Is Chad Billingsley Tired?

As some of you know, I keep an Excel spreadsheet of the pitchers I have seen with their miles per hour. I recently entered in Chad Billingsley and found something interesting. Look at these numbers:
4/8: FB (90-95), SL (87-91), CB (76-81), Cut (88-93)
5/3: FB (88-95), SL (81-83), CB (71-82), Cut (86-91)
6/25: FB (87-93), SL (83-86), CB (67-81), Cut (86-90)

His fastball velocity has dipped. His slider velocity was down in his last 2 starts. His curveball lacked the same bite it had shown in previous outings and was fought off fairly easily by the White Sox (6/25 start).

He is coming off his first career 200 IP season and his groundball rate is down .32 from 1.47 to 1.15. He is on pace to walk roughly 16 more hitters then last season and to strikeout about the same.

Billingsley is still a great pitcher. But will he still be that great pitcher when the playoffs come? The Dodgers better hope so.

NL All Star Team

Love the conversation the AL got. Here are my selections for the NL:

STARTERS
C: This crop is extremely weak. Pablo Sandoval is listed as a 3B, otherwise he would be the runaway choice. We will go with Brian McCann (Braves): .316-.405-.526
1B: Albert Pujols (no commentary necessary, Cardinals): .328-.451-.722
2B: Also an easy choice, Chase Utley (Phillies): .302-.433-.558
3B: A really difficult call between David Wright and Pablo Sandoval (Giants), but Sandoval has a higher OPS, so he gets the nod: .340-.391-.574
SS: Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) beats out Miguel Tejada and Cristian Guzman: .333-.400-.548
OF: Raul Ibanez (Phillies), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Carlos Beltran (Mets): Beltran narrowly beats out Justin Upton. Ibanez had a heck of a season (.312-.371-.656), Braun is raking (.324-.415-.575) and Beltran was putting up huge numbers before going on the DL (.336-.425-.527).
P: Dan Haren (Diamondbacks): I am man enough to admit I was wrong about him and slot him as the starter ahead of some very worthy candidates. He beat out Matt Cain, Yovani Gallardo and Tim Lincecum with his line of 6-5, 2.25 and a miniscule .81 WHIP. The 6 wins may prevent him from being the starter on the night however.


RESERVES (Follow last year's NL team format, 13 pitchers, 2 C, 6 IF, 3 OF, 1 Other)
P: Johan Santana (Mets): 9-5, 3.08
P: Matt Cain (Giants): 9-2, 2.57
P: Chad Billingsley (Dodgers): 9-3, 3.10
P: Yovani Gallardo (Brewers): 8-4, 2.86
P: Tim Lincecum (Giants): 7-2, 2.57
P: Chris Carpenter (Cardinals): 5-2, 1.78 (even with an injury, #'s are too good)
P: Josh Johnson (Marlins): 7-1, 2.76
P: Johnny Cueto (Reds): 8-4, 2.86
P: Zach Duke (Pirates): 8-5, 3.09
P: Heath Bell (Padres): 3-1, 21 sv, 1.39
P: Francisco Rodriguez (Mets): 1-2, 20 sv, 1.23
P: Ryan Franklin (Cardinals): 1-0, 18 sv, 0.93
P: Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers): 6-0, 18 sv, 2.27


C: The NL catchers are complete garbage. However since we need to carry two, my 2 choices are Yadier Molina (Cardinals): .277-.342-.378
C: Russell Martin (Dodgers): .247-.367-.300, leads MLB with 19 CS of 56 attempts (34 %) and his team is in 1st place.


