Showing posts with label D.J. Carrasco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label D.J. Carrasco. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Chart Observations: 9/8 OAK @ CHW

1) Brett Tomko: 82 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, Split, CU). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Curveball.
  • Tomko came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a little late run in on righties, a 12-6 curve with above average depth, a 2-7 slider with some bite and a split with some dive.

1st: FB (92-94), SL (82-84), CB (75-77) - FB

2nd: FB (91-93), SL (82), CB (76-77)

3rd: FB (89-93), SL (80-83), CB (77)

4th: FB (91-92), SL (83), CB (75) - FB

5th: FB (89-91), SL (80-82), CB (73-76), Split (84) - CB

6th: FB (92-94), SL (82-84), CB (75-76), Split (85)

2) Carlos Torres: 22 pitches. (FB, Cut, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

  • Torres came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter that moved like a 2-7 slider with good bite, a fastball with a little sink and a 12-6 curve with above average depth. He just got lit up. He almost appeared not to be loose, as he was throwing 84 and 85 mile per hour fastballs until the bases got loaded.

1st: FB (84-94), Cut (81-88), CB (81) - 2 FB

3) D.J. Carrasco: 55 pitches. (Cut, FB, CB, SL, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

  • Carrasco came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink, a cutter with some cut, a big breaking 12-6 curve with above average depth, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink. He will throw drop down fastballs and frisbee sliders with 2 strikes.

1st: FB (90), Cut (88-89)

2nd: FB (90-93), Cut (88-90), CB (75), SL (79-80)

3rd: FB (90-92), Cut (88-90), CB (75), SL (78-80), DDFB (88)

4th: FB (90-93), Cut (87-89), SL (78-79), CU (83-85), FSL (71)

4) Dan Hudson: 46 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 6 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Sliders, 2 Changeups.

  • Hudson is a 6-4, 220 pound righty. The 22 year old righty has a big frame that appears to be maxed out. He has a strong, athletic build with a strong lower half. He has a classic drop and drive delivery and comes from a 3/4 release. It is a max effort delivery. He is a Justin Masterson clone. Similar delivery, but Masterson has a cleaner delivery. Almost looks like he tries to stop his arm after releasing the ball, which would put a ton of extra stress on his shoulder. There is a definite recoil in there. His fastball has some run in on righties and some sink. His change has some fade from lefties and good sink. His change is late breaking and is an above average offering movement wise that he will throw 3-2 and to righties. His slider is a sharp 3-8 with good downward aciton, but not much side to side movement. 1.4 to the plate on a FB and stolen base. Needs to get faster. He is similar to Masterson in stuff, but Masterson's is better. Hudson will need to add more movement to his fastball and tighten his slider. I see him as a solid late inning reliever, but don't think he will be able to hold up as a starter.

5th: FB (94-95), CU (83-85) - FB, 2 CU

6th: FB (93-95), CU (83-84), SL (85) - FB

7th: FB (93-94), CU (84-85), SL (83-84) - 2 SL

5) Craig Breslow: 22 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 2 strikes swinging. Slider, Changeup.

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

6th: SL (83-85)

7th: FB (89-92), SL (81-87), CU (78-79) - SL, CU

6) Randy Williams: 11 pitches. (FB, Cut, CU, CB). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Cutter.

  • Williams came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a cutter with some cut

7th: FB (90-94), Cut (87-90) - FB, Cut

7) Jhonny Nunez: 19 pitches. (FB, Cut). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters

  • Nunez came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and a cutter with good cut and some sink.

8th: FB (93-95), Cut (83-88) - 2 Cut

8) Jerry Blevins: 7 pitches. (FB, CB, CU, Cut). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

  • Blevins came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a little run in on lefties and a straight change that has a little sink and a little fade from righties

8th: FB (92-93), CU (85-87) - 2 FB

9) Scott Linebrink: 34 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, Split). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

  • Linebrink came from an over the top release with a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a straight change with some late from lefties and a little late sink, a split with above average dive that can look like a curve at times and serves as his out pitch and a big breaking 2-7 slider with good bite.

