New Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman met the Chicago media Tuesday and he didn’t make a great first impression. Speaking through the team’s part-time translator, quality assurance coach Henry Blanco, Chapman didn’t provide any reassurances that he’s changed since his Oct. 30 altercation with his girlfriend that wound up in a police report accusing him of choking her, pushing her and firing a gun in his garage.
Cubs president Theo Epstein said Chapman was nervous, while reporters doubted the skill of Blanco’s translations.
Chapman also spoke to ESPN’s Pedro Gomez, in Spanish, in a one-on-one interview. Here are both transcripts. The Chicago media conversation was transcribed by The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, while Gomez supplied a transcription to the Cubs media relations department.
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CHICAGO MEDIA INTERVIEW
Questions are from various reporters, while all answers are from Blanco, who translated every question into Spanish for Chapman, and then converted his answers to English.
How does it feel to wear that Cubs uniform and play on a team that has the best record in baseball?
“It feels very good to wear the Chicago Cubs uniform. There’s a lot of expectation here in Chicago. He just come here and do his job and try to go to a World Series.”
What was the conversation with Theo Epstein and Tom Ricketts like and what did they ask him on the phone?
“Nothing. They went over things and welcomed him to Chicago and glad that he was part of this team.”
What did they want to know? They asked you questions about last year’s situation.
“They basically told him what was expected of him and welcome to the club. He’s going to be part of this team and hopefully guide us to the World Series.”
What are those expectations?
“They expect him to come here and do his job. He’s trying to guide us to a World Series. Especially this city, they haven’t won a World Series in a long time. So they want him to come here and do everything he can to help us win.”
Considering the years you spent playing against the Cubs with the Cincinnati Reds, do you find a little bit strange to be playing here for the Cubs now?
“He feels fine. Especially wants to thank Theo and the Cubs to bring him with us. About playing with Cincinnati and facing the Chicago Cubs, he’s just doing his job like he’s going to do it here. And hopefully everything goes smoothly and goes the right way.”
Most of the questions yesterday to Theo were about the suspension and the incident that led to the suspension. It was all over the media and there was a lot of controversy following this acquisition. What do you expect moving forward that the response will be from the city, the fans and even opponents? This is an opposing ballpark tonight, what do you expect?
“It’s a very exciting city. He knows that Chicago is a very exciting city. He just tries to come here and do his thing. He’s gonna do whatever he has to do to do his job. And hopefully try to help the team win games.”
Can you please answer what the expectations are of you off the field? The character expectations that the team owner talked about, he specifically asked you on the phone.
“He just got here. That haven’t sit down and talked to him about that at any point. He’s just going to wait for them to sit down and talk to him. But in the meantime, he’s just going to be Aroldis Chapman and do his thing.”
But…
(A CUBS MEDIA RELATIONS EMPLOYEE INTERJECTS): “Let me help here. Henry, just so they know what you’re asking, when they spoke on the phone yesterday what were the expectations that were laid out. Not future expectations, what did they talk about yesterday?”
“It’s been a long day, so he’s thinking. … He was sleeping when they got in the meeting with him on the phone, so he’s trying to remember what they talked about.”
They also said he’s learned and grown from this. So is he a changed person now and how has he changed?
“He’s learned from a lot of mistakes that he’s made and he has learned a lesson. He just wants to move forward.”
Has Aroldis talked with Hector Rondon who he’s replacing as the closer and did he talk to Anthony Rizzo who he had some spirited battles with in the past?
“He hasn’t had the chance to talk to them, Rondon or Rizzo. They just saw him in there, but he hasn’t had the time to sit down and talk to them. But he is going to do that.”
What allows you to throw the ball with such velocity? Do you get the power from your legs or your mechanics? What is it?
“He doesn’t know. He thinks it’s the mechanics. He’s pretty sure it’s the mechanics.”
Along those lines, the radar gun says he’s throwing harder this year. Is that true? And if so, why this year?
“He doesn’t know about the velocity, but he just works hard every time, prepares himself very good. I guess 105 mph is nice, but he says it has to come from work outs.”
