Chart Impressions: ARI @ SD

• Jon Garland was on the bump for the Diamondbacks and he commanded his pitches extremely well. He showed a low 90's sinker, high 80's cutter, low 80's slider and low 80's changeup. He is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher, though he does mix in the other 2 fairly often. His sinker is above average, but everything else he throws is just average. Facing the Padres offense helped him, but he showed plus command. He is pitching at his peak right now, a below average # 3 or solid # 4. Not too much left with this guy.
• Jake Peavy struck out 12 in 7 innings. He was utilizing his low to mid 90's fastball, high 80's cutter, mid 80's slider and low 80's changeup. Peavy was primarily fastball-cutter the first time through the order and then morphed into a fastball-slider pitcher the rest of the way. He is still an ace, though you have to wonder about his slow start and if the WBC had anything to do with it, as his command was still iffy at times.
• Edward Mujica threw just his 93-95 mile per hour fastball in the outing I saw. No idea what to think of him based off that, but he appears to be a fly-ball reliever and those tend to do pretty well at Petco.
• Tony Pena throws a mid 90's fastball and high 80's slider and everything about him screams power reliever. He has a little herky jerk in his delivery, but it is nothing major. Both his fastball and slider are plus pitches and the only issue with him is that his command can disappear at times. I think he profiles decently as a closer, but he is a strong late inning reliever as a setup man.
• Chad Qualls attacked hitters with a low to mid 90's sinker and a mid to high 80's slider. He appeared to struggle a little bit with his command, but neither pitch is one that gets you overly excited, as the sinker is above average and the slider is a tick above average. He gets by with good command and that wasn't there last night. He allows the ball to be put in play a little more often then I like from a closer, but he is a solid late guy.
• Justin Upton looked phenomenal. He is all about when you see him, as if you would have seen him early in the season, you would have thought he should be in AAA. In this game (2 HR's) he kept his weight back and had a plan at the plate. He did a great job looking for pitches he could hit and then not missing him. Both home runs were over 400 foot shots. He will likely continue to be streaky for the next couple of years (he is only 21, turns 22 in August), but come his age 24 or 25 season, he will be a legitimate # 3 hitter.

Looper vs. Owings at 7:05. Shoot me now.

Later Today

B/C this post will be filed under May 7th, wanted to let you in on what will be another busy day for me:

Waking up at about 9:30-10 to head into the office and do my chart
Then will be taking part in a scrimmage from 5 until about 615 (and will see if the shoulder holds up 2 straight outings)
Then will be scoring the Reds-Brewers game, featuring a matchup of Braden Looper and Micah Owings. I am sick and f**king tired of seeing Micah Owings for those of you that are curious. But what can you do? At least I don't have to chart him...

Will post my recap of my chart when I return home at some point in the early afternoon.

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.

Chart Impressions: CIN @ FLA

Today we got to pick our 2 games to chart (b/c I am usually amongst the first in the office, I can choose any game). First game I did was the Reds @ Marlins to get a look at Volquez and Volstad.

• Edinson Volquez continues to pitch extremely well. He extended his streak of shutout innings to 16 with 8 shutout last night. Volquez attacks hitters with a plus low 90's moving fastball, low 80's changeup and will mix in a low 80's slider and low 70's curveball. The change can be anywhere from a plus to a plus-plus pitch. The slider is average and the curveball is an above average offering. He likes to throw the changeup to hitters on both sides of the plate and it can sometimes look like a slider. Continues to look like a bona fide # 2 for a contender and if his command can ever come around, he is an ace.
• Chris Volstad got the start for the Marlins and he is a big guy who has a lot of room to add muscle to his frame. He currently sits in the low 90's with his fastball and also throws a high 70's curveball and low 80's changeup. Volstad's fastball is average, his curveball is everywhere from average (a couple) to plus-plus (1 of those) and his changeup is an above average offering. Volstad typically needs to have plus command to succeed and he didn't quite have that last night. He is also somewhat predictable when facing RH's, as he only attacks them with his FB and CB. Against LH's, he mixes his 3 pitches. He is still young and, with his frame and easy mechanics (almost over the top release), it isn't out of the realm of possiblity for him to start touching the mid 90's. As he is now, he is a # 4 starter for a contender, with the potential to be an average # 2 starter.
• Hayden Penn continues to tease with his low 90's 2-seamer and 4-seamer, high 70's curveball and low 80's change. Penn's 2-seamer has some pretty good fade and sink to it on occasion, being a plus pitch and his curveball is right between above average and plus. His issue is below average command of his pitches. He falls behind hitters and resorts to throwing his straight 4-seam. His upside is that of a late inning reliever, but I don't think he will ever have the command to do that. He will likely be an 11th or 12 guy in a pen and he will be bouncing on the bus between AAA and the majors.
• Kiko Calero is posting some good K numbers for the Marlins out of the bullpen. He attacks hitters with an above average high 70's to low 80's slider, high 80's fastball and low 80's change. Calero has plus command of his slider, allowing him to throw it in any count and (as a 1 inning guy) allows hitters to not feel comfortable in the box. He is probably pitching a little over his head right now, but is a solid 9th or 10th pitcher and a solid middle relief option right now.
• Nick Masset threw the 9th and featured a low 90's 2-seamer, low 90's 4-seamer and a mid 70's curveball. The 2-seam had some good run to it last night and the curveball was a plus pitch, though he only showed an ability to bury it with 2 strikes. I do like him as a reliever (he didn't show any command issues in this inning of work) and think he has a slight chance of being a late inning guy, but he could be fairly valuable as a Scot Shields type as a middle reliever, giving you multiple innings and bridging the gap to your closer if he develops his command.
• I personally think Joey Votto is the 2nd best hitter in the NL next to Albert Pujols. He shows an ability to control the strike zone and get pitches he wants to hit at a rare level for someone of his age. He is beginning to be pitched around and Brandon Phillips will need to be back to his old self to stop this from continuing to happen. I think Votto can be a .310-.420-.530 hitter in his prime. Big fan of this kid.
• I like what John Baker brings to the table for the Marlins offensively. He is a little rough defensively in regards to receiving and being consistent with throwing out base stealers, but he is weapon offensively. He shows a strong eye from the left side and is an ideal # 2 hitter with his ability to control the bat. That being said, he is over exposed as an everyday player. He would probably be best as serving in a catcher platoon. Brett Hayes is a guy who used to have a high stock in the organization, but has fallen down. Maybe have them be a LH/RH combination (I haven't seen Hayes play, so I am unsure as to how much he has regressed).
• Despite his struggles, I think Chris Dickerson will be fine. He is very similar set-up wise to Votto, utilizing a front toe turn as opposed to a step. He has a solid swing and has shown on-base ability (.324 OBP with a .217 AVG). He also provides strong speed in LF, though I am unsure as to how good he is at tracking balls and everything like that. I have to imagine he will get another month to try and re-prove himself as the left side of the platoon with Jerry Hairston or he may and Laynce Nix may switch roles.

HOU @ WAS

This game is currently in a rain delay in the 11th (of course its an extra, so I don't get more money), but will give you what I saw thus far:

