Score Observations (7/4 ARI @ COL): COL Pitches

1) Aaron Cook: 82 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs (1st, 3rd, 4th, 2 in 5th)

• Cook is a 6-3, 215 pound righty. The 30 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a 2-seam sinker that is his primary pitch and has good run in on righties with some sink and is a late breaking pitch. His change moves like a fastball, but slower. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with good bite. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good bite. A perfect fit for his ballpark. He left the game with an injury after making a diving play and throwing the ball away.

1st: FB (88-92), SL (88), CU (86)

2nd: FB (87-92)

3rd: FB (88-94)

4th: FB (89-94), CU (87)

5th: FB (89-94), CB (73)

6th: FB (88-91)

2) Alan Embree: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-4 slider with good bite and a straight 4-seam fastball.

6th: FB (92-93), SL (78-81)

7th: FB (90-93), SL (79-80)

3) Juan Rincon: 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• A graduate (or starter) of the Kiko Calero school of pitching, Rincon is a 5-11, 210 pound righty. The 30 year old has a small frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release with a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

7th: SL (83-86)

4) Joel Peralta: 23 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• He came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a split with good dive that can be flat and serves as his out pitch and a 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (91-93), SL (77-79), Split (81-84)

5) Randy Flores: 12 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders, Curveball

• Flores came from a high 3/4 release and showed a big breaking 11-4 curve with good depth and a sharp 10-4 slider with good bite to go with his straight 4-seam fastball.

8th: FB (90), SL (81-83), CB (74-76)

6) Matt Daley: 23 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Daley is a 6-2, 175 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle. The sidearming righty has a bent knee start in the stretch and can have some herky-jerk to him. His fastball has good run in on righties and has some good late life with sink. His change has good fade from lefties with sink and is his out pitch. His curve is a 1-7 pitch with solid depth. The best you can hope for is Chad Bradford reincarnated.

9th: FB (89-91), CU (82-84), CB (79)

Heading to Wal-Mart real quick. Got 5 games to add still...

Score Observations (7/4 ARI @ COL): ARI Pitchers

1) Yusmeiro Petit: 55 pitches. 9 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (1st, 2 in 2nd, 3rd), Slider (1st), 2 on Curves (2nd, 3rd), 2 on Changes (1st, 3rd)

• I have no idea how he generated that many swings and misses. Petit is a 6-1, 255 pound righty that has a maxed out medium frame with some bad weight in the mid section. The 24 year old comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a 2-seam with a little run and sink in on righties. His change has good sink and fade from lefties. His curve is a 12-6 pitch with good depth. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with some bite. He will throw 2-0 changes and will throw it to righties. Petit is a back of the rotation starter at best and needs to improve his command to reach that modest ceiling.

1st: FB (86-88), CB (74-76), SL (81-84), CU (78)

2nd: FB (86-88), CB (73-76), SL (80-82), CU (79)

3rd: FB (85-89), CB (75-76), SL (80-81), CU (78-79)

2) Blaine Boyer: 26 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (4th)

• The Blaine Boyer scenic tour has traveled to the west coast now. The 6-3, 215 pound righty has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. The 27 year old comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball has some run in on righties with sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with some bite and his cutter has some cut. Still think he is a solid middle reliever, but he keeps making me look stupid.

4th: FB (92-96)

5th: FB (93-96), SL (80-83), Cut (86)

3) Juan Gutierrez: 31 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (6th) and Slider (6th)

• Gutierrez comes from an over the top release and shows a pretty straight 4-seam fastball, a 12-6 curve with okay bite and a sharp 2-7 slider.

6th: FB (95-97), CB (80), SL (84-86)

7th: FB (93-95), CB (80-82), SL (82-85)

4) Scott Schoeneweis: 6 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

• He (I don't feel like trying to spell his name again) came from a 3/4 release with a fastball with some run in on rightesi and sharp 10-4 slider with good bite.

7th: FB (88-90), SL (80-83)

5) Clay Zavada: 28 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup

• Zavada came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a change with good fade from righties with sink and a big breaking 11-5 curve with good depth. Battled his command this outing.