I asked this earlier and didn’t get an answer. He served his 30-day suspension and there was an incident, we all know it. He dealt with it in New York. Coming here now, what does he expect the reception to be in the community as he moves forward in Chicago?
“He says Chicago is a very exciting city. A very good welcome him to Chicago. Everything is happy now, everything with his family is working pretty good. He’s just focusing now and trying to play the game. And he’s feeling pretty happy right now.”
He doesn’t expect and backlash or controversy to follow?
“He’s confident right now that he’s coming to a new team and everything is going to be fine. He’s just going to be the best person he can be. He understands what he went through and he is a better person now and knows what to do and basically he’s focused on trying to win some games.”
Did that incident change him at all? Did he learn from it?
“You’re always going to learn from your mistakes. Obviously he did. He feels like he’s a better person now and he’s concentrating, he just wants to play the game now.”
Aroldis, you were sleepy and tired yesterday when you talked to Mr. Ricketts, did you write the statement that was released? Did you write it and when did you write it?
“That was yesterday night when he wrote that statement because he knew there was a good chance that this trade would happen.”
What are his thoughts on free agency and is he open to anything at the end of the year?
“Basically he’s concentrated right now he’s concentrated about right now and helping the team win. We’ll see what happens after the season.”
When it became evident that he wasn’t going to re-sign with the Yankees, were the Cubs his preferred choice?
“He says he never heard about any extension with the Yankees. This trade just happened. The Yankees got some good players, we got him, so basically everything hopefully works out for the Yankees and for him.”
How much do the chances of the Cubs winning a World Series now improve by obtaining him?
“Without him being here, he thought that this team was complete. Got good players, got young talents, this team looked ready to keep fighting to play and win a World Series. He’s just happy to be here.”
Now does he think their chances have improved?
“He just got here, he doesn’t know yet. We’ll see what happens.”
Does he know the history of this franchise and that it’s been a real long time since they’ve won a World Series?
“He knows it’s been about 100 years since they won a World Series. It’s been a long time.”
Has he considered speaking out against domestic violence or working with organizations who work with victims of domestic violence?
“No, he hasn’t done anything yet.”
The phone conversation yesterday with Mr. Ricketts was obviously important. Theo said time and time again yesterday that they would not have made the deal without talking to you. So I’m wondering if anything they said made any kind of impact on you before you came here. You’ve had some time now to think about it, if you remember anything that they said.
“He doesn’t remember right now, it’s been a long day.”
Did he write the statement Sunday night or last night? He said last night?
“Sunday night.”
Is he ready to pitch tonight?
“Yup.”
ESPN INTERVIEW
All answers are from Chapman.
On getting traded during the season:
“I expected it because there had been so many rumors about the possibility of me being traded, so it did not come as a surprise to me. But I didn’t know where I was going to go to and now here I am with the Cubs.”
On the domestic violence controversy resurfacing after the trade:
“I knew that no matter where I was traded to this would resurface, that the controversy is going to follow me. But I’m with my girlfriend. Our family is together. We’re working toward making things better in our lives. And really, it’s going to be with me.”
On taking Hector Rondon’s closer job:
“This is something that’s already happened in my career because when I got to the Yankees they took Andrew Miller out of the closer’s role and put me in. So it’s something that I’ve already gone through and thankfully Rondon is taking it really well. And I’m thankful that the manager has all the confidence in me to put me into that closer’s role.”
Where are you today, compared to October, regarding the controversy?
“I’ve grown tremendously from that time. I’m with my girlfriend still, with the family, and I feel that I have absolutely changed as a person. I’m working to be a better person. And now that I remember because they just asked me in the previous press conference what the owners asked me, one of the things they did ask me was about being a better person and being a better neighbor to people. And that’s something that I think that I am now, much more so.”
Is there pressure closing for a contending team?
“I don’t feel any different pressure at all. I don’t think that you have to put any pressure on yourself. I’m still the closer. I’m going to do the same job I always have.”