Chapman sidelined for back spasms

[redsrbetter]

Hopefully this isn't anything serious. It certainly sounds tame. I'm glad Dusty and Price saw the discomfort before it got worse.

Per C Trent:

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds left-hander Aroldis Chapman left Monday's 9-1 loss to the Rockies after 1.2 innings because of a msucles spasms in his lower back. The team released the diagnosis after he was season by team doctors on Monday.
Chapman will receive treatment over the next couple of days and be re-evaluated later this week.

Chapman said he was not seriously hurt, but was taken out for precautionary measures. He has no history of back problems, he said.


"I'm not really hurt, it's a problem with my back I've had all week," Chapman said through interpreter Tony Fossas. "I was trying to work it out, but they took me out just in case."
Chapman went 1.2 innings, allowed two hits, four runs -- all unearned -- walked two and struck out two. He also had a wild pitch.
Chapman threw just eight pitches in the first inning, striking out the first batter he faced, Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Chapman's second pitch to Tulowitzki was a 97 mph fastball -- it would be the fastest pitch he threw all day.
Chapman relieved Bronson Arroyo, who started the game and went five innings. In Chapman's second inning of work, the seventh, he threw 30 pitches.
"The first inning I felt it a little bit and I was able to work through it," Chapman said. "But then I got stiffer as the game went on."
Chapman threw more off-speed pitches than he had in any other outing this year.
"It was less effort to throw the slider than the fastball," he said.
It was also the first sign that something might be wrong. After he allowed a single to Brad Eldridge to start the seventh, Cole Garner hit into a fielder's choice and stole second. After a walk, Dexter Fowler hit a ball to Drew Sutton, who couldn't field the ball and was charged with an error. A run scored on the play. Chapman struck out Eric Young Jr. and after a walk to load the bases, pitching coach Bryan Price visited him on the mound.
"I didn't think he was attacking the hitters, it was a regular, typical mound visit -- be more aggressive with your fastball," Price said. "He was trying to get guys out with his slider and changeup and not being aggressive with his fastball. I wanted to remind him that he's got a good fastball and to utilize it more and then in the next few pitches we notices he was moving around kind of funky and we didn't want it to get any worse."
Jordan Pacheco doubled to score three runs. Chapman threw three more pitches (two balls and a strike) before being taken out of the game.
"These are the things that happen every spring at some point and time. You don't want anyone to have a problem with arm problems, back problems, we don't want to exasperate the problem by pitching and then set him back," Price said. "Hopefully it's something where he gets a couple of days of treatment and is back in pitching and competing."
Reds manager Dusty Baker said Chapman didn't tell anyone that his back had been bothering him.
"He didn't say anything, I guess in Cuba, you're taught not to complain or say much," Baker said. "We could tell he was wincing and the way he was walking around on the mound. He didn't have his same stuff or his fastball. We could tell there was something wrong."
Immediately after the game, Baker didn't have any other updates on Chapman. There is no timetable for a return until after there's more information, Baker said.
"Right now we don't know if it's anything serious, we took him out before it got worse," Baker said.
Chapman had been the leader for the team's fifth-starter spot, but Monday's scare -- two weeks from Opening Day -- put a serious kink in those plans.
"I don't know, man," Baker said. "Let's not speculate until we know more."
Mike Leake and Travis Wood are scheduled to throw on Friday at the Mariners, with Leake starting the game.

[redsrbetter]

per C Trent

* Chapman will throw 25 pitches or one inning. He'll be throwing at 1 p.m. on field 4.

"Just one inning, just to see how he is," Dusty Baker said. "If he's good, we're good, if not, we'll adjust."

Hopefully this performance goes well. I would really rather see this guy without any setbacks. I still contend that he should start in AA or AAA, but this nagging injuries have proven to many pitchers that one thing can lead to another. I hope that there isn't any problems at all, but if he is babysitting his back and moving different parts as to not use his back as much in his windup; he definitely would need to take a little more time in getting back. You don't want to have a guy changing the way he pitches due to an injury. That is how you start forming bad habits and hurting other parts of the body.

[redsrbetter]

Raeding upadates on Chapman's outing...

He threw 19 pitches:

per John Fay:

Ks first hitter: 92,96,86,97,82. Ks Swindon as well.

Chapman gave up a ground single. Then got a 4-3 on a 97 to end it.

C Trent:

Reds Chapman 1 ip, 19 pitches, 1h, 2k, hit 97 several times

Hopefully we find out how he fealt though.

[redsrbetter]

per John Fay:

Chapman on his outing: "I felt like before -- good, really good." He was able to throw all his pitches. Feels like he could 3 or 4 inn.

Hopefully those assigned to watch him feel the same way.