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Not the best start for Chicago Cubs' new closer

No, it wasn't the most auspicious of beginnings for new Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman.

He didn't blow a save for his new team but he may have blown a chance to make a better first impression with a skeptical media and a Chicago fan base that also has cast a wary eye on Chapman and his past domestic-abuse problems.

The Cubs chalked up Tuesday's somewhat awkward news conference to a lost-in-translation moment.

The scene was the visitors dugout at U.S. Cellular Field, where the Cubs and White Sox were getting set to play Game 2 of this four-game, home-and-home series.

Chapman met the media, along with translator Henry Blanco, a Cubs coach, upon arriving in Chicago one day after being traded from the New York Yankees.

A native of Cuba, Chapman doesn't speak much English, even though he has been in the major leagues since 2010.

Before the Cubs consummated the trade, they obtained a "window" in which team chairman Tom Ricketts and president Theo Epstein were able to talk with Chapman and ask him about his 30-game suspension to start this season for violating Major League Baseball's domestic-violence policy.

Last fall, Chapman was accused of choking his girlfriend and firing gunshots. He was not charged with a crime.

Asked Tuesday about his conversation with Epstein and Ricketts, Chapman didn't seem to remember much.

"He was sleeping when they had a meeting with him on the phone, so he's trying to remember what they talked about," Blanco said in translating Chapman's answer.

Not good.

To be fair to Chapman, he later said: "I learned from a lot of mistakes that I made and I have learned a lesson, so I want to go forward."

Epstein pointed the media to one-on-one interview done later in the day by ESPN's Pedro Gomez. The interview was conducted in Spanish.

The Cubs provided the media with a transcript of that interview. In it, Chapman is quoted as saying: "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."

The Cubs traded for Chapman and his 100-plus-mph fastball to solidify the back end of their bullpen and help them in their goal to get to the World Series.

Manager Joe Maddon went to bat for his new closer.

"The only thing that concerns me is that he may not have understood the question," Maddon said. "Just understand, this kid comes from Cuba, doesn't speak the (English) language very well. Even to an interpreter, it's easy to misunderstand.

"Even further he may not have wanted to relay exactly what had been said. Possibly that was his way of trying to keep some proprietary information to himself. I don't know that. But I am certain that he got the message. I think everything's fine with that."

Maddon was asked whether it matters if Chapman is a "good guy" if he closes out a World Series victory for the Cubs.

"Is Ty Cobb wonderful? I don't know," Maddon replied. "All these different people that I've read about, there's something that happened with this team, and that was in 1919. I don't know. Again, at the end of the day, I'm here to get to know him on our terms, me and him, with his teammates. He's been a great teammate from everybody that I've read or discussed with. That's the lens I'm looking at it through right now.

"He did do a suspension. He has talked about it. He's shown remorse. Everybody else has their right to judge him as a good or bad person. That's your right.

"But I know there's times that I've been less than perfect. I think we all could agree we've all been less than perfect at particular moments that nobody's ever known about.

"I want to get to know Aroldis. I think he can be a very significant member. He's got the potential, yes, to throw the last out of the World Series. And if he does, I promise you I will embrace him."

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Scouting report

Cubs vs. White Sox at Wrigley Field

TV: WGN and Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WSCR 670-AM and WLS 890-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Jason Hammel (9-5) vs. Anthony Ranaudo (1-0) Wednesday; John Lackey (7-7) vs. Chris Sale (14-3) Thursday. Both games 7:05 p.m.

About the Cubs: The Cubs return "home" from an easy-travel road trip to Milwaukee and the South Side of Chicago. They now open an eight-game homestand. The two Cubs starting pitchers in this series have struggled in July. Hammel is 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP this month. Lackey is 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. On the positive side, first baseman and MVP candidate Anthony Rizzo has a July line of .296/.348/.605 with 5 homers and 18 RBI.

About the White Sox: The Sox have won four of their last five at Wrigley Field and are 27-25 on the North Side since interleague play began in 1997. Ranaudo replaces the ineffective Jacob Turner in the rotation and starts the Sox's first game at Wrigley. Acquired in a May 12 trade from Texas, Ranaudo has never faced the Cubs. Sale returns from suspension and starts Thursday. Sale made his only career start at Wrigley last July and earned the win after allowing 1 run on 6 hits in 7 innings while striking out 10. Out since Friday with a strained hamstring, second baseman Brett Lawrie could return to the Sox's lineup Wednesday.

Next for the Cubs: Seattle Mariners at Wrigley Field, Friday-Sunday

Next for the White Sox: Minnesota Twins at Target Field, Friday-Sunday

- Bruce Miles and Scot Gregor

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