Extra Reports: Orioles Focus

As the season continues and I begin to get more free time, I will be attempting to go back and watch tape of pitchers I haven't yet seen this season. Here are the reports on the 5 Orioles pitchers I haven't yet seen this year in the majors (minus Matusz and Tillman due to the fact they will likely be pitching until the end of the season)

1) Adam Eaton
4/12 Start. 100 pitches. 12 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs (2 in 1st, 2nd), 7 Sliders (4 in 1st, 2 in 2nd, 3rd), Curveball (2nd), Cutter (3rd)

• Eaton is a 6-2, 215 pound righty. The 31 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out and may have some bad weight. He came from a 3/4 release. His fastball has a little run in on righties, but is very straight, especially when considering his arm slot. His curve is 1-7 with above average depth while his slider is a 2-7 with solid late bite. His cutter has marginal cut and sink. His change has some fade from lefties. For every good slider he throws, he throw 2 flat ones that just hang and can get hammered. He will throw 3-2 changeups and sliders. He has no out pitch and just tries to out pitch you. He could be a serviceable # 5 on a NL team with a forgiving park, such as San Diego, but he is AAA fodder now.

1st: FB (88-91), CB (72-75), SL (79-83), Cut (86)

2nd: FB (87-92), CB (73-76), SL (80-82), CU (79-81)

3rd: FB (89-92), CB (72-76), SL (80), Cut (86)

4th: FB (88-92), CB (76), SL (79-83), Cut (87)

2) Dennis Sarfate

4/15 Appearance. 23 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Curveball (8th)

• Sarfate is a 6-4, 225 pound righty. The 28 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He has a muscular, athletic looking build. He comes from an over the top release with a delivery that puts a lot of pressure on his shoulder (and is currently out with a pinched nerve in his shoulder) and looks like he almost over finishes every pitch, causing his shoulder to rotate too far. His fastball is a straight 4-seam from a classic drop and drive delivery while his curve is a 12-6 with average depth. An injury prone righty who relies on a straight fastball is a terrible fit for the AL East and is likely a guy who is going to be riding the shuttle from Norfolk and back.

8th: FB (91-93), CB (76-80)

9th: FB (91-92), CB (76)

3) Alfredo Simon

4/9 Start. 89 pitches. 5 strike swinging. 3 Fastballs (2 in 3rd, 4th), 2 Splitters (1st, 4th)

• Simon is a 6-4, 230 pound righty. The 28 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some natural run in on righties due to his arm slot, a pretty straight split with marginal dive that flashes average dive, but can't control it and a 12-6 curve with average depth. He has inconsistent command of his stuff. His fastball is only real above average pitch and neither off-speed offering is too impressive without his lack of command factored in. Could be a solid reliever with his fastball though and that is where his future should lie when he returns from Tommy John.

1st: FB (93-94), Split (83-84), CB (76)

2nd: FB (93-94), Split (81-83), CB (74-76)

3rd: FB (92-95), Split (79-83), CB (72-76)

4th: FB (90-95), Split (78-80), CB (72-75)

5th: FB (92-93), Split (79-81), CB (74)

6th: FB (93-94), Split (80)

4) Bob McCrory

5/8 Appearance. 40 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider (7th)

• McCrory is a 6-1, 205 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out with big thighs. He came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with a little bite but not much and a straight change. McCrory's fastball is plus and I love hard fastballs as much as the next guy, but neither off-speed pitch grades even as fringe and his slider doesn't have the tilt necessary to get hitters to even worry about it. If he can find an off-speed pitch (maybe a splitter?) then he can be successful.

7th: FB (96-98), SL (90-93), CU (87-90)

8th: FB (95-97), CU (87-88)

5) Kam Mickolio

7/17 Appearance. 38 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 6 Fastballs (2 in 7th, 4 in 8th)

• Mickolio is a 6-9, 255 pound righty. The 25 year old has a big frame that is fairly maxed out and may be able to add a touch more weight. He came from a high 3/4 release with a 2-7 slider with solid bite, a pretty straight 4-seamer and a straight change. Mechanics are similar to Bronson Arroyo after the break of his hands and almost throws across his body. He generates a great downhill plane for his pitches, getting some natural sink and looks like the ball really jumps at the hitter. A reliever I actually like, I think he can have an impact for the Orioles and looks to be a fairly solid pitcher.

7th: FB (94-97), SL (81-84)

8th: FB (93-97), SL (83-85), CU (86)

6) Radhames Liz

4/20 Appearance. 19 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Liz is a 6-2, 185 pound righty. The 25 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 205. He is real long and lanky. He came from a high 3/4 release in a delivery that featured a lot of moving parts and breaks his hands high and is a high effort delivery. His fastball is a straight 4-seam, though it flashes some run in on righties with sink. His change has some fade from lefties with a little sink that he will throw to righties and is his most utilized off-speed offering. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with above average bite that he has no idea where it will go. His command is putrid, as every fastball was a cockshot or 5 feet off the plate in some direction. He had better command of his change, but even that only graded out as below average, constantly missing armside or high. I used to like Liz (and he is still too young to give up on) but the forecast is fairly bleak unless a light switch flicks on revealing how to throw strikes.

7th: FB (90-95), CU (81-85), SL (80)