Chart Observations: DET @ CHA

• Justin Verlander is a 6-5, 225 pound righty. The 26 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle (235 maybe, 230 easy). He comes from a high 3/4 release. He generates easy velocity from a nice, clean drop and drive delivery. His fastball shows above average fade and some sink on occasion. His curveball is a power 12-6 pitch that is a knee buckler with great depth and bite. His change moves like his fastball, but with a little more sink. He has added a SL that is extremely inconsistent, being anywhere from below average to above average. It can be a sharp 2-7 offering, but he can also bury it in the dirt with no chance of having a hitter swing or leave a spinner in the middle of the plate. A legitimate ace, Verlander has above average command and looks to be a good bet to keep this level of pitching going for awhile.

NOTE: The following pitches per inning should not be seen by hitters with faint hearts. Last pitch of the game (about # 120) was a 100 mile per hour fastball.

1st: FB (93-97), CB (82), SL (88)

2nd: FB (93-97), CU (84)

3rd: FB (94-97), CB (79-82), CU (83-84)

4th: FB (94-98), CB (80-84), CU (85)

5th: FB (96-98), CB (81-83), SL (90), CU (86)

6th: FB (97-100), CB (79-84), SL (87-94)

7th: FB (93-98), CB (78-81), SL (89), CU (83)

8th: FB (93-98), CB (82-84)

9th: FB (96-100), CB (83)

Jermaine Dye's Hell: Dye came up in the 6th and saw 6 fastballs (with the slowest being 99, 2 at 100) and 2 sliders (at 93 and 94 respectively). He struck out looking at a 100 mph fastball.

• John Danks is a 6-1, 205 pound lefty. The 24 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball is a 4-seam with some late fade and sink. His change has a little fade and good sink and looks like a fastball out of his hand. His cutter shows good cut and shows biting action. Has slider (10-5) movement at times with good late action. His curve is a big, late breaking 11-5 offering with good depth that he didn't throw much. He does a good job holding runners and will mix in a slide step. Was primarily FB-CU the 1st time through the order and then began to mix in more cutters. He has plus command. Danks is very close to being a legimiate # 1 and just needs to pitch a little more to the corners then he did in this game.

1st: FB (91-94), CU (84-86)

2nd: FB (91-93), CU (84-85), Cut (87-88), CB (78)

3rd: FB (91-93), Cut (86)

4th: FB (92-93), CU (84), Cut (86)

5th: FB (91-92), CU (82), Cut (86-88), CB (77)

6th: FB (91-92), Cut (86-87), CB (77-79)

7th: FB (91-93), CU (83-84), Cut (86-89)

8th: FB (90-91), Cut (86)

• Octavio Dotel is a 6-0, 215 pound righty. The 35 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from a 3/4 release with a fastball with some fade and sink and his slider is a sweeping 3-8 offering. Very good middle reliever who can spot set-up and close.

8th: FB (92)

9th: FB (92-93), SL (80-83)

• Gordon Beckham is a 6-0, 190 pounder. The 22 year old is a righty thrower/hitter. He has a medium frame that can add more muscle and should be able to get up to at least 205. His trigger is a step with a cocking of the bat with a hip turn towards the catcher. His swing can get long at times. He has a slightly above average arm and above average speed. I talked with the scout who drafted him and he compared him to Michael Young and I think that is a very valid comparison. He should be a .280-.300 hitter with 20-25 home runs annually as he settles in.
• Dane Sardinha is a 6-0, 215 pound back-up catcher. The 30 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He takes a big leg kick and cocks his bat as his trigger. He holds the bat close to his body. Playing to his potential, which is an emergency catcher who will spend most of his time in AAA.