9/18: CLE @ OAK

1) Brett Anderson: 89 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 5 Sliders, Fastball.

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

1st: FB (92-94), SL (82-85) - SL (Choo)

2nd: FB (93-95), SL (83-85), CB (75-78)

3rd: FB (89-95), SL (84-86) - 2 SL (Romero, Brantley)

4th: FB (91-96), SL (83-85), CB (78), CU (85) - SL (Choo)

5th: FB (93-94), SL (83-85), CB (78-79), CU (85) - FB (LaPorta), SL (Crowe)

6th: FB (90-95), SL (82-86), CB (77)

2) David Huff: 103 pitches. 8 strikes swinging. 4 Changeups, 3 Fastballs, Slider.

• Huff came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on lefties and a little sink, a 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth that he will throw 3-2, a 11-5 slider with solid bite and a change with good fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw 3-2.

1st: FB (89-92), CU (82-83), SL (81-82), CB (78) - 2 CU (Hairston - 2)

2nd: FB (88-92), CU (81-84), CB (78) - CU (Pennington)

3rd: FB (88-90), CU (80-84), SL (82-83), CB (74-76)

4th: FB (88-92), CU (81-84), SL (79-82) - 3 FB (Carson, Pennington - 2), SL (Carson)

5th: FB (87-90), CU (80-81), SL (81), CB (76) - CU (Hairston)

6th: FB (88-92), CU (80-83), SL (81)

3) Jeff Gray: 14 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Sliders.

• Gray came from an over the top release with a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink and a 2-7 slider with above average bite

7th: FB (94-97), SL (88-89) - 2 FB (Shoppach, LaPorta), 2 SL (Shoppach, Marson)

4) Jess Todd: 13 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 5 Sliders.

• Todd came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 2-7 slider with above average bite, a cutter with some cut and a 2-seam sinker with good run in on righties and good sink

7th: Cut (90-91), FB (90), SL (84-85) - 5 SL (Carson - 3, Davis - 2)

5) Craig Breslow: 11 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

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

8th: FB (89-92), SL (87), CU (77)

6) Chris Perez: 13 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

• Perez came from a 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a sharp 2-7 slider with above average bite

8th: FB (95-96), SL (83-86) - 2 SL (Suzuki, Hairston)

7) Brad Ziegler: 22 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Ziegler came from a submarine release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and good sink, a 3-8 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

9th: FB (85-88), SL (72-73), CU (78) - FB (LaPorta)

• Matt Carson is a 6-2, 200 pound outfielder. The 28 year old righty hitter/thrower has a medium frame that can get up to 215 if he so desires. He has a crouched stance with a little bit of a bat wiggle and is similar to Pujols, except a little more over the plate and the bat is straight up (doesn't look as relaxed as Albert). His trigger is a stride to square himself up and a cocking of the bat. Was 4.3 down the line. 4-A outfielder who just doesn't bring enough to the table to be a 4th OF.


• Niuman Romero is a 6-0, 160 pound utility infielder. Playing shortstop tonight, the 24 year old switch hitter, righty thrower has a small frame that can add some more muscle everywhere, at least to 175. Athletic, skinny build. Defensively, he has pretty good fielding mechanics with a slightly above average throwing arm and soft hands. Appears able to handle every position on the diamond. From the right side, he has a straight on, straight up stance with a bat wiggle. His trigger is a double stride, picking his foot off the ground and then taking a big leg kick, and a cocking of the bat. He will bunt for hits. 4-A guy who really can't be a utility player for a winning team.

Chart Observations: 7/24 OAK @ NYY

1) Brett Anderson: 114 pitches. 12 strikes swinging. 6 Fastballs (1st, 2 in 2nd, 2 in 3rd, 7th), 6 Sliders (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th)

• What a difference seeing him this outing did. He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 2-seam fastball with some run in on lefties and a little sink, a sharp 11-4 slider with above average bite that served as his out pitch and preferred to throw it down and in on righties, a straight 4-seam fastball, a change with good fade from righties with sink and a 11-5 curve with good depth. He definitely has a pretty good shot of being a legit # 2 starter.