8th: FB (87-90), CU (79-83), CB (72)

6) Tony Pena: 5 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider

• Pena came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a hard 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (95-96), SL (88-90)

7) Chad Qualls: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Qualls came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with excellent run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: SL (86-87)

9th: FB (90-93), SL (84-88)

Score Observations (7/4 Game): MIL @ CHC

1) Rich Harden: 52 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (1st), Changeup (2nd)

• Harden is a 6-1, 195 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4, almost over the top release. His change has good fade and sink and does appear to be his only off speed offering and it flashes plus, but not consistent. His fastball has some run in on righties. Someone should tell Harden that since he abandoned his other pitches to stay healthy, that he has been pretty worthless lately throwing just 2 pitches.

1st: FB (89-94), CU (82-84)

2nd: FB (88-94), CU (81-86)

3rd: FB (88-91), CU (83)

2) Braden Looper: 112 pitches. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 4th), Splitter (3rd)

• Looper came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has some run and sink in on righties, a split with solid dive and 2-7 slider with some bite. Anytime he gives you 5 innings, it's a win for the Brewers, as I have no idea how he gets guys out.

1st: FB (88-90), SL (85-87), Split (82-85)

2nd: FB (89-90), SL (85-86), Split (82-84)

3rd: FB (88-90), SL (83-86), Split (82-85)

4th: FB (87-90), SL (84-85), Split (80-83)

5th: FB (87-88), SL (81-84), Split (82-83)

6th: FB (86-89), SL (82-83), Split (79-82)

3) David Patton: 37 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (4th)

• Patton came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a power 1-7 curve with good depth.

3rd: FB (88-90), CB (77-78)

4th: FB (88-91), CB (76-79)

4) Jeff Samardzija: 45 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (5th)

• The NFL must really want this guy, because someone stole his stuff and they are the prime culprit. He comes from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a solid splitter. Not impressed with what he worked with.

5th: FB (90-92), Split (82-84), SL (79-83)

6th: FB (91-93), SL (79-81)

7th: FB (89-94), Split (83-84), SL (79-81)

5) Carlos Villanueva: 7 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Changeup, Slider.

• Villanueva came from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a change that looks like a fastball out of his hand and has good late from lefties with sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

7th: FB (85-88), CU (79), SL (79)

6) Todd Coffey: 9 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders.

• Coffey came from a 3/4 release with a fastball with some run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (92-93), SL (81-83)

7) Kevin Hart: 23 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (9th), Curveball (9th)

• Hart came from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties with sink, a cutter with good cut that flashes 2-7 slider movement and a 1-7 curve with solid depth.

8th: FB (91-93), Cut (87-88), CB (79)

9th: FB (91-93), Cut (85), CB (78-80)

8) Chris Narveson: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball

• Narveson is a 6-3, 205 pound lefty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He has a couple of pauses in his delivery and holds the break of his hands for a little while. His fastball is a straight 4-seam while his curve is a big breaking 11-4 with good depth. 4-A guy.

9th: FB (87-90), CB (73)

Chart Observations (7/3 Game): TB @ TEX

1) Scott Kazmir: 99 pitches. 13 strikes swinging. 6 on Fastballs (2 in 2nd, 4 in 4th), 5 on Sliders (1st, 2 in 2nd, 3rd, 4th) and 2 on Changeups (1st, 5th)

• Kazmir is a 6-0, 190 pound lefty. The 25 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle and get up to at least 205. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. His slider is a sharp 11-5 with solid bite and his change has some run in on righties with a little sink. Solid # 2 starter and if he can ever get consistent command and pitch beyond the 5th inning consistently, he is an ace.

