Last night, Aroldis Chapman threw the five fastest pitches ever recorded by statcast. They came in at 104.0, 104.3, 104.4, 104.9 and 105.1, the last of which tied the previous record – held by Chapman. If you take the time to actually think about what he’s capable of, it’s mind boggling. We’ve never seen a pitcher like this before, and it might be a long time before we see one like him again.
For years, people have had a fascination with the fastball. Who can throw the hardest? Back in the day, you probably had a handful of guys around the league who could light up a radar gun. Now, it seems like everyone can throw mid to high nineties.
But Chapman is different. His motion is so seamless and smooth, and then all of a sudden, he whips his arm towards home plate. The pitch speed is put up on the board, and the crowd oohs-and-ahs. He’s the only guy in baseball who can get that kind of reaction. Even Dellin Betances, who has touched 100 mph in his career, is impressed:
If you guys want to watch free fireworks come watch @AChapman_105 pitch the 9th inn for the #Yankees #105 #notfair #OMG
— Dellin Betances (@DBetances68) July 19, 2016
Chapman also might just be the best athlete in all of baseball. Back in February, George King of the New York Post reported that when Chapman was on the Reds, he would beat Billy Hamilton in the 100-yard-dash. Hamilton is widely considered to be the fastest man in the majors. Players would also avoid lifting weights with Chapman because they didn’t want to get embarrassed. I guess to put it plainly, Chapman is a freak of nature.
While his days might be numbered in the Bronx for the 2016 season, we still could see Chapman in pinstripes again in the future. According to Mark Feinsand, Chapman said:
“I’ve had an excellent time here; a really good time with the city, the organization and the fans,” Chapman said through a translator. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. If I am traded, I would love to come back and be part of the team again. I’m trying to focus here and get my job done.”
I’d love for Chapman to come back if he’s traded, too. He’s a once in a generation-type talent, and we should appreciate watching him pitch. Guys like this don’t come around often.
