Chart Observations: 9/6 SD @ LAD

1) Hiroki Kuroda: 89 pitches. (FB, SL, Split). 6 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders, 3 Splitters.

• Kuroda came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink, a split with some dive and a 2-7 slider that was a little loopy.

1st: FB (90-94), SL (82), Split (87-90) - 2 Split

2nd: FB (92-94), SL (87), Split (87-88) - Split

3rd: FB (91-96), SL (82-85), Split (89-90) - SL

4th: FB (92-94), SL (84)

5th: FB (89-95), SL (81-88), Split (89-90) - 2 SL

2) Tim Stauffer: 104 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 5 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups, 2 Cutters, Fastball.

• Stauffer came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a change with good fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties, a 12-6 curve with above average depth and a cutter with some cut and some sink.

1st: FB (89-91), CB (76), CU (80-82) - CU

2nd: FB (90-92), CB (75-77), CU (80-81), Cut (85-87)

3rd: FB (89-90), CB (74-75), CU (79-80), Cut (85)

4th: FB (88-92), CB (77), CU (80), Cut (85-87)

5th: FB (88-90), CB (75-77), CU (80-81), Cut (85) - CU

6th: FB (89-90), CB (75-78), CU (80), Cut (84-85) - 2 Cut

7th: FB (88-90), CU (78-81), Cut (83-86) - FB

3) Jeff Weaver: 25 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

• Weaver came from a high 3/4 release (though he will throw anywhere from there to sidearm) and showed a 11-5 curve with average depth, a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a change with some fade from lefties, a frisbee slider with some bite and some sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with average bite.

6th: FB (89-91), SL (80-82), CU (84), CB (74) - SL

7th: FB (89-90), SL (80-82), CU (84), CB (75), FSL (78) - SL

4) Joe Thatcher: 5 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Thatcher came from a sidearm release and showed a fastball with some tail in on righties.

7th: FB (88)

5) Luke Gregerson: 18 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 5 Sliders, Fastball.

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

7th: SL (82-84) - SL

8th: FB (92), SL (82-85), CU (81) - 4 SL, FB

6) Ronald Belisario: 4 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Belisario came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink.

8th: FB (95-96)

7) George Sherrill: 3 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Sherrill came from a high 3/4 release and showed a pretty straight 4-seam fastball.

8th: FB (89-91)

8) Hong-Chih Kuo: 26 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Kuo came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 10-5 curve with average depth and a sharp 11-5 slider with good bite

9th: FB (94-97), SL (85-87), CB (78-79) - 2 FB

9) Heath Bell: 22 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Bell came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some sink and a sharp 11-5 curve with above average depth that he will throw 3-2.

9th: FB (93-95), CB (81-84) - 2 FB

8/10: LAD @ SF

1) Hiroki Kuroda: 93 pitches. 9 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs (1st, 2 in 2nd, 2 in 4th), 4 Sliders (2 in 1st, 2 in 2nd), Splitter (3rd)

• Kuroda came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with above average run in on righties with solid sink, a split with slightly above average dive and a 2-7 slider with good bite that he can hang and can be inconsistent break-wise. He will throw 3-2 splitters.

1st: FB (90-94), SL (81-86), Split (87-88)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (81-86), Split (88-89)

3rd: FB (91-95), SL (79-85), Split (86-90)

4th: FB (93-94), Split (89)

5th: FB (91-94), SL (85)

6th: FB (92-94)

7th: FB (92-95), SL (81)

2) Jonathan Sanchez: 91 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (both in 4th), 2 Sliders (1st, 5th), 2 Changeups (2nd, 5th)

• Sanchez came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a little run in on lefties, a change with some fade from righties with sink and a loopy 11-5 slider with some bite. He will throw 2-0 changes and 2-1 sliders. Stuff looked better, but still may be a step back from last year.

1st: FB (91-95), SL (79-85), CU (83-88)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (78-85), CU (82-86)

3rd: FB (86-93), SL (79-80), CU (79-81)

4th: FB (89-93), SL (77-83), CU (78-87)

5th: FB (88-93), SL (80-84), CU (83-85)

3) Justin Miller: 31 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 5 Sliders (3 in 6th, 2 in 7th)

• Miller came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with above average run in on righties with good sink, a split with solid dive and a 2-7 slider with solid bite.

6th: FB (88-90), SL (78-81), Split (79-80)

7th: FB (87-89), SL (77-81), Split (80)

4) Hong-Chih Kuo: 6 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Kuo came from a high 3/4 release and showed an explosive fastball with some run in on lefties.

7th: FB (93-95)

5) Ronald Belisario: 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Belisario came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties with some sink and a 2-7 slider with solid bite.