IF: Adrian Gonzalez (Padres): .271-.413-.585
IF: Derrek Lee (Cubs): .289-.371-.483
IF: Freddy Sanchez (Pirates): .313-.351-.478
IF: David Wright (Mets): .342-.432-.487
IF: Miguel Tejada (Astros): .330-.358-.476
IF: Prince Fielder (Brewers): .301-.421-.598


OF: Justin Upton (Diamondbacks): .318-.399-.580
OF: Brad Hawpe (Rockies): .329-.402-.596
OF: Adam Dunn (Nationals): .257-.396-.518


Other: Francisco Cordero (Reds): 0-2, 18 sv, 1.97


Teams with No rep after 1st draft:
Cubs (shocker)


First Cuts (on original, but left out):
Would have been Tejada, as I initially viewed Theriot as the Cubs best rep, but then the Astros would have had zero reps. Ends up being Ryan Howard. Also thought about Ted Lilly replacing Zach Duke.


Evaluation: Cristian Guzman was very deserving, but left out due to me not putting 2 Nats in the All-Star Game and I have decided Adam Dunn would be a better rep. Others snubbed include: Jeremy Affeldt (15 HLDS, 1.59 ERA), Javier Vazquez (due to a 5-7 record), Adam Wainwright (8-5, 3.51), Juan Pierre (Who I will bet is in the real game, .323-.384-.414), Hunter Pence (.316-.389-.513), Ryan Zimmerman (.299-.371-.490), Mark Reynolds (.268-.358-.558), Joey Votto (.351-.449-.609, only 151 AB's due to missing almost a month, otherwise a lock), Todd Helton (.318-.397-.516), Nick Johnson (.300-.410-.430)


Lets get more feedback here.

Chart Observations: CHC @ CHW

1) John Danks: 110 pitches. 15 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (1st, 2nd), 6 on Cutters (2nd, 3rd, 2 in 5th, 6th, 7th) and 7 on Changeups (2 in 1st, 4th, 4 in 6th)

• Danks comes from a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a 2-seam fastball with some sink and run in on righties, a change has good fade and sink, a cutter that has above average cut and some sink and a curve that is a big breaking 11-4. Borderline ace.

1st: FB (87-93), Cut (87-88), CU (82-85)

2nd: FB (87-92), Cut (86-87), CU (83), CB (76)

3rd: FB (87-91), Cut (85)

4th: FB (91-93), Cut (88), CU (79-84)

5th: FB (88-91), Cut (85-87), CB (75-77)

6th: FB (89-91), Cut (84-87), CU (80-84), CB (75)

7th: FB (91-92), Cut (86-87), CU (81-82)

2) Carlos Zambrano: 97 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (3rd, 2 in 4th), Cutter (4th)

• Zambrano is a 6-5, 255 pound righty. The 28 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a 3/4 release with a fastball that has good run in on righties, a split that shows good fade to lefties and sink that he will throw to righties and likes to use as his out pitch. His cutter has some cut, but not much. His slider is a 2-7 with solid bite that he will hang. More of a # 2 starter now.

1st: FB (87-92), Split (86)

2nd: FB (89-93), Split (84-85), Cut (87-93)

3rd: FB (91-95), Split (84-87), Cut (87), SL (80-85)

4th: FB (87-92), Cut (88-92)

5th: FB (88-92), Split (82-85), Cut (88-91), SL (80)

6th: FB (88-91), Cut (87-88)

3) David Patton: 27 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (6th)

• Patton comes from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has some run and sink, a power 12-6 curve with solid depth and his change has good fade from lefties and some sink. Solid middle reliever.

6th: FB (90-92), CB (80)

7th: FB (90-93), CB (77-80), CU (86)

4) Scott Linebrink: 29 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (8th), Changeup (8th)

• Linebrink comes from an over the top release with a 4-seam fastball that has some run but is fairly straight. His change has some fade and sink from lefties and his splitter moves like a curveball and has excellent dive.

8th: FB (93-95), CU (83-84), Split (80-81)

9th: FB (92-94), CU (82-84), Split (81)

5) Kevin Hart: 20 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

• Hart is a 6-4, 220 pound righty. The 26 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He has a classic drop and drive delivery with a little herky-jerky action in his break, which he tries to do as fast as possible it appears. He comes from an over the top release. He has a straight 4-seam fastball and also throws a 2-seamer that shows some run and sink. His change has some fade and sink from lefties. His cutter has some cut and a little sink while his curve is a 12-6 with solid depth. He has a good fastball, but none of his off-speed pitches grade as more then above average. Looks like he could be a solid bullpen arm.

