John Heyman: Prospect Chapman to watch Game 6 as Yankees’ guest

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October 25, 2009

Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman will be at ALCS Game 6 at Yankee Stadium as a guest of the Yankees, sources said. The invitation is a not-do-subtle way of gaining an advantage in talks for the talented left-handed pitcher. Word is that Chapman is seeking a deal worth $40-60 million, and the Yankees and Red Sox could be gearing up for a battle. The Cubs, Blue Jays, Rangers, Mets, Orioles and White Sox also have been mentioned as having interest. But that’s a lot of money to pay for a pitcher who’s unproven as a big leaguer, and only the Yankees and Red Sox have a history of taking such a plunge (Boston paid $103 million for Daisuke Matsuzaka; the Yankees $32 million for Jose Contreras). The Mets, who met with Chapman on Friday at Citi Field, did bid $39 million for the right to Matsuzaka, but the Cuban defector is not as proven as a pitcher. Chapman is considered one of the three best young pitchers who have yet to pitch in big leagues, the others being Stephen Strasburg and Japan’s Yu Darvish.