1st: FB (90-92), SL (80-83), CU (77-80)

2nd: FB (90-91), SL (81-84), CU (78-79)

3rd: FB (89-92), SL (81-83), CU (79-80)

4th: FB (89-91), SL (80-82), CU (78-79)

5th: FB (88-92), SL (80-82), CU (78-82)

2) Tommy Hunter: 90 pitches. 10 strikes swinging. 5 on Fastballs (2 in 1st, 2 in 3rd, 6th), 2 on Curves (2nd, 5th), 2 on Cutters (3rd, 5th) and a Changeup (4th)

• Tommy Hunter really impressed me. The 6-3, 255 pound righty has a big frame that is maxed out. The 23 year old comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a 2-seam with some run in on righties. His cutter has some cut and sink. His curve is a sharp 2-7 with good depth and can be a strikeout pitch. His change is straight with little sink and is below average and he will throw it to righties. Likes to throw his cutter in on the hands of lefties and has a very quiet delivery with hands going over his head. I think Hunter is a # 4 right now and he has the potential to be a strong # 3 starter for a contender. I am a fan of his windup and he has a very good mound presence in my opinion. He does need to improve his change though.

1st: FB (89-92), Cut (89-91), CB (77-80)

2nd: FB (89-91), Cut (88-90), CB (75-81)

3rd: FB (89-93), Cut (88-90), CB (76-80), CU (81-82)

4th: FB (89-91), Cut (86-90), CB (75-79), CU (80-83)

5th: FB (86-92), Cut (86-88), CB (75-80), CU (81)

6th: FB (87-88), Cut (88), CU (81)

3) Joe Nelson: 17 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Nelson came from an over the top release and showed a vulcan change with good sink and fade from lefties and a fastball with a little run in on righties that flashed above average sink. He really battles his command from outing to outing.

6th: FB (84-87), CU (74-75)

4) Grant Balfour: 32 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs (6th)

• Balfour came from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball and a 2-7 slider with good bite. Still haven't seen his control issues personally.

6th: FB (92-95), SL (88)

7th: FB (92-96), SL (86-91)

8th: FB (91-93), SL (90)

5) Jason Jennings: 30 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (6th)

• Jennings came from an over the top release with a fastball with good run and sink in on righties and a slider that can look like a curve with good bite.

6th: FB (88-90), SL (81-83)

7th: FB (87-90), SL (82)

6) C.J. Wilson: 20 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Wilson came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball that flashes run in on righties, a sharp 11-4 slider with good bite, a cutter with good cut and a straight change with a little sink.

8th: FB (92-96), SL (84-86), CU (86), Cut (92)

7) Randy Choate: 3 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Choate came from sidearm with a fastball with some run and sink in on lefties and a sweeping 9-4 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (87-88), SL (77)

8) Dan Wheeler: 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Wheeler came from an over the top release and showed a cutter with good cut and sink and a loopy 2-7 slider with good bite.

9th: Cut (83-84), SL (77)

9) Frank Francisco: 13 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Splitter

• Francisco came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and a splitter with excellent dive.

9th: FB (93-96), Split (86-87)

Chart Observations (7/3 Game): PIT @ FLA

1) Chris Volstad: 47 pitches (left due to rain delay), 2 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups (3rd)

• Volstad came from an over the top release and showed a 2-seam fastball with sink and above average run in on righties. His offspeed stuff is a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth that can be a K pitch and a changeup with good sink and fade from lefties that he will throw to righties. Has the potential to be a # 2 starter and is a solid # 3 right now.

1st: FB (91-93), CB (80-81)

2nd: FB (90-92), CB (78-80), CU (84)

3rd: FB (90-91), CB (75-80), CU (82-84)

2) Charlie Morton: 91 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), 3 Curveballs (2nd, 2 in 5th), 3 Changeups (2nd, 2 in 6th)

• Morton is a 6-4, 190 pound righty. The 25 year old has a big frame that can add a lot more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a 2-seam fastball with slightly above average sink and run in on righties. It flashes plus every once in awhile. His change has good fade from lefties with good sink and he will throw the pitch to righties. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth and serves as his out pitch. His slider is a 2-7 offering with solid bite that he threw just once in this game. Morton's velocity was up from when I saw him late at the year and he looks like he should be a solid middle of the rotation starter. Even though his frame isn't maxed, I believe his velocity is.