7th: FB (94), SL (85)

6) George Sherrill: 10 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Sherrill came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a 11-5 slider with solid bite.

8th: FB (89-90), SL (74-75)

7) Sergio Romo: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Romo came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties with good sink, a 3-9 slider with good bite that stays on the same plane as his fastball until breaking late and a change with good fade from lefties with okay sink.

8th: FB (88-90), SL (75-78), CU (81)

8) Merkin Valdez: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Valdez came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 2-7 slider with some bite and a split with some dive.

9th: FB (91-97), SL (76-84), Split (86)

9) Jonathan Broxton: 11 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

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

9th: FB (96-100)

Chart Observations: 7/12: LAD @ MIL

1) Clayton Kershaw: 103 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2 in 1st), Slider (3rd), Curveball (5th), Changeup (5th)

• Kershaw is a 6-3, 225 pound lefty. The 21 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle, but not much. He came from an over the top release with a classic drop and drive delivery. His fastball has some run in on lefties with a little sink. His change has good fade from righties with a little sink. His curveball is a sharp, big breaking 12-6 with excellent depth. His slider is a 10-5 pitch with good bite that is a little loopy and serves as his out pitch to lefties. He is a definite potential ace and is a good bet to reach his potential.

1st: FB (92-95), CB (71-74), CU (81-83)

2nd: FB (92-95), CB (73), CU (81)

3rd: FB (94-95), CB (71-74), SL (78-81)

4th: FB (93-94), CU (81-83)

5th: FB (92-95), CB (72-74), CU (84), SL (83)

6th: FB (93-94), CB (71)

7th: FB (90)

2) Yovani Gallardo: 93 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (2 in 1st, 2nd), 3 on Curveballs (2 in 1st, 4th)

• Gallardo is a 6-2, 220 pound righty. The 23 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has some run in on righties with good sink. His curveball is a sharp 12-6 with solid depth that can be a strikeout pitch. His slider is a 2-7 with good bite. His change has good fade from lefties with solid sink. He will also mix in a straight 4-seam. He is a definite potential ace and is a good bet to reach his ceiling.

1st: FB (90-94), CB (78-81), SL (85)

2nd: FB (89-93), CB (79), CU (84-85)

3rd: FB (91-93), CB (78-80), SL (85-86)

4th: FB (91-93), CB (80), SL (84-85), CU (84)

5th: FB (88-93), CB (81), SL (85-86)

3) Chris Smith: 8 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

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

6th: FB (87-89), SL (76), CU (73)

4) Mark DiFelice: 27 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 4 Cutters, Curveball

• DiFelice came from a high 3/4 release with a change with some fade from lefties and a little sink, a fastball with some run in on righties and sink, a cutter has good cut and a little sink and a 12-6 curve with good depth.

7th: Cut (81-83), FB (87), CU (76), CB (74)

5) Hiroki Kuroda: 23 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2 in 7th)

• Kuroda came from an over the top release and his pitches are actually distinguishable as a reliever. His slider is a 2-7 with some bite. His fastball has good run in on righties with some sink and his split has some dive.

7th: FB (90-94), SL (83-85), Split (87)

8th: FB (92-94), SL (82-83), Split (88)

6) Mitch Stetter: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Stetter is a sidarmer who showed a fastball with some late run in on lefties with some sink, a sweeping 9-3 slider with good bite and a straight change with a little sink.

8th: FB (84-85), SL (77-79), CU (80)

7) James McDonald: 12 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• McDonald is a 6-5, 195 pound righty. The 24 year old has a big frame that can get up to at least 215. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a pretty straight 4-seam. His curveball is a sharp 12-6 with above average depth that can be a strikeout pitch. His change has above average fade from lefties with good sink.

8th: FB (91-95), CB (77), CU (75)

8) Seth McClung: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• McClung came from an over the top release with a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink, a 12-6 curve with above average depth and a sharp 2-7 slider with some bite.

9th: FB (90-97), CB (78-80), SL (85)

9) Ramon Troncoso: 21 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball

• Troncoso came from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties with good sink and a 12-7 curve with above average depth.

9th: FB (91-94), CB (78-81)

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)

ARI @ LAD

• Hiroki Kuroda made his return from the DL tonight. The 33 year old who stands 6-1, 220 has a medium frame that has room to add more muscle. He is a right hander who attacks from a high 3/4 release with the typical Japanese windup. His fastball is a 2-seam that shows fade and a little sink, though he will mix in an occasional 4-seamer. His split shows good sink and dive. His slider is sharp and will move more like a cutter. He really struggled to find a feel for his pitches early. Most of his sliders were left belt high, but the D'Backs hitters just missed them. He was relying on more sliders then fastballs until after the 2nd, when he began to pound the zone with fastballs. Solid middle of the rotation starter when right, probably a # 4. Pitching in LA helps take away a lot of mistakes.

