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

• Chris Volstad is a 22 year old who stands 6-8, 225. The right hander has a big frame with room to add a ton more muscle everywhere. From an over the top release, he showcased a fastball at 90-94, a curveball at 79-83 and a changeup at 82-85. His curveball is a sharp breaking 12-6 pitch with good bite. His changeup shows excellent fade and average sink. His fastball shows good late sink and above average fade. All of his pitches are above average and he generates a great downhill plane for his pitches. He needs to be more consistent with all his offerings break-wise and command-wise, as some pitches will flatten out and he will also struggle to locate his fastball. None of these are too concerning for a young pitcher. An average # 3 right now, he shows the frame to be able to get his fastball up consistently to the 93-95 area and if he can do that, he is a # 2.
• Jamie Moyer is a 46 year old who is 6-0 185. The lefthander's frame really doesn't matter, as it won't be adding any muscle any way, it will just be wasting away. From an over the top release, he showed a fastball at 80-83, a cutter at 74-80, a changeup at 74-76 and a curveball at 67-70. His fastball is a 2-seamer with above average movement and is an average offering. His cutter is an 11-4 type pitch with good depth and looks similar to his curveball and is an average offering. His changeup gets good and sink and shows a little fade and is average. His curveball is a big breaking 11-5 pitch that is also average. Moyer has plus command and that is how he gets by. When he misses, even by a little bit, he gets hit hard. A # 5 starter and who knows how long he can keep this up?
• Chan Ho Park is a 35 year old who stands 6-2, 210. The right hander has a medium frame that looks to be maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, he shows a fastball at 89-94, a slider at 80-85, a curveball at 75-80 and a changeup at 83-84. His fastball shows above average fade with little sink and is an average offering. His changeup has decent bite and some fade and is also an average offering. His slider is a 3rd average offering with decent break, a 2-7 pitch. His curveball is a 12-6 offering with decent bite and is somewhat loopy, a 4th average pitch. Park has above average command and looks like a swingman.
• Dan Meyer is a 27 year old who stands 6-3, 220. Yes, this is the same Dan Meyer who was the centerpiece of the Tim Hudson deal. The left hander has a medium to big frame that looks to be maxed out. From an over the top release, he showed a fastball at 92 and a slider at 85. His fastball is a straight 4-seam while his slider is a frisbee slider that is above average due to its velocity. Currently a LOOGY for the Marlins, I think he could be an inning reliever as opposed to a batter reliever, but is still a middle reliever for a contender.
• Leo Nunez is a 25 year old who stands 6-1, 175. The right hander has a medium frame with room to add more muscle, especially in the lower half. From a 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 94-97, a changeup at 85-88 and a slider at 86. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. His changeup shows great fade and looks like a fastball until it takes a right turn about halfway to home plate and is a plus pitch. His slider is a sharp 2-7 pitch with good late bite and is an above average offering. I think he is a future closer, though he does have a high effort delivery.
• Matt Lindstrom is a 29 year old who stands 6-4, 210. The flame throwing right hander has a big frame with room to add more muscle and can probably get up to 225. From a high 3/4 release, he featured a fastball at 95-99 and a slider at 83-84. His fastball is a straight 4-seam while his slider has the bottom drop out of it with great bite. An above average offering, but one that he doesn't seem to be able to throw for strikes. A legit closer who will need to answer command questions (didn't show any in this outing) to be recognized as an above average closer.

Got into work at 8 AM after falling asleep around 1:30 to ensure I had enough time to make my baseball game today, so of course it gets cancelled. Chart, score, baseball game tomorrow.

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.