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Chapman "Tone Deaf" In First Meeting With Media After Being Traded To Cubs

New Cubs P Aroldis Chapman's "awkward welcome-to-Chicago media session" before yesterday's game against the White Sox forced the team "into damage-control mode," according to Patrick Mooney of CSNCHICAGO.com. Reporters asked Chapman about his phone conversation with Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts and President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein "at least six times, getting versions of 'It's been a long day' and 'I just got here' and how the Cubs expect him to help this team win the World Series." Chapman claims he had been "sleeping on Monday before getting on the call and didn't remember anything specific" about what Ricketts and Epstein said in terms of off-field expectations following his 29-game suspension earlier this season after a domestic violence allegation. Mooney wrote it was a "completely tone-deaf performance." Epstein on Monday had "strenuously explained the organization's rationale, answering questions for more than 33 minutes and recognizing that putting Chapman in a Cubs uniform would provoke all sorts of conflicting emotions." Yesterday's events were a "bad look for a franchise that always talks about doing things the right way, being extremely thorough and believing in character" (CSNCHICAGO.com, 7/26).

NO WAY TO CHANGE ATTITUDES: In Chicago, David Haugh writes Chapman showed "notable nonchalance" and did "little to dissuade anybody conflicted" about the trade. Haugh: "Imagine how silly Epstein and Ricketts felt hearing Chapman say he didn't recall that conversation they used as the basis to make the most controversial move of their tenures." The Cubs' PR department "emailed reporters a transcript of Chapman's one-on-one interview with ESPN's Pedro Gomez -- after he flubbed the local session -- that included more introspection than his first go-around" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/27). Also in Chicago, Rick Telander writes only a "fool could be less prepared and more tone-deaf" than Chapman was yesterday. The "emotion and intrigue" surrounding Chapman's arrival and White Sox P Chris Sale's suspension for cutting up the team's throwback jerseys have "dwarfed the matchup between the crosstown rivals" this week (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/27).

TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THINGS: ESPN’s Gomez noted Cubs assistant coach Henry Blanco, who is certified by MLB as a translator, was helping Chapman during his appearance with the local media. Gomez said, "It got really confusing for a lot of people, maybe Aroldis himself was confused. All the questions at that point were in English and Blanco was doing the translating. I'm not sure if he thought maybe that conversation he had with the front office was private so he was very evasive with his answers. ... It got definitely confusing because of the way he was not answering some questions. And then I was able to get a one-on-one with him after which was entirely Spanish. And he did at that point say, ‘Look, I do remember that they did talk to me about being a good neighbor, about being a good person off the field, that was something that was very important.’" Gomez: "I don't know what happened, but it certainly did not go well” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 7/27).

TIME TO MOVE ON? USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale writes the Chicago media spent the 24 hours following the Chapman trade "questioning the integrity of the Cubs, even asking whether a possible World Series championship would be tainted." No one is "going to excuse Chapman" for his actions that preceded his girlfriend's call to police last October, but does this mean he "should be forever punished, society should shun him, and baseball teams should ban him from playing again?" Nightengale: "There's no need for the Cubs to apologize for acquiring Chapman" (USA TODAY, 7/27).

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