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Title: Cincinnatti Reds Pitcher Chapman throws fastest pitch ever recorded
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URL Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=sh-redspadres092410
Published: Sep 25, 2010
Author: Steve Henson
Post Date: 2010-09-25 21:03:06 by A K A Stone
Keywords: None
Views: 3694
Comments: 11
SAN DIEGO – Aroldis Chapman(notes) was summoned from the bullpen one batter too late to make a difference in the game. No matter. The 22-year-old Cincinnati Reds left-hander made do by making history Friday night, throwing the fastest pitch recorded in a major league game, a 105-mph fastball. Ardolis Chapman's 25 pitches on Friday night (each registering 100 mph or faster, including his record-breaking 105 mph heater) must have been a blur to Padres batters. (Christopher Hanewinckel/US Presswire) The blazing pitch pushed a white-hot pennant race to the back burner. Yes, the San Diego Padres won the game 4-3 to pull ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild-card race. Sure, the San Francisco Giants all but buried the Colorado Rockies thanks to a dominant performance by Tim Lincecum(notes). But the lingering memory was of a now-you-see-it, did-I-actually-see-it fastball to Tony Gwynn(notes) in the eighth inning. The pitch was not a fluke: Chapman threw 25 pitches in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, and every one was at least 100 mph. He didn’t throw a slider. He didn’t throw a changeup. Why would he? Popular Sports Pages * Athlete benched by odd pizza-related injury * Rare World Series video discovered in legendary crooner's cellar More From Steve Henson * Jamie McCourt is admittedly clueless Sep 21, 2010 * Latos belongs in the NL Cy Young discussion Sep 11, 2010 From Walter Johnson to Bob Feller to Steve Dalkowski to J.R. Richard to Nolan Ryan to Stephen Strasburg, blistering velocity is etched forever in baseball lore. Rush Chapman to the head of the list. Has anybody in the history of the game had a comparable 25-pitch sequence? [Related: MLB pitcher makes a very unfortunate accomplishment] “I didn’t see it until the ball was behind me,” Gwynn said. “I was trying not to look at the radar reading because I’d be intimidated. I saw how hard he was throwing and just tried to be slow and work my hands.” The 105-mph pitch was inside for a ball and evened the count at 2-2. Gwynn had fouled off the previous two pitches and fouled off the next before striking out. He ought to be pleased with his effort, forcing Chapman to make seven pitches, the slowest of which was 102 mph. Gwynn’s father, Tony, a Hall-of-Famer and one of baseball greatest hitters, never saw a pitch as fast as the one Chapman threw. Maybe nobody else has, either. Since radar guns were introduced in the 1980s, the fastest pitch recorded was 104.8 mph by Joel Zumaya(notes) of the Detroit Tigers in a playoff game Oct. 10, 2006. Chapman, who defected from the Cuban national team in 2009, was clocked at 104 on Sept. 1 in his second major league appearance and also hit 105 mph with a pitch for Triple-A Louisville earlier this season. Chapman, speaking through an interpreter with bags of ice strapped across his arm, credited his stepped-up velocity Friday to the fact that he’d pitched only once in the last week. He didn’t allow an earned run in his first eight relief appearances after being promoted Aug. 31, but the Astros nicked him for two runs a week ago. He pitched a scoreless inning on Monday against the Brewers, then had three more days off. “My arm had been a little sore and the rest helped,” he said. “I felt as good as I did a couple weeks ago. Not the best I’ve ever felt, but I felt good.” Reds manager Dusty Baker appreciated the moment, but the loss grated on him. Chapman was warming up in the bullpen when Miguel Tejada(notes) delivered a bases-loaded, two-out single in the seventh against Nick Masset(notes) that drove in the Padres’ third and fourth runs. Chapman came in and struck out Adrian Gonzalez(notes) on three fastballs that registered 101, 102 and 103 mph. Baker had been reluctant to summon Chapman to face Tejada with the bases loaded and the Reds holding a one-run lead, envisioning a wild pitch or a walk. “A guy throwing that hard, looking back you can say I should have brought him in earlier, but he can’t pitch against everybody