FACING HEAT
Hal offers defense of trade for Aroldis
SAYING HE “put a lot of thought” into the trade for controversial reliever Aroldis Chapman, Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner Wednesday defended the move in his first public comments on the deal, telling fans not to judge the pitcher.
“In this country where allegations are brought against a person, that person is completely innocent until proven otherwise,” Steinbrenner told reporters, including one from USA Today, at the quarterly owners meetings in Coral Gables, Fla. “Not the other way around.
“I think we should keep that in mind right now.”
The Yankees acquired the hard-throwing Chapman, one of the best relievers in baseball, from the Reds last month for four nonelite prospects. His price tag was doubtlessly lowered by allegations stemming from an Oct. 30 incident in Florida where he purportedly choked his girlfriend — the mother of his child — and then fired eight bullets in his garage.
Chapman was not arrested and hasn’t been charged by police. But he is currently the subject of a Major League Baseball investigation and he could be suspended under the league’s new domestic violence policy.
Some, including City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, have criticized the Yankees or threatened protests because the team traded for him.
“It’s very disturbing,” she was quoted as saying in a Daily News story last month. “This was a wrong move. … We all want the Yankees to do well, but at the expense of what?”
She also wondered why the team did not wait to make a deal for Chapman until after the results of MLB’s investigation, which many believe will be wrapped up before spring training starts in mid-February.
“Look, I put a lot of thought into it,’’ Steinbrenner said of the swap. “Any trade where I’m giving up four prospects — a couple of which are really decent prospects — I put a lot of thought into it.
“Obviously, as a player, he’s tremendous. We looked at him in July at the trade deadline. ... A lot of thought was put into it. But the benefits for the organization as a player, if you look at the baseball side of it, is tremendous upside, needless to say.”
Chapman, who will be 28 next month, is eligible for salary arbitration with the Yankees and they are currently $4.1 million apart on a potential deal. Chapman asked for $13.1 million and the Yankees countered with a $9 million offer. The two sides could settle on a deal or go to an arbitration hearing.
Chapman, who is a free agent after the season, will be the Yankees closer, both Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman have said. Chapman was 4-4 with a 1.63 ERA for the Reds last year in 65 games. He had 33 saves and struck out 116 batters in 66.1 innings.
The Dodgers had worked out a trade with the Reds for Chapman during the winter meetings, but news of the incident was enough to make Los Angeles back out.
The Yankees swooped in to get him. Now Steinbrenner hopes Chapman gets a chance.
“I understand it is a very sensitive subject, rightfully so,’’ Steinbrenner said. “But we just have to wait and see. It’s a touchy subject, but again, a man is innocent proven guilty.”