HOU @ ARI

• Dan Haren (the subject of a debate on here, just glad there was some convo for a little, cough POST COMMENTS cough) was back on the hill and he comes from an over the top release. His curveball is a 12-6 with good depth, his fastball shows good fade and sink, his split shows plus dive and is a pitch he typically buries for his out pitch and his cutter has good late cut and a little sink. All his pitches are above average and they play up due to his plus-plus command, as he may have left 3 or 4 pitches in the middle of the plate all night. Still a really good # 2 starter in my eyes. If there is a modern pitcher that is comparable to Greg Maddux, your looking at him.

1st: FB (90-91), CB (77-79), Split (86), Cut (84-88)

2nd: FB (89-91), CB (77-78), Split (83), Cut (86-87)

3rd: FB (90-91), CB (77-79), Split (84), Cut (85-87)

4th: FB (90-92), CB (78-79), Split (82-84), Cut (85-88)

5th: FB (90-91), CB (78-79), Cut (85-87)

6th: FB (90-93), CB (76-79), Cut (85-88)

7th: FB (88-90), CB (76), Cut (84-86)

8th: FB (88-91), CB (77), Cut (85-88)

9th: FB (89-92), CB (76), Cut (84-88)

• Mike Hampton, a 5-10, 195 pound 36 year old opposed him. The lefty has a small frame that can add a little more muscle, but likely won't. He comes from a high 3/4 release and has a larger repetoire then most. He throws a straight 4-seam, a 2-seam with good fade and sink, a cutter that moves like a SL and is a 11-4 type pitch, a curveball that is an 11-5 pitch with good depth and a change with sink and fade similar to his 2-seam. He is a tough guy to chart, let alone try and pick out pitches at full speed, but below is my best attempt at him.

1st: 4-Seam (87-89), 2-Seam (84-85), CB (76-77), CU (78-82), Cut (85-87)

2nd: 4 (87-90), 2 (84-86), CB (79), CU (80-82), Cut (85-86)

3rd: 4 (87-91), 2 (83-85), CB (78), CU (78-82), Cut (87)

4th: 4 (86-89), 2 (82-85), CU (77), Cut (83-88)

5th: 4 (87-88), 2 (81), CU (78-79), Cut (82-86)

• Brandon Backe finished the game and came from a high 3/4 release showing a fastball with a little fade, a change with good fade and some sink that he threw only to Stephen Drew (scouting report out on him maybe, as this was the first time Backe threw changes in the outings I have done for him), a hard 12-6 slider and a curve with similar movement but a bigger break. His cutter movement is hard to see from the naked eye and looks to be fairly marginal.

6th: FB (89-90), SL (80-81), CB (75-77), CU (81-82), Cut (87-88)

7th: FB (88-90), SL (81), CB (75-76), Cut (87-88)

8th: FB (86-90), SL (81-82), CB (71-76), CU (83)

Tomorrow will be a day from hell. I have a chart, a doubleheader for baseball and a 10 o clock score. Crap.

As always, if there are any pitchers/hitters you would like me to see, give me a game date and I will check it out on off days and provide an extra report (Will - Masterson start?)

CHC @ HOU

• Ted Lilly is a 33 year old who stands 6-1, 190. The lefty has a medium frame that can add more muscle. He comes from an over the top release with a classic drop and drive delivery with a good hip turn that helps him hide the ball. His fastball shows some fade and sink and he will add and subtract from it. His slider shows good bite, but it can also hang. His curveball is a big breaking 12-6 while his change shows good fade and sink. Classic # 4 starter and a good innings eater.

