Twins Extras (Plus Brian Matusz, Robert Mosebach and Shane Loux)

1) Brian Matusz: FB, CU, SL, CB
8/25: 99 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider, Changeup

• Matusz is a 6-5, 200 pound lefty. The 22 year old has a big frame that can add a ton of muscle everywhere and there is still a lot of projection left to him. He has a classic drop and drive delivery with a little cocking action of the arm behind him similar to that of Brett Cecil, though not as much. He puts a lot of effort in his shoulders and has a pretty high effort delivery with a moderate head jerk. His fastball has some run in on lefties and a little sink. His slider is a 11-5 offering that kinds of hangs and is slurvy with slightly below average bite, but it does flash above average bite with good downward action. His change is straight, but looks like a fastball out of his hand and should be able to get hitters to flail at it and he will throw it to lefties and in any count. His curve is a 11-5 offering with below average depth, but shows potential. He can battle his command, especially with the fastball, and it can change from hitter to hitter. He did not look great in this start, but he showed all the tools. He has a plus change, will have a plus fastball and just needs to tighten up his command and tighten his breaking pitches. Should be a # 2.

1st: FB (91-93), CU (82-84), SL (81)

2nd: FB (90-94), CU (81-85), SL (81-83)

3rd: FB (91-93), CU (81-84), SL (81-82), CB (76) - FB, CU

4th: FB (89-92), CU (82), SL (80-82), CB (75) - SL

5th: FB (91-92), CU (81-83), CB (76) - FB

2) Armando Gabino: FB, SL, CU

8/25: 57 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Cutters.

• Gabino is a 6-3, 210 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle. Long and lanky, he can add a lot to his lower half. He worked primarily from the stretch and came from a high 3/4, almost 3/4 release. He has a little bit of a cocking action to him. Looks like he should throw harder then he actually does. His fastball has some run in on righties and flashes some sink. His slider appears to be more like a cutter, with some cut that flashes some good sink. His change has some fade from lefties and a touch of sink that he will throw 3-2 and will throw to righties. I don't think he can be a starter, but he may have a future as a 1-inning reliever, and I love pitchers that are long and lanky.

1st: FB (90-92), Cut (84-86) - Cut

2nd: FB (87-93), Cut (83-87), CU (82-83) - FB

3rd: FB (90-93), Cut (82-86), CU (82-83) - FB, Cut

3) Phillip Humber: FB, CB, CU

8/25: 39 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Humber is a 6-4, 220 pound righty. The 26 year old has a big frame that looks less then 220 and he is long and lanky as well. He can add a lot more muscle to both parts of his body and he needs to focus on adding muscle to the lower half. He came from an over the top release with pretty clean mechanics out of the stretch except for the fact he breaks his arms high, adding stress to his shoulders. His curve is a 12-6 offering with average depth. His fastball has a touch of run in on righties. His change has some fade from lefties with a touch of sink. He really struggled to command all his pitches in this outing. He is a 4-A guy who has lost his stuff since he was drafted.

3rd: FB (90-92), CB (79-80), CU (84)

4th: FB (90-93), CB (79-80), CU (81-85)

4) Jeff Manship: FB, CB, SL, CU

8/26: 26 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Curveball.

• Manship is a 6-2, 200 pound righty. The 24 year old has a medium frame that can add more muscle. He has an athletic build with a solid lower half, but he can get stronger in both halves. He has a classic drop and drive delivery He came from an over the top release and showed a 1-7 curve with average depth that is fairly slurvy. His fastball has good run in on righties with some sink. His change has good fade from lefties and some sink. His curve can really flatten out at times and just hang. He looks like his stuff would play better as a starter then in 1 inning spurts. Would like to see what he does in 5 innings of work, but I think he can be a decent long man out of the pen at least.