• Roy Oswalt looks like the same pitcher he has always been. He features a low to mid 90's fastball, mid 80's slider, low 70's curveball and mid 80's changeup. He attacks hitters and forces them to try and put the ball in play. He left the game due to a bone bruise on his right index finger.
• Scott Olsen has lost some velocity on his fastball. He sits in the mid to high 80's with it, in addition to a mid 80's change and mid 80's slider. The real fun part is attempting to differentiate between these 2 pitches, as the slider's break can be fairly indistinguishable to the naked eye. Olsen had a chance at being a middle of the rotation guy when his fastball was in the low 90's, but with it in the high 80's, he is a back-end starter.
• Chris Sampson had some major command issues of his stuff and when you have a 2-seam fastball in the high 80's, you can't afford to be falling behind. He also showed a low 80's slider. Both pitches are major league average pitches (he also throws a high 70's curve and low 80's change). He is what he is, a long reliever who shouldn't be pitching in big situations.
• Tim Byrdak was the only Houston reliever who looked decent in this game. He attacks hitters with a low 90's fastball, a low 80's slider and a low 80's changeup. But, he is another pitcher who shouldn't be pitching at the end of games and is only a middle reliever, not a set-up man.
• Geoff Geary is another middle inning reliever throwing late innings. Geary attacks with a low 90's fastball, mid 80's slider and low 80's curveball. He is nothing amazing as a reliever and is a protypical RH reliever.
• Saul Rivera looked good for his 1 inning, mixing his high 80's 2-seamer, high 80's cutter and mid 80's slider very well. Looks to be back to what he is, a very durable middle reliever who can get you multiple outs.
• Julian Tavarez is another guy who is a solid middle reliever who shouldn't be pitching late in games (sense a trend here?). He attacks hitter with a mid to high 80's sinker that is plus and an average slider. He is a very good and versatile reliever to have at the front of a bullpen or in the middle to get ground balls, but you don't want to rely on him as your 8th or 9th inning guy.
• Garrett Mock is someone the Nats have high hopes for in the back of their pen. I don't see it. He is another guy who is probably a 10th or 11th pitcher with his low 90's fastball and a low 80's slider. Both pitches are only major league average pitches. He has/had solid command until he seemingly twisted his ankle on a Michael Bourn bunt pop out. Don't know if there is too much of a bigger ceiling here either.
• Kip Wells actually looks the part of a late innings reliever with his mid 90's fastball, low 80's curveball and high 80's changeup. Both the fastball and curveball are plus pitches, but he also showed a tendency to nibble as opposed to attacking hitters (which has been his M.O. for awhile). That being said, this is a good risk by the Nationals to see if he can become something as a reliever. Upside is of a set-up man, as he still shows a little tendency to the long ball.
• Joel Hanrahan didn't look great but got the job done with his stuff. He still shows closer stuff to me and needs to be back in that role.
• Elijah Dukes has grown a lot as a baseball player. One of the ultimate "toolsy" guys, he is showing signs of putting it all together. Pitchers used to feed him sliders that start on the outside and break off the zone and he would swing. Now, he is learning to let those pitches go and taking the free ball pitchers give him. This causes them to throw him more fastballs and he feasts in those situations (his HR off Oswalt was on a 94 mph fastball at the letters). You never know what your going to get from this guy in regards to off the field incidents, but he can be a strong corner outfielder (he is a little over exposed as a CF) and give you some fairly good production. The power is real and I think lines of .270-.330-.480 are not out of his grasp.

Back on the grind tomorrow with 2 charts.

Chart Impressions: CHW @ KC

• I have to imagine that watching Zach Greinke pitch nowadays is like being a fan of painting and getting to watch Leonardo Da Vinci work. Greinke attacked hitters with a mid-90's fastball, a mid to high 80's slider and a low 70's curveball. Every pitch he threw was plus. He didn't even have to throw his low 80's changeup today to throw a complete game shutout. His command has been otherworldy thus far. He is definitely the front-runner for the AL Cy Young as long as he stays healthy, which he should, as his mechanics are still very clean.
• Bartolo Colon was the unlucky pitcher who had to realize he was getting a loss no matter what he did. Colon attacked hitters with a low to mid 90's 4-seamer, a plus high 80's to low 90's 2-seamer, a below average mid 80's slider and a below average mid 80's change. Colon threw about 90 % fastballs and this is because his offspeed stuff is not where it once was. However, his 2-seam fastball can compensate for that due to its movement and its ability to keep the hitters from hitting it. He likes to start it on the outer half to righties (or inner half to lefties) and run it back over the plate for a strike. He then pitched off of that and had it start further outside and end up just outside the plate, having hitters make weak contact on fastballs out of the zone.
• Clayton Richard was the only other pitcher to throw in this game. He attacked hitters with a low to mid 90's fastball, a high 70's to mid 80's slurvy slider and a low to mid 70's changeup. I also believed he has added a mid to high 80's cutter to his repetoire this year as another weapon. His fastball is a 4-seam that is fairly straight and is likely barely above average due to the velocity. His slider, changeup and cutter are all average pitches. He likely profiles better as a starter then a reliever, as he doesn't have that one above average pitch that would make him a LOOGY. A back-end starter is his upside as a starter and is a 10th or 11th guy as a reliever.
• Jayson Nix returned to the big leagues after flaming out last April with the Rockies. Nix is a very muscular guy whose frame is completely maxed out. He has a little hunch in his setup, but nothing too major that results in a detriment to him hitting. He played 3rd base tonight after coming up as a 2nd basemen. He also played right field. That is likely his best role on a team, as a supersub. The White Sox are a good team to try and make it with, as they employed the likes of Pablo Ozuna for a good while and Nix is a little slower but has more power. He has his uses, just not as an everyday player, as I have heard he isn't great defensively at 2B and doesn't have the stick to provide average production as a 3B or RF.
• I like Chris Getz as an everyday 2B, but he is likely more of a 2-hole hitter then a lead-off hitter. He is crouched in his stance and shows the ability to control the strike zone. He doesn't have any real plus tools, but all his tools are at least average. He is likely a .280 hitter with a .340-.360 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging. Pretty solid player for a 2Bmen.
• Alexei Ramirez has struggled this year when I have seen him. Pitchers are feeding him off-speed pitches that start on the outside corner and break off and Ramirez has flailed at them everytime. I don't think this is anything shocking, as he showed an inability to control the strike zone last season despite putting up strong numbers. I think he is very similar to Jeff Francouer and will have a similar career path, where he will need to undergo some major plate discipline changes to reach his potential. The question is does Gordon Beckham (when talking to the scout that drafted him, he compared him to Michael Young) put extra pressure, since Beckham can likely handle SS and Getz can handle 2B? Time will tell. If it had to, I believe Beckham has the offensively capability to carry 3rd base.
• David DeJesus is a very underrated OF. His production doesn't carry a corner (and having Coco Crisp in CF, Mark Teahen at 3B and Billy Butler at 1B doesn't really give him an opportunity to not provide the pop necessary for a corner outfielder), but he is a valuable player nonetheless. He is a typical .290-.360-.440 type hitter in my mind and is hitting in his ideal spot, 2 hole. Does he have the ability to go higher? You can never say never, but I think he is playing at his peak right now, as a valuable OFer who can play 3 spots and provide top of the order like on-base production.
• Brent Lillibridge should lose his spot to Nix. Lillibridge hasn't even proven he can hit AAA pitching, let alone major league pitching. Lillibridge is still young and can develop his plus speed into a more usable asset by working counts better and adding a lot more muscle. Not saying he isn't a big leaguer down the road, as he can likely be a legit super-utility guy in 2 or 3 years, but he isn't ready for big league pitching yet.

Got the Astros-Nationals live score coming up in half an hour with a pitching matchup of Oswalt and Olsen.

MIN @ DET

• Francisco Liriano had command and control of his 3 pitch mix (a low to mid 90's fastball, mid 80's slider, mid 80's change) and used it to keep Detroit off balance all night. He is starting to round into his old form. One more step up in his command of his off-speed stuff and he will be back to being the Johan Santana replacement the Twins thought they had.
• Edwin Jackson also looked very good. Jackson attacked hitters with a mid 90's fastball, a low 80's curveball, a high 80's slider and a mid 80's change. Jackson generates easy velocity in a clean motion. He attacks from a high 3/4 release. Jackson was I guy who I figured was primed for a breakout moving to a pitchers park in Comerica and he has not disappointed. He is a legitimate # 2 right now and I think this is his ceiling.
• Matt Guerrier attacked hitters with an average low 90's fastball, an above average mid 80's slider and an above average low 80's curve. Solid middle and set-up reliever and he also is likely pitching at his ceiling right now.
• Brandon Lyon didn't look good with his low 90's sinker and low 70's curveball. He only threw those 2 pitches (and 2 total), but hit a batter and allowed a squeeze bunt attempt.
• Clay Rapada is your typical sidearming LOOGY candidate. He features a mid 80's fastball and low 70's sweeping slider. There isn't a whole lot of difference between him and Javier Lopez except for the track record. Who knows if he can be a LOOGY? All it takes is one year of throwing well to lefties to establish a reputation. He has the talent to be one if his command can improve a little.
• Ryan Perry features a hard, high 90's fastball and a low 80's slider. The fastball is plus and his slider is a big breaker that is just average. He has some struggles with his command in the zone and his control to get the ball there. I personally think he was rushed, but Detroit is trying to win now and he is definitely one of their better relievers. If he develops his command, he is a closer. If not, he may be a Jorge Julio/Greg Aquino type reliever.
• Denard Span had a very good night at the plate, going 4-5. He has a very quiet set-up and his bat head stays in the zone for a long time. He has definitely turned a corner and can be a starting CF and lead-off hitter in this league for a long time.

Got an extra chart followed by an extra score of Houston and Washington at 12:30. Features Roy Oswalt and Scott Olsen.