9th: FB (91-94), CU (82), SL (78-79), Split (81-82) - FB, SL

10) Brad Kilby: 14 pitches. (FB, SL). 5 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs.

  • Kilby came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball that was a pretty straight 4-seam, though it flashed a little run in on lefties and a 11-5 slider with solid bite.

9th: FB (91-94), SL (82) - 5 FB

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Chart Observations: 9/2 CHW @ MIN

1) Mark Buehrle: 83 pitches. (FB, Cut, CU, CB, SL). 5 strikes swinging. 2 Changeups, Cutter, Curveball, Fastball.
  • Mark came from a high 3/4 release and showed a change with some fade from righties and a little sink that he will throw to lefties and in 2-0 counts, a cutter with solid cut and some sink, a fastball with some run in on lefties and a little sink, a big breaking 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth and a 11-5 slider with some bite. He will throw 3-2 changeups to lefties (Kubel) with bases loaded and 2 out.

1st: FB (82), Cut (76-81), CU (75-79)

2nd: FB (85-87), Cut (79-83), CU (78-79), CB (68) - Cut

3rd: FB (86), Cut (83), CU (77-78), CB (71) - CU

4th: Cut (79-82), CU (77-78), CB (68-70), SL (79-80) - CB, CU

5th: FB (84-85), Cut (79), CU (77-78)

6th: FB (83-88), Cut (80-84), CU (78-81), CB (69) - FB

2) Brian Duensing: 88 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 11 strikes swinging. 6 Fastballs, 3 Sliders, 2 Changeups.

  • Duensing came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a touch of sink, a change with some fade from righties that he will throw 2-0 and 3-2, a 11-5 slider with solid bite and a 11-5 curve with above average depth.

1st: FB (89-92), SL (83), CU (84-85) - CU

2nd: FB (89-91), SL (81-82), CU (83-84), CB (71-72) - SL

3rd: FB (89-92), SL (82), CU (84-85), CB (71) - FB, SL

4th: FB (88-91), SL (80-81), CB (71) - FB

5th: FB (89-91), SL (79-82), CU (83-85), CB (72) - 2 FB, CU

6th: FB (89-92), SL (80-83), CU (83), CB (72-73) - 2 FB, SL

7th: FB (89-93), SL (80-81), CU (84), CB (69-74)

3) Scott Linebrink: 13 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, Split). 1 strike swinging. Splitter.

  • Linebrink came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some late run in on righties and a little late sink, a split with excellent diving action that can look like a curveball at times, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a straight change with some late sink and late fade from lefties.

7th: FB (93-96), CU (83), SL (79), Split (80-82) - Split

4) Jon Rauch: 14 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, Cut, CU). 0 strikes swinging.

  • Rauch came from an over the top release and showed a 1-7 slider with good bite and downward action, a fastball with a little run in on righties, a straight change that he will throw to righties and a big breaking 12-6 curve with above average depth.

8th: FB (89-92), SL (82), CB (74), CU (86)

5) Randy Williams: 9 pitches. (FB, Cut, CU, CB). 0 strikes swinging.

  • Williams came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with some tailing action in on righties, a cutter with some cut and a 11-5 curve with average depth.

8th: FB (89-94), Cut (88), CB (74)

6) D.J. Carrasco: 5 pitches. (Cut, FB, CB, SL, CU)

  • Carrasco came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter with some cut, a frisbee slider from sidearm that serves as his out pitch with solid bite and a 12-6 curve with average depth.

8th: Cut (88-89), F SL (70), CB (74)

7) Joe Nathan: 31 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

  • Nathan came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a sharp 12-6 curve with average depth and a sharp 2-7 slider with above average bite.

9th: FB (92-95), SL (87-89), CB (81-83) - 2 SL

8) Matt Guerrier: 6 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

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

9th: FB (91), SL (85) - 2 SL

9) Bobby Jenks: 19 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

  • Jenks came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a sharp 2-7 slider with average bite and a sharp 12-6 curve with average depth.