1st: FB (86-91), SL (82-84), CU (81), CB (72-73)

2nd: FB (84-89), SL (80-85), CU (81), CB (71)

3rd: FB (85-91), SL (82-85), CB (72)

4th: FB (89-90), CU (79-81), CB (69-71)

5th: FB (82-87), SL (84-85), CU (82-84), CB (66-70)

6th: FB (86-91), SL (82-85), CU (81), CB (72-75)

7th: FB (87-89), SL (77-85), CU (80-81)

• Brian Moehler, a 6-3, 225 pound righty opposed him. The 37 year old has a medium to big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball is a 2-seam with some fade and sink. His change shows some sink and fade. His curveball is a 12-6 offering with okay depth. His cutter has some cut and sink. He battled his command a little bit in this outing, but did get hit around. He is a swingman who works best bouncing between roles. Sadly, the Astros have to many of these.

1st: FB (85-88), Cut (84-88), CU (78-80), CB (75-79), SL (78-82)

2nd: FB (86-88), Cut (83-87), CU (79-80), CB (75-78), SL (82)

3rd: FB (86-88), CB (77)

• Brandon Backe comes from a 3/4 release with a fastball that shows some fade and a little sink, a slider that is a 2-7 offering with good bite, a 12-6 curve with okay depth and a cutter that has little visible cut. Another swingman.

4th: FB (89-91), SL (83-84), CB (78), Cut (88-91)

5th: FB (87-92), SL (82-84), CB (74-79), Cut (87-90)

6th: FB (87-91), SL (81-83), CB (70-73), Cut (86-88)

• Alberto Arias comes from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has good fade and sink and a power curve with good downward action that is a 1-8 offering. He is the only for sure major leaguer I saw from the Astros pitching tonight that I would want in my pen. His fastball command can be spotty.

7th: FB (90-94), CB (80-82)

8th: FB (91-94), CB (81-82)

• Tim Byrdak finished the game for the Astros. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has some fade, a change with some fade and sink and a sweeping 3-9 slider. He struggled to command his pitches and was missing down and appeared to be nibbling. Useful as a 2nd lefty, but that is about it.

9th: FB (88-92), SL (83-86), CU (82-87)

• Aaron Heilman is a 30 year old who stands 6-5, 225. The right hander has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball shows good fade and sink. His slider is a 2-7 offering that shows good bite. His change shows good fade and sink and generates weak contact, as it looks like a fastball out of his hand. Good multi-inning reliever who can serve as a bridge to your closer with his ability to get out both lefties and righties.

7th: FB (93), SL (82-84)

8th: FB (92-93), SL (81-84), CU (83-87)

• Sean Marshall is a 26 year old who stands 6-7, 220. The lefty has a big frame that can add a lot more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball has some fade. His slider is a 10-4 offering with decent bite and his curve is a big breaking 11-5 offering. Major league pitcher, just don't know what role. He doesn't have a wipeout breaking pitch, so I think he would fit better as a # 5 starter.

9th: FB (87-89), SL (84-85), CB (73-75)

Off tomorrow.

COL @ HOU

• Wandy Rodriguez is a 5-11, 195 pound 30 year old. The left hander has a small frame that is maxed out. He attacks from a 3/4 release. His fastball is a 4-seam with some run. His change is a straight change with some sink. His curveball is an 11-4 type pitch that can be inconsistent with break, ranging anywhere from plus to average. The plus curve has great depth and just falls off the table, while the average ones tend to look like slurves. He has a classic drop and drive delivery and cocks his arm a little, as it stays up at the top of the arm circle longer then most. He struggled with his command, leaving a lot of fastballs belt high and throwing a ton of curveballs belt high. He had allowed 1 home run all season (something like 65 innings) and proceeded to allow 4 (Atkins twice, Spilborghs, Hawpe). Wandy is a # 3 starter at best. His main issue is that he is primarily FB-CB. These 2 pitches have enough speed difference that you can sit on one and still be able to foul the other off if he throws it. He was pitching over his head at the beginning of the season.