6th: FB (87-89), CB (79)

7th: FB (88-91), CB (79-82), CU (82-83)

8th: FB (86-90), CB (79-80), CU (81) - CB

5) Juan Morillo: FB, SL

4/22: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Morillo is a 6-3, 190 pound righty. The 25 year old has a medium frame that can add more muscle and get up to about 205. He has an athletic, skinny build with a thin lower half. He came from a high 3/4 release with a high effort delivery. He gets a full shoulder torque. His fastball has some run in on righties, but is very straight. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with little bite. He has a power, power arm, but can not throw strikes to save his life. I love power arms, so he will likely keep getting chances. If he can start throwing strikes, he can be at least a set-up guy.

7th: FB (96-99), SL (88-91)

6) Kevin Mulvey: FB, SL, CB, CU

7/22: 29 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs.

• Mulvey is a 6-2, 195 pound righty. The 24 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle, especially in the lower half where he is fairly skinny. He came from a high 3/4 release with some interesting mechanics. He takes almost a double step before coming up to balance point and he has a whipping arm action. His fastball has good run in on righties with solid sink. His slider is 2-7 with okay bite. His curve is a 12-6 with above average depth. His change has some fade from lefties with solid sink that he will throw to righties. Another 4-A guy who really does not slot anywhere.

2nd: FB (88-92), SL (83-85), CB (75-78), CU (76) - 2 CB

7) Anthony Swarzak: FB, CB, CU

7/26: 122 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Changeups, Curveball.

• Swarzak is a 6-4, 225 pound righty. The 24 year old has a big frame that doesn't look as big as his listed weight and can add more muscle to his lower body. Athletic build. Drop and drive delivery with a high 3/4 release and a little bit of a slinging arm action. Sinkerballer. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His change moves just like his fastball, with good fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties and at any count. Can battle his sinker command at times. His curve is a hanging 1-7 offering that just yells hit me. It has average depth. It improved later on and showed above average depth that was somewhat sharp with a 12-6 break. He has solid command of his off-speed stuff, though he has a tendency to leave them up in the zone. He carries his velocity well through a game. I think his upside is a # 4 starter, as I think he has less command and stuff then both Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey.

1st: FB (86-90), CB (75-76), CU (79)

2nd: FB (89-93), CB (75-77), CU (80-81) - CB

3rd: FB (89-93), CB (76-78), CU (81-83) - CU

4th: FB (88-91), CB (75-77), CU (81-83)

5th: FB (89-93), CB (76), CU (80-84) - CU

6th: FB (89-93), CU (81-84) - 2 FB

7th: FB (89-92), CB (74), CU (80-83)

8) Robert Mosebach: FB, SL
7/26: 26 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Mosebach is a 6-4, 195 pound righty. The 24 year old has a big frame that can add a ton more muscle, at least up to 215. He came from a high 3/4 release with mechanics very similar to Scot Shields with a classic drop and drive delivery. They are pretty clean. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His slider is a 2-7 offering with some bite that can flatten out. Can battle his fastball command at times and fly open, causing the ball to miss gloveside. He looks to have the stuff to be a solid middle reliver down the road. He needs to tighten up his mechanics and work on staying closed while also tightening his slider and making it more consistent.

6th: FB (91-97), SL (85-87) - SL

9) Shane Loux: FB, Cut, CB, CU

7/26: 37 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Loux is a 6-2, 235 pound righty. The 30 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out and may have some bad weight. He has a classic drop and drive delivery coming from a 3/4 release. Mechanics appear to be pretty clean. His fastball has some run in on righties and some sink. His cutter has some cut, but can straighten out at times. His curve is a 1-7 with below average depth that has some sharpness to it. His change has a little fade from lefties and a little sink. Doesn't look like much. Think he is a better fit in the rotation then as a reliever.

7th: FB (92-94), Cut (87)

8th: FB (90-93), Cut (88), CB (79-80)

9th: FB (90-93), Cut (84-86), CU (84)

Chart Observations: 8/31 WAS @ SD

1) Tim Stauffer: 98 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 4 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters, Fastball, Curveball.