9th: FB (91-94), SL (86-88), CB (81-82) - FB

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Chart Observations: CHC @ CHW

1) Mark Buerhle: 108 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. Slider (4th), 3 Changeups (1st, 2nd, 5th) and 2 on Cutters (2nd, 4th)
  • Buerhle is a 6-2, 230 pound lefty. The 30 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His 4-seam fastball is straight. His 2-seam fastball has some run in on righties and some sink. His change has good sink and a little fade away from righties. His curve is a big breaking 11-4 with good depth. His cutter moves a little bit like a slider and is a 10-4 offering. He has plus command and can locate all his pitches. He is a guy dealing with an incredibly small margin of error, especially with his home ballpark. When he starts slipping, it will be an instant. But, he could also be a Jamie Moyer who pitches until he is 40.

1st: FB (85-88), Cut (82-87), CU (78-80), CB (72)

2nd: FB (85-87), Cut (84-87), CU (77-79), SL (81)

3rd: FB (86-89), Cut (82-84), CU (79-81)

4th: FB (85-86), Cut (80-83), CU (77-78), SL (83)

5th: FB (85-88), Cut (82-86), CU (77-81)

6th: FB (83-85), Cut (82-86), CU (76)

2) Ryan Dempster: 104 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders (4th, 2 in 5th)

  • Dempster is a 6-2, 215 pound righty. The 32 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He has a glove wiggle to mask him setting up his splitter. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He shows a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink. His slider is a 2-7 with good bite. His split has solid dive.

1st: FB (90-92), SL (84-86), Split (82)

2nd: FB (89-92), SL (82-87)

3rd: FB (90-92), SL (84), Split (81-82)

4th: FB (90-92), SL (83-86), Split (79)

5th: FB (88-93), SL (83-86), Split (82-83)

3) Aaron Heilman: 39 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (6th, 7th), 2 Sliders (7th), 2 Changeups (7th)

  • Heilman comes from a 3/4 release with a fastball that has some run in on righties and a little sink. His change shows good fade and sink. His slider is a 2-7 offering with good bite. He will throw his change to righties. Still has a dominant FB-CU combination.

6th: FB (91-94), CU (84-85)

7th: FB (91-93), CU (83-86), SL (80-83)

4) D.J. Carrasco: 30 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (6th), 2 Cutters (6th, 7th)

  • Carrasco came from a high 3/4 release with a 2-seam fastball with some sink and run in righties. He will throw his sidearm frisbee slider as his out pitch and a cutter that shows good late cut and some sink. His curve is a solid 12-6 pitch with good depth. Solid long reliever.

6th: FB (89-92), Cut (88-89), SL (71)

7th: FB (89-91), Cut (89-90), SL (79-80)

8th: FB (90), Cut (88-90), CB (79)

5) Carlos Marmol: 26 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

  • Marmol came from a 3/4 release with a fastball that had good sink and run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite. None of his command issues cropped up in this game.

8th: FB (90-94), SL (80-84)

6) Aaron Poreda: 7 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

  • Poreda came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has some run and sink in on righties.

8th: FB (92-94)

7) Octavio Dotel: 19 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider

  • Dotel came from a 3/4 release with a fastball with some good cut, sink and some late life, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a loopy 2-8 curve.

8th: FB (91-94), SL (81-82), CB (77)

8) Bobby Jenks: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

  • Jenks came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that had some run in on righties and a little sink, a hard, sharp 2-7 slider with good bite and a sharp 11-5 curve.

9th: FB (91-98), SL (89), CB (84-86)

9) Sean Marshall: 8 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

  • Marshall came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 11-5 cutter that just keeps going down, a big breaking 11-5 curve with good depth and a sharp 11-4 slider with good bite.

9th: FB (91), SL (85), Cut (85-90), CB (74-76)

10) Jose Ascanio: 7 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

  • Ascanio is a 6-0, 170 pound righty. The 24 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He showed a fastball with good run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with some bite and a curve that moves the same, but is slower.

