A Football Game in Baseball: Chart Observations NYY @ BOS

1) Andy Pettitte: 105 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 5 Cutters (2 in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th), Curveball (3rd)

• Pettitte came from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties, a 12-6 curve with average depth, a cutter with good cut and good sink that moves like a slider and a change with good fade from righties with some sink.

1st: FB (88-92), Cut (86-87), CB (76-79)

2nd: FB (88-92), Cut (87), CB (78)

3rd: FB (89-92), Cut (85-87), CB (76-77), CU (81-82)

4th: FB (90-91), Cut (85-88), CB (77), CU (81-82)

5th: FB (88-92), Cut (85-87), CB (76-77), CU (80-82)

6th: FB (88-90), Cut (85-86), CB (75)

2) Brad Penny: 89 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 3rd), 2 Sliders (2nd, 4th), Curveball (3rd)

• Penny came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a split with some dive, a 1-7 curve with average depth and a 2-7 slider with some bite.

1st: FB (94-98), CB (77-79), Split (89)

2nd: FB (93-97), CB (78-79), SL (86), Split (86)

3rd: FB (93-97), CB (78-79), SL (85-86), Split (85-86)

4th: FB (92-96), CB (78-80), SL (85-87), Split (85-86)

5th: FB (93-94), SL (86-87), Split (84)

3) Michael Bowden: 63 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups, Fastball, Slider (All in 5th)

• Bowden came from an over the top release and showed a 2-7 slider with some bite, a straight change with a little fade from lefties and a straight 4-seam that can flash cut, some sink and/or some run in on righties.

5th: FB (90-94), CU (83-85), SL (81-86)

6th: FB (88-92), CU (82-84)

4) Brian Bruney: 37 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider (6th)

• Bruney came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball that flashed run in on righties and a 2-7 slider with some bite that moved more like a cutter.

6th: FB (95-98), SL (87-90)

7th: FB (93-98), SL (88-90)

5) Damaso Marte: 6 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Marte came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-5 slider with above average bite and a fastball with some run in on lefties.

7th: FB (93-94), SL (80-82)

6) Manny Delcarmen: 8 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Delcarmen came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties and a little sink.

7th: FB (92-95)

7) Takashi Saito: 16 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Saito came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties, a sharp 11-5 curve with average depth and a 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (91-93), CB (79-80), SL (83)

8) Sergio Mitre: 33 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (9th)

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

8th: FB (88-92)

9th: FB (89-92), SL (77-80), CU (83)

9) Ramon Ramirez: 24 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Ramirez came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with marginal run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties with some sink.

9th: FB (92-94), CU (87-89), SL (85-88)

Chart Observations: FLA @ BOS

• Brad Penny comes from an over the top release. He has a straight 4-seam fastball, a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth and split with excellent diving action that he will throw to righties. Look at his velocity numbers below and then give the Red Sox what they want for this guy, especially if your a NL team.

1st: FB (94-98), CB (79-81)

2nd: FB (94-97), CB (77-81), Split (86-87)

3rd: FB (93-97), CB (79), Split (88)

4th: FB (94-96), Split (85-88)

5th: FB (94-96), CB (80), Split (85-86)

• Andrew Miller comes from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a slurvy 11-5 slider with good bite and a straight change that looks like his fastball. He may have moved his arm slot up and is the best I have seen him this year. His fastball velocity was back and he kept the Sox off balance with changeups. Now, can he pitch this way when he isn't at Fenway?

1st: FB (91-97), SL (80), CU (87)

2nd: FB (90-95), SL (79), CU (82-85)

3rd: FB (93-96), CU (83-86)

4th: FB (91-96), SL (77-82), CU (81-88)

5th: FB (94-96), SL (76-78), CU (84)

6th: FB (92-93), SL (74), CU (82-84)

• Justin Masterson came from a 3/4 release with a fastball that had good sink and run and sharp 2-7 slider with good bite. His change is straight and didn't look very good.

6th: FB (93-96), SL (85-89), CU (89)

• Brian Sanches comes from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run, a split with above average dive that he will throw to righties and a sharp 2-7 slider.