Chart Observations: SD @ LAD

• Chad Gaudin was on the bump for the pitching-deprived Padres. Gaudin featured a low 90's moving fastball, a high 70's to mid 80's slider and a mid 80's changeup from a low 3/4 release point. He showed average command of his stuff, but none of his offerings are real plus (and he only occasionally threw a change). What you get with him is what you get. He has some value as an innings eater when he isn't getting hit, but that is the extent of his value as a starter. That being said, Petco is the best place for him to try and be more.
• Chad Billingsley is a strong # 2 at this point with a pretty good chance of turning into a legitimate ace. He features a mid 90's 4-seamer, low 90's 2-seamer, high 80's to low 90's cutter, mid 70's to low 80's curveball and a low 80's slider. Both the 4-seamer and curveball are plus pitches and his cutter is also close to being plus. His issue is that he has some command issues in games. He walked Gaudin on 5 pitches and had another time where he just struggled to find the plate. That being said, I fully anticipate for him to become a legitimate ace in the next 3 years, barring injury.
• Will Ohman allowed hits to both left handers he faced (including a home run to Jody Gerut). He showed an average fastball in the high 80's and an average slider in the low 80's. He is just an average LOOGY now.
• Ramon Troncoso has a quality 2-seam fastball that sits in the low 90's with good sink and a curveball in the low 80's that is an average big league offering. His 2-seam is plus and he pitches off of it very well. He has some mechanical issues, in that he opens up very early and also raises his hands above his shoulders, putting extra strain on the shoulder. Be very surprised if he doesn't go down to injury at some point this season.
• Arturo Lopez is another Mexican League guy (should Adrian Gonzalez just be named GM now?) who may have some tools. He throws a straight 4-seamer in the low 90's, a slider in the low 80's and a changeup in the low 80's. The 4-seam is just a major league average pitch, as it has no cut or anything to it. The slider and change appear to be average pitches stuff-wise, but are below average due to his inability to command them. He comes from a high 3/4 release and appears to favor his change over his slider.
• Luis Perdomo kind of popped up on the scene last season when he went to various teams in trades. He shows a plus 2-seam fastball sitting in the low to mid 90's and a below average slider in the high 80's or low 90's that moves like a cutter. His 2-seamer has tremendous fade and sink to it when it's on. He needs to work on his consistency, as sometimes the 2-seam will not have as much action on it or his slider just won't break and will be a hanging spinner. He could be a back-end guy, but I think he will be a solid 10th or 11th guy in a pen. I think a full year in AAA to work on that consistency would have done him wonders, but the Padres are desperate for arms.
• Chase Headley should be an above average bat from the corner outfield. He has a very quiet setup and has a good looking swing. As he begins to learn more on how pitchers attack him, he should be a .280-.360-.480 type guy with some big average years mixed in. Of course, who knows how we will adjust to the cavern that is Petco.
• Matt Kemp is having some serious issues. In his last 3 games, he is 0-10 with 7 strikeouts. He really struggled against Gaudin and his shoulder flew out very often. He is one of those funks where he tells himself to take a pitch and the pitcher throws a fastball right down the middle. Then, when he comes up thinking to be aggressive, he flails at a 1st pitch slider. This is just one of those things hitters get to go through. He will be fine.

Got the Twins-Tigers score tonight with a match-up of Francisco Liriano (3rd game of his I would have scored) and Edwin Jackson.

A lot of Observations

Yesterday afternoon's game was blacked out, so I just scored it from Gameday. Charted the Mets-Phillies game and live scored the Rays-Red Sox game today.

• Oliver Perez has lost a lot of his stuff and almost all his command. This is no longer a pitcher who sat in the mid 90's and teased with you a great slider. This new version of Perez sits in the low 90's and teases with you a wildly inconsistent average slider. The main problem is all the old command issues remain. He struggles to control his stuff, let alone command it in the strike zone. You could also tell he was upset and frustrated with his performance yesterday (he was getting squeezed quite a bit as well). He has the look of a pitcher who doesn't know what else to do to try and get results. The Mets must tread carefully here, as he may be close to just losing the mental side of it as well.
• Jamie Moyer is a freak. The guy has a tremendous 2-seam fastball that sits in the low 80's. He complements this with an above average low 70's curveball, a high 70's cutter and a mid 70's changeup. He has above average command of all his pitches and looks to be ready to have another solid year as a back-end starter.
• Ken Takahashi made his major league debut. The 40 year old (no typo) lefty sits with a fastball at the high 80's, a decent changeup in the low 80's, a decent slider in the mid 80's and a curveball at the low 70's. He is an extra arm. He has good command, but nothing about his package jumps out at you. Plus, what team has much time for a 40-year old rookie (and only the Mets would have time if he was Latino)
• Pedro Feliciano threw a 1st pitch changeup to Raul Ibanez (who hit it out of the balpark to knot the game at 5) for some reason. Made zero sense.
• This leads me to my next point in regards to why Jerry Manuel may favor Omir Santos over Ramon Castro: game-calling. Castro called many questionable pitches, like changeups out of Perez when behind in the count and obviously struggling to command everything. Castro also rarely visited the mound to try and reassure his pitcher. Not saying anything for sure, but that was my observation. Castro is a very useful bat.
• Bobby Parnell has a big arm, sitting in the middle to high 90's with his fastball. He showed zero ability to command either of his off-speed pitches though (a mid 80's change and a high 80's slider). He can be a strong late inning reliever, but you have to wish that the kid could have gotten half a season in AAA to try and develop an off-speed pitch. You can't do that in the big leagues.
• I am going to echo what a lot of other people have said this season: Ryan Madson is the best reliever in the Phillies bullpen. Madson is throwing a high 90's fastball (sat at 95-96), a tremendous change that is effective to hitters on both sides of the plate at the low 80's with good bite and fade and a low 90's cutter. If Brad Lidge's struggles continue (and his slider lacked the same bite it showed last season again yesterday), then Madson is in the driver's seat for the closer's gig.
• Brad Penny was very strong for the Red Sox. He settled in, pumping in low to mid 90's fastballs, mid 70's curveballs and a mid 80's splitter. If he pitches to his potential (and he showed today that it is still a strong # 3 starter), then the Red Sox staff will be that much better.
• James Shields was on. Featuring a low 90's fastball, a devastating low 80's change, mid 70's curveball and a mid 80's cutter, he can be dominant when he is commanding all his pitches and he was doing just that. His change is a plus-plus pitch with tremendous fade and sink, causing many hitters to swing over the top of it. He can throw it to both right handers and left handers with equal success. Theo Epstein said it best on the telecast: "James Shields keeps proving he is a frontline starter in this league."
• Manny Delcarmen had some control issues, which the announcers say may be related to a hip flexor. I don't buy it, but he definitely struggled commanding his low to mid 90's fastball and low 80's changeup.
• Hunter Jones is an extra arm. The kid has a solid low 70's curveball, but with a fastball sitting in the mid 80's (mostly 86), he will get hit hard once teams just sit on that. A low 70's curveball is not a good pitch to have as your out pitch when you are trying to become a LOOGY.
• Ramon Ramirez is a very, very good reliever. Hard for me to fathom that both the Rockies (Huston Street and Manny Corpas are inferior pitchers) and Royals (though they did get Coco Crisp) dealt him away. He attacks with a mid 90's fastball and a mid to high 80's changeup that is just filthy. He is a luxury as a 7th inning guy with the likes of Saito and Papelbon ahead of him in the pecking order.
• Carl Crawford stole 6 bases to go with a 4-4 day. The guy knows how to use his legs by pounding the ball on the ground and just running. Of his 6 steals, only 1 was close (not Jason Varitek's fault, he was stealing them on the pitchers and twice stole the pitch after pitchouts, the best time to run).

I have copies of every game played thus far this season at my disposal at work, so if there is someone specific you would like for me to get a read on for you, let me know.