all the time,” Baker said. Asked if that was the hardest he has seen Chapman throw by a small degree, Baker replied, “By a big degree.” Fastest Recorded MLB Pitches Name Team Year MPH Aroldis Chapman Reds 2010 105 Joel Zumaya Tigers 2006 104.8 Aroldis Chapman Reds 2010 104 Mark Wohlers Braves 1995 103 Armando Benitez Giants 2002 102 Jonathan Broxton Dodgers 2009 102 Neftali Feliz Rangers 2010 102 Bobby Jenks White Sox 2005 102 Randy Johnson Diamondbacks 2004 102 Matt Lindstrom Marlins 2007 102 Robb Nen Marlins 1997 102 Justin Verlander Tigers 2007 102 Padres officials said the stadium radar gun is not known for inordinately high readings, unlike the Fox TV gun that recorded Zumaya at 104.8. Chapman had three other pitches Friday clocked at 104 mph. This wasn’t the first time Chapman had pitched at Petco Park. He started for the Cuban team in the World Baseball Classic in the spring of 2009 and was knocked out of the game in the third inning against Japan and took the loss. His fastest pitch was 101 mph. “I’ve grown up and improved so much since then,” he said. “I remember that night and losing my composure a little. I couldn’t find the strike zone. That seems like a long time ago.” After defecting during a tournament in the Netherlands in July 2009, Chapman signed a six-year, $30.25 million deal with the Reds in January. It was widely predicted that he would sign a much more lucrative deal with a deep-pocket team such as the Yankees or Red Sox, but some teams backed off because of concerns about his maturity. “We’ve got to make bold moves sometimes,” Reds GM Walt Jocketty said at the time. Now the signing looks genius. And maybe by the time the playoffs begin, Baker will go to Chapman earlier, even with the bases loaded. “When a guy is throwing that hard, you feel sort of helpless,” Gwynn said. “We’re just glad we had enough runs to win before he came in the game.”
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#1. To: A K A Stone (#0)
Thanks for posting Stone. I always wondered what the fastest pitch was, now I know.
Clinton and Cuomo are the true bandits who lit the fuse to this economic crisis we're now in. All in the name of getting more minorities in houses: http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=12554
The fastest I've ever pitched at those amusement parks was 79 or 81 I think. It hurt my arm though.
it looks like the Reds are going to use him to close, he just hasn't been able to show that he can pitch consistently enough to start.
I'm a Reds fan. Pete Rose was the best. They should reinstate him.
If the ball is straight, it can be timed and hit. Even at 105 MPH.
Best what? Baseball handicapper? He's an arrogant pr*ck who crossed the line and corked his bat. Cheater.
I grew up a huge fan of the big red machine and my goal was to become Tom Seaver. Rose has already been somewhat reinstated, he's allowed to go to games again and participate in ceremonial activities, but given he bet on baseball and only recently came clean, I don't see much of a case for dropping all restrictions. It's pretty sad, and no matter what, he's lost his chance at ever getting into the HoF.
He's a cheater just like the steroid users. If they reinstate or allow any of them (cheaters/liars) to be HOF candidates, it tarnishes the accomplishments of the deserving.
Because major league hitters will start sitting on his fastball. And even fastballs at over 100 mph will be leaving the park.
If they can see it. What is to say he will always only throw fast balls anyway.
What if it's gay?
#2. To: Nebuchadnezzar (#1)
#3. To: A K A Stone (#0)
And the Conservative plan to create jobs is......?????
#4. To: go65 (#3)
#5. To: A K A Stone (#0)
#6. To: A K A Stone (#4)
I'm a Reds fan. Pete Rose was the best. They should reinstate him.
#7. To: A K A Stone (#4)
I'm a Reds fan. Pete Rose was the best. They should reinstate him.
And the Conservative plan to create jobs is......?????
#8. To: A K A Stone (#4)
They should reinstate him.
#9. To: A K A Stone (#0)
The pitch was not a fluke: Chapman threw 25 pitches in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, and every one was at least 100 mph. He didn’t throw a slider. He didn’t throw a changeup. Why would he?
#10. To: no gnu taxes (#9)
#11. To: Liberator (#5)
If the ball is straight, it can be timed and hit. Even at 105 MPH.
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