6th: FB (90), SL (84), Split (81)

7th: FB (89-90), SL (84-86), Split (80-85)

• Hideki Okajima came from an over the top release with a violent head jerk and showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a 12-6 curve with good depth and bite.

7th: FB (88-89), CB (78)

• Ramon Ramirez came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some life, a change with excellent fade and sink, though it could be inconsistent and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (93-96), SL (86), CU (89-92)

• Kiko Calero comes from a high 3/4 release. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with good bite. his fastball has some sink and his change has some sink and fade. Didn't have plus (or any) command of his slider today and paid the price.

8th: FB (88-90), SL (80-81), CU (84)

• Leo Nunez came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run and a change with excellent fade and sink.

8th: FB (95), CU (87-88)

• Jonathan Papelbon is a 6-4, 225 pound righty. The 28 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a 4-seam fastball that shows some run and split with great dive. Still one of the best.

9th: FB (94-97), Split (90-91)

BOS @ TOR

These summaries won't be as good, as I had to do this game off MLB TV and was trying to stay as live as possible.

• Brian Tallet is a 6-6, 215 pound 31 year old. The left hander has a high 3/4, almost 3/4 release. He has a big frame that has room to add more muscle. His fastball is a 2-seam with some sink and run. His cutter has good side to side movement with little bite. His slider is more like a 10-4 slurve. His changeup showed good sink and some fade. Really struggled to command his stuff early on, but settled in as the game got deeper. Will drop down sidearm on occasion. Solid back of the rotation starter.

Tallet Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (89-91), Cut (89-91), CU (83-85), SL (80-83)

2nd: FB (88-90), Cut (86-87), CU (80-86), SL (79-84)

3rd: FB (87-89), CU (84-86), SL (80)

4th: FB (88-89), Cut (85-86), CU (81-83)

5th: Cut (86-87), CU (80-84)

6th: FB (86-88), CU (81-84), SL (81)

7th: FB (87-89), Cut (86), CU (80-85), SL (80-81)

• Brad Penny is a 6-4, 230 pound 31 year old. The right hander has a big frame that is maxed out. He attacks from a high 3/4 release. He is very slow through his windup and actually looks in the dugout or crowd as he is separating. His fastball is a straight 4-seam and he lets out a grunt after every one. His curveball is a 12-6 pitch with good bite. His split showed good fade and decent bite, though he really only threw it to Lyle Overbay. Penny is a solid middle of the rotation starter, # 4 in the AL. If he went to the NL, he profiles well as a #3.

Penny Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (88-92), CB (74-75)

2nd: FB (91-96), CB (75-78), Split (82-84)

3rd: FB (93-96), CB (79-80)

4th: FB (92-94), CB (78-79), Split (86)

5th: FB (92-95), CB (76-79)

6th: FB (92-95), CB (78-80), Split (84-85)

• Ramon Ramirez is a 27 year old who stands 5-11, 190. The right hander has a small frame that is maxed out. He features a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release. He throws a hard change whose movement can be erratic from pitch to pitch. His fastball is a straight 4-seam.

Ramirez Inning By Inning:

7th: FB (90-95), CU (84-89)

• Hideki Okajima is a 33 year old who stands 6-1, 195. The left hander has a medium frame that appears to be maxed out. He attacks from an over the top release. His fastball has a little run, but is fairly straight. His curveball is an 11-5 offering with good downward action. He has a head jerk in his delivery and his splitter moves like a 2-seam.

Okajima Inning By Inning:

7th: FB (86)

8th: FB (86-88), CB (75-76), Split (81-82)

• Brandon League is a 26 year old who stands 6-2, 200. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. He attacks from a 3/4 release. His change shows splitter like movement, diving into the ground and is an above average offering. His fastball is a 2-seam with great downward movement and sink.

League Inning By Inning:

8th: FB (94-96), CU (85-86)

• Manny Delcarmen is a 26 year old who stands 6-2, 205. The right hander has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He attacks from an over the top release with some cocking action. His fastball is a straight 4-seam.

Delcarmen Inning By Inning:

8th: FB (95), CB (77)

• Scott Downs is a 33 year old who stands 6-2, 215. The left hander has a medium frame that appears to be maxed out. He attacks from a 3/4 release with a fastball that is a 2-seamer with good sink.

Downs Inning By Inning:

9th: FB (89-91)

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.