Chart Impressions: STL @ WAS

• It's amazing how good Washington's offense can make pitchers look. Let me preface these comments by saying I am a big Todd Wellemeyer fan and thought he was destined for good things once he came up with the Cubbies. However, he may have pitched over his head last season. He sat in the low 90's with a moving 2-seam fastball, featured a high 70's to mid 80's slider and a solid average changeup in the low 80's. In my mind, these were 3 average big league pitches. His command has shockingly advanced to the point where he can do this (if you would have seen him when he came up, you would be shocked too). I thought that he was a # 3, but after this outing, I think he is a back-end starter for a contender and a middle guy for a non-contender. Still a very useful pitcher, just not a guy who will likely be posting a sub 4 ERA again.
• Jordan Zimmermann is legit. He throws 2 types of fastballs, a 4-seamer in the low to mid 90's (92-95) and a 2-seamer with some excellent fade and sink and features primarily to LH's (87-89). Zimmermann also features 2 breaking pitches, a mid 80's slider and a high 70's to low 80's power curve. He is currently developing a changeup (I am 100 % convinced that we are charting his 2-seamer as his change right now, as his change in spring training was at 79, not 88), but even without it he profiles fairly well as, at worst, a middle of the rotation starter. This was the 2nd time I have charted an outing of his and my opinion hasn't changed. He will develop into a # 2 starter at worst. I feel his two breaking pitches complement his fastball very well and if he ever develops a changeup, you may be looking at an All-Star. Zimmermann's main issue right now is an inability to keep the ball down (especially the fastball), which leads to gopher balls. Very clean mechanics out of a high 3/4 release point. He works very fast and seems to do all the little things you like to see pitchers do.
• Jason Motte is a fastball, slider, splitter pitcher. The problem is that only one of these pitches is plus (a mid to high 90's fastball). I was a huge fan (even picked him as my ROY as I thought the Cards would do well and he would get the saves), but he isn't yet ready to be a closer. His slider is in the high 80's, but doesn't have a ton of break to it. His splitter moves like a hanging changeup in the mid 80's, which is probably a bad thing. However, he is very advanced when you remember he only started pitching in 2006 after being a catcher.
• Blaine Boyer should be solid. I like him and thought that the Cardinals got the better end of the trade. Boyer features a low 90's fastball, a mid 80's cutter (which he has developed this season) and a high 70's overhand curveball that serves as his out pitch. Solid middle reliever to have in a pen as long as he isn't overused.
• Logan Kensing is Exhibit A on why pitchers shouldn't be rushed to the majors. He features a low to mid 90's fastball and a low 80's slider. The only problem is that this is what he was when he got his first promotion in 2004 at 22 and after being drafted in 2003. Not saying he could have developed a 3rd pitch to be that starter some people thought he might be, but he never exactly got the opportunity either. Is Rick VandenHurk destined for the same fate?
• Saul Rivera was one of the most durable relievers for the last couple of years. He still features a nice repetoire of a high 80's to low 90's 2-seam fastball, a mid to high 80's cutter and a low to mid 80's slider, but it appears Manny Acta and the Nationals brass has lost confidence in him for the time being (and well deserved, as he had a very rough April). I think he will end up being okay the rest of the way.
• Joel Hanrahan is a very talented closer. Too bad he won't get many save chances. The fact Julian Tavarez is now closing games ahead of him is a very reactionary move in my opinion. Hanrahan fired 10 pitches, 10 strikes, with his mid to high 90's heater and mid to high 80's slider and retired the only 3 hitters he faced. A team like the Nats (who lets face it, aren't going to be competing) don't need to be devaluing their own assets for possible trades through these types of manuevers.
• Tyler Greene has apparently made it to the big leagues. The former 1st round pick out of Georgia Tech was an offensive shortstop coming out, but he stopped hitting in AA. He was off to a .280-.400-.408 start in the PCL (Heaven for Hitters is it's other name) to get the call-up, but he will likely get a chance to keep building up his AAA numbers. He has a good frame (6-2, 180) that can add a lot more muscle. The issue with that is that he is already only an average defensive SS from what I have read and if he keeps adding muscle he will need to move to 3rd to counteract the loss of range. He doesn't have the stick for third. He has a fairly straight up, open stance with a little bat wiggle in his set-up. Swing is a little long and struggled to hit both fastballs and off-speed stuff from the Nationals staff.
• The best hitter to watch is (shocker) Sir (If Sidney Ponson can be knighted, he should be too) Albert Pujols. I imagine this is what it was like to see guys like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in their primes. Pujols can hit anything and hit it hard. After getting 2 straight hard hits off Zimmermann, Jesus Flores did not call a single 4-seam fastball, choosing instead to attack with sliders and 2-seamers. The funny part? Flores set up (for every one of the pitches in this AB and the AB's after that) about 6 inches off the outside corner. The Nats pitchers kept missing the spot and kept putting these pitches on the outside corner and Albert had some fun.
• The Nationals lineup was fairly unimpressive. Cristian Guzman is a 9 hole hitter (or 2 hole if he keeps his current streak up) hitting 1st. Nick Johnson, Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn are legitimate hitters. Elijah Dukes is a 6th or 7th hitter, at this stage of his career, hitting 5th and being asked to help carry the offense. Jesus Flores is another of those who should be hitting 6th or 7th. Willie Harris and Anderson Hernandez should be bench players.
• Consider this a prediction of things to come (and you can see it starting to come to fruition), but after OBP and defense have been exhausted of means of getting the most bang for your buck, I look for the ability to play multiple positions start to be capitalized on more. I can forsee multiple super-utility players being available on 1 team and giving managers a lot of options for lineups and substitutions in-game. I can also see platooning come back into focus. If I were a GM of a small-market team, I would invest primarily in the draft and try and fill holes with lefty-righty combos at positions of weakness, as you can find good platoon players for about a million dollars (at most) each.

Got the Houston-Atlanta score at 340.

Went into work early to try and get the FLA-CHC chart (a lot of young pitchers throwing that I would like to see) but we were assigned charts. I may take this game home after my score (b/c it's Saturday night and I have no life) and let you know what I think of pitchers like Graham Taylor, Hayden Penn as a reliever, Burke Badenhop, Jeff Samardzija and David Patton.

NYM @ PHI

• Chan Ho Park was sadly everything I thought he would be. He had some major control issues (walking 6 in 4 and 2/3) and some hit issues (8 allowed). Hope the Phillies get Carlos Carrasco ready b/c Park does not belong in a big league rotation. He throws a lot of pitches, but none of them are real good and he has to be better then the sum of his parts. He continues to prove that he can only pitch in Los Angeles.
• Mike Pelfrey is an enigma. He has 2 pitches with plus velocity (a mid 90's sinker and a high 80's slider) but can't strike anyone out. While his pitches have plus velocity, none of them have real plus movement. The movement on the sinker is erratic and is nowhere near the level of a sinker of a Brandon Webb or even a Rick Porcello. His slider has very little movement, but just enough to not have balls get hit off the barrel. He also has some control issues. Has the chance to be a # 2, but I think he is a middle of the rotation guy.
• Pedro Feliciano is death to left-handers (outside of a home run he allowed tonight to Chase Utley). He has a solid enough fastball (low 90's) and an above average slide piece from a low 3/4 release. My numbers said that he may regress, but that will likely occur only if his arm decides to break during the course of the season, as his stuff appears fine.
• J.A. Happ was just there. Nothing too incredible out of him. Seems like an extra arm in the pen or a back-end starter, though he can sit at the low 90's with his fastball.
• Why does Jerry Manuel like Omir Santos so much better then Ramon Castro? I have watched Santos play twice and have seen a back-up catcher who is taking advantage of the fact no scouting reports are out on him. If the Mets keep Santos as a back-up and allow Castro to walk, I think Castro will catch on somewhere and make them regret it.

Not too much to report. Pretty boring teams to watch in my opinion (prefer young guys, these teams pretty much don't have those) and I am scheduled for a chart and a score tomorrow. Scoring the Astros-Braves game (Oswalt and Jurrjens, phenomenal matchup) at 3:30.

Also scheduled to have baseball practice tomorrow (which I haven't decided if I will be attending or not due to work). For those interested, in the scrimmage I went 5-6 at the plate with a homer and on the bump, I fired 3 innings, allowing 0 hits, walking 2 and striking out 7.

