Chart Observations (7/3 Game): PIT @ FLA

1) Chris Volstad: 47 pitches (left due to rain delay), 2 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups (3rd)

• Volstad came from an over the top release and showed a 2-seam fastball with sink and above average run in on righties. His offspeed stuff is a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth that can be a K pitch and a changeup with good sink and fade from lefties that he will throw to righties. Has the potential to be a # 2 starter and is a solid # 3 right now.

1st: FB (91-93), CB (80-81)

2nd: FB (90-92), CB (78-80), CU (84)

3rd: FB (90-91), CB (75-80), CU (82-84)

2) Charlie Morton: 91 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), 3 Curveballs (2nd, 2 in 5th), 3 Changeups (2nd, 2 in 6th)

• Morton is a 6-4, 190 pound righty. The 25 year old has a big frame that can add a lot more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a 2-seam fastball with slightly above average sink and run in on righties. It flashes plus every once in awhile. His change has good fade from lefties with good sink and he will throw the pitch to righties. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth and serves as his out pitch. His slider is a 2-7 offering with solid bite that he threw just once in this game. Morton's velocity was up from when I saw him late at the year and he looks like he should be a solid middle of the rotation starter. Even though his frame isn't maxed, I believe his velocity is.

1st: FB (89-95), CU (85), CB (80)

2nd: FB (90-95), CU (82-83), CB (82)

3rd: FB (88-91), CU (80-81)

4th: FB (88-94), CU (81-82), CB (78-80)

5th: FB (87-94), CU (82), CB (79-80)

6th: FB (87-93), CU (81-82), CB (78-79), SL (82)

3) Tim Wood: 36 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (5th, 6th), Slider (6th)

• Wood is a 6-1, 185 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 200. He comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball has good run in on righties with solid sink. His change has excellent diving action and can look like a splitter. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with good late bite. Wood has the makings of a late inning reliever, but will likely be a middle reliever.

4th: FB (92-93), SL (85-87)

5th; FB (91-93), SL (87)

6th: FB (92-94), CU (87), SL (86)

4) Chris Leroux: 32 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup.

• Leroux came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with excellent run in on righties with solid sink that looks like it would be like hitting a brick. However, the pitch can flatten out and he can also struggle with his command of it. His change shows good fade from lefties with sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with solid bite. I think Leroux is a set-up man down the road.

7th: FB (92-95), CU (87), SL (84-86)

5) Joel Hanrahan: 29 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Slider

• Hanrahan came from an over the top release with a fastball that has some sink and a 2-7 slider with good bite. Somehow, barrels keep finding his ball.

7th: FB (94-96), SL (84-86)

6) Brian Sanches: 17 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

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

8th: FB (88-90), SL (83), Split (79-83)

7) John Grabow: 11 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup

• Comes from a 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a straight change with some late sink and a slurvy 10-4 slider with solid bite. He will throw the changeup to lefties. Solid setup guy, but better fit as a middle reliever in the 6th or 7th.

8th: FB (89-92), SL (84), CU (83)

8) Renyel Pinto: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider

• Pinto came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with good run in on righties, a straight change with some sink and a 10-4 slider with good bite.

9th: FB (88-91), SL (82), CU (80)

9) Jeff Karstens: 22 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs

• Karstens comes from an over the top release and shows a fastball with some run in on righties with sink, a 12-6 big breaking curve with good depth, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a change with solid fade from lefties and sink that he will throw to righties.

9th: FB (88-91), SL (79), CU (78-79), CB (69-72)

