Aroldis Chapman doesn't agree with how Cubs' Maddon used him in the World Series
Chapman entered Game 5 and 6 in the seventh inning, and Game 7 in the eighth inning
By
Mike Axisa
•
2 min read
This past postseason, traditional bullpen usage went out the window. Most notably, Indians manager Terry Francona used Andrew Miller for multiple innings in all situations and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also used Kenley Jansen earlier than usual as well.
With his team facing elimination in Games 5-7 of the World Series, Cubs manager Joe Maddon pushed rental closer Aroldis Chapman to the limit against Francona's Indians. Here is Chapman's World Series workload:
| Game | Date | Situation When Entering Game | Outs Recorded | Pitches Thrown |
| 1 | Oct. 25 | Did not pitch | ||
| 2 | Oct. 26 | Cubs up 5-1, 2 outs, runner on 3rd in 8th | 4 | 23 |
| 3 | Oct. 28 | Cubs down 1-0 to start 9th | 3 | 17 |
| 4 | Oct. 29 | Did not pitch | ||
| 5 | Oct. 30 | Cubs up 3-2, 2 outs, runner on 2nd in 7th | 8 | 42 |
| 6 | Nov. 1 | Cubs up 7-2, 2 outs, runners on 1st & 2nd in 7th | 4 | 20 |
| 7 | Nov. 2 | Cubs up 6-3, 2 outs, runner on 1st in 8th | 4 | 35 |
That's an awful lot of work, especially in Games 5-7. Chapman got an eight-out save in Game 5, got four outs in Game 6 and then got four more outs in Game 7. He threw 107 pitches in the span of four days, which is an unusually high workload for a reliever.
Using Chapman for eight outs in Game 5 was universally praised. Using him up five runs in Game 6 was more questionable. Yes, the Cubs were facing elimination, but a five-run lead with four outs to go? Using Chapman there seemed unnecessary. Game 7? Well, it's Game 7 and anything goes. Ultimately, it all worked and the Cubs won the World Series.
Chapman signed with the Yankees as a free agent earlier this month, and, on Friday, he held a conference call with reporters. During the call he said he did not agree with how Maddon used him in the World Series, specifically Game 6.
Chapman said that he did not agree with how Joe Maddon and the Cubs used him in the postseason, but he feels healthy going into 2017.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) December 16, 2016
Chapman said the one game he'd point to is Game 6 of the World Series, as he was tired for Game 7.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) December 16, 2016
To Chapman's credit, he also told reporters he never told Maddon he disagreed with his usage and felt it was his job to be ready whenever the team asked him to pitch. As he should have been. It's the World Series and teams are going to lean on their top relievers more than ever.
Ask any reliever and they'll tell you they appreciate knowing their role and exactly when they'll pitch. Guys like Miller, who are flexible enough to pitch at any point in the game, are very rare. Most are like Chapman and appreciate having a set role. Baseball players are creatures of habit, and when you don't know when you're going to enter a game, it disrupts your routine.
The Yankees signed Chapman hoping he will one day throw the final pitch of their 28th World Series championship. It probably won't happen in 2017, but they gave him a five-year contract and are getting younger. It could happen at some point during the life of his contract, and when the time comes, Chapman is going to have to get ready for more unconventional usage in the postseason. That's baseball these days.
