as the top left handed pitcher in Baseball World Cup in 2007. * Defected from the Cuban National Team on July 1, 2009 while participating in the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands * Signed a representation agreement with Athletes Premier International (API) for contract negotiation and marketing on July 13, 2009 * Obtained provisional passive residency status in the country of Andorra on September 21, 2009 * On September 25, 2009 was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball following their investigation and the United States Department of the Treasury licensed Chapman as an unblocked National of Cuba Cuban National Series - Holguín G GS GF GR W L PCT SHO SV IP AB BF H AVG R ER ERA SO BB IBB 2B 3B HR HBP WP 2005-06 15 15 0 0 3 5 .375 0 0 54 200 263 48 .240 33 26 4.33 56 54 1 7 0 5 5 3 2006-07 23 12 0 11 4 3 .571 0 7 81.1 285 350 59 .207 26 25 2.77 100 50 0 8 1 4 9 5 2007-08 16 16 2 0 6 7 .462 1 0 74 275 324 55 .200 36 32 3.89 79 37 2 10 3 3 8 1 2008-09 22 20 1 2 11 4 .733 0 0 118.1 433 515 109 .252 56 53 4.03 130 62 2 16 0 7 9 14 2009 P’OFFS 2 2 1 0 0 2 .000 0 0 14 51 60 12 .235 6 5 3.21 14 7 1 2 0 1 1 0 TOTALS 78 65 4 13 24 21 .533 1 7 341.2 1244 1512 283 .227 157 141 3.72 379 210 6 43 4 20 32 23 International Competition 2007 Pan American Games - Gold Medalist IP K 1 2 2007 Baseball World Cup - Silver Medalist Game G JP IP R ER H SO BB HR WP VS. SO KOREA 1 0 7 2 2 6 9 1 0 0

VS. JAPAN 1 0 8 1 1 3 11 2 0 1 TOTALS 2 15 3 3 9 20 3 0 1 2009 World Baseball Classic G GS CG W L SHO SV IP H R ER ERA HR HB BB SO WHIP HLD GF 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 6.1 6 4 4 5.68 0 0 4 8 1.58 0 0 Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/10/mets-meeting-with-cuban-defect.html#ixzz0gUQkkap8 Pasted from <http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/10/mets-meeting-with-cuban-defect.html>

Aroldis Chapman update: Jays interested?

It seems like a bit of a stretch that he’ll end up here in Toronto, but MLBtraderumors is reporting that the Blue Jays are involved in the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes. With every sign pointing toward Chapman getting a contract in the $40-$60 million range, the Jays’ involvement, if true, bodes well for an increased team payroll in the years to come. The problem though is that, as the above link indicates, Toronto is far from the only team involved in the bidding for the young Cuban’s services. The more teams involved, the higher the price goes and the higher the price goes, the more likely it is that Chapman will end up with the Yankees. But what if there’s more to Chapman than chasing dollar signs? What if he wants to be the best pitcher he can be? What if his agent really does have his best interests in mind? Why would Chapman want to come to Toronto? By most accounts, Chapman is an incomplete pitcher. He’s got a fastball that can touch 102 m.p.h., but not much else. If Chapman is serious about wanting to be the “best pitcher in the world,” maybe he should come to Toronto and learn from the man who is the best pitcher in the world right now — Roy Halladay. And the fact that Brad Arnsberg can seemingly work miracles with pitchers of much less talent than Chapman shouldn’t hurt either. I know it’s a stretch, but wouldn’t it be great to see this guy in a Jays’ uniform?

