Aroldis Chapman’s immediate future with the Reds is as a reliever.
“I would think so, yeah,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. “The plans are to keep Chapman in the bullpen right now. We’ll take a long look at Dontrelle Willis also.”
Certainly, I would prefer Chapman pitching in the rotation in 2011 (whether in Cincinnati or, to begin the season, in Louisville). There is no reliever alive — even a flamethrowing lefty — that is as valuable as a top starter. Management continues to insist, however, that Chapman will be a starter for the long-term, so we’ll just have to trust them that relieving next season is in the phenom’s best interests.