1st: FB (89-92), CB (77-79), CU (85)

2nd: FB (90-92), CB (75-78), CU (85-86)

3rd: FB (88-92), CB (75-79), CU (85-86)

4th: FB (89-92), CB (74-76)

5th: FB (85-90), CB (75-78), CU (84)

• Jason Hammel was acquired by the Rockies after he lost his bid against Jeff Niemann for the 5th spot in the Rays rotation. The 6-6, 220 pound right hander has a big frame that has room to add more muscle. The 26 year old comes at you from a high 3/4, almost over the top release. His change shows good fade and sink and will throw it to right handers. It will flash plus with excellent sink and looks like a fastball out of his hand. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. His curveball is a 12-6 pitch with good bite and depth. It has some good late downward action as well. His slider is a 2-7 offering with some bite and depth. The slider is just a harder thrown curve. He showed great command and had a loose arm with a little wrist circle while he was in his arm circle. Hammel's upside is that of a # 2 starter, but his realistic ceiling is a # 3. He can add quite a bit more muscle to his frame and has a good array of pitches.

1st: FB (92-94), SL (84), CB (76), CU (85)

2nd: FB (93-94), SL (83-84), CB (78), CU (85)

3rd: FB (91-94), CB (76-77), CU (85)

4th: FB (92-94), SL (83-85), CB (77), CU (85)

5th: FB (91-94), CB (77-78), CU (83-85)

6th: FB (93), SL (85)

7th: FB (91-93), CB (76-77), CU (83-84)

• Russ Ortiz was the 1st of two Houston long relievers that I am better off without seeing. He came from an over the top release. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. His curveball is a 12-6 big breaker with average break. His change is straight with a little fade and sink and is more of a show pitch. His cutter has good late action in on lefties and is an effective weapon. His slider is a 2-7 offering with good bite. I guess he can be solid as a long man, but isn't there someone in their system that can do that?

6th: FB (88-91), CB (75-77), CU (81), Cut (89-91)

7th: FB (90-92), CB (74-78), Cut (87-90), SL (86)

• Brandon Backe was the other. Remember when he was a good starter? Neither does anyone else. The 6-0, 195 pound right hander has a medium frame that can add more muscle. The 31 year old featured a 3/4 release. His fastball has some fade, but is just an average offering. He really struggled to command the fastball and left them up, away, down and in. His slider is a 2-7 offering with average bite. His curveball is 12-6 with good late bite and depth. His cutter doesn't do much to the naked eye. Another guy who I guess could be a good long man. The Astros need to find some guys that actually have some upside to throw these meaningless innings in my opinion.

8th: FB (89-91), Cut (88-89), SL (81-83), CB (75)

9th: FB (86-90), CB (75)

• Jason Grilli continued his struggles. Coming from a high 3/4 release, the right hander showed a fastball with some fade, a slider that can be anywhere from average to plus and a change with some fade but little sink. His fastball is slightly above average and his slider can be anything on a given day, as his plus slider moved across nearly the entire plate with good bite while his average sliders had just a little bite . Solid middle reliever who has been battling his command and continued to do so tonight.

8th: FB (92-95), SL (82-87), CU (85-86)

• Alan Embree is what he always is, a left hander who pitches from a high 3/4 release with a 4-seam fastball with some run and a 11-4 slider with good bite. He can keep this up as long as he maintains his velocity. Take out the 88 pitch and he was 92-94 with his heat.

9th: FB (88-94), SL (77-80)

• Edwin Bellorin is a 27 year old catcher who was the guy to take Chris Iannetta's spot for the next week or so. The 5-9, 225 pounder has a small frame that is maxed out. He has an open stance with a little bat wiggle. He holds the bat similar to Matt Stairs with some cocking action, which is his trigger combined with a stride. His swing can get a little long. He doesn't look to profile well as anything more then a back-up catcher, as his bat looked fringy with slightly below average pop and may struggle to catch up to plus fastballs. He presented a big target to throw to and looked like he called a pretty good game. Who knows if he will gain membership into the 10 year back-up catcher club started by Tim Laker?

Off tomorrow!!!! Thank God. I need sleep. Got a baseball game though, so it's not like I have nothing to do. One of these days, I will.

One of the games on my get to watch list (going to try and watch it Sunday) is Vin Mazzaro's major league debut.