Inter-Divison Swap

The Braves dealt Jeff Francouer to the Mets for Ryan Church.

Braves Side: Church is your prototypical Braves OF. He hits for no power, but for average (.280-.332-.375), but the move to Turner Field may actually help him hit for a little more (which is the 1st time I think that can be said of a hitter). Church has apparently graded out about even with Francouer defensively, but Frenchy has much better tools. Surprised this was all the return they could get. Church is solid, but is not the solution to the Braves problems even a little bit. Matt Diaz will be returning to a platoon role in right, likely with Church.

Mets Side: Francouer is an enigma. He isn't hitting for power and now goes to maybe the toughest ball park for home runs on the east coast. If he can hit gaps consistently, this could be a good move for him. He is hitting .250-.282-.352 on the season. He obviously still has potential and getting away from his hometown could be good for him. Francouer will likely get a shot as the everyday RF, as neither Tatis, Martinez or Sheffield will be playing there and Reed's stick is even worse.

Analysis: Braves didn't really get what there team needs and made a bad position a little bit below average instead. The Mets are making a reactionary move based off of injuries (Minaya quote: We really like the # of games Francouer plays) and are hoping to see him turn it around in a new place. I don't think there is a winner here. The Braves took all the risk and couldn't even get the Mets to throw in a Low-A arm or bat as a developmental guy. If Frenchy turns it around, this would be a steal for the Mets.

TCL 7, BML 1

We won 7-1. I started at 2B and led off, going 1-3. Next game is Sunday against Cetronia.

Betancourt to Royals

The Mariners traded Yuniesky Betancourt to the Royals for Dan Cortes and Derrick Saito.

Royals Side: Yes, the Royals need a SS. But, what makes Betancourt such a good option? Betancourt has zero plate discipline (fitting right in with the Royals) and his defense has been over hyped. This year, he is hitting .250-.278-.330 with 10 walks and 18 strikeouts. His offensive package is terrible. He is no better then some of the other guys they have run out there (Luis Hernandez could put up those numbers).

Mariners Side: The Mariners deal a player that had fallen out of favor and get a couple of upside arms. Cortes is in AA and while his newspaper #'s are good (6-6, 3.92), his peripherals aren't (80.1 IP, 50 BB, 57 K). Saito is in Low-A and is a lefty reliever who is 2-6, 4.15, but has potential based on 15 BB and 53 K in 52 IP. Two arms that may or may not turn into something.

Overall: I like this deal for the Mariners. They get rid of a player they didn't like and get a guy who is going to pitch in the majors at some point (Cortes) and a lefty reliever who has some potential. The Royals need to find a guy who will draw walks at some point to have a shot at having a decent offense.

Schedule to the All-Star Break

Today: Tri-Co All Star Game
7/11: 2 Charts, KC @ BOS (Meche vs. Smoltz) Sweet
7/12: Chart, CIN @ NYM (Harang vs. Pelfrey) Okay
7/13: 2 Charts

Hopefully my updates will come more on time rather then sporadically, but no promises.

Score Observations (Yesterday): TEX @ SEA

1) Tommy Hunter: 104 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (3rd, 3 in 6th), 2 Changeups (1st, 3rd) and a Curveball (2nd)

• Hunter came from an over the top release and showed a 2-seam fastball with good run in on righties and sink, a cutter with good cut and sink, a power 12-6 curve with good depth that serves as his out pitch and a change with some fade from lefties with sink. Hunter will also throw a get-me over CB in the high 70's. He didn't have great command of the power curve last night, but threw his cutter to both corners well and showed a better change then his last outing. He just looks like a bulldog on the mound and I am a fan.

1st: Cut (90-93), FB (90-92), CB (77-82), CU (84)

2nd: Cut (89-91), FB (91-92), CB (79-82), CU (83)

3rd: Cut (89-91), FB (90-91), CB (81), CU (82-84)

4th: Cut (88-91), FB (90-92), CB (77-81)

5th: Cut (88-90), FB (89), CB (77-81), CU (82-83)

6th: Cut (89-90), FB (90-91), CB (78-81), CU (81)

2) Felix Hernandez: 112 pitches. 15 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th), 3 on Changeups (3rd, 4th, 8th), 5 on Sliders (4th, 2 in 6th, 2 in 8th), 3 on Curveballs (3rd, 5th, 8th) (Is there a more dominant repetoire in baseball?)

