Chart Observations: 9/17 CLE @ OAK

1) Justin Masterson: 93 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 11 strikes swinging. 9 Sliders, 2 Fastballs.

• Masterson came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and good sink that flashes good tilting action, a 3-8 sweeping slider with good bite and a change with good fade from lefties and a little sink. He starts to guide the ball when has issues finding the strike zone, causing a loss in velocity and movement and making him much more hittable. Slider down and on his gloveside corner (in on lefties, away from righties) is his out pitch.

1st: FB (88-95), SL (83-86) - FB (Suzuki), SL (Davis)

2nd: FB (89-95), SL (84-85) - 2 SL (Powell - 2)

3rd: FB (86-94), SL (79-86), CU (85) - 4 SL (Davis - 2, Powell - 2)

4th: FB (88-94), SL (83-86), CU (84-87) - 2 SL (Davis, Suzuki), FB (Suzuki)

2) Clayton Mortensen: 91 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 10 strikes swinging. 6 Changeups, 2 Sliders, 2 Fastballs.

• Mortensen came from a high 3/4 release and showed a power sinker with some run in on righties and above average sink, a 1-7 slider with solid bite and a change with some fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties.

1st: FB (87-93), SL (85-86), CU (83) - SL (Brantley)

2nd: FB (90-92), SL (85-87), CU (83-85) - 2 FB (Peralta, Valbuena), SL (Crowe)

3rd: FB (88-92), SL (84-86), CU (83-84) - 3 CU (Brantley, Peralta - 2)

4th: FB (89-91), SL (84-86), CU (82-83) - 2 CU (Hafner, Valbuena)

5th: FB (89-90), SL (84-86), CU (83-84) - CU (Peralta)

3) Jensen Lewis: 22 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 6 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs, 2 Changeups.

• Lewis came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a change with good late fade from lefties and good late sink

5th: FB (87-91), CU (79-80) - 2 FB (Cust - 2), CU (Cust)

6th: FB (88-91), CU (76-81) - 2 FB (Davis - 2), CU (Barton)

4) Brad Kilby: 10 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Kilby came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball that had some run in on lefties.

6th: FB (90-93)

5) Craig Breslow: 23 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider, Changeup.

• Breslow came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties, a 11-5 slider with good bite, a change with good fade from righties and some sink and a 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth.

7th: FB (89-91), SL (83-87), CU (76) - 2 FB (Marson, Crowe), CU (Crowe)

8th: FB (89-92), SL (88), CB (77) - SL (Choo)

6) Mike Gosling: 8 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB)

• Gosling came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a little sink and a change with some fade from righties and some sink that he will throw to lefties.

7th: FB (89-91), CU (80-82)

7) Jose Veras: 24 pitches. (FB, CB, Split). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Veras came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a split with good diving action.

7th: FB (93-94), CB (77)

8th: FB (93-95), CB (77-79), Split (81-82) - FB (Barton)

8) Michael Wuertz: 15 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders.

• Wuertz came from an over the top release and showed a 1-7 slider with above average bite and a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink.

8th: FB (90), SL (83-87) - 3 SL (Hafner, LaPorta - 2)

9) Andrew Bailey: 19 pitches. (FB, Cut, CB, CU). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Curveball.

• Bailey came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some cut, a 12-6 curve with above average depth that is sharp and a cutter with above average cut and some sink.

9th: FB (93-95), Cut (88), CB (78-81) - 2 FB (Valbuena, Marson), CB (Crowe)

Brantley to 1st: 4.1

Chart Observations: 9/12 KC @ CLE

1) Luke Hochevar: 98 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, Split). 8 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs, 3 Curveballs, Slider.

• Hochevar came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and solid sink, a cutter with some cut that he added to his repetoire in July, a big breaking 12-6 curve with above average depth, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a

1st: FB (91-94), Cut (89-92), CB (78)

2nd: FB (92-94), Cut (89-91), CB (78-80), SL (84) - CB

3rd: FB (91-93), Cut (91), CB (79), SL (84) - 2 FB

4th: FB (91-94), Cut (89-91), CB (76-80), SL (84) - 2 FB

5th: FB (91-94), Cut (88-89), CB (76-77), SL (83-84), Split (85) - SL, 2 CB

2) David Huff: 109 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 9 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs, 2 Sliders, 2 Curveballs.

• Huff came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a little sink, a 11-5 slider with solid bite, a change with good sink and some fade from righties that he will throw 2-0 and to lefties and a 11-5 curve with above average depth.