9th: FB (94-97), CB (79), SL (87)

Friday, June 26, 2009

Chart Observations: LAD @ CHW

1) Chad Billingsley: 107 pitches. 11 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (1st, 2 in 6th), 1 on a Curveball (1st), 5 on Sliders (2nd, 4th, 5th, 2 in 6th), 2 on Cutters (3rd, 5th)
  • He is a 6-1, 245 pound righty. The 24 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has a little run in on righties and I believe was down from his typical velocity. His cutter has above average cut with a little sink. His curve is a sharp 12-6 with good depth and bite that can be a strike out pitch, but the White Sox hitters were able to continue to foul the balls off. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with above average bite that was his out pitch to most righties. His cutter flattened out in the 4th. Obviously Jeff Weaver has had an effect on him, as he dropped down sidearm to throw a fastball. He worked with plus command and did a nice job of locating.

1st: FB (89-93), CB (79), Cut (88-90)

2nd: FB (89-91), CB (67-77), Cut (89-90), SL (85)

3rd: FB (89-92), CB (79-80), Cut (87-89), SL (85)

4th: FB (89-92), CB (79-80), Cut (86-87), SL (85)

5th: FB (88-92), CB (69-81), Cut (87-89), SL (84-86)

6th: FB (87-93), CB (80-81), Cut (88-89), SL (83-84)

2) Clayton Richard: 85 Pitches. 5 strikes swinging. Slider (2nd), 3 on changeups (All in 4th) and 1 on a cutter (2nd)

  • Richard is a 6-5, 240 pound lefty. The 25 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a 3/4 release with a drop and drive delivery, though he is more of a slinger arm action. His 2-seam fastball has some run in on righties and flashes some sink and his 4-seam is straight that he really only used when throwing a high fastball. His cutter has some cut and a little sink. His change has some fade from righties and sink and is his best off-speed offering. His slider is a slurvy 11-4 with solid bite. He got a lot of hype for being in the Jake Peavy deal, but I am undecided on him. He likely isn't going to start throwing any harder and his stuff is just average in my opinion. I think he is a # 4, # 5 type starter.

1st: FB (90-92)

2nd: FB (89-94), Cut (84-89), SL (80-84), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (87-93), CU (81-84)

4th: FB (89-92), Cut (86), SL (79), CU (79-84)

5th: FB (88-90), CU (81)

3) D.J. Carrasco: 39 Pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 on Sliders (5th, 6th) and a Fastball (6th)

  • Carrasco came from an over the top release with a cutter that has some cut, a 2-seam fastball with some run in on righties and sink that he threw more then he usually does. He also showed a 1-7 curve with good bite. He will throw a frisbee (we chart curve, I will call it a slider) when he drops down with 2 strikes to right handers. He will also throw a fastball from the same angle that is usually 86-88. He is very consistent with using this frisbee slider as his out pitch to righties and they must be ready for it. His change has some fade, but is below average.

5th: FB (89-91), Cut (88), CB (80), SL (72)

6th: FB (86-92), Cut (89-90), SL (71)

7th: FB (88-93), Cut (88-90), CB (80), SL (73), CU (80)

4) Ronald Belisario: 18 Pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (7th)

  • He came from a 3/4 release with a fastball that has excellent run in on righties and above average sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with solid bite that can flatten out and he needs to improve his consistency with this pitch.

7th: FB (93-96), SL (85-87)

8th: FB (94-96), SL (85)

5) Scott Linebrink: 18 Pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

  • Linebrink is a 6-2, 210 pound righty. The 32 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has some late run and sink in on righties. His split has great late downward movement and can be confused with a curve (shockingly), but the one he threw went about 45 feet. His change is a straight change with a litle sink.

8th: FB (93-95), CU (83-84), Split (84)

6) Brent Leach: 16 Pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

  • He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-5 curve with good depth that is a little slurvy, a straight 4-seam fastball and has added a 11-5 slider that is sharp with some break. His command is very inconsistent and is what is holding him back from being the # 1 lefty for the Dodgers.

8th: FB (92-93), CB(78)

9th: FB (92), SL (87-88)

7) Matt Thornton: 13 Pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

  • Thornton is a massive 6-6, 235 pound lefty. The 32 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball and a 10-4 slider with some bite. One of the best lefty relievers in the game.