Chart Impressions: OAK @ TEX

• Vicente Padilla was on the bump for Texas. I was not a Vicente Padilla fan, but let me tell you something, he may be one of the most underrated pitchers out there. It appears only he and Kevin Millwood have the ability to be consistent starters in Texas and I wonder what Padilla would be capable of in a real ballpark (as opposed to a bandbox). Padilla attacks hitters with a 4-seam fastball and a 2-seam fastball that has a lot of fade and very good movement. He also throws a solid average slider, solid average splitter and a curveball that is about 50-65 miles per hour. He also adjusts his gameplans based off what he is facing. Oakland threw out a lineup chock full of left handers and Padilla basically turned into a very effective fastball-splitter pitcher. Padilla may never get his due, but he has won me over.
• Dallas Braden looked good. I am as skeptical of pitchers who can't break 90 with their fastball as the next guy, but Braden can make himself a solid # 4 starter. His changeup is very good and has about a 15 mile per hour difference, more then enough to screw with the timing of hitters. He also throws a solid average slider and a rare (threw one) cutter. He had good command and with Oakland's current reliance on defense, he is one that may have a strong season (sub 4 ERA) because of it.
• Andrew Bailey is your typical right handed reliever who is fastball-cutter (he calls it a cutter, some have slider-like break). Fastball-slider relievers tend to grow on trees and he will need to prove he is not a 1-month wonder. I have my doubts, as he struggled with the command of his low 90's fastball in this outing.
• Russ Springer needs to have your respect just because he came back from a serious arm injury to turn himself into a solid middle reliever. Similar to Bailey in that he is fastball (low 90's) and cutter (mid 80's, also with slider-like break), but he also utilizes a curveball in the mid 70's. His ability to change speeds helps him compensate for the lack of a true out pitch.
• I was a Michael Wuertz fan when he was with the Cubs. I thought his stuff warranted more then just bus trips from Chicago to Omaha. After seeing him with Oakland though, he just doesn't have the command of his slider anymore (and he has also lost some bite from his Chicago days). I think I now agree with the Cubs that he is a 4-A reliever. A good guy to have when someone goes down, but you don't want to rely on this guy.
• As a starter, Jason Jennings was pounded. However, as a reliever, he may be a strong middle guy. Jennings will not over-power you with his 2 pitches (a high 80's 2-seamer with good sink and a low 80's slider), but he has enough command of the two to not allow hitters to really sit on either pitch. Now, as the scouting reports get out, his over reliance on his slider may hurt him, but I think he can be good over a full season if he stays healthy.
• Watch Texas' hitters next time you get a chance. They all seem to be fairly straight up in their stances and their heads are straight at the pitcher, not slanted. This allows them to keep their head in the same spot during their swing, allowing them to see the ball longer. There's a reason Rudy Jaramillo is the best in the business.
• Andruw Jones is back. He is in shape and can turn on fastballs again. The risk taken by Texas has paid off (though the risk was negligible enough where it wasn't too risky, just a minor league contract).
• Elvis Andrus is 20 and in the big leagues. He has all the familiar symptoms of a player that has been rushed. He has zero plate discipline and doesn't control the strike zone well. He still has very little muscle on his body with that end result meaning he doesn't have much power. My personal opinion was that Texas should have kept Michael Young at SS and played Hank Blalock or Chris Davis (whichever wasn't at 1B) at 3rd. But, Andrus is a big upgrade over Young defensively and defense is the new "it" thing nowadays (like OBP after Moneyball). Will this result in a stagnation of Elvis' skills, or will he be able to continue developing at the big league level? Only time will tell.
• Nelson Cruz has real power. Legitimate 80 power in my opinion. The fact that he can now utilize it without getting out on 9 out of 10 at bats mean that this kid may be a late bloomer. FYI: Cruz went through a little of what Elvis will be going through. Took him 3 seasons of big leagues and AAA to finally develop into the hitter he is. Don't be quick to judge.
• Oakland ran out a collection of who's who from their current roster to start yesterday. Landon Powell is a big-bodied catcher (how about the fact the A's drafted 2 college catchers in the 1st round and they both made it?) who may not actually catch. He reminds me a lot of Jack Cust, but that isn't a good thing, as he lacks Cust's ability to work the count and his power. He played 1st base yesterday, so who knows just how good he is behind the plate? I was a big Eric Patterson fan as well when he was with the Cubs (and Georgia Tech). I thought he just needed at-bats to establish himself. Well, he is a utility player. And one that won't hit. He just has no muscle on his frame and is not fast enough to get away with that. Another 4-A player. I also liked (but wasn't a huge fan) of Travis Buck, but I feel his swing has undergone some major changes (and not for the better in my opinion) since his strong rookie season. His front shoulder tends to fly out a ton and while he still has his ability to draw walks, he can't hit. Major league pitchers just need to challenge him, as his ability to translate his power has fallen off considerably.

Live scoring assignment tonight is the Mets and Phillies with a pitching match-up of the great Mike Pelfrey and the immeasurable Chan-Ho Park in Philadelphia. God Help Me.

Truly Starters?

About a month through the season, let's go and check on the players from the Sally League that I thought could turn into at least major league starters (5.0 or higher):

8.0 (Superstars)
Angel Villalona: Currently at San Jose (A+). .307-.338-.467. 3 HR's, 11 RBI's. 75 AB's, 4 BB, 16 K.
David Price: Currently at Durham (AAA). 1-2, 3.71 in 4 starts. 17 IP, 14 H, 8 BB, 20 K. 64 % strikes.
7.0 (Multiple All-Stars, # 2 starters)
Jason Heyward (7.5): Currently at Myrtle Beach (A+). .279-.357-.508. 3 HR's, 10 RBI's. 61 AB's, 7 BB, 13 K.
Madison Bumgarner: Currently at San Jose (A+). 3-0, 1.40 in 4 starts. 19.1 IP, 17 H, 3 BB, 19 K.
6.0 (A Few All-Stars, Strong # 3 Starter)
Jesus Montero (6.5): Currently at Tampa (A+). .351-.400-.581. 4 HR's, 13 RBI's. 74 AB's, 6 BB, 12 K.
Mike Stanton (6.5): Currently at Jupiter (A+). .296-.390-.507. 4 HR's, 11 RBI's. 71 AB's, 10 BB, 22 K.
Felix Doubront (6.5): Currently at Portland (AA), skipped A+: 2-0, 3.14 in 3 starts. 14.1 IP, 9 H, 8 BB, 19 K. Groundballs to fly balls: 1.30
Wilkins De La Rossa: Currently at Tampa (A+). 1-0, 0.00 in 2 starts. 9 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 10 K.
5.0 (Strong Major Leaguer Starters, Mid-Rotation starters)
Freddie Freeman (5.5): Currently at Myrtle Beach (A+). .253-.313-.480. 4 HR's, 15 RBI's. 75 AB's, 3 BB's, 11 K's.
Che-Hsuan Lin (5.5): Currently at Salem (A+). .151-.230-.189. 0 HR, 5 RBI's. 53 AB's, 5 BB, 15 K
Yamaico Navarro (5.5): Currently at Salem (A+). .286-.286-.571. 7 AB's, 0 BB, 1 K
Nick Noonan (5.5): Currently at San Jose (A+). .264-.345-.403. 2 HR's, 10 RBI's. 72 AB's, 8 BB, 21 K.
Charlie Culberson: Currently at Augusta (A), Repeating. .266-.322-.291. 0 HR's, 3 RBI's. 79 AB's, 6 BB, 26 K.
Michael Jones: Currently at Salem (A+). .333-.403-.400. 1 HR, 7 RBI's. 60 AB's, 6 BB, 8 K
Chris Nash: Currently at Lake County (A), Repeating. .203-.242-.220. 0 HR's, 8 RBI's. 59 AB's, 4 BB, 16 K
Thomas Neal: Currently at San Jose (A+). .362-.470-.652. 4 HR's, 15 RBI's. 69 AB's, 9 BB, 23 K
Andrew Walker: Currently at West Virginia (A), Repeating. .255-.397-.362. 0 HR, 4 RBI's. 47 AB's, 10 BB, 10 K.
Deunte Heath: Currently at Mississippi (AA). 1-0, 0.83 in 4 starts. 21.2 IP, 16 H, 13 BB, 17 K. 61 % strikes.
Joey Mahalic: Currently at Lake County (A), Repeating. 0-1, 1.29 in 3 starts. 14 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 9 K. Groundballs to flyballs: 3.14
Duke Welker: Currently at West Virginia (A), Repeating. 0-2, 4.34 in 4 starts. 18.2 IP, 13 H, 10 BB, 9 K. Groundballs to flyballs: 2.00

Wednesday Observations

Had 2 scores (SEA vs. CHA, HOU vs. CIN) and I think 2 scores are the easiest thing ever. But I prefer charts because I think they are more fun.