Pasted from <http://infieldfly.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/aroldis-chapman-update-jays-interested/>

Orioles Enter Race For Aroldis Chapman 25th October, 2009 - 6:45 pm MASN - The Orioles have joined a growing list of clubs that are interested in Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Baltimore is among the teams that Chapman is scheduled to meet with over the next few weeks as he tours the United States with his representation. "We do plan to meet with him next week, within the next 10 days," Orioles director of international scouting John Stockstill told MASN. ESPN's Jorge Arangure has speculated that Chapman could receive $40-$60 million. [READ] Read more: http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_wiretap_archives/17259/20091025/orioles_enter_race_for_aroldis_chapman/#ixzz0gUTWeuLb Pasted from <http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_wiretap_archives/17259/20091025/orioles_enter_race_for_aroldis_chapman/>

MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com Aroldis Chapman Review With all the information swirling around about free agent lefty Aroldis Chapman, I thought a summary would be helpful. Chapman has been declared a free agent and can sign at any time, though a deal is unlikely before the conclusion of the World Series. One GM told Yahoo's Tim Brown in July, "I'm sure all 30 teams will be interested to some degree." Nonetheless, let's look at specific suitors.

Red Sox: They've been a top suitor from the start. Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus says Chapman was scheduled to throw a bullpen at Fenway today but it was cancelled due to inclement weather. ESPN's Peter Gammons believes Boston's signing of former Chapman teammate Jose Iglesias may impact the pitcher's decision.

Yankees: They've also been a top suitor from the start. ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. said Chapman met with GM Brian Cashman and other Yanks officials at the October 25th playoff game and "had good conversations." Several reporters see Chapman as another Yankees-Red Sox battle.

Mariners: Add them to the list - our source says they'd like to meet with Chapman in the next week.

Cardinals: A scheduled October 26th meeting was cancelled due to the Tony La Russa announcement. The meeting is expected to be rescheduled.

Orioles: They've maintained interest and are pushing for a meeting soon. In September, president Andy MacPhail admitted interest to MASN's Roch Kubatko, but added, "If some of the big boys are going to go after him, like the Red Sox did with Dice-K, that's not a risk that I would be willing to take."

Mets: They met with Chapman on October 23rd. The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch said the Mets were out after being told Chapman wants up to $60MM to sign. I'm not so sure the Mets and Chapman actually discussed dollar figures.

Tigers: They've confirmed interest. Angels: Scouting director Eddie Bane admitted interest in July, but noted that

Chapman's breaking pitches are not yet effective in talking to Mark Saxon of the OC Register. Bane

more recently told Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times that he'd need to see Chapman throw against live hitters before investing. Chapman has mentioned L.A. as a place he'd like to visit.

White Sox: Our source said they've expressed interest. Cubs: Our source said they've expressed interest. Athletics: Named by Arangure Jr. as one of the teams "paying varying degrees of

attention to Chapman." Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed Oakland's interest but says they haven't met with him.

Giants: Named by Arangure Jr. as one of the teams "paying varying degrees of attention to Chapman."

Dodgers: They aren't likely to be serious suitors, according to one of Arangure Jr.'s sources.

Blue Jays: We named the Jays as an interested club, but GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters that signing Chapman is "not realistic."

Astros: Owner Drayton McLane seemingly considers Chapman too pricey, based on his comments to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Pasted from <http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.m/2009/10/aroldis-chapman-review.html?p=3> Pasted from <http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.m/2009/10/aroldis-chapman-review.html?p=2> Pasted from <http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.m/2009/10/aroldis-chapman-review.html?p=1>

Chapman update By Roch Kubatko on October 24, 2009 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (59) John Stockstill, director of international scouting, confirmed today that the Orioles will join the growing list of teams scheduled to meet with Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman and his agent next week in New York. Chapman will sit down with representatives from several clubs. He'll also work out for them in a separate session. "We do plan to meet with him next week, within the next 10 days," Stockstill said. ESPN's Jorge Arangure has speculated that Chapman could receive $40-$60 million. Newsday's David Lennon, via Twitter, stated that the Mets won't meet that price. The Orioles aren't sure how much he'll command because clubs have to figure out where he fits and how soon he'll be ready to pitch. The needs of each team will have a different bearing on the type of contract he's offered. Part of the process is figuring out whether Chapman is ready to start right away, needs to become more polished first or is better suited for the bullpen. "It wouldn't just be my opinion," Stockstill said. "We've had several people look at videos and we'll see him live. There will be several people involved in the appraisal of him by the time it's all over." In other news, Game 6 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium has been postponed because of rain and rescheduled for tomorrow night at 8:20 p.m. I'm just hoping the World Series ends before the winter meetings. Pasted from <http://masnsports.com/2009/10/chapman-update.html>

