Chart Observations: 9/8 STL @ MIL (End of Game)

1) Claudio Vargas: 37 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider.

• Vargas came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a 2-7 slider with good bite and downward action.

8th: FB (90-95), SL (83-86) - 2 FB, SL

2) Blake Hawksworth: 21 pitches. (FB, CU, Cut, CB). 0 strikes swinging.

• Hawksworth came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 12-6 curve with average depth, a change with good fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties and will throw 3-2 and a fastball with a little run in on righties

8th: FB (95-98), CU (86-87), CB (78-80)

3) Trevor Hoffman: 19 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Hoffman 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 and a change with good fade from lefties and above average sink that he will throw to righties.

9th: FB (85-89), SL (81-83), CU (74-75) - FB, SL

4) Kyle McClellan: 11 pitches. (FB, CB, Cut, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• McClellean came from a high 3/4, almost over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink and a 12-6 curve with above average depth.

9th: FB (93-94), CB (76-78)

Chart Observations: 9/3 MIL @ STL

1) John Smoltz: 84 pitches. (FB, SL, Split, CB, CU). 9 strikes swinging. 5 Sliders, 4 Curveballs.

• Smoltz came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a split with some dive, a 2-7 slider with good bite, a sharp 1-7 curve with average depth and a straight change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

1st: FB (91-92), SL (83-85), Split (86-88), CB (77) - CB

2nd: FB (91-92), SL (83-85), CB (75) - 2 SL

3rd: FB (89-91), SL (82-86), CB (75-77) - SL

4th: FB (91-92), SL (82-85), Split (87-89), CB (76)

5th: FB (90-92)

6th: FB (91-93), SL (81-86), Split (86-88), CB (74-77) - 3 CB, 2 SL

2) Manny Parra: 88 pitches. (FB, CU, CB, Split, SL). 8 strikes swinging. Fastball, 2 Changeups, 3 Splitters, 2 Curveballs.

• Parra came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on lefties and some sink, a splitter with good dive that can resemble a curveball at times that serves as his out pitch, a straight change with some sink and some fade from righties that he will throw 3-2 and 2-0, a 11-5 slider with okay bite and a sharp 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth.

1st: FB (90-93), CU (86-88), Split (84-85), SL (82-84) - Split

2nd: FB (91-92), CU (85-86), Split (84), CB (76-78) - CU, Split

3rd: FB (90-92), CU (83-86), CB (76-77), SL (83) - CU

4th: FB (91), CU (84), Split (83), CB (75-78)

5th: FB (90-92), CU (87), Split (84), CB (77) - Split

6th: FB (90-91), CU (84-85), Split (83), CB (75)

7th: FB (89-93), CU (85), CB (77) - FB, 2 CB

3) Blake Hawksworth: 21 pitches. (FB, CU, Cut, CB). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Changeup.

• Hawksworth came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a cutter with good cut and some sink, a 2-7 curve with slightly above average depth and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties.

7th: FB (91-95), Cut (89-91), CB (75) - FB

8th: FB (90-92), CU (82-84) - CU

4) Dave Weathers: 6 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Weathers came from a 3/4 release and showed a 3-8 slider with okay bite and a fastball with a little run in on righties

7th: FB (86-87), SL (83-84)

5) Mitch Stetter: 4 pitches. (SL, FB, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

• Stetter came from a sidearm release and showed a fastball with good tail in on righties and a sweeping 9-4 slider with above average bite.

7th: FB (85-86), SL (79-80)

6) Claudio Vargas: 32 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

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

7th: FB (92-93), SL (84)

8th: FB (90-94), SL (81-83), CU (83) - 2 FB

7) Trever Miller: 10 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

• Miller came from a 3/4 release and showed a sweeping 9-4 slider with above average bite, a fastball with good run in on righties and a change with some fade from righties and some sink.