• Erik Bedard started for Seattle. This was my 1st time really watching him pitch ever and I was not a very big fan of him (still aren't for the package they gave up to get him), but he is a legit # 2 for a contender. Sat in the low 90's with his fastball, but his true weapon is his curveball. He has one that acts as a get-me-over pitch when behind in the count and a hard biter that serves as his strikeout pitch. He also throws an average change. He didn't have his best stuff today, but he made big pitches when he needed to. When he has his curves working and can locate his fastball, he is very tough to beat.
• Gavin Floyd was very similar to Bedard. He sat in the low 90's and was in the mid 90's early in the game. He also throws a cutter (what White Sox don't throw cutters?) and his main out pitch, a big curveball. I think his breakout was for real and he will continue to be a solid middle of the rotation starter.
• Shawn Kelley is a strong option for the Mariners middle relief core. He throws an average to plus fastball sitting anywhere from 92-95. His main weapon though is a hard-breaking dirty slider in the mid 80's that he can throw for strikes or bury. He probably isn't a closer, but can he a pretty solid set-up man or middle reliever.
• Adrian Beltre is amongst the top defensive third basemen in the game right now. He also went 4-4 at the plate, but none were real rocket shots that made you think he was breaking out, but he is getting closer.
• Edinson Volquez is filthy. If you think his rookie year was a fluke, think again. This past start, he seemed to say "screw it, if they hit it, they hit it." He challenged the Astros hitters and they had no chance. He worked with a plus fastball, plus changeup and average curveballs and sliders. With command, he is a legit ace. Without command, he is a 3 or 4, as he can only get you about 5 innings before having to come out due to pitch count.
• Felipe Paulino is everything I said about him before. Keep an eye on this kid. Houston may have a future All-Star. BTW, heard the Houston announcers saying when Brian Moehler comes back, they may shift him to the pen. Not a smart decision. Yes, Paulino can be valuable out of the pen with a fastball sitting in the high 90's and a sharp slider. But, he is also more valuable giving a non-contending team innings as a starter and building towards something greater. Keep an eye on this.
• Adam Rosales was back in the big leagues tonight. For those of you that are fans of hustling players who are actually having fun out there, then you will like this kid. For those of you that like 3rd base production from a 3rd basemen? Not so much.
• Laynce Nix (yes, the former top prospect from the Rangers) swung a good bat again tonight. Yes, he has his weaknesses (should probably avoid LH's and will still strike out a good amount), but he provides power, a batting eye and solid defense in the corner outfield. If this sounds like a 4th OF, it is. But, he could probably start as the main guy in a platoon for quite a few teams interested in cutting costs.
• J.R. Towles is not a big leaguer right now. Still looks over-matched at the plate and was slow in getting the ball out on the Willy Taveras stolen base. Now, we don't know he handles the staff (did only allow 2 runs on his watch) and I tend to value that higher then anything he offers offensively, but he is running out of time in establishing himself before Jason Castro arrives on the scene.

Have the day off tomorrow and will return to work Friday with a chart and a score.

Syracuse Commitment Evals

Syracuse University football has picked up commitments from 3 kids to play football in 2010:

John Kinder is a dual threat QB who shows tremendous speed. Ryan Murray of Cuseconfidential.com believes that he will be rated no worse then 3 stars. With the new offensive direction of Rob Spence and Doug Marrone, Kinder MAY have a shot at competing for the job as a true frosh, as we don't have a QB of his running ability.

Myles Davis is a MIKE/TE prospect. With some conversions to linebacker in spring ball, the need isn't as great as it was when spring ball began, but this is still a quality prospect. Syracuse beat out Rutgers for this talented player and he will likely redshirt, but should then be in line for a starting job his redshirt frosh season (after we lose Hogue and Smith to graduation).

Macky MacPherson is the grandson of the former great Syracuse head coach. He committed on the spot once receiving an offer. Don't know much about him as a prospect, but Syracuse is in massive need of quality offensive lineman.

Score Impressions: PIT @ MIL

• Paul Maholm had some issues with his control. He was also left in the game too long in my opinion, but he continues to show solid average stuff. His fastball sat in the high 80's, but he showed a quality changeup, quality slider and quality curveball. Can he maintain his current level of performance with low K numbers (12 in 32 IP)? I think it may be a stretch, but he is a solid middle of the rotation starter (and Pitt is chock full of them).
• Dave Bush pitched the same game in my opinion as his last start. He still showed solid command of his stuff, he just didn't elicit many swings and misses. He also showed some of his Jekyll and Hyde stuff, as he struck out the first 2 batters, hit the next 2, allowed a 2-run double, then struck out the last hitter. He worked a good curveball in this outing, but seemed to struggle with his cutter.
• Prince Fielder's downward trend against lefties continues. He really struggled last night against Maholm and Sean Burnett. These lefties fed him sliders on the outside part all night and he couldn't make an adjustment to drive them the other way yet at this stage of the season. Given the struggles he had last season against left handers, this has to be a little concerning to Brewers fans.
• Jesse Chavez is still a solid middle reliever in my mind (believed this when I saw him in Indianopolis). Mixes a low to mid 90's fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. Is greater then the sum of his parts.
• Rickie Weeks has turned a corner. The guy hit every ball hard last night and may be slowly converting myself into a believer. Do I believe 2B is his best position? No. I think once Mike Cameron's contract expires, they may move Weeks to CF and put Alcides Escobar (after getting a year apprenticeship in AAA) at 2B (especially with the news that Lorenzo Cain, their CF of the future, may be done for the year).
• Pittsburgh didn't do anything too impressive offensively. Was shocked they called off a sac bunt attempt in the top of the ninth. They may have been playing a bit over their head, but if they continue playing great defense, their pitchers are ones to allow hits in play and be beneficiaries of it.

Got 2 live scoring assignments tonight (Bedard and Floyd, Paulino and Volquez) and will relay what I see here later tonight.

Want me to talk about something else? Get an opinion on a player you are curious about? Let me know and I will find tape and look at him.

Chart Impressions: FLA @ NYN

• John Maine has good stuff with his low to mid 90's fastball, mid 80's change that he throws to both RH and LH hitters and a mid 80's slider. However, he has some of that Kevin Millwood control, where for 1 batter he can throw 4 pitches that aren't close. Can he continue to refine his command? You can never say never, and if he finds a way, a legit # 2 as opposed to a solid # 3 right now.
• Anibal Sanchez was a pain in the ass to chart. His fastball sits at 88-90 with some action, and he has a mid 70's curve. The difficulty in charting him rests in his mid 80's change vs. mid 80's slider. I had him at about 20 % of each pitch in this latest start. All of them are fairly major league average pitches and he is a pitcher that will need to be greater then the sum of his parts. Pitching in Florida helps him look better then he truly is. He is a back-end starter now (and I was a big fan when he came up).
• Sean Green is a very useful RHP to have in the pen. A sidearmer with great movement on his fastball, he has enough on his slider to make hitters respect it. A good 7th inning guy.
• J.J. Putz has weapons to attack both RH and LH with his slider-splitter combo to go with a mid 90's fastball. Could probably still close, but really helps the Mets shorten games with him and K-Rod.
• K-Rod still shows exactly what I saw in the playoffs. A pitcher who has lost velocity on his fastball (92-94 now) but has tremendous off-speed pitches (I believe his changeup is his best and LH seriously have no chance when it's on). I wouldn't have given him a big contract, but the Mets are looking to win now and are willing to sacrifice the money to bring him in. I think his contract will be a liability by his 3rd year personally. But if they win the World Series, it's worth it.
• Dan Meyer is now a reliever after failing to establish himself as a starter in the bigs. Nothing too exceptional about him and is a 3-pitch guy (FB, SL, CB).
• Renyel Pinto kind of disappointed me. This is the 1st I had seen of him pitch (and was a fan based off stats and stuff I had read) but I just didn't see it. Sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, but neither of his offspeed pitches are overwhelming. Throws a straight change as his top offspeed and it shows some good sink. His slider is solid average as well. He is a solid middle reliever (whereas I had thought he might be a late inning guy).
• Welcome back to earth Emilio Bonifacio. I love how people freak out on a week's worth of at-bats. The kid is a slap hitter who is still developing plate discipline. He is not going to hit .300. I think he is a .250-.260 hitter with some steals. Not a lead-off hitter and not 3rd base production, but a super-utility position would be his best option.
• Hanley Ramirez took a fastball off the wrist. If he is hurt for any prolonged period of time, the Marlins are in a world of hurt. He was smiling in the dugout with it wrapped, so maybe he is just day to day.
• Omir Santos hit a grand slam. Some Mets fans will now think he is their answer at catcher. He isn't.

Scoring the Pittsburgh-Milwaukee game tonight with Paul Maholm and Dave Bush. We will see if Bush can try and impress me this time out.