9th: FB (93-96), SL (89)

8) Ramon Troncoso: 27 Pitches, 3 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (Both in 9th) and a curve (10th)

  • Troncoso is a 6-1, 220 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release with a high effort delivery where he breaks his hands fairly high. His fastball has excellent run and flashes sink. His curve is a sharp 12-6 with good depth and can be a K pitch. The combination of his excellent movement of his fastball and his mechanics lead me to believe he may struggle to consistently throw strikes.

9th: FB (91-95), CB (77-78)

10th: FB (91-94), CB (77-79)

9) Bobby Jenks: 18 Pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs, Slider

  • Jenks is a 6-3, 275 man beast who is maxed out and has some bad weight (there is a gut). The 28 year old righty came from an over the top release. His fastball has above average run and sink in on righties. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with solid bite. Above average closer.

10th: FB (93-96), SL (89-90)

10) Jeff Weaver: 57 Pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (2 in 11th, 13th), Slider (12th)

  • Weaver came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run and sink in on righties, a change with some fade from lefties and some sink, but fairly straight, a 2-8 curve with okay depth and a frisbee 3-8 slider from sidearm or a sharp 2-7 from his normal release with solid bite. He will drop down sidearm to throw sliders and fastballs and appears to do this whenever he feels the need to F with hitters, as there is no distinguishable pattern, though he does like the drop down slider with 2 strikes, but isn't as committed to it as Carrasco. His stuff has regressed and he gets by with deception and command.

11th: FB (88-93), SL (79-82), CU (80), CB (73-76)

12th: FB (88-92), SL (79-84), CU (79), CB (75)

13th: FB (87-92), SL (79-81), CU (82)

11) Octavio Dotel: 23 Pitches. 7 (!) strikes swinging. 6 on Fastballs (11th, 5 in 12th), Slider (12th)

  • He came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with natural cut and sink and has great late life, a 2-7 curve with solid depth and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

11th: FB (92-94), CB (78-81)

12th: FB (91-93), SL (82-84)

12) Aaron Poreda: 14 Pitches. 5 (!) strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs, Slider.

  • Poreda is a 6-6, 240 pound man child. The # 2 prospect for the White Sox prior to the start of the season, the 22 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release and generates easy velocity from a clean delivery with good arm action. His fastball (a surprise to me) was not a huge velocity pitch and had quite a bit natural cut and sink, though it does explode out of his hand. His slider is a slurvy 11-5 with good bite. He can be very special as a reliever, though I think it would be as more of a set-up man then a Billy Wagner style closer. Will be interesting to see if he becomes Joba Chamberlain and becomes a starter after this apprenticeship or a Jonathan Papelbon and stay a reliever. Pray he doesn't become Brandon Morrow and is allowed to settle into 1 role. This was his first major league win.

13th: FB (90-94), SL (77)

I never said this before, but if you want to know how someone played that I didn't mention, feel free to ask. Just because I didn't write a report on them doesn't mean I didn't study their at bats.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Extra Report: 6/2 OAK @ CWS

Baseball game got cancelled because it rains here everyday, so decided to go into work and scout this game.

  • Bartolo Colon is a 36 year old who stands 5-11, 245. The pudgy right hander has a small frame that is maxed out with some bad weight there. He comes from a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release. His fastball has some late fade and sink, and all but 3 of his pitches were this fastball. He has the 2-seam that he likes to start just off the gloveside corner and run back over for a strike and a straight 4-seam that he will throw just to mix things up. His changeup moves like his fastball, but with more fade while his slider is a 2-7 offering that is slurvy. Both his off-speed pitches are average. Seems to be a good # 4 when healthy, as he will eat innings and tends to get a lot of weak contact from his moving fastball, but he can't have too many more seasons left.