• Stauffer is a 6-1, 205 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that should be able to get up to 215, mainly by adding muscle to his lower half. Athletic, skinny build. He came from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release. A little bit of a weird delivery, with the hands coming over his head and he brings his hands down quickly, causing him to wait for his leg kick to come up and then begin the drop and drive aspect. He breaks his hands a little high and has a constant bent glove elbow and throwing elbow, which might add a little more stress to his delivery. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His curve is a sharp 12-6 with slightly above average depth. What we call a slider is actually a cutter that has solid cut and flashes some sink (confirmed to be a cutter by the Padres area scout in Virginia in an article I found). His change has good fade from lefties with solid sink that he will throw to righties. I see anywhere from a 3 to a 5 with him and would like to see him throw more curves to complement his FB/Cut repetoire. He had solid command and looks like a fairly solid prospect.

1st: FB (91-94), Cut (86-87), CB (79) - FB, Cut

2nd: FB (90-92), Cut (86-87) - Cut

3rd: FB (89-91), Cut (84-86), CB (76-77)

4th: FB (90-92), Cut (83-87), CB (75-78)

5th: FB (91-92), Cut (83-86), CB (76-79), CU (80-81)

6th: FB (89-92), Cut (83-84), CB (76)

7th: FB (88-92), Cut (83-84), CB (75), CU (82) - CB

2) Livan Hernandez: 90 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs, Fastball.

• Hernandez came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with above average run in on righties and some sink, an absurdly slow 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth, a cutter with some cut, a change with good fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw 2-0 and a 2-7 slider with good bite.

1st: FB (84-87), SL (77), CU (79), CB (63), Cut (85) - FB

2nd: FB (83-87), SL (76), CU (80-81), CB (66-67), Cut (83) - 2 CB's

3rd: FB (82-87), CB (66)

4th: FB (84-87), SL (76-79), CB (63-69)

5th: FB (82-86), SL (76), CU (78-79), CB (70)

6th: FB (82-87), SL (79-81), CB (66)

7th: FB (83-86), CU (78), CB (68)

8th: FB (83-87), CU (81), CB (58-63)

3) Adam Russell: 7 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Russell is a 6-8, 255 pound righty. The 26 year old has a big frame that does not look his listed weight and looks more about 230. If he is 250, it is very evenly distributed and he could get up to about 270. He came with a classic drop and drive delivery from a 3/4, almost sidearm release. Pretty clean mechanics, likes to kick his toe out on the acceleration phase, but no red flags. Fastball has a little late run in on righties. His slider is a 3-8 with some late bite, but it can be a little loopy. Max effort delivery. I like him as a reliever and think he can eventually grow into a set-up role.

7th: FB (94-97), SL (82-84)

4) Joe Thatcher: 5 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Thatcher came from a sidearm release and showed a fastball with some tail in on righties and a 3-8 slider with good bite.

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

5) Luke Gregerson: 6 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 3 Sliders, Fastball.

• Gregerson came from a 3/4 release and showed a 2-7 slider with above average bite and a fastball with some run in on righties.

8th: FB (93), SL (82-85) - FB, 3 SL

6) Heath Bell: 9 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 1 strike swinging. Curveball.

• Bell came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some sink, a sharp 12-6 curve with above average depth and a change with good fade from lefties and good sink.

9th: FB (94-95), CB (84), CU (87) - CB

Chart Observations: 8/31 TOR @ TEX

1) Brett Cecil: 85 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 4 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball, Slider, Changeup.

• Cecil came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a little late run in on lefties and some sink, a change with a little run in on righties and above average sink that he will throw to lefties, a 11-5 slider with good bite and a 12-6 curve with average depth.