Sunday Tidbits

• Props to Tony Fiammetta for getting drafted by the Panthers. He should have a pretty good NFL career.
• Charted Anthony Ortega's major league debut and was fairly unimpressed. The kid is your protypical RH starter. He had a high 80's to low 90's 2-seam fastball with some movement, but he had some issues commanding it within the strike zone. He has a plus changeup, but struggled to get ahead in counts to really utilize it. Also features an average curveball that he showed some ability to throw for strikes, but definitely could bury it when he wanted to. With some command help, he could be a middle of the rotation starter, but he is probably a back-end guy.
• Mariner's bullpen may be coming back to earth now. David Aardsma finally allowed a hit and, while he still features a plus fastball, has enough command issues to not really be a great late game option. Mark Lowe struggled to command his off-speed stuff (which is nothing new) and Miguel Batista was a fastball-cutter pitcher for his 2 innings. Once the scouting reports get out on at least these 3, I think they will return to their established career norms.
• Yuniesky Betancourt has zero plate discipline. Zero. It really is quite impressive to watch.
• I am a Howie Kendrick fan, and he has started to show signs of breaking out of his slump. I love his line drive swing and his track record as a hitter through the minors and I still believe in his ability to be an above average stick at the keystone while be an average defender.
• Jose Contreras threw well today. After a rough 1st inning (2 bloops and then a shot for a double off the bat of Adam Lind), he really settled down and matched Roy Halladay pitch for pitch. Contreras really had good command and movement on his splitter today which helped him counteract some of Toronto's quality left handed sticks. Is this an aberration or will he return to his old form? Only time can tell.
• Speaking of Halladay, EVERYTHING he throws, moves. The more amazing part is that he great command of it.
• Color me impressed with the work of the Toronto Blue Jays. Their offense has been dynamic despite the early struggles of Alex Rios (.247-.300-.370). They have gotten a huge boost from Marco Scutaro (.413 OBP out of the leadoff spot) and the return of Aaron Hill from injury (.376-.407-.624). While this offense will likely not last, it doesn't have to. The Jays likely need this offense to last another 2 or 3 weeks, when they are then primed to get rookie sensation Ricky Romero (no overwhelming pitch, but is a middle of the rotation starter for a contender) and Jesse Litsch (who threw off a flat mound yesterday and is hopeful to begin a rehab assignment) back from injury and that will take a lot of burden off the offense. The Jays bullpen also has been utilized tremendously by Cito Gaston, who today utilized Jason Frasor to get out Carlos Quentin and then used Jesse Carlson to get out both Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye. Scott Downs has been incredible in the early going and is a massive upgrade over B.J. Ryan (who was sitting at 87 in his last appearance against Texas) and may even keep the job when Ryan returns from the DL.
• Speaking of Cito Gaston, why did it take so long for him to get another job after leading the Jays to back-to-back championships in the early 90's?

Saturday Tidbits

Getting ready for a scrimmage in the semi-pro baseball league I am now playing in and will be toeing the rubber against live hitters for the 1st time in awhile. Hope the shoulder holds up.

But, on to some observations from last night and 2 very early morning charts

• Eric Stults is your typical finesse LH who can sit at 90. However, control issues plagued him last night as he struggled to get ahead of the Rockies hitters. Solid average curveball. Might be able to be a back-end starter, but once the scouting reports get out, it will be tough for him to continue to replicate his success.
• Aaron Cook has lost some control. His sinker is still very good, but his ability to command it is still in spring training form. Cook walked Stults twice on 9 pitches. As a guy who relies on the movement of his pitches and the ability to command them, he may be (and currently is) in the middle of a long season. Maybe he's hurt?
• For those of you that haven't seen Ronald Belisario, I am sorry. This kid is a legitimate back of the bullpen type talent. As a reliever, you only really need 1 plus pitch and an offspeed pitch that you can throw for strikes. Belisario's plus pitch is his 94-96 mph 2-seam fastball that has a lot of action. It is very difficult to square his ball up and hitters have said it is like hitting a brick. His slider is usable enough to not have hitters sit completely on it. Where do the Dodgers keep finding these arms?
• Huston Street and Manny Corpas are 2 guys who are struggling a little bit. Street actually looked fairly good last night, commanding his pitches well in the zone. However, both have a tendency to leave the ball up and Corpas' stuff just hasn't been the same since their October run in 2007.
• Hong-Chih Kuo blew the save, then got the win. Dude has plus velocity for a LHP (sat at the mid 90's) and his mechanics are actually fairly clean, so it may just be a bad arm that causes all the injuries he has had the past couple of seasons.
• Jonathan Broxton, stardom is awaiting. This dude appears to be underrated, but he needs to be mentioned amongst the best closers in the game. Poor Chris Iannetta just couldn't straighten out his 99 and 100 mile per hour fastballs last night and then waved at just a dirty slider to end the game.
• Andre Ethier has been a different hitter since Manny arrived in the lineup. Now hitting behind Manny, he is just lacing the ball. He has a very quiet setup and swing but the bat head gets through quickly and stays in the zone awhile. He may be on course for quite a few all star teams at this pace.
• Zach Greinke has been unreal. I said Bush wasn't dominant in his no hit bid, but Greinke was dominant against Detroit. The guy was locating 4 of his pitches and was getting the Tigers hitters to hit the pitches he wanted to. Just an unreal streak he has going on.
• Speaking of Greinke's opponent, this was my 2nd time watching Rick Porcello and my 1st time charting him. He has a great 2-seam fastball that has some movement (but not as much as Belisario) and sits in the low 90's with it. His issue right now is a consistent off-speed pitch. He had some big struggles with his curveball either bouncing it at the 40 foot mark or having it sail on him way out of the zone high. His changeup was strong against the Royals left handed hitters, but he had a tendency to bounce those as well. I think his ceiling is that of a # 2 starter (maybe a # 1 if he can start throwing his plus slider again).
• Nate Robertson, oh Nate Robertson. Guy is struggling with his command and he doesn't have the stuff to be constantly pitching behind hitters (even in the bullpen). If he can get strike one, he's fine. If he doesn't, well, hitters sit on that 87-90 mph fastball and tee off.
• Felipe Paulino really shocked me. I was expecting a protypical RHP b/c Houston's system is regarded as being terrible, but this guy has some legit potential. He was SITTING at 94 the entire night (6 IP) and was touching 96 and 97 when he needed to. His slider has good late bite and is another average to plus offering as he gains more command. His issue is he has nothing to attack left handed hitters. His changeup is fringy and he doesn't throw too many 2-seamers. If he can find a serviceable changeup to just have left handed hitters keep it in the back of their mind, he is a # 2 starter. As he is now, a middle of the rotation starter with a chance to be real special in the back-end of the bullpen.
• Yovani Gallardo fired a complete game win in his start and he looked great as well. His fastball velocity is right around 93 with the ability to get 95, but his weapon is a hammer curve that he can throw for strikes or bury. He also has a solid changeup that is enough to keep left handers worried, as it is straight and is slow enough (typically around 86-87) where they roll over on it and ground on routinely to first. He may not be the Cy Young winner I thought he might be this season, but he is a strong # 2 starter on a contending team and has the ability to be a legit ace in a couple of years.
• Mark Teahen's value to the Royals right now can't be measured. Guys that can play multiple positions and still be your 3 hole hitter? Hit a nice opposite field home run to LF last night and he is looking just like what he is, a .280-.360-.480 type hitter. That line would be incredible for a 2B, but for a 3B or corner outfielder, it is just average. Give Teahen his due.
• Michael Bourn has looked much better in April the couple of times I saw him. He no longer looks overmatched at the plate and seems to have an idea of what he wants to do. He is still pounding the ball on the ground and utilizing his best asset, his legs, to get singles. He is taking walks, which is something he didn't do at all last year. My only curiosity is where are the stolen base attempts once he reaches?
• Mike Cameron and Humberto Quintero had a huge collision (and if you haven't seen it, you probably should). Cameron is a big, strong guy and Quintero was up the line to field the throw and had no choice but to hold his ground to make a tag. Cameron LIT HIM UP. No way around it. It was a football collision in baseball minus pads. Quintero left the game with a few maladies and hopefully he isn't worse for the wear.
• May need to change my opinion on Bill Hall. I was never a big Hall fan (and seriously doubt he can put up 35 home runs again), but he is a valuable player. He is actually a pretty good defender at 3rd, which i did not expect. He has shown the ability to barehand balls when charging in, go to his left and throw across his body to get an out and go to his right to get an out. I believe that if Milwaukee called up Matt Gamel now, they would be doing themselves a disservice, as he would have no position and he would, from what I hear, be a DRASTIC step down from Hall defensively. Hitting won't be Milwaukee's problem. Pitching will need to be there and one of the best ways to help pitching is by having a strong defense (Seattle Mariners anyone?)
• Working in Columbus last year, I saw many fine young players who are 2 to 3 years from the big time. One, however, is fighting to get recognized now. Mike Stanton, a 19 (YES, 19) is playing in High A and is hitting .360-.448-.660. I graded Stanton out as a 6.5 (the only hitters ahead or equal to him were Jason Heyward of the Braves and Angel Villalona of the Giants. My scouting report on Stanton:

"Swing is a little slow, but should increase bat speed as he ages. Real wide base keeps weight from going forward or back. Big guy who can add more muscle (scary, as he is 6-5, 205 already). Very strong arm (7 out of 7) with accuracy. Overall, is a very good prospect who will stick in RF. 20-25 home run guy with a .260-.280 average and he will have some big years.

