Royals Extras (and Carlos Silva)

1) Sidney (Prince of Aruba) Ponson: FB, SL, CU, CB
5/6: 85 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Ponson is a 6-1, 260 pound righty. The 32 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out with a lot of bad weight in the lower body and he has an extremely thick lower half. Also appears to have a little bit of a gut. He came from a high 3/4 release in a fairly clean delivery, though he lands hard on his front foot which isn't a good thing at his weight. His fastball has some run in on righties and some sink. His curve is a sharp 12-6 with average depth that has good downward action to it. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with good bite. He throws a lot of 2-seamers and doesn't throw many off-speed offerings. His change has some fade from lefties and a touch of sink. Ponson generated virtually zero swinging strikes, meaning he wasn't fooling anybody. His fastball is solid, but none of his other off-speed offerings are very good. I would like to see him as a 1-inning reliever and given a shot there, but he just may get arrested if I told him that because he would probably punch me.

1st: FB (92-95), CB (78)

2nd: FB (91-94)

3rd: FB (91-94), CB (77), SL (81-83)

4th: FB (92-94), SL (82-84), CU (84-85) - FB

5th: FB (90-95), SL (81-83), CU (82)

6th: FB (92), SL (83), CU (84-86)

7th: FB (89-91), SL (80-82)

8th: FB (89-91), CB (75)

2) Carlos Silva: FB, CU, SL

5/6: 70 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Changeups.

• Silva is a 6-4, 250 pound righty. The 30 year old has big frame that is maxed out with some definite bad weight. He has a classic drop and drive delivery that is real slow in the beginning, but no real red flags mechanically. His fastball has good run in on righties and good sink. His change has some fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties and his go-to offspeed offering. Almost looks like he guides the ball in there and that there may be some more velocity there in shorter spurts. His command is not as good as it used to be and catches a lot of the middle of the plate with his sinkers. He can still force a lot of groundballs. Silva's best case is a # 5 starter for a great infield defensive team, so the Mariners are his best fit to have a chance at salvaging his career.

1st: FB (88-91), CU (80-81)

2nd: FB (86-91), CU (81) - FB, CU

3rd: FB (87-92), CU (78-83) - FB, CU

3) Horacio Ramirez: FB, SL, CU, Cut, CB

5/6: 9 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider.

5/22: 30 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Ramirez is a 6-1, 220 pound lefty. The 29 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He came from an over the top release with pretty clean mechanics from the stretch. His slider is a 11-5 with average bite. His fastball has a some run in on lefties and a little sink. His change has a little fade from righties and a little sink. His cutter has a little cut. Just a 4-A pitcher. Not enough stuff to start and doesn't have a dominant pitch to be a solid reliever. Can't be a LOOGY, as his slider just isn't good enough and there is little deception in his delivery.

5/6

8th: FB (90-92), SL (79-80) - 2 FB, SL

5/22:

7th: FB (90-92), SL (83), CU (84), Cut (90)

8th: FB (89-91), SL (79-83), CU (84), Cut (88)

4) Robinson Tejeda: FB, SL, CU

8/29: 28 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Tejeda is a 6-3, 250 pound righty. The 27 year old has a big frame that looks lighter then his listed weight. He has a thick lower half and has a little bit of a gut. He came from a 3/4 release with pretty clean mechanics. His fastball has a little run in on righties. His slider is a sharp 2-7 pitch with slightly below average bite. His change is fairly straight with a little sink that he will throw to righties. Looks like his current role as a long man is best, as he doesn't have an off-speed offering that is real swing and miss and can battle his command at times. Low leverage situation reliever.

5th: FB (91-96), SL (83-86), CU (83-85) - SL

6th: FB (91-95), CU (82-85) - FB

5) Doug Waechter: FB, SL, CU

8/6: 13 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Waechter is a 6-4, 225 pound righty. The 28 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle to his upper body, but has a built lower half. He came from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release and breaks his hands high, adding extra strain to his shoulders. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His change is straight and flashes some fade from lefties with some sink. Waechter looks like a 4-A pitcher, as his stuff did not look very good.

9th: FB (89-91), CU (82-84)

6) Yasuhiko Yabuta: FB, Split, SL

8/29: 10 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Yabuta is a 6-2, 190 pound righty. The 36 year old has a medium frame that can add a litt more muscle, but I would not count on it. Typical japanese build. Over the top release with the typical japanese scrunch up when pitching with everything in towards his chest. He has a mini pause at the balance point, but nothing crazy. His fastball is a pretty straight 4-seam that flashes some run in on righties. His slider is 2-7 with some mythical bite, as it sure looked pretty straight... His splitter has above average fade from lefties and a little sink. Another 4-A reliever whose combo of straight pitches will not allow him to get major league hitters out.

7th: FB (88-92), Split (75), SL (82)