9th: FB (87-88), SL (74-79), CU (80) - 2 SL

8) Trevor Hoffman: 14 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 6 strikes swinging. 4 Sliders, Fastball, Changeup.

• Hoffman came from an over the top release and showed a 2-7 slider with good bite, a straight change with good sink that he will throw to righties that flashes excellent sink and good fade from lefties and a straight 4-seam fastball.

9th: FB (86), SL (80-81), CU (73) - FB, 4 SL, CU

Chart Observations: 8/25 CIN @ MIL (Extras)

1) Trevor Hoffman: 10 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Hoffman came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a changeup with good fade from lefties and plus sink,

10th: FB (85-87), CU (73-74) - CU

2) Carlos Fisher: 21 pitches. (FB, SL, Cut). 3 strikes swinging. Fastball, 2 Sliders.

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

10th: FB (93-96), SL (83-86) - SL

11th: FB (93-97), SL (85-88) - FB, SL

3) Todd Coffey: 46 pitches. (FB, SL, Split). 6 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs, 2 Sliders.

• Coffey came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a splitter with above average dive.

11th: FB (94-98), SL (85-88) - 3 FB, 2 SL

12th: FB (96-98), SL (87) - FB

13th: FB (97-98), SL (85-88)

4) Danny Ray Herrera: 28 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, Cut). 3 strikes swinging. Fastball, 2 Sliders.

• Herrera came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter with good cut and some sink, a fastball with some late run in on lefties and some late sink, a 11-5 slider with good bite and a screwball as a change which has above average sink and some fade from righties.

12th: FB (86-87), SL (77-78), CU (68-69), Cut (83-84) - SL

13th: FB (82-85), SL (74-79), CU (66) - FB, SL

MIL @ LAD

1) Manny Parra: 102 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 8th), 2 Changeups (both in 4th), Curveball (8th), Splitter (8th)

• Parra came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and solid sink, a 10-4 curve with solid depth, a splitter with solid dive and a change with some fade from righties with sink that he will throw in 2-0 counts. This is the best he has looked, as his fastball appeared to have more movement then it normally does and he was pounding the strike zone, constantly getting ahead.

1st: FB (91-95), CU (82-86), CB (78), Split (88)

2nd: FB (92-93), CU (83-84)

3rd: FB (92-94), CU (83), CB (76-78)

4th: FB (91-93), CU (83-85)

5th: FB (89-93), CB (76), Split (83-84)

6th: FB (90-94), CU (82-84), CB (76), Split (82)

7th: FB (90-93), CU (82), CB (75)

8th: FB (91-93), CB (74-76), Split (83)

9th: FB (91-92), CU (83)

2) Clayton Kershaw: 92 pitches. 9 strikes swinging. 9 Fastballs (1st, 2 in 2nd, 2 in 3rd, 3 in 4th, 5th)

• Kershaw came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties, a big breaking 11-5 curve with excellent depth, a change with some fade from righties with sink and a 11-5 slider with good bite. He can get out of control mechanically at times and can struggle to find his release point and make mechanical adjustments from pitch to pitch.

1st: FB (94-97), CB (71-72)

2nd: FB (93-96), CB (71-72), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (93-95), CB (70-73), CU (84), SL (77)

4th: FB (93-95), CB (69-71), CU (81), SL (78)

5th: FB (93-94), CU (83), SL (79)

3) Jeff Weaver: 50 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 4 Sliders (5th, 2 in 6th, 7th), Fastball (6th)

• Weaver came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a 2-7 slider with some bite, a 1-7 curve with some depth and a change with some fade from lefties with sink. He will drop down and throw frisbee sliders to righties with 2 strikes.

5th: FB (89-92), SL (81-83)

6th: FB (90-93), SL (80-85), CB (77-79), CU (85-87)

7th: FB (90), SL (80-83)

4) James McDonald: 18 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (9th)

• McDonald came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 12-6 curve with above average depth and a change with some fade from lefties with some sink.

