First impressions: Cuban sensation Aroldis Chapman

Posted on April 1, 2010

Rookie pitcher Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during an intrasquad game during spring training on March 4, 2010 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

My first day on assignment covering spring training in Arizona last month found me at the Cleveland Indians camp in Goodyear photographing rookie catcher Carlos Santana. Once their morning workout was over I headed down the street to the beautiful new ballpark they share with the Cactus League newcomers, the Cincinnati Reds, where Cuban pitching sensation Aroldis Chapman was scheduled to pitch one inning in an intrasquad game beginning at 1pm. It is always exciting to have the chance to shoot a great young player with so much potential like Chapman. I was thrilled to have this opportunity.

Chapman came to the Reds in the off season as a much-ballyhooed 22-year-old left-handed hurler from Cuba. Signed to a six-year, $30.25 million contract, Chapman was the first relevant newcomer to don the Reds colors in many years, putting them back on the baseball map and drawing tons of scouts and photographers to Goodyear on this early March afternoon. Chapman was only scheduled to pitch one inning (the second) so I would not have much time to move around and shoot as many different angles as possible of him in action.

Chapman is the kind of pitcher who is fun to photograph because he gives you so many different looks as the uncoils his body when he delivers the pitch to the plate with his left hand. He is all knees and elbows as he hides the ball behind his back before unleashing his 98 mph fastball towards home plate. Sometimes it appears that Chapman is not quite sure where his pitches are going, and this was evident during the one inning I photographed him when he drilled a Reds teammate in the kneecap with a blazing fastball, dropping the batter like a sack of potatoes in the batter’s box and leaving him there writhing in pain for several minutes.

I would have liked to have shot more pictures of Chapman, but his inning ended pretty fast and that was the last I saw of him during my assignment in Arizona. Chapman had a chance to make the big club and open the year as the 5th starter on the Reds staff, but instead he will start the season in the minors. Despite putting up some terrific numbers during his Cactus League appearances (he gave up only one earned run and six hits in 8 2-3 innings, striking out 12 of the 35 batters he faced) the Reds do not want to rush Chapman to the majors.

The Reds will be making two appearances in the Bay Area in 2010 as they play in both San Francisco (late August) and Oakland (late June). I hope that Chapman is with them during at least one of their trips here so I can shoot him during a real big league game. I really think this kid is something special and I want the chance to photograph him during his rookie year.