From: Ray <thenewyorkyankeesfanclub@...>
Subject: [The NYY Fan Club] Cuban defector on radar.
To: thenewyorkyankeesfanclub@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2009, 9:58 AM

5.68 era in WBC? anyone else underwhelmed at this info???

http://sports. yahoo.com/ mlb/rumors/ post/Yanks- may-be-among- suitors-for- Cuban-defector? urn=mlb,174575

Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:50 am EDT

Yanks may be among suitors for Cuban defectorThe New York Yankees will have discussions about whether they should pursue the left-handed Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban pitcher who defected while in the Netherlands, the New York Times reported.

According to the Times, he fires a fastball that exceeds 100 miles per hour and is widely considered the premier pitching prospect in Cuba. His age was reported Thursday as 21, but reports in March at the World Baseball Classic said he was 26.

Bart Hernandez, an agent who is hoping to represent Chapman, said Chapman threw 100 and 101 m.p.h. "If he polishes up his changeup and tightens up his slider, he can be a young Randy Johnson(notes) ," Hernandez said.

Chapman had a 5.68 earned run average over six and a third innings while pitching for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in March. He was in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with the Cubans for a tournament but left the team's hoteland defected. Chapman's defection was first reported by cubaencuentro. com, according to the Times.

Source: New York Times