1st: FB (90-95), SL (85-86)

2nd: FB (90-96), SL (85-86)

3rd: FB (87-95), SL (81-86), CU (84)

4th: FB (88-92), SL (81-85), CB (77)

5th: FB (89-94), SL (81-85), CU (83-84), CB (77)

6th: FB (88-94), SL (81-86), CU (82-86), CB (75-78)

7th: FB (92-94), SL (81-85), CU (82-83), CB (76-77)

2) Joba Chamberlain: 100 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders (3rd, 2 in 5th)

• Joba is a 6-2, 230 pound righty. The 23 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He came from an over the top release. His fastball has some run in on righties and a little sink. His curve is a 12-6 that is sharp with average depth. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with average bite. His change has good fade from lefties with some sink. Simply put, his stuff has taken a slight step back as he attempts to get acclimated to starting. That being said, I still think this kid is a future # 2 at least and some better fastball command would be a good first step towards that.

1st: FB (91-94), CB (77), SL (84)

2nd: FB (91-95), CB (76), SL (85-86)

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

4th: FB (93-96), CB (78), SL (83-85), CU (84)

5th: FB (91-96), CB( 76), SL (83-86)

6th: FB (91-94), CB (76-78), SL (84-85)

7th: FB (91-93), CB (78-80)

8th: FB (90-94)

3) Russ Springer: 8 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Springer is a 6-4, 225 pound righty. The 40 year old has a big frame that won't be adding any more muscle. He came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with some late run in on righties and a cutter with solid cut and some sink.

7th: FB (92-94), Cut (85)

4) Craig Breslow: 14 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Curveball.

• Breslow came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-5 slider with solid bite, a 11-5 curve with average depth that was a little loopy, a change with above average sink that had some tail in on righties and a fastball with a little run in on lefties.

8th: FB (87-90), SL (82-85), CU (73), CB (74-76)

5) Santiago Casilla: 16 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup.

• Casilla came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties, a 1-7 slider with above average bite and a change with some fade from lefties.

8th: FB (92-95), SL (83-86), CU (85-88)

6) Phil Coke: 13 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball, 2 Sliders.

• Coke came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run and sink on lefties and a 11-5 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (92-94), SL (81-83)

7) David Robertson: 19 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Robertson came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties and a power 12-6 curve with average depth that can be a strikeout pitch.

9th: FB (91-93), CB (77-81)

Extra Reports: 5/4: LAA @ OAK

• Joe Saunders is a 28 year old left hander who stands 6-3, 210. His medium to big frame appears to be maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, the left hander featured a straight 4-seam fastball, a changeup with good fade and sink and a curveball with some bite and is on the same plane as his fastball, causing a lot of check swings and allowing it to play up. His fastball is average, while both his off-speed pitches are above average offerings. He takes advantage of the Angels speed and pitches to contact, rarely walking or striking out hitters. A solid # 4 starter for another couple of years, but these types of lefties tend to have a very small margin for error and as soon as his fastball velocity dips, he is screwed.

Saunders Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (88-92), CU (83), CB (75)

2nd: FB (87-92), CU (82), CB (77)

• I only watched 2 innings of this game because I was unimpressed with Brett Anderson. A 21 year old lefty, he stands 6-4, 215 and his big frame can add a little more muscle. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a slurvy slider, a straight 4-seam fastball, a 11-5 curve and a change. His slider was a 11-4 offering. His curveball was a big breaking pitch that had a lot of drop, but can not serve as a strikeout pitch. His changeup has some fade, but is just an average offering. He has just average command (like a Japanese pitcher, his ability to hit spots may have been overhyped) and he has a tendency to leave pitches up in the zone. Everything the Angels hit, they hit hard. You can't give up on a 21 year old pitching in the majors, but I just don't know what upside is left to him. I can't really see him sitting consistently at 90 as I don't know think there is that much more muscle to be added. He has an average fastball, average slider, average curve and average change. Back of the rotation starter right now and I will project him to remain a # 4 or # 5. It is very hard for me to say that a 21 year old in his first taste of the bigs only projects as a # 4 or # 5, but he had that much struggles in this outing.

Anderson Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (87-91), CB (76), SL (82-84)

2nd: FB (88-92), SL (82-84), CU (82-85)

• Times to 1st

Maicer Izturis: 4.3 (RH)

Howie Kendrick: 4.4