1st: FB (86-89)

2nd: FB (86-87), CU (81)

3rd: FB (86-90)

4th: FB (86-92)

5th: FB (86-92), CU (81)

6th: FB (85-91), SL (79)

  • Vin Mazzaro is a 6-1, 215 pound right hander. The 22 year old has a medium frame that has room to add a ton of muscle, especially in the lower body. He lands hard on his front leg and kicks his leg out, but his mechanics are otherwise very clean and maximize his velocity. His sinker is similar to that of Mike Pelfrey as opposed to Brandon Webb or Trevor Cahill. It's a 2-seamer with late fade and a little sink. His slider is a 2-7 offering with decent bite that is fairly average. He likes to throw his hard slider on the gloveside corner and have it break out of the zone (does this to both righties and lefties). His change looks like a fastball out of his hand and flashes between plus and average. The first change he threw was plus, as it showed great fade and sink. His others were just average, with some fade and a litle sink, but not a ton of movement. His fastball can straighten out at times. His curveball is just a slower slider, as it is a 2-7 pitch with less speed and more break and it is another pitch that is anywhere from average to above average. Jim Thome looked silly trying to hit it early on. His slider can flatten out to look like a cutter at times. Mazzaro probably doesn't have any velocity left, but needs to add muscle so that he can maintain his velocity deeper into games. At about 75 pitches, his velocity started coming down. He is a solid middle of the rotation starter down the line and is probably a # 5 right now due to the inconsistencies of his off-speed offerings, but he is a good bet to reach that ceiling in my opinion.

1st: FB (92-96), SL (87-89)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (85-86), CU (86)

3rd: FB (91-94), SL (85), CU (86-87), CB (81-83)

4th: FB (91-93), SL (85-86), CU (84-85), CB (81-82)

5th: FB (89-92), SL (84-85), CU (85), CB (79)

6th: FB (89-91), SL (82-83), CU (84), CB (79)

7th: FB (90-91), SL (83)

  • Jimmy Gobble is a 27 year old who stands 6-3, 210. The left hander has a medium to big frame that has room to add a little more muscle and can probably get up to 220 comfortably. He comes from a 3/4 release. Hangs back behind his leg kick a little and then accelerates through to pitch. His fastball is a 2-seam with some fade. His slider is a 9-3 offering with a little bite and sink. It is more of a sweeping slider and it's a late breaker. Generated about 5 or 6 swings and misses on the pitch. He can battle his fastball command at times and threw a lot of sliders. His change was over thrown and was way up and away. I think he is a 2nd lefty in someone's pen, one that you don't want facing a lot of righties, but should be able to get lefties out with FB-SL.

6th: FB (87-88), SL (76-84)

7th: FB (89-91), SL (82-84), CU (80)

  • D.J. Carrasco is a 6-3, 220 pounder right hander. He has a medium to big frame that is maxed out. He attacks from a 3/4 release. His fastball shows some fade and a little sink. His cutter shows good late cut and some sink. His slider is a 3-7 offering with good late movement and will drop down sidearm to throw sliders. Solid reliever, just not one you want closing or setting up.

7th: FB (92), Cut (89-90)

8th: Cut (88-89), SL (81), Sidearm SL (73)

  • Craig Breslow is a 6-1, 180 pounder who has a medium frame that can add more muscle and should be able to get to 195. The 27 year old lefty attacked from a high 3/4 release and is on his 2nd team this season, as the Twins exposed him to waivers before being picked up by the A's. Breslow's primary fastball is a 2-seamer with some fade and he will mix in a straight 4-seam. His slider is a 10-3 offering with good bite. He is an 11th or 12th pitcher for a team and isn't a bad 2nd left hander in a pen if your team has that luxury.

7th: FB (88-91), SL (81)

  • Brad Ziegler is a 29 year old who stands 6-4, 205. The right hnader has a big frame that has room to add more muscle. He is a submariner with a fastball that has good fade and sink and a slider that is a 5-8 (never thought I would type that type of pitch) with more side to side movement then bite. Solid middle reliever, but I think he pitched over his head at the beginning of last year. I think Chad Bradford in his prime is exactly what Ziegler is.