Chart Observations: FLA @ PHI

• Andrew Miller is a 24 year old with a massive frame (6-6, 210). The left hander can add a ton of his muscle to his frame and should be able to carry weight around 230 to 240. He is extremely long and very lanky, making it difficult for him to consistently repeat his mechanics. From a high 3/4, almost over the top release he featured a fastball at 86-94 (sat at 89-91), a hard slider at 77-79, a softer slider at 73-75 and a changeup at 82-83. He has some wrist pronation as he takes his arm back in the arm circle. He doesn't move his hands much in the wind-up and they only move when he kicks his leg. He trying to have a drop and drive delivery and it looks like his arm is lagging behind. He throws 2 fastballs, a 2-seam that has some run and a little sink and a 4-seam fastball that is pretty straight. SL is a 10-4, 11-5 type offering that is pretty loopy when used as a get ahead pitch (pretty much only threw these on the first pitch of at bats). His harder slider is sharper and has much better depth, but it looks as if he can only bounce it. His changeup is a pretty straight offering with a little sink and preferred this to his slider in most situations. Miller is a definite project, as his velocity is down from when he was drafted. His slider and changeup are just average offerings right now and his command is a tick below average. I would prefer Miller to get more time in AAA before pitching in the majors, but he is making improvement, as slow as they may be. Miller has the potential of a # 2 (a TON of projection there) and I think his realistic upside at this stage is a # 4. Disappointed in what he showed last night.
• Joe Blanton somehow struck out 11 and it sure didn't seem like it while charting the game. The 28 year who stands 6-3, 250 has a medium frame that is maxed out. From an over the top release, the right hander showed a fastball at 87-92, a slider at 81-85, a curveball at 75-79 and a change at 82-86. Blanton works very fast on the mound and has very good tempo on the mound. His curveball is a 12-6 offering with good bite and depth and will use it as a strikeout pitch or get ahead pitch, but it is better served as a get ahead offering. His fastball is a 2-seamer that shows good fade and sink. His slider is a 1-7 pitch that can be sharp and has good bite. His slider can be anywhere from average to plus in an outing. His changeup moves just like his fastball and I actually thought he should have thrown more changes away then sliders in to the lefties on the Marlins. Blanton is a good middle of the rotation starter, though I think he would fit better in another ballpark. Slightly above average # 4 who is pitching to his potential.
• Chris Leroux made his major league debut last night. The 25 year old who stands 6-6, 210 has a big frame to add more muscle and he can probably get up to 225 or 230 without sacrificing anything. The right hander showed a fastball at 92-95, a slider at 84-87 and a changeup at 86-87. He generates a good downhill plane for all his pitches. His slider is a 2-7 offering with decent bite. His fastball is a 2-seamer with good natural sink and some fade. His changeup shows good late and good sink. His fastball, slider and change all flashed above average in this outing and he looked to have above average command. This is a guy that you can see eventually becoming a closer. However, the Phillies hit his good stuff fairly well and didn't appear to be that fooled by his offerings. Still, I think his upside is that of a closer.
• Ryan Madson is a 28 year old who stands 6-6, 200. The right hander has a big frame that has room to add a lot more muscle. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 94-97, a cutter at 90 and a changeup at 82-83. His changeup has excellent fade and above average sink and is a plus pitch. His cutter has good late cut in on lefties and is thrown hard and is an above average pitch. His fastball flashed some late fade, but it looks to be a straight 4-seam. The best pitcher in the Phillies bullpen right now, he should be closing.
• Chad Durbin is a 31 year old who stands 6-2, 220. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 88-91, a cutter at 85-90 and a changeup at 77. His fastball is a 2-seam with above average fade and decent sink and is a slightly above average offering. His cutter has decent bite, but is just an average offering. His changeup doesn't do much of anything and is just a show pitch. He is a pitcher who is greater then the sum of his parts due to his typical above average command (didn't show it tonight) who is likely a solid 10th or 11th guy to have in a bullpen.
• Scott Eyre is a 37 year old who stands 6-1, 225. The left hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, the lefty showed a fastball at 88-89 and a slider at 81. Both of his pitches are average offerings, as his slider is a frisbee slider and his fastball is a straight 4-seam. A LOOGY who seems to be getting by more on reputation then stuff, he probably has another 1 or 2 major league seasons left.
• Brad Lidge is a 32 year old who stands 6-5, 215. The right hander has a big frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4 release he showed a fastball at 92-95 and a slider at 85-86. His slider is a plus, borderline plus-plus pitch that is very sharp and is a 1-7 offering. It plays up due to his innate command of it. His fastball is a straight 4-seam that he has struggled to command this season and has a tendency to leave it up in the zone. He should be setting up Madson while he works out the kinks.

Peavy vs. Buckner tonight. After a Baseball game.