• Hernandez came from a high 3/4, almost over the top release. His fastball has good run in on righties with some sink. His change has some fade from lefties. His slider is a 2-7 with good bite. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth. His change is his main offspeed pitch and will throw it to righties. Absolutely dominant, as the only run he allowed scored on a wild pitch.

1st: FB (94-97), SL (88), CU (89)

2nd: FB (94-96), SL (87-89), CU (90-91), CB (84)

3rd: FB (94-96), SL (88), CU (89-90), CB (79)

4th: FB (94-96), SL (86-89), CU (89-91)

5th: FB (94-97), CB (81-82)

6th: FB (93-97), SL (88-89), CU (88-92), CB (83)

7th: FB (94-96), CU (90)

8th: FB (93-96), SL (86-88), CU (89-91), CB (81)

3) Darren O'Day: 10 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• O'Day is a sidearming righty whose fastball has good run in on righties and his slider is a 9-3 pitch with good bite.

7th: FB (85-88), SL (78-79)

4) C.J. Wilson: 28 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs.

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

8th: FB (93-96), Cut (91), SL (85-89), CU (86)

5) David Aardsma: 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Aardsma came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball.

9th: FB (93-95)

Chart Observations (7/8 Game): LAD @ NYM

1) Hiroki Kuroda: 91 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 5th), Slider (3rd)

• Kuroda came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a slider and split that are indistinguishable.

1st: FB (88-94), SL (83-85), Split (84-86)

2nd: FB (92-95), SL (80-81), Split (86)

3rd: FB (91-94), SL (80-84)

4th: FB (88-94)

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

2) Oliver Perez: 108 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders (1st, 2nd)

• Perez is a 6-3, 210 pound lefty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball has some run in on righties. His slider is a 10-4 pitch with good bite and his change has some fade from righties with a little sink. He has absolutely zero idea where the ball is going.

1st: FB (89-93), SL (76-80), CU (85)

2nd: FB (86-93), SL (77-79)

3rd: FB (89-93), SL (76-79)

4th: FB (87-92), SL (77-81)

5th: FB (90-93), SL (78-81)

3) Cory Wade: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Wade came from an over the top release with a fastball with some run in on righties, a change with good fade and sink from lefties and a 12-6 curve with good depth.

5th: FB (90-91), CB (75-78), CU (79)

4) Bobby Parnell: 31 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (6th), Slider (6th)

• Parnell came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties with sink.

6th: FB (93-97), SL (85-88), CU (88-89)

7th: FB (95-98), SL (86-89)

5) Guillermo Mota: 18 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider (6th)

• Mota came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with good fade from lefties and sink.

6th: FB (94-95), SL (87-88), CU (84-85)

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

6) Pedro Feliciano: 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Feliciano is a sidearming lefty who showed a fastball with a little run in on lefties and a cutter with solid cut.

7th: FB (88), Cut (81)

7) Brent Leach: 7 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Leach came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with some run in on lefties and a 11-5 curve with good depth.

7th: FB (91-93), CB (75-76)

8) Sean Green: 12 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Green is a sidearming righty who showed a sweeping 3-8 slider with good bite, a fastball with above average run in on righties and a change with good fade from lefties with sink.

8th: FB (88-90), SL (73-75), CU (82)

9) Ramon Troncoso: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Troncoso came from a high 3/4 release with a 2-seam fastball with good run in on righties and a sharp 1-7 curve.

8th: FB (90-93), CB (78-79)

10) Francisco Rodriguez: 16 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups.

• K-Rod came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 12-6 curve with good depth and a change with excellent dive.