• In looking at it again now (and after hearing of the rave reviews he got at spring training), he may far eclipse what I set out for him. My main concern was the bat speed (as he was late on several high 80's fastballs from Jesse Darcy) and he appears to have gotten that fixed. His swing is a little long and he will always put up some big strikeout numbers (has 14 in 50 high A at bats), but his offensive production as a whole would be outstanding. That projection should now probably be bumped up to a 30-35 home run guy (though who knows how FLA's new ballpark will play) and I think he will have more big years (.280-.400-.550) then not. Things continue to look great for the player-development machine in FLA.

Greg Paulus To Syracuse?!?!?!

OH MY GOD. THAT IS AMAZING. Wait. Never mind.

Word out of ESPN is that he is 95 % going to Syracuse. I hesitate because how the heck is he 95 % sure of where he is going? Who out there is looking for a scoop and hedging their bets (Psssst, Joe Schad, stand up).

But seriously, this move wouldn't be bad at all for Syracuse. Paulus was the Gatorade National Player of the Year when he was at Christian Brothers Academy (Yep, in Syracuse) and he could be helpful to newly anointed starter (Redshirt Frosh Ryan Nassib). But, Cuse fans need to keep their expectations low, as Paulus hasn't played QB in 4 years. He would also be stepping into a situation where he has skill-position talent (Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey (The ND killer as he is more commonly referred to...) at RB and the return of the great Mike Williams to lead an underrated WR unit) to utilize, but the o-line isn't yet a D-1 caliber line. This line struggles to pass protect (ask poor Andrew Robinson) and while I like where the offense is at this stage (a lot of quick passes and screens to not have them protect long), Paulus will need to be in midseason form at the beginning of fall practice to compete for the job. Worst case, Paulus comes to Cuse and can't unseat starter Nassib. Best case, Paulus starts and leads us to a bowl game.

Here's hoping he does it and leads us to a bowl game.

Relief Pitcher Check

For those of you unaware, I am author of a long study evaluating the regression of relief pitchers (and for those of you that do know, it is growing, I am currenly adding specific pitch type and a completely redone disabled list database). Anyways, I identified my top 5 candidates for regression according to the evals and here they are with a quick stat check and my reasoning:

Luis Ayala: Posted 2nd highest Days of Rest score in his career in 2008 and has regressed each time he has posted a qualifying Days of Rest score.

8 Appearances, 1-1, 6.48 ERA. 13 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 8.1 IP

Dennys Reyes: The last time he was worked as hard as he was in 2008 was 2006. In 2007, he regressed greatly.

9 Appearances, 0-1, 3.18 ERA. 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 5.2 IP

Brad Lidge: Qualified under 4 criteria in 2008, as well as the 3-season Total IP for 2006-2008. The last time he qualified under these criteria (2006), he suffered regression the next year.

8 Appearances, 0-1, 8.22 ERA. 10 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 7.2 IP

Pedro Feliciano: Qualified under the Days or Rest criteria in 2007 and showed regression in 2008. For 2008, he qualified under 4 criteria, including an even greater number in the Days of Rest evaluator.

9 Appearances, 0-1, 4.76 ERA. 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K, 5.2 IP

John Grabow: Qualified for the +/- Pitches category in 2006 and regressed in 2007. In 2008, he has qualified for the +/- Pitches in addition to the +/- Inning category.

7 Appearances, 1-0, 0.00 ERA. 7 H, 3 BB, 8 K, 7.1 IP

Updates as actions warrant on these 5 pitchers.

Studs, Duds and The In-Between

With my job allowing me to watch hours and hours of baseball, I plan on relaying the studs, the duds and the in-betweens of players I have seen. I will start with what I recall from this week, but I plan on keeping you in tune with everything I have watched/done.

STUDS:
Rich Harden: Dude is still disgusting with his fastball, changeup, slider trifecta. If he stays healthy and is able to limit his pitch count to pitch deeper into games, he may contend for a Cy Young (way to go out on a limb there TK)

DUDS:
Micah Owings: I was watching the Reds broadcast of this game and the announcers were talking of how he was an off-speed pitch away from being a good major league pitcher. This left me thinking: What game are you watching? Owings is a drastically different pitcher from when he was drafted. Once able to sit in the high 90's, Owings has been reduced to a low 3/4 release RHP who sits in the high 80's. The problem? The control issues still linger. He appears to be trying to get by with a decent cutter, but I have live scored 2 of his starts this season and he is lucky to still be a Red. Look for him at a AAA ballpark near you soon.

Matt Harrison: This one-time top prospect has struggled recently. Forget the W-L records. He is a fringe average major league pitcher. With a fastball barely breaking 90 (and huge command issues to boot), his quality changeup can't get a chance to get started. Needs to start figuring something out before the likes of Holland (more on him below) and Feliz start passing him by.

IN-BETWEEN:
Derek Holland: Needless to say, I was psyched to be scoring the game where this highly touted prospect made his debut. After suffering through the likes of Matt Harrison, I was rewarded by this FLAME-throwing LHP. Holland came in and was pumping 97 mile per hour fastballs (according to MLB Gameday) like it was his job (b/c, well, it is). Very nice arm action and the dude actually had command to. But, while his fastball is definitely plus, this kid wasn't ready for the bigs (don't let the stats fool you). Holland threw only 3 breaking pitches (I thought 3 sliders, another thought 2 sliders and a change) and only one looked at least average (a sick slider to strike out Aaron Hill). Kid needs to develop his off-speed stuff, and if that happens, he will be a # 1 or # 2 starter. However, even without it, a LH that can throw 97 out of the pen tends to have a long career.

Dave Bush: Yes, I charted his near no hit game. No, he wasn't dominant. A pitcher with good fade to his 2-seam fastball that sits in the high 80's, he rarely is. He throws 5 pitches (and may I add, it is SO much fun to try and distinguish between his cut fastball and his slider) and seems to have pretty good command of them all. My issue was when he missed, he missed up. Ryan Howard could have had 2 bombs in the game, but hit loud fly outs to CF. Don't get too excited and think he has finally turned the corner. While Bush is one of those whose peripherals look like he should be much better, he is a comfortable # 3 starter who will be right around a 4.10-4.50 ERA.

Tonight is the Colorado-Dodgers game (my live score assignment) with an expected pitching matchup of finesse LHP Eric Stults and sinkerballing RHP Aaron Cook. My thoughts on them (and maybe even some hitters) when I return.

April Recollections

It has been a whirlwind first month on the job. For those of you who don't know and have stumbled here, I am a 22 year old working an internship in Coplay, PA for a company called Baseball Info Solutions. They provide a lot of different statistical analyses and all sorts of other stuff to major league teams, fantasy baseball websites and superfans that have millions of dollars (Yes, Rob Neyer is one of many clients of this company).

My main job is to score live baseball games as they occur (Oh, but this is ENHANCED scoring) and then chart games the next day.

The enhanced scoring lies on the principles of John Dewan's Fielding Bible, which is one of the many innovative things BIS (short-hand, get used to it) has come up with and is available at a store near you. We have 53 defensive misplays that can be assigned to a given play. These plays aren't errors, but they are, well, misplays. Everything from misplaying a ground ball, to losing a ball in the sun, to deferring to another player, to a bad throw, it's in there. But, because they are equal opportunity, we also have about 25 GFP's (Good Fielding Plays) that can also be assigned on any given play. These range from a diving play to get a guy out, diving to keep a ball in the infield to a great scoop and anything along those lines.

Any questions about the happenings at BIS? Let me know.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I have decided that I have nothing else to do and figured I would do a blog to keep everyone up-to-date on players I have watched and any happenings occurring in PA. This blog will talk about everything baseball that I feel is appropriate, as well as Syracuse stuff and maybe some personal stuff.

Who knows?