1st: FB (91-93), SL (80-83)

2nd: FB (90-93), CB (78), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (91-93), SL (82-83), CB (76-77), CU (82-84) - 2 FB, SL, CB

4th: FB (90-92), SL (81-84), CB (78-79) - SL, CB

5th: FB (87-91), SL (80-81), CB (77), CU (81-82) - FB

6th: FB (90-92), SL (81), CB (78), CU (81-82) - 2 FB

3) Dusty Hughes: 14 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups, Fastball.

• Hughes came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and some sink, a straight change that may have a little fade from righties that got better as the appearance went on and showed good fade from righties with good sink that he will throw to lefties and a 11-5 slider with some bite.

6th: FB (85-91), CU (78-83), SL (83) - FB, 2 CU

4) Victor Marte: 18 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Marte came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties with good sink that had good tilt to it, a change with good fade from lefties and sink that he will throw to righties and a 12-6 curve with below average depth.

6th: FB (93-95), CB (81-83), CU (85-86)

5) Jensen Lewis: 16 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 5 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs.

• Lewis came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a change with good fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties.

7th: FB (86-91), CU (81-83) - 5 FB

6) Bruce Chen: 20 pitches. (FB, CU, CB, SL). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Chen 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 with good sink, a 11-5 slider with good bite and a 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth.

7th: FB (84-90), CU (78-80), CB (76), SL (82-83) - FB

7) Jess Todd: 51 pitches. (Cut, SL, FB). 5 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders, 2 Cutters.

• Todd came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink, a 2-7 slider with slightly above average bite and a cutter with some cut.

8th: Cut (90-91), FB (90), SL (83-85) - Cut, 2 SL

9th: Cut (88-91), SL (82-83) - Cut, SL

8) Yasuhiko Yabuta: 20 pitches. (FB, CU, Split, SL). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Splitters, Fastball.

• Yabuta came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball that had a little run in on righties, a straight change, a split with slightly below average dive and a 2-7 slider with okay bite.

8th: FB (87-93), CU (84), Split (75-78), SL (83-85) - FB, 2 Split

9) Rafael Perez: 3 pitches. (FB, SL). 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Perez came from a high 3/4 release and showed a sharp 11-5 slider with slightly above average bite.

9th: SL (86-87) - SL

• Michael Brantley is a 6-2, 200 pound lefty. The 22 year old outfielder has a medium frame that should be able to get up to about 215 or 220 down the road. He has a slightly crouched stance similar to Coghlan's, but a little more crouched. His trigger is a small stride and a cocking of the bat. He has a bat tap as a timing mechanism, similar to that of Garrett Anderson.

Chart Observations: 8/18 LAA @ CLE

1) Trevor Bell: 109 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 3rd), 3 Changeups (2nd, 3rd, 5th)

• Bell is a 6-2, 186 pound righty. The 22 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 205. He is real skinny with very skinny legs. He has a classic drop and drive delivery and kicks his lead leg out at the hitter. He has a fast windup with little wasted motion. He came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink, a 2-7 slider with okay bite and a change with some fade from lefties with some sink and it flashed good sink. I think his future is in the pen, where he can be a solid middle reliever.

1st: FB (93-95), SL (86), CU (86)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (87-88), CU (84-85)

3rd: FB (91-95), SL (86-87), CU (83-87)

4th: FB (89-94), SL (83-87), CU (85)

5th: FB (88-92), SL (85), CU (84)

6th: FB (89-92), CU (83-84)

2) Fausto Carmona: 110 pitches. 10 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs (3 in 2nd, 5th), 6 Changeups (2 in 4th, 4 in 5th)

• Carmona came from an over the top release and showed a 2-7 slider with some bite, a fastball with good run in on righties with some sink and a change with good fade from lefties with some sink that he will throw in any count to any hitter.

1st: FB (93-96), SL (86), CU (85-89)

2nd: FB (93-96), SL (85), CU (86-89)

3rd: FB (93-95), SL (87), CU (87-88)

4th: FB (92-94), SL (87), CU (87-88)

5th: FB (92-94), CU (86-89)

3) Jensen Lewis: 38 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (6th), 2 Changeups (6th, 7th)

• Lewis is a 6-3, 210 pound righty. The 25 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He came from an over the top release with a herky jerky delivery with limbs going everywhere. His fastball has a little run in on righties. His change has good fade from lefties with good sink that is his best offering and he will throw it to righties. His cutter has some cut. Solid middle reliever.

6th: FB (89-91), CU (78-84), Cut (85)

7th: FB (88-90), CU (76-80), Cut (86)

4) Jason Bulger: 14 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Bulger came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties with sink and a power 12-6 curve with average depth.