1st: FB (87-89), CU (81), SL (81)

2nd: FB (87-91), CU (82), SL (82) - CU

3rd: FB (86-89), CU (82-84), SL (82), CB (79-80)

4th: FB (86-89), CU (78-80), SL (79-80)

5th: FB (85-90), CU (79-81), SL (80-82), CB (77-79) - FB, CB, SL

2) Derek Holland: 71 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 7 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs, 2 Curveballs, 2 Sliders.

• Holland came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball that had a little run in on lefties, but was fairly straight, a 11-5 curve with average depth, a change with some fade from righties and some sink and a sharp 11-5 slider with solid bite. The slider serves as his out pitch and he only threw it in this outing when he had 2 strikes on a hitter.

1st: FB (88-92), CU (82-85), CB (74)

2nd: FB (89-92), CU (82), CB (72-75), SL (82) - SL

3rd: FB (90-93), CU (81-82), CB (72-73) - 2 FB

4th: FB (88-90), CU (82), CB (72-74), SL (77-79) - FB, 2 CB, SL

3) Doug Mathis: 50 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 1 strike swinging. Curveball.

• Mathis came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball that has some run in on righties and flashes some sink and flashes above average run and above average sink at times, a 2-7 slider with solid bite, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a change with good sink and some fade from lefties. He just peppered the outside corner to righties with his good moving fastball and they were all at the knees just on it or just off it.

4th: FB (89-90), SL (83-84)

5th: FB (88-90), SL (81-83), CB (75-77)

6th: FB (87-90), SL (83), CB (78-79), CU (81) - CB

4) Casey Janssen: 25 pitches. (FB, Cut, CB, SL, CU). 4 strikes swinging. 3 Curveballs, Cutter.

• Janssen came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a 2-7 slider with some bite, a sharp 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth and a cutter with some cut

6th: FB (89-90), Cut (85-90), CB (74-76), SL (81-83) - Cut, 3 CB

5) Jesse Carlson: 21 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Carlson came from a sidearm release and showed a sweeping 9-4 slider with good bite, a fastball with some run in on lefties and some sink and a change with some fade from righties with some sink that he spiked at about 45 feet.

6th: FB (87), SL (79-80)

7th: FB (85-88), SL (79-81), CU (80)

6) Scott Downs: 19 pitches. (FB, CB, SL). 0 strikes swinging.

• Downs came from a 3/4 release and showed a 10-5 curve with slightly above average depth and a fastball with good late tailing action in on righties and some late sink.

7th: FB (87-89), CB (73)

8th: FB (86-88), CB (74)

7) Darren O'Day: 27 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 7 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 5 Sliders.

• O'Day came from a sidearm release and showed a 3-8 slider that has some bite that almost moves like a cutter, a fastball with good run in on righties

7th: FB (83-85), SL (76-77) - 2 FB, 4 SL

8th: FB (83-85), SL (75-77) - SL

8) Jason Grilli: 15 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Grilli came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink, a 1-7 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties and good sink.

9th: FB (90-92), SL (82-83), CU (82) - SL

9) Pedro Strop: 40 pitches. (FB, SL, Split). 5 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs, Slider, Splitter.

• Strop came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball that flashed a little run in on righties, a sharp 1-7 slider with good bite and a splitter with some dive. Had no problems getting ahead, but then he tried to be too fine with his pitches and ended up walking guys. Struggles to throw his off-speed stuff for strikes.

9th: FB (93-95), SL (80-83), Split (84-87) - 3 FB, SL, Split

10) Jason Frasor: 14 pitches. (FB, SL, Split, CU). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Frasor came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a sharp 2-7 slider with average bite and a split with good dive.

9th: FB (91-93), SL (83-84), Split (83-85) - FB, SL

Random Observation: Chris Davis received a steady diet of curveballs from Blue Jays pitching and even saw Jesse Carlson (the Jays LOOGY who throws primarily sliders) pulled in favor of Scott Downs (primarily curveball lefty). The reports on him are obviously that he can't hit a curve or see it well.