8th: FB (84-86), SL (71-72)

9th: FB (84-85)

  • Wes Whisler was another pitcher who made his big league debut in this game. The 26 year old lefty stands 6-5, 240 and can add a little more muscle (probably to 245). He has a 3/4 release and is more of a slinger arm action. He pitches more with his body then his arm and his arm tends to lag behind. His fastball is a straight 4-seam with some run. His slider is a slurvy 10-4 offering and his change shows good sink and dive. I thought his change was his best off-speed offering, but that doesn't help him in regards to trying to be a LOOGY. Is another one of the Sox low-upside arms that is probably pitching at his ceiling right now, a 12th guy on a staff who was a starter in the minors, but doesn't have the pitches to do it in the bigs and he also doesn't have one lights out offspeed offering.

9th: FB (86-89), SL (82-84), CU (79-80)

My phone was pretty much dead, so I couldn't do any type of stop watch stuff.

Chart and a score tomorrow, with the score featuring the Diamondbacks (Scherzer) and Padres (Correia).

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Chart Observations: CHW vs. CLE

  • Clayton Richard got the start for the White Sox, his first in at least a year. He looked good early, sitting at 91-95 with his fastball. However, once he got to the third inning, he sat at 89-91 and definitely didn't appear to be used to pitching this long. Richard also attacked hitters with a slurvy slider anywhere from 75-85, a changeup from 81-84 and a cut fastball at 85-89. Richard's fastball is plus out of the pen, but none of his other offerings do much. He is more of a sinkerballing reliever and could probably be a strong LOOGY with his slurvy slider and hard fastball. He just added the cutter this year.
  • Jeremy Sowers opposed him and also struggled. Sowers has some unique arm action in that he brings his arm straight back and seems to really relax off his elbow. I don't know anything about what type of extra stress that may put on his arm. His stuff wasn't very good though. He went after the White Sox hitters with a fastball at 86-91, a slider at 76-82 and a changeup at 80-82. Sowers is not a major league pitcher, in either the rotation (for someone with such a slow fastball, he throws a lot of them, almost 75 %) or the bullpen (slider is barely average). Sowers will need to hope to have a Jamie Moyer like revelation to develop into something.
  • D.J. Carrasco is back in the states and throwing strikes. He featured a cutter at 88-90, a fastball at 92, a curveball anywhere from 73-82 and he threw a sidearm fastball at 88. He likes to drop sidearm to throw both a fastball and curveball to try and get extra movement and give hitters something else to think about. Solid long reliever type guy and was moderately surprised he didn't get the spot start today.
  • Matt Thornton may have the best stuff of any left handed reliever in the game right now. Yesterday, he was 93-97 with his fastball and threw one slider at 85. That type of velocity from a left hander is unheard of and he commands it very well. Could be a closer, but fits great for the White Sox as 7th inning pitcher, as a pitcher with that velocity can get out right handers as well.
  • Octavio Dotel featured a fastball at 92-94 and a slider at 80-82. The slider lacked its bite that it has shown in the past and is just a tick above average now as opposed to a plus pitch. He has solid command of both his pitches and is still a quality set-up man.
  • Bobby Jenks closed out the game with fastballs sitting at 93-96 and threw 1 slider at 91 and 1 changeup at 84. Another of the better closers in the game.
  • Jensen Lewis pitched pretty well, featuring a fastball sitting at 89-92, a plus changeup at 78-81 and a slider at 85. Still a guy that could factor into the late innings if he develops another pitch to complement his changeup.
  • Tony Sipp has not impressed me either time I have seen him. He just can't command his stuff. His fastball is an above average pitch, as it sits at 91-93 with some movement. His slider is an average pitch sitting at 80-82. His lack of command causes his pitches to play down. He definitely needs more seasoning in AAA.
  • Matt Herges finished the game featuring a fastball sitting at 88-90, a curveball at 75 and a changeup at 79-81. Herges 2-seam features a lot of movement and is an above average pitch. His changeup is a tick above average and his curveball is also a tick above average. Solid reliever to have in the pen, but he is prone to allowing hits, as none of his pitches are anything a hitter hasn't seen before.