Lots of kids in the U.S. and Cuba dream of throwing a baseball 105 mph, like Cincinnati Reds rookie Aroldis Chapman.  Turns out Chapman's own boyhood hero will be on the field in the NLDS.  As a child in Cuba, Chapman, 22, says he followed closely the career of right-hander Jose Contreras, 39, a three-time Cuban Athlete of the Year, now a member of the Phillies' bullpen.  "Jose Contreras -- he's Aroldis' hero," said Tomas Vera, a trainer in the Reds' organization who doubled as Chapman's translator Tuesday.  Like Contreras in 2002 and another Phillies pitcher, Danys Baez in 1999, Chapman defected from Cuba in 2009 before signing his lucrative deal (worth more than $30 million for six years) with the Reds. Chapman, a 6-foot-4 left-handed reliever, says he's never met either Phillies pitcher in person.  Right now, he's a bit more focused on left-handed hitters like Ryan Howard and Chase Utley who he could be facing with NLDS games on the line.  "When I was a kid, I started to follow Jose," Chapman said through Vera. "Back then, he was our best pitcher in Cuba, so I really liked him.  "I was impressed with the way (he pitched) and the amount of quality pitches he had. I used to follow him when he was part of the National Team and when (he went) to the international competition, like the Olympic Games, the Central American Games. I feel really good to watch him. He was the best in Cuba."  Chapman says he was unable to follow Contreras' career the same way once Contreras made his way to the U.S.  These days, everyone is following Chapman, who was clocked at 103 mph in his major league debut and as high as 105 mph in the minors this season. He's yet to face the Phillies, but is looking forward to his taste of the postseason.  "I felt really happy for being part of the (division-clinching) celebration," Chapman said. "I felt lucky because (of it) being my first year in the majors. … If I begin to pitch in the playoffs … (late) in the game, it means the team trusts in what I can do."  Reds manager Dusty Baker knows that Chapman's velocity can create problems for even the best of hitters.  "There is a point where they have to commit earlier than normal," Baker said. "Therefore, you have a tendency to swing at bad pitches. And if he's throwing strikes and if you're worried about swinging at bad pitches, it's by you before you know it, (even if) it's a strike and it's a good pitch."
Cuba's finest: Reds' Aroldis Chapman follows boyhood hero Jose Contreras into postseason - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com