6th: FB (93-95), CB (81-84)

7th: FB (94-95), CB (80)

5) Kevin Jepsen: 29 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters (7th, 8th)

• Jepsen came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little sink, a cutter with 2-7 movement with good bite and a sharp 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth.

7th: FB (97-98), Cut (90-91)

8th: FB (96-98), Cut (90-91), CB (83)

6) Rafael Perez: 9 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

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

8th: FB (92-93), SL (86-87)

7) Jess Todd: 20 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. Cutter, 3 Sliders.

• Todd came from a 3/4 release and showed a cutter with above average cut, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a 2-seam sinker with good run in on righties and good sink. He liked to throw the sinker away from lefties and liked to throw the cutter away from righties.

9th: FB (90-92), Cut (90-92), SL (84-86)

8) Brian Fuentes: 12 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Fuentes came from a 3/4 release and showed a 10-4 slider with good bite, a fastball with a little run in on lefties and a change with some late fade from righties with sink.

9th: FB (91-92), SL (76-77), CU (76-77)

Chart Observations: CHW vs. CLE

• Clayton Richard got the start for the White Sox, his first in at least a year. He looked good early, sitting at 91-95 with his fastball. However, once he got to the third inning, he sat at 89-91 and definitely didn't appear to be used to pitching this long. Richard also attacked hitters with a slurvy slider anywhere from 75-85, a changeup from 81-84 and a cut fastball at 85-89. Richard's fastball is plus out of the pen, but none of his other offerings do much. He is more of a sinkerballing reliever and could probably be a strong LOOGY with his slurvy slider and hard fastball. He just added the cutter this year.
• Jeremy Sowers opposed him and also struggled. Sowers has some unique arm action in that he brings his arm straight back and seems to really relax off his elbow. I don't know anything about what type of extra stress that may put on his arm. His stuff wasn't very good though. He went after the White Sox hitters with a fastball at 86-91, a slider at 76-82 and a changeup at 80-82. Sowers is not a major league pitcher, in either the rotation (for someone with such a slow fastball, he throws a lot of them, almost 75 %) or the bullpen (slider is barely average). Sowers will need to hope to have a Jamie Moyer like revelation to develop into something.
• D.J. Carrasco is back in the states and throwing strikes. He featured a cutter at 88-90, a fastball at 92, a curveball anywhere from 73-82 and he threw a sidearm fastball at 88. He likes to drop sidearm to throw both a fastball and curveball to try and get extra movement and give hitters something else to think about. Solid long reliever type guy and was moderately surprised he didn't get the spot start today.
• Matt Thornton may have the best stuff of any left handed reliever in the game right now. Yesterday, he was 93-97 with his fastball and threw one slider at 85. That type of velocity from a left hander is unheard of and he commands it very well. Could be a closer, but fits great for the White Sox as 7th inning pitcher, as a pitcher with that velocity can get out right handers as well.
• Octavio Dotel featured a fastball at 92-94 and a slider at 80-82. The slider lacked its bite that it has shown in the past and is just a tick above average now as opposed to a plus pitch. He has solid command of both his pitches and is still a quality set-up man.
• Bobby Jenks closed out the game with fastballs sitting at 93-96 and threw 1 slider at 91 and 1 changeup at 84. Another of the better closers in the game.
• Jensen Lewis pitched pretty well, featuring a fastball sitting at 89-92, a plus changeup at 78-81 and a slider at 85. Still a guy that could factor into the late innings if he develops another pitch to complement his changeup.
• Tony Sipp has not impressed me either time I have seen him. He just can't command his stuff. His fastball is an above average pitch, as it sits at 91-93 with some movement. His slider is an average pitch sitting at 80-82. His lack of command causes his pitches to play down. He definitely needs more seasoning in AAA.
• Matt Herges finished the game featuring a fastball sitting at 88-90, a curveball at 75 and a changeup at 79-81. Herges 2-seam features a lot of movement and is an above average pitch. His changeup is a tick above average and his curveball is also a tick above average. Solid reliever to have in the pen, but he is prone to allowing hits, as none of his pitches are anything a hitter hasn't seen before.