1st: FB (89-95), CU (85), CB (80)

2nd: FB (90-95), CU (82-83), CB (82)

3rd: FB (88-91), CU (80-81)

4th: FB (88-94), CU (81-82), CB (78-80)

5th: FB (87-94), CU (82), CB (79-80)

6th: FB (87-93), CU (81-82), CB (78-79), SL (82)

3) Tim Wood: 36 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (5th, 6th), Slider (6th)

• Wood is a 6-1, 185 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 200. He comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball has good run in on righties with solid sink. His change has excellent diving action and can look like a splitter. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with good late bite. Wood has the makings of a late inning reliever, but will likely be a middle reliever.

4th: FB (92-93), SL (85-87)

5th; FB (91-93), SL (87)

6th: FB (92-94), CU (87), SL (86)

4) Chris Leroux: 32 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup.

• Leroux came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with excellent run in on righties with solid sink that looks like it would be like hitting a brick. However, the pitch can flatten out and he can also struggle with his command of it. His change shows good fade from lefties with sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with solid bite. I think Leroux is a set-up man down the road.

7th: FB (92-95), CU (87), SL (84-86)

5) Joel Hanrahan: 29 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider

• Hanrahan came from an over the top release with a fastball that has some sink and a 2-7 slider with good bite. Somehow, barrels keep finding his ball.

7th: FB (94-96), SL (84-86)

6) Brian Sanches: 17 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Sanches came from a high 3/4 release and showed a splitter with good dive, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a fastball with late run in on righties.

8th: FB (88-90), SL (83), Split (79-83)

7) John Grabow: 11 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup

• Comes from a 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a straight change with some late sink and a slurvy 10-4 slider with solid bite. He will throw the changeup to lefties. Solid setup guy, but better fit as a middle reliever in the 6th or 7th.

8th: FB (89-92), SL (84), CU (83)

8) Renyel Pinto: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider

• Pinto came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with good run in on righties, a straight change with some sink and a 10-4 slider with good bite.

9th: FB (88-91), SL (82), CU (80)

9) Jeff Karstens: 22 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs

• Karstens comes from an over the top release and shows a fastball with some run in on righties with sink, a 12-6 big breaking curve with good depth, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a change with solid fade from lefties and sink that he will throw to righties.

9th: FB (88-91), SL (79), CU (78-79), CB (69-72)

Hairston to Athletics

In what is looking to be a firesale by the Padres, they have sent Scott Hairston to the A's for Ryan Webb, Craig Italiano and a PTBNL.


A's Side: Hairston is under control through 2011 and has a had a strong year, hitting .299-.358-.533 in some limited PT after an injury earlier in the year. Not sure where he fits now, as this move pretty much ensures Jack Cust would be the everyday DH and Giambi at 1B if they want him playing everyday in the OF, but Hairston is not a great defensive RF and I struggle to believe he is better then Ryan Sweeney right now.


Padres Side: Webb is a 23 year old who is 7-1, 4.34 at AAA as a reliever. 15 BB, 39 K in 45.2 IP. Italiano is 22, 23 later this month and is 5-6, 5.63 with 40 BB and 75 K's in 76.2 IP at High A Stockton. I think Webb is the traditional Padres reliever and will be one who is a good fit for PETCO's ability to keep the ball in the park. Italiano is all projection at this point and I will bet he ends up in the pen if he makes it.


Overall: I know I will be in the minority of this, but I think the Padres won this deal. Hairston goes from the weaker league to the stronger league and will be counted on to produce. I just don't see him maintaining his current level of play, as he has always been a good bit player, but struggled as an everyday player (until this season). The Athletics have plenty of OF's who need at bats, such as Aaron Cunningham, Eric Patterson, Ryan Sweeney and Travis Buck and Hairston's addition only slows their development times. Meanwhile, San Diego gets Webb, who is a good fit for their park and should be a solid reliever, an upside arm in Italiano and a PTBNL.


The Pads win by default b/c I think the addition of Hairston will end up hurting the A's in regards to the development of their younger OF's and the fact they are not going to be making the playoffs.


Look for most of the data I have collected in the last 3 days to be posted after our baseball game tonight.