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)

Chart Observations: 8/30 TOR @ BOS

1) Paul Byrd: 83 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB, Cut). 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Byrd is a 6-1, 190 pound righty. The 38 year old has a small frame that won't be adding any more muscle. He came from a high 3/4 release with his typical lots of moving parts delivery with a lot of unnecessary motion, but nothing that adds more stress. His fastball is a 2-seam with some run in on righties and some sink. His cutter has some cut and some sink. His slider is a sweeping 3-8 offering with okay bite. His change is just a straight change that is 7 or 8 miles per hour slower that he will throw to righties. His curve is a 1-7 offering with below average depth. Will throw any pitch in any count and am not going to break down the specifics of when he threw off-speed in fastball counts, as there are too many instances. Looks like a # 5 starter and innings eater. You don't want him starting a game in the playoffs.

1st: FB (86-88), Cut (84-88), SL (79), CU (79)

2nd: FB (85-87), Cut (86-87), SL (80), CU (79-80), CB (73-75)

3rd: Cut (85), SL (78-81), CU (79), CB (74-76)

4th: FB (86-87), Cut (86-87), SL (78-83), CU (80-81)

5th: Cut (84-87), SL (77-79), CU (78) - SL

6th: Cut (84-87), SL (79), CU (78)

2) Roy Halladay: 103 pitches. (Cut, FB, CB, CU). 10 strikes swinging. 5 Cutters, 4 Curveballs, Fastball.

• Halladay came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter with above average cut, a fastball with good run in on righties and above average sink, a 1-7 curve with slightly above average depth and a change with some fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties.

1st: FB (92-93), Cut (90-92), CB (78-80), CU (86) - 3 Cut

2nd: FB (92-93), Cut (88-91), CB (78-80) - FB, Cut

3rd: FB (90-92), Cut (89-91), CB (77-79), CU (85)

4th: FB (91-92), Cut (88-91), CB (77), CU (84)

5th: FB (91-93), Cut (89-91), CB (77-79), CU (85-87) - Cut

6th: FB (92-93), Cut (91), CB (78-79) - 4 CB

3) Manny Delcarmen: 12 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Delcarmen came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and good sink, a change with good late sink that looks like a fastball out of his hand and a sharp 1-7 curve with slightly below average depth.

7th: FB (91-96), CB (77), CU (79-80)

4) Shawn Camp: 13 pitches. (FB, CU, SL). 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Camp came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and good sink, a change with some fade from lefties and some sink and a sweeping 3-8 slider with good bite.

7th: FB (89-90), CU (83-85), SL (80-81) - SL

5) Billy Wagner: 16 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 5 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs, 2 Sliders.

• Wagner is a 5-11, 205 pound lefty. The 38 year old has a small frame that won't be changing any. He came from a 3/4 release in his same delivery he has utilized in his career with no changes. His fastball has some run in on lefties and some sink. His slider is a 11-5 offering with good bite. He looks to be back to his old self and still has all around disgusting pitches.

8th: FB (93-95), SL (83-84) - 3 FB, 2 SL

6) Jesse Carlson: 12 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Sliders.

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

8th: FB (88-90), SL (80-83) - 2 FB, 2 SL

7) Takashi Saito: 24 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, Split). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball.

• Saito came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a 1-7 curve with slightly above average depth and a 3-8 slider with solid bite.

9th: FB (91-93), SL (81-83), CB (77-78) - FB, CB

You Want Minor Reports? This is the Majors!

Got reports on two teams for you guys: the Bowie Baysox (Orioles) and the Reading Phillies (Phillies, saw twice). I also saw the Erie Seawolves (Tigers) once, but may see them again later this week, so I am going to hold off on those reports for now. On to some of the good stuff:

Impressive:

