Last December, word came out that Aroldis Chapman was the subject of a pretty horrific domestic violence allegation. At the time the Reds were actively shopping Chapman, and in fact one team the Dodgers pulled out as a result. However, the Yankees saw an opportunity and traded for the hard throwing closer. Now the Yankees have fully profited off the suffering of an abused woman.
The Cubs have taken an offensive step in ensuring a playoff push in acquiring Chapman in exchange for a package that includes the team’s best prospect. Top prospect Gleyber Torres, #5 prospect Billy McKinnely, Adam Warren, and one additional prospect will be sent to New York. Presumably the deal was contingent on the Cubs ability to sign Chapman to a contract extension so I’m sure that announcement is to follow. Congratulations Brian Cashman. You really know opportunity when you see one.
Fan Interference 
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That link is an internal link for you only.
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Looks like Rizzo and Chapman will have to do a Price/Ortiz type thing and make up.
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Still not as awkward as Verlander-Valdespin.
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The short version — I’m conflicted.
The long version —
I’m no fan of wife-beaters. Not the shirts and not the people. Now technically, Chapman didn’t beat his wife, because they aren’t married, but the point stands. According to the press release Chapman put out today, he regrets his actions and is working to be a better person. I can understand the argument for taking that at face value and believing him and I can understand the argument for reading that as a milquetoast pile of empty words. I generally don’t put much stock in prepared statements like these, and this one is no exception. Personally, I tend to land on the side where people can bounce back from making big mistakes in their lives if they “serve their time” and make the genuine effort to do so, but I can see how others can find this particular mistake to be one of those unforgivable types. I wouldn’t fault anyone for seeing either side in this case. One of my friends suggested that he would hate to see Chapman’s face all over the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs highlights DVD and other merchandise, to which another friend replied “That sounds like a pretty good problem to have”.
As for the on-the-field aspect, I’m something less than thrilled. Fuck everyone else in the dead, I LOVE Gleyber. I don’t hate the idea of trading Gleyber, I hate the fact that we got so little for him. I’m certain that he was worth more than a half-season rental, even of an elite arm. I completely understand and embrace the idea that, at this point on the win curve, the farm system exists to supplement the major league team in order to push it over the top, but I’m not sure this does. This same package for Miller, with his 2 extra years of team control and established set-up role? I’d damn near be dancing. But Rondon was already a top-10 closer, he doesn’t need to be upgraded. Perhaps if Maddon is able to manage egos and play matchups with Rondon/Chapman — like if Harper or some other lefty is coming up in the 8th in a 1-run game, using Chapman in the 8th and then Rondon in the 9th — rather than a simplistic Strop/Rondon/Chapman 7/8/9 one-size-fits-all approach, I’ll warm up to it more than I am at the moment.
This does keep his insane arm away from other contending teams, and it also should serve to jack up the price on any other team looking for bullpen help before the deadline. Those are non-zero positive side-effects, but I think I’m just blindly grasping for silver linings here. Theo/Jed have made a lot of really good trades in their time in Chicago, but this one kinda feels like they found themselves on the wrong side of a market inefficiency and got bent all the way over.
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I think the biggest thing that’s dumbfounding me here is that the Cubs easily could have had him for half this package in January. I think by that point we knew what we were going to know, with the only outlying detail being the length of his suspension. Given that the Yankees got him for pretty much the least amount of time possible (if he was suspended much longer he wouldn’t be an FA this winter), I’m not sure what additional risks have been mitigated for the Cubs by waiting six months that justify paying such a premium. Did he really rehab his image by being part of a bullpen with a catchy name?
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I don’t think the front office thought they needed him, or anyone really, back in January.
Clayton Richard was supposed to be a solid LOOGY type, Neil Ramirez was supposed to bounce back to his 2014 levels after a injury-riddled 2015 season, and Justin Grimm was supposed to be the 7th inning guy with Strop/Rondon coming in behind him.
But, much like Heyward’s offensive struggles (and “struggle” is putting it mildly), what was supposed to happen and what has happened are quite different.
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