1st: FB (90-93), SL (85-86), Split (79-83)

2nd: FB (90-94), SL (83-87)

3rd: FB (89-92), SL (85), Split (80-84)

4th: FB (90-93), SL (84-85), Split (83)

5th: FB (90-94), SL (85), Split (82)

• Billy Buckner attacks hitters from an over the top release. This is his 3rd (of 3 starts) that I have scored. His fastball is a 2-seam with good fade and sink. His change shows the same type of movement, but on a greater scale. His curveball is a 12-6 pitch that is his key. He struggled to command it in his last outing and got hit around a little. He had great command of it today and could throw it for a strike or bury it whenever he wanted. His fastball fades late and likes to pound it on the outside corner to get strike one. He is slowly trying to convince me to turn around my thinking, but I still think he is just a 5th starter, especially pitching in the hitters' park that is Arizona.

1st: FB (85-92), CB (79), CU (85)

2nd: FB (87-92), CB (78-83), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (90-92), CB (77-82), CU (79-82)

4th: FB (89-92), CB (81-82), CU (80-82)

5th: FB (88-91), CB (77-80), CU (83)

6th: FB (87-92), CB (82-83), CU (81-83)

• Cory Wade is a 26 year old who stands 6-1, 190. The right hander has a medium frame that has room to add a little more muscle. He attacks from an over the top release. His fastabll shows good late fade and little sink. His curveball is a plus pitch, a big breaking 12-7, 12-8 type offering. His changeup is an above average offering with good fade and sink. A great middle reliever who could be in the mold of a Scot Shields and be able to throw 2 innings to get you to your closer.

6th: FB (88-91), CU (79), CB (72)

7th: FB (89-91), CU (81-83), CB (73-77)

• Clay Zavada (he pitches every Diamondbacks game I do) attacked hitters from a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball. His delivery has a little bit of a head jerk.

7th: FB (88-89), CB (72)

• Juan Gutierrez is a big bodied (6-3, 210) right hander. The 25 year old has a medium to big frame that is maxed out and there may be some bad weight there. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. His slider is a tight 2-7 offering with good bite and it flashes plus as a pitch that just disappears. He can fly open and can over throw his fastball at times. He gets a great hip turn in his delivery to help him generate more velocity, though it is a high effort delivery. His change shows some sink, but it is below average. I think he adds and subtracts velocity from his slider as opposed to throwing a curveball. Set-up man is likely his ceiling and he can probably close some games down the line and not kill you.

7th: FB (94-96), SL (78-88)

8th: FB (94-96), SL (81-85), CU (87)

• Brent Leach is a 6-4, 220 pound left hander. The 26 year old has a big frame that has room to add a little more muscle. He attacks from a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release. His curveball is a slurvy 10-4 offering that needs to be tightened. His changeup has decent sink and a little run (struck out Justin Upton on this pitch) and his fastabll is a 4-seam with some run. Probably fits best as a LOOGY, but he could be an inning reliever depending on how much his command (a tick below average) can catch up to his slightly above average stuff.

8th: FB (90-93), CB (77-79), CU (84-85)

• Guillermo Mota attacked from a 3/4 release. His slider is a tight 2-7 offering that can be just a spinning fastball. His change shows some above average fade and some sink and his fastball has a little fade to it. I am still of the impression that he is close to being done.

8th: FB (93-94), CU (84-85), SL (86)

9th: FB (93-95), CU (85-87)

• Tony Pena is a 27 year old who stands 6-2, 220. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out and he may also be carrying a little bit of bad weight. He attacks from a 3/4 release. His slider is a hard 2-7 offering with good bite. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. He threw a ton of sliders (more then I thought he would) and he has a max effort delivery. I like him better as a closer then Qualls, but he sure made things interesting tonight.

9th: FB (95-98), SL (84-90)

• Josh Whitesell is a 27 year old first basemen who stands 6-1, 225. The lefty thrower and hitter has a medium frame that is maxed out. He has a slightly open stance while standing fairly straight up. He waves the bat in a circle above his shoulder as he awaits the pitcher to begin his delivery. His trigger is a step to square himself up followed by a little bit of a toe turn. He has a little bit of a longer swing and seemed to be pretty pull happy. He showed good power in the minors, but his defense is not good around the bag (he was pulled to move Mark Reynolds to first). He failed to scoop a short hop (not an easy play, but one a big league 1Bmen not named Ryan Howard needs to make) and didn't look very comfortable defensively. His upside is that of a bench bat to me.

Tomorrow I have a chart and a score. I will be scoring the next 3 Astros-Rockies games (and of course Michael Bourn just fouled a ball off his testicles, not like I wanted to see him play)