1. Scott Mathieson (Phillies) - 6-3, 190 pound 25 year old righty reliever may be all the way back. In his 2 innings of work, he showed a fastball at 90-93 and a slider at 83-86 before 2 strikes. Once he got to 2 strikes, he showed a fastball at 95-99 and a slider at 89. He should be able to help the Phillies in September.
2. Luis Lebron (Orioles) - 6-1, 175 pound 24 year old righty reliever was insanely impressive in his inning of work. He showed a fastball at 94-96, a power 12-6 curve at 83-86 and a change at 87-89. He has the look of at least being a future set-up man, if not closer.
3. Brandon Erbe (Orioles) - 6-4, 180 pound 22 year old righty starter was dominant minus 1 inning. He showed a fastball at 90-94, a slider at 79-81 and a change at 83-86. The fastball had good movement in on righties and he was able to pound the zone with it and his slider is a slightly above average offering.
4. Freddy Galvis (Phillies) - 5-10, 154 pound 19 year old shortstop is very similar to another youngster who played in AA last season, but a mini version of him: Elvis Andrus. Galvis is above average slick with the glove (not Gold Glove worthy), shows an ability to pull the ball for a little pop and some line drive gap hitting ability and solid above average speed.
5. Mike Stutes (Phillies) - 6-1, 185 pound 23 year old righty starter showed a FB at 90-94, a SL at 81-83, a CB at 73-79 and a CU at 82-84. He showed a good enough slider and fastball to be a factor at the back of a pen at the worst.

Disappointed:

1. Pedro Beato (Orioles) - The 6-6, 230 pound 22 year old righty starter really struggled. His mechanics are truly a mess and he can't repeat them, which means his fastball velocity is all over the place. While he shutout Reading, he didn't look good doing it and was probably 87-89 with his FB, 80 with a SL, 72-73 with a 1-7 average curve and 78-83 with a below average change.
2. Pat Overholt (Phillies) - After watching the 6-3, 190 pound 25 year old righty reliever, I wonder how he was ranked in the handbook. 88-91 with his fastball and 81-86 with his slider.
3. Josh Bell (Orioles) - 6-3, 235 pound 1st basemen (he will be) showed he can't be a 3rd basemen, demonstrating below average range and getting bad reads. He has an average arm, but should end up at 1st. His bat has a hitch in it, where he drops the bat then accelerates. He will hit for more power this way, but not much average. The key of a trade should be a little bit more of a sure thing.

Undecided:

1. B.J. Rosenberg (Phillies) - 6-2, 200 pound 23 year old righty reliever who featured a straight 4-seam that was 93-94 and showed a 2-7 slider with above average bite at 81-84 in his 2/3 innings of work. He struggled to command them and also showed a slightly above average change in warmups. I like his stuff, but not his command.
2. Vance Worley (Phillies) - 6-2, 220 pound 22 year old righty starter whos showed a fastball at 88-93 (both 2 and 4 seams), a slider at 78-81 and a change at 81. He throws a ton of fastballs and has good command, but his off-speed offerings are either inconsistent (slider) or not good (changeup). Has the build similar to Joe Blanton and should be a decent option as a back-end starter.
3. Chance Chapman (Phillies) - 6-4, 210 pound righty reliever showed average stuff across the board and is likely a 4-A guy, though I would like to see him in 1 inning spurts. FB (88-91), SL (79-81), CB (75-77)
4. Quentin Berry (Phillies) - 6-1, 165 pound centerfielder really didn't show me enough to have a good feel for him, but he should at the minimum be a 4th OF.
5. Eddie Gamboa (Orioles) - 6-2, 195 pound righty reliever who showed a fastball with above average movement and a decent changeup, but bad velocity (89-90).

The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Dominic Brown really struggled when we watched him, but he still showed an ability to put the barrel of the bat on the ball. He doesn't really wow you with any tools, but when you observe the total package, add in his youth (22) and his frame (6-5, 204 and likely isn't 204 dripping wet, so add about 30 pounds of muscle to it) it is very easy to get excited. More potential then present right now, his overall package could leave some scouts drooling.

Sidenote: These are very short summaries on all these players. I have much more detailed reports on all of them and I would show them to you, but then I would have to kill you. Seriously, I can't be posting the entirety of these reports just due to the fact I need these as separators from other potential job candidates. If you have questions on a certain player or would like me to go more in depth on someone, shoot me an email at kaytea@bluffton.edu.