8th: FB (91-95), Cut (86-88), CB (78-80), CU (88-89)

Chart Observations: NYM @ NYY

1) Chien-Ming Wang: 85 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Slider (1st), Splitter (3rd), Fastball (4th)

• Wang is a 6-3, 230 pound righty. The 29 year old has a medium frame that appears to be maxed out. He comes from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release. He pauses at the top of his windup and slows down during his leg kick. His fastball is a 2-seam sinker with inconsistent movement, showing plus run in on righties with sink or being a flat pitch in the middle of the plate. His slider is a 2-7 offering with good bite. It flashes plus bite and also can be dead straight and a spinning pitch. His change has some fade from lefties and a little sink. His split has more fade and the same amount of sink as his changeup. Wang is showing signs of returning to the ace he had been prior to this season. He needs to improve his command and regain the consistency of his slider.

1st: FB (91-93), SL (83-84)

2nd: FB (91-94), Split (85-87), CU (83)

3rd: FB (92-93), Split (86), CU (82-84)

4th: FB (92-95), SL (82-84), Split (87), CU (84)

5th: FB (90-94), SL (84), Split (86-87)

6th: FB (91-93), SL (80-82)

2) Livan Hernandez: 116 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider (2nd), Changeup (3rd)

• Hernandez is a 6-2, 245 pound righty. The 34 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release with a quiet windup. His fastball is a 2-seam with above average run in on righties and some sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with some bite. His curveball is a slow, big breaking 12-6 pitch with good depth. His change has some sink and fade from lefties that he will throw to righties. He will also mix in a rare cutter in the low 80's. Solid # 5 starter who can only pitch in the NL.

1st: FB (83-87), SL (78-83), CB (61-67), CU (81)

2nd: FB (82-86), SL (80-81), CU (75-78)

3rd: FB (84-87), SL (77-79), CB (68), CU (78-81)

4th: FB (83-86), SL (79-81), CU (78), Cut (83-84)

5th: FB (84-87), SL (79)

6th: FB (84-87), SL (78-82)

7th: FB (82-86), SL (79), CU (78-79), CB (63-70)

3) Phil Coke: 6 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

• Coke is a 6-1, 210 pound lefty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a 4-seam fastball wtih a little run in on righties and a 11-5 slider with good bite. Has the looks of someone who can be a multiple inning reliever, but is probably best used as a LOOGY.

6th: FB (92-93), SL (81)

4) Phil Hughes: 16 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (7th)

• Hughes came from a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release wiht a fastball that is a straight 4-seam, a cutter that has some cut and a power 12-6 curve with good depth.

6th: Cut (89)

7th: FB (93-95), CB (77)

5) Pedro Felicano: 16 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider

• Feliciano is a sidearmer who has a fastball that shows good run in on righties, a sweeping 9-4 slider with good bite and a cutter that has good cut and some sink.

8th: FB (87-89), Cut (84-85), SL (76-77)

6) Sean Green: 10 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider

• Green is a sidearmer who shows a fastball that has good run and sink in on righties and a sweeping 2-6 slider with solid bite.

8th: FB (89-91), SL (74-75)

7) Brian Bruney: 15 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs

• Bruney comes from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball that flashes some run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (93-95), SL (88-90)

8) Francisco Rodriguez: 38 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Changeup, Curveball.

• K-Rod comes from an over the top release with a fastball that has some run in on righties a sharp 12-6 curve with good depth and a change with excellent fade and sink.

9th: FB (88-95), CB (76-82), CU (84-87)

9) Mariano Rivera: 23 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Cutter (9th)

• Rivera came from an over the top release with a cutter that has excellent cut that he can spot.

8th: Cut (92-94)

9th: Cut (91-93)