Agent: Cuba's Chapman considering Mets, Yankees

Pitcher at home in New York

By TIM BONTEMPS

Last Updated: 4:34 PM, November 5, 2009 Posted: 11:03 AM, November 5, 2009 It’s been a wild few months for Aroldis Chapman. The 21-year-old left-hander from Cuba defected in July while in the Netherlands for the World Port Tournament. He then established residency in the small European country of Andorra, clearing the way for Major League Baseball to declare him a free agent on September 25. Now over a month into his time as a free agent, Chapman’s agent, Edwin Mejia, said there is no rush on their part to find Chapman a new employer. “I don’t think we’re going to make any business any time soon,” Mejia told the Post. “Chapman has been throwing all over the world, so we’re trying to get him settled down a little bit. “But the bottom line is that we have time. He’s definitely the top young free agent pitcher on the market, and teams are interested. You need to let teams figure out what they need to, and then, when the time is right, a deal will get done.” Two teams that have been ever-present in rumors about being interested in Chapman, whose fastball has been near 100 miles per hour, are the Mets and Yankees. Mejia said that he and Chapman have met with both organizations, and will continue to remain in contact with both of them. With his agency, Athletes Premier International, based in New York, Mejia said Chapman has gotten used to being in the city, and that it could work out well for all involved if he was able to stay here. “He likes New York,” Mejia said. “We’re here now, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing if he decided to stay here.” Along with the Mets and Yankees, Mejia said that he and Chapman has met with the Red Sox and Orioles, and said he has meetings scheduled with several other teams. Given his combination of talent and age, not to mention his being left-handed, Chapman could arguably be the second-most sought-after free agent pitcher on the market, behind Angels ace John Lackey. “As I said awhile back, it’s pretty much whatever team wants him the most,” Mejia said. “Whatever team has the same vision as we do, as far as his talent, potential and a city that’s comfortable for him. “It’s easy for him for understand New York, because we’re here, but I’ve gone to great lengths to explain things about the different market that are interested. At this point, it’s the likelihood of success, things like that.” The most similar case to the one that Chapman currently finds himself in was when Jose Contreras became a free agent after defecting in the winter of 2002. That led to a protracted battle between the Red Sox and Yankees for his services, with the Yankees eventually signing him to a four-year, $32 million dollar contract. Given that Contreras was nearly 10 years older when he came to The Bronx than Chapman currently is, that contract has been bandied about as a baseline for Chapman’s negotiations – a notion Mejia didn’t dismiss. “Common sense would dictate that,” he said of using Contreras’ contract. “I don’t think I need to say it for people to read it that way. I have told teams directly what we want, but I’m not going to say it in the press, and that’s the way I want to keep it. “To me, it’s between the player and the club, and that’s the way it should be.” With the Yankees clinching the 27th world championship last night, officially beginning baseball’s offseason, the chase for Chapman will likely become one of the bigger storylines of this year’s free agency. But while Mejia wasn’t ready to put any kind of timeline on the process, he cautioned teams not to wait too long, or else they might miss a chance to sign his client. “It depends,” he said on how long Chapman will be on the market. “We’re getting offers already. If teams don’t get on the ball, there’s teams that want him, and may not let them get the chance. “He’s a hot commodity.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/agent_cuba_chapman_considering_mets_hgdMruSl1mmHDDQzLXRDrN#ixzz0gUez45aG Pasted from <http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/agent_cuba_chapman_considering_mets_hgdMruSl1mmHDDQzLXRDrN>