8th: FB (93-95), CB (73), CU (76)

9th: FB (92-95), CB (77-78), CU (76)

5) Trevor Hoffman: 15 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Hoffman came from an over the top release and showed a change with above average fade from lefties with above average sink, a 12-6 curve with above average depth, a pretty straight 4-seam fastball and a 2-7 slider with some bite.

9th: FB (83-87), CU (72-74), SL (79-81), CB (72)

Chart Observations: LAD @ MIL: MIL Pitchers

1) Braden Looper: 98 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 on Sliders (1st, 4th) and 2 on Splitters (2 in 1st)

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

1st: FB (90-92), Split (83-86), SL (85-87)

2nd: FB (87-90), Split (82-85), SL (85-86)

3rd: FB (88-90), Split (82-85), SL (84)

4th: FB (88-90), Split (84), SL (84-87)

5th: FB (88), Split (82-83), SL (84-85)

6th: FB (87-89), Split (82-84), SL (83-85)

2) Chris Smith: 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

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

7th: FB (87), SL (76-77)

3) Mitch Stetter: 5 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Stetter is a sidearming lefty who showed a fastball with some late run in on lefties and a sweeping 9-3 slider with good bite.

7th: FB (86), SL (78-80)

4) Mark DiFelice: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters

• DiFelice came from a 3/4 release and showed a cutter with good cut that he could locate to both sides of the plate.

8th: Cut (82-84)

5) Trevor Hoffman: 8 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Hoffman came from an over the top release and showed a change with good fade from lefties and above average sink, a 1-7 slider with okay bite and a fastball that had a little run in on righties.

9th: FB (85-86), CU (73), SL (79-80)

6) Carlos Villanueva: 26 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Villanueva came from an over the top release and showed a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth, a fastball with some run in on righties, a change with good fade from lefties with sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with bite. He will throw his change to righties,

10th: FB (87-90), CU (82-84), SL (80-82), CB (72)

7) Seth McClung: 7 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• McClung came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a 12-6 curve with good depth.

10th: FB (92-96), CU (85), CB (79) * CU was spiked, so no idea on how it moved yesterday.

Chart Observations: MIL @ FLA

• Braden Looper is a 34 year old who stands 6-3, 235. The right hander has a medium to big frame that is maxed out. His fastball is a 2-seam with late fade. His split shows good dive and sink. His slider is a 2-8 type offering that wasn't on at all. He has a somewhat violent head jerk and also appears to jerk most of his body. Looper was primarily FB-Split (40 %- 35 %) and his slider did not have good movement today. This left him with 2 pitches the 2nd and 3rd times through the order and he began to get pounded. A pitcher that needs to have all 3 of his pitches to be at least average to have a chance at a successful start, Looper is the 3rd 5th starter on the Brewers I saw in this series (Parra, Suppan).

1st: FB (86-90), SL (84-85), Split (81-82)

2nd: FB (88-90), SL (86), Split (83-84)

3rd: FB (89-90), SL (84), Split (82-84)

4th: FB (88-89), SL (84), Split (80-83)

5th: FB (88-90), SL (83-85), Split (78-83)

• Sean West opposed him. I have seen all of West's starts and this was by far his worst one. West comes from a high 3/4 release. His change is straight with some sink. His fastball is a straight 4-seam with some run. His slider is a 2-7 offering with some bite, but was loopy. He was missing down and in with his fastball early. He almost looked to be guiding the ball instead of throwing it and really struggled with his command. His slider looked fringy in this outing and his change was just a tick above average while his fastball velocity was down. Just a bad outing that was made worst by Penn.

1st: FB (90-92), SL (80-81), CU (83)

2nd: FB (87-90), CU (81)

3rd: FB (88-91), SL (80-82), CU (80-84)

4th: FB (86-90), CU (81-84)

5th: FB (89), SL (81), CU (79-83)

• Hayden Penn was the 2nd reliever in this series to be cast away after an outing (Julio). Penn has a high 3/4 release and shows a fastball with some fade and a 12-6 curveball that is inconsistent, but will flash above average. He has a fairly violent head jerk in his delivery, which may cause some of the command issues. He has no command, but strikeout stuff. His numbers say it all (22 IP, 20 BB, 27 K) and he will get more chances.

