Know that Chapman is up to speed
Because the lefthanded Chapman’s renowned fastball has been clocked as high as 105 mph, “You know you’ve got to be a little out in front,” says Carlos Beltran, who is 0-for6 lifetime with four strikeouts and a walk against Chapman. “You normally want the barrel of the bat out there, but with him, you’d better make sure.” As a result, Beltran says, Chapman is the rare pitcher who “makes you change your approach. He’s a guy you’ve got to go out there and look for one pitch — you can’t really be in-between. If you aim fastball and he
Tthrows you three sliders, I guess you don’t have any chance of hitting the slider.”
Last year, Chapman threw his fastball 75.5% of the time, according to Fangraphs. com, the second-lowest percentage of his career. He used his slider, which averaged 87.5 mph, on 16.8% of his pitches and his 87.9 mph changeup 7.6% of the time.
That matches up with what another former National Leaguer, Chase Headley, has heard from talking to fellow players and watching some Chapman video. “I think he’s throwing
Fmore off-speed than when I faced him and that just adds another dimension,” Headley says. “It’s not easy to hit 103, but when that’s all you’re worrying about hitting, you’ve got a chance. With the off-speed, that’s pretty tough.”
Headley, 1-for-6 with four strikeouts against Chapman, says he relished the challenge. “I always looked at it as, what’s the worse that can happen, as long as he doesn’t hit me?” Headley says. “You’re probably supposed to strike out. That’s what people are expecting and if you do, so what? So I tried to gear up and enjoy it.”
Headley also acknowledged that, as a switch-hitter batting righty against Chapman, he probably was more comfortable than any lefty would be.
“If I was a left-handed hitter, I’d be scared to death," Headley says. “I can’t imagine that fastball coming in there from that arm slot. He’s jumping at you. He’s closing the distance between you. It’s coming that hard. No thanks.”