9th: FB (92-94), CB (81), CU (82-87)

Chart Observations (7/8): CIN @ PHI

Picked up this extra chart on the day of, so that is the reason I chose not to update last night (that and the fact I played tennis, but the above sounded more professional)

1) Homer Bailey: 95 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (2nd, 4th, 2 in 5th), 2 Sliders (3rd, 5th)

• Bailey is a 23 year old who stands 6-3, 210. The righty has a medium frame that can get up to 220. He comes from an over the top release with a little Ubaldo Jimenez like arm action where he likes to straighten the arm on the backtake, but fairly quiet delivery. He throws 2 different types of fastballs, a 4-seam that is fairly straight and a 2-seam that can flash above average run in on righties with some sink, but it can flatten out. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth. His split has some dive, but can look more like a straight change and it served as his out pitch to lefties early until he realized it literally wasn't moving... His slider is a hard, sharp 2-7 with solid bite. Bailey will never reach the expectations he has had, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility for him to be a middle of the rotation guy. He threw all 3 of his off-speed pitches between 5 and 10 % of the time and will always rely on his fastball, which he had good command of. I think he will be an above average # 3 starter in about 3 or 4 years.

1st: FB (91-95), CB (76-78), Split (87)

2nd: FB (92-96), CB (76), SL (86)

3rd: FB (92-95), SL (85-86), Split (86-89)

4th: FB (91-96), CB (76), SL (85-87), Split (86-89)

5th: FB (94-96), CB (78-79), SL (86-88), Split (89-90)

6th: FB (90-96), CB (76-77), SL (86-88)

2) Rodrigo Lopez (He's Back!): 69 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), 2 on Sliders (1st, 2nd)

• Lopez is a 6-1, 185 pound righty. The 33 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 200. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball has some run in on righties. His change has some fade from lefties with some sink. His slider is a 2-7 with some bite. His cutter has some cut that he can throw to either corner, but prefers to throw it in on the hands of lefties. He will throw his change to righties. Won't kill you in the NL as a 5th starter.

1st: FB (86-90), CU (83-84), SL (81-84), Cut (89)

2nd: FB (88-91), CU (85), SL (80-84), Cut (88-91)

3rd: FB (86-91), SL (80), Cut (89)

4th: FB (86-91), CU (83-84), SL (81-82), Cut (88-89)

5th: FB (82-84) *left the game following this inning due to an injury and his arm speed was noticeably slower.

3) Chad Durbin: 32 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters (6th, 7th)

• Durbin came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter with good cut and sink, a 2-seam fastball with good run in on righties, a sharp 12-6 curve with good depth and a change with good fade from lefties with a little sink.

6th: FB (89-92), Cut (87-89), CB (77), CU (80)

7th: FB (89-93), Cut (86-89), CB (77-78), CU (80)

4) J.C. Romero: 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Romero came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good late run in on lefties.

7th: FB (90-91)

5) Nick Masset: 15 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. Fastball, 4 Splitters.

• Masset is a 6-4, 235 pound righty. The 27 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has good run in on righties with good sink. His splitter has above average dive and is a late breaking pitch. I am a huge fan of him and think he can be utilized similar to Scot Shields was with the Angels.

7th: FB (93-96), Split (88-90), SL (86)

6) Arthur Rhodes: 29 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders.

• Rhodes is a 6-2, 210 pound lefty. The 39 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball and a 11-5 slider with good bite. Solid lefty setup man.

8th: FB (91-93), SL (80-84)

7) Dave Weathers: 28 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider (8th)

• Weathers is a 6-3, 240 pound righty. The 39 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He showed a 2-7 slider with good bite, a 4-seam fastball with a little run in on righties and a change with good fade from lefties and solid sink. Another solid set-up guy.

8th: FB (89-90), SL (83-85)

9th: FB (87-90), SL (82-85), CU (85-86)

8) Ryan Madson: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Madson came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a cutter with good cut and a change with good fade from lefties with good sink.