5th: FB (88-92), CB (73-77)

• Brian Sanches attacked from a high 3/4 release. The right hander showed a fastball with some run or fade (depending on what he felt like doing) with sink. His slider is a 2-7 offering with good bite and his curve was thrown over the head of J.J. Hardy.

5th: FB (88-89), SL (82-83)

6th: FB (87-89), SL (78-83), CB (72)

• Seth McClung served as the bridge from Looper to Hoffman. He had an over the top release and showed a sharp slider that is a 2-7 offering that flashes plus with great bite, a straight fastball, though me mixed in a 2-seam with good fade and sink, mostly to lefties. His curveball is a big breaking 12-6. His change shows some fade and sink (and could be a splitter), but the one he threw went about 54 feet.

5th: FB (93-95), SL (83)

6th: FB (91-95), CB (76-79)

7th: FB (91-95), SL (81-84)

8th: FB (92-96), SL (83-84), CB (78), CU (85)

• Kiko Calero came from an over the top release with a fastball that had some fade and sink and a 2-7 slider that continues to show good bite. He has plus command of the slider and threw about 70 % in this outing, as is typical for him.

7th: FB (90-91), SL (79-83)

8th: FB (89-91), SL (80-82)

• Dan Meyer attacked from a high 3/4 release. He featured a sweeping slider that is a 10-4 offering with decent bite, though it can move more like a cutter. He also showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a change that had some fade and sink, though it was fairly straight.

9th: FB (90-91), SL (82-84), CU (78-80)

• Trevor Hoffman is a 41 year old who stands 6-0, 220. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. He attacks from an over the top release. His fastball is a 2-seam with some fade. He still has his lights out change, as it looks like a fastball out of his hand and almost appears to hang there. It shows above average sink and average fade. Hoffman doesn't have long left and I wouldn't like him as my closer due to his lack of real swing and miss stuff. He did give up a couple of hard hit line drives that turned into outs and I personally think this is his last season.

9th: FB (84-86), CU (72-73)

• Alejandro De Aza is a 6-0, 175 pound outfielder. The lefty hitter/thrower has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle. The 25 year old has an open stance with a little crouch. He has the slap hitter trigger, as his body moves forward while his hands stay back. He chased 2 splitters from Looper out of the zone in his 1st AB and Looper made him swing and miss on his good splitters (he threw quite a few bad ones). De Aza showed above average speed and an average arm. Your classic 4th OF potential, as I would be shocked if he ever hit more then 5 home runs (and hasn't yet done it in the minors). He is a slap hitter that doesn't seem to be skilled in pitch recognition or fast enough to make a defense change how to defense him. AAA OF is his more likely ceiling (think Freddy Guzman but slower. Yea, that isn't a great package)

Reliever Study Update:

DL Database is complete and all the pitcher's DL information has been entered into my main pitcher datasheet. There are 2 columns in there, days missed due to an arm injury and days missed to a non-throwing arm injury. This will allow me to compare players returning from a prolonged injury to the arm, not to the hip or back and see the likelihood a player can return to his previous success.

Also have completely finished the modifying of the pitch type data and it is ready for it's basic calculations (% regression for those that throw over 80 % FB's for example) and will get deeper. I am hoping these single pitch evaluations will help lead me to a weight system to quantify the impact throwing these pitches has on a player's arm (For example, every % fastball is 1, every percent slider is 4, etc.). Then similarity scores can be made based off a pitcher's repetoire "score". That is my basic hope though, we will see what happens.

Got the Stros-Rockies tonight featuring 2 pitchers I haven't yet seen, but have wanted to: the Rockies Jason Hammel and the Astros Wandy Rodriguez.