Chart Impressions: CLE @ TOR

• Took a little while to try and get the hang of Brett Cecil, as I went in expecting him to be mostly fastball-slider, as that was his MO. However, Cecil featured a high 80 to low 90's 2-seamer (and sat at 93-95 in the 1st when his adrenaline was running), a mid 80's slider and a mid 80's change, as well as throwing 2 low 80's curveballs. Cecil likes to use his slider inside on right handers and throw the change away. His fastball is probably a tick above average with his velocity from the left side. His slider looked like an average pitch, as he struggled to really bury it and was living up in the zone. His change was an above average pitch and he has obviously made a lot of progress with this pitch since last season. Having this changeup (and assuming that his slider is in fact plus and he didn't have a feel for it today) he has the potential to be a # 2 starter. He is currently a middle to back end guy right now, as he has pretty solid command, but want to see the true can't miss pitch that the slider was. Cecil also has an interesting mechanical thing as he brings his left arm back straight whereas most people have it a little cocked. This does worry me, as it puts extra stress on the shoulder (especially since it goes back more towards SS then 2nd base). I had this problem when I pitched and that led to a bunch of shoulder problems.
• Anthony Reyes is no longer a top prospect. He sat in the high 80's with his 4-seam fastball in addition to his mid 70's change and high 70's curveball. He only has average command and don't really see any more upside to him, as he is a kind of stout guy and his frame seems to be fairly maxed. He is a # 5 starter who probably doesn't have the ability to be a reliever. If he can find a way to improve his command, he can be a # 4.
• Jason Frasor attacked hitters with a solid low 90's 4-seamer, a changeup in the mid 80's and a mid 80's slider. Nothing about him jumps out as a plus-plus pitch, but his command has improved enough for him to be a solid option as a 7th or 8th inning guy, as all his pitches are a tick above average. Look for him to return to his career norms as the season goes on.
• Jesse Carlson struggled to command his mid 80's slider from his sidearm angle last night. His fastball is in the high 80's and he threw an 85 mph change, but he lives and dies with his ability to command his slider. A solid LOOGY, I don't know that he has the pitches to be able to consistenly get out right handed hitters.
• Brian Wolfe features a very easy motion, generating mid 90 fastballs. Wolfe also threw a high 80's cutter (moved like a slider, but he calls it a cutter) and a low 80's curveball. The curveball flashed plus and is an above average pitch right now (though he only shows the ability to bury it as opposed to throwing it for a strike). He looks like a guy that could be a late inning reliever with another bump in his command.
• Scott Downs threw a low 90's fastball and high 70's curveball. The fastball is above average due to his ability to command it and the curveball is plus in my eyes due to his ability to command it. He could do whatever he wanted with the curveball, whether throwing it for strikes, back-dooring or burying it. There have been worser closers and he is a definite upgrade over B.J. Ryan. He has been doing this for the last couple of years, so no reason to not expect him to continue getting people out.
• Rafael Perez was missing up in the zone with his low 90's fastball (a little cutting action) and his mid 80's slider. His slider has seem to regressed a bit the past couple of years and is merely a tick above average. His command has also struggled and he is no longer a set-up man, but rather a decent middle reliever who may be able to get out right handers for you.
• Vinnie Chulk is trying to be like Kiko Calero, featuring a low 90's fastball and a high 70's to low 80's slider. The problem is he doesn't have the command and his slider is just average. He is a guy that may be bouncing around for the next couple of years to teams looking for relief help (he could probably close in Houston with Jose Valverde out)...
• Tony Sipp features a low 90's fastball and low 80's slider. The slider looked just average and got pounded today, as he allowed the go-ahead home run to Adam Lind on a slider. He also has some interesting cocking action to his arm, which allows hitters to see the ball a little longer. He is a LOOGY candidate, as I don't see him being able to get out RH's. He is still young and if he can tighten the slider a little more, he should be a solid option in the bullpen.
• Jensen Lewis is your atypical changeup (low 80's), fastball (low 90's) and slider (low 80's) reliever. His changeup is plus, but neither his fastball or slider give hitters too much else to worry about and it isn't good enough to be the lone pitch hitters need to worry about. The changeup had good fade to it, though it didn't show too much sink. His slider has potential to be an above average pitch. He is a guy who is a solid middle guy and who could grow into a bigger role depending on how he develops his pitches.
• Masa Kobayashi (remember when he was being talked about as a closer?) features a low 90's fastball, mid 80's slider and mid 80's splitter. The split is nothing special and the slider is an average pitch as well. Solid middle reliever, but don't rely on him with a lead. More of a filler guy.
• Got to watch Matt LaPorta at the plate and he just doesn't look comfortable. He is leaning and almost appears to be cheating to hit fastballs. I think he is just pressing and will be okay as he gets into the swing of things, as he is a very built baseball player who has a ton of raw power. His setup is quiet and nothing appears to be overly wrong with his swing. Just a matter of time for him to start hitting.
• The Indians understand the value of getting hit by a pitch. They are tied for the MLB lead with 18 and you could see all their hitters not turning away from inside pitches, but rather letting it hit them (they have to act a little to get out of the way). If you watch closely, they also throw their limbs out at the ball (elbows, knees). Get on base any way you can.