8th: FB (96-98), CU (84-85), Cut (93)

9th: FB (94-96), CU (83), Cut (90-93)

Score Observations: TOR @ TB (7/8 Game)

1) Brian Tallet: 84 pitches. 8 strikes swinging. Fastball (3rd), Slider (4th), 2 Cutters (2nd), 4 Changeups (2 in 2nd, 2 in 3rd)

• Tallet comes from a high 3/4 release and shows a fastball with some run in on lefties, a change with some sink and a little fade from righties that looks like a fastball out of his hand and serves as his out pitch, a cutter with some cut that he likes to throw in on the hands of righties and a 10-4 slider with good bite. Solid back of the rotation guy.

1st: FB (87-89), Cut (87-88), CU (82-84)

2nd: FB (87-89), Cut (85-87), CU (82-84)

3rd: FB (86-89), Cut (85-86), CU (81-86), SL (79-80)

4th: FB (85-87), CU (80), SL (77)

2) Scott Kazmir: 107 pitches. 8 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (1st, 4th, 5th), 4 on Sliders (2 in 2nd, 2 in 5th) and a Changeup (1st)

• Kazmir came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a little sink, a change with some fade from righties and sink and a 11-5 slider with solid bite that serves as his out pitch.

1st: FB (89-92), SL (82), CU (79-81)

2nd: FB (90-92), SL (81-82), CU (78-80)

3rd: FB (90-91), SL (80)

4th: FB (89-92), SL (80-82), CU (79-82)

5th: FB (89-92), SL (81-82), CU (79-82)

6th: FB (89-92), SL (81-82), CU (80-81)

7th: FB (90-91), SL (82), CU (76-78)

3) Dirk Hayhurst: 44 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup (4th)

• Hayhurst came from an over the top release and is your typical 4 pitch long reliever. He features a fastball with good run in on righties and good sink, a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth, a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties. His curve serves as his out pitch. Seems to have the stuff to be a back of the rotation starter (not in the AL East) but is a guy I would target as an NL team in need of a guy to take a chance on.

4th: FB (88-89), CB (74-75), SL (80-82), CU (77-79)

5th: FB (88-89), SL (79-81), CU (77)

6th: FB (88-89), CB (74), SL (79-81), CU (78-79)

4) Grant Balfour: 18 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Balfour came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, though it flashes run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite. He fell behind often and was constantly 2-0 and had to throw cockshot fastballs.

7th: FB (91-93), SL (86-87)

5) Jesse Carlson: 28 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Carlson is a sidearming lefty who showed a fastball with good late run in on lefties and a sweeping 11-5 slider with solid bite that serves as his out pitch.

7th: FB (87-88), SL (79-82)

6) Chad Bradford: 8 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider

• Bradford is a sidearming righty with a fastball with some run in on righties with some sink and a slow 3-9 slider with good bite. The Rays gun had him at 98. Then Chad Bradford was accused of bribing the radar gun. Litigation is in progress.

8th: FB (77-79), SL (65-67)

7) Randy Choate: 9 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Choate is a sidearming lefty with a fastball with some run in on lefties and a 9-4 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (87-89), SL (77-78)

8) Joe Nelson: 5 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Nelson came from a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release. His fastball has some run in on righties while his vulcan change is his main pitch and has good fade from lefties with solid sink and he will throw it to righties.

8th: FB (85-89), CU (78)

9) Jason Frasor: 43 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. Fastball (8th), 2 Sliders (8th, 9th), 2 Splitters (8th, 9th)

• Frasor came from an over the top release and showed a fastball that is a pretty straight 4-seam, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a split with above average late dive. He will throw either of his off-speed pitches in a 3-2 count with something taken off.

8th: FB (91-93), SL (79-84), Split (83-87)

9th: FB (91-93), SL (81), Split (83-85)

10) J.P. Howell: 14 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

• Howell comes from an over the top release, almost high 3/4. His change is a straight change with some sink. He also throws a fastball with some run in on lefties and good sink and a 11-4 curve with good depth. He has great command and will throw any pitch in any count.

9th: FB (84-85), CU (77-80), CB (81-82)

11) Scott Downs: 10 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Downs came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a curve that is a sharp 11-5 with good depth.

9th: FB (89-90), CB (76-77)

This was a 4-hour 9 inning game. Good for my paycheck.