Chart Observations: PIT @ PHI

1) Virgil Vasquez: 48 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (1st), Cutter (1st)

• Vasquez is a 6-3, 205 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can get up to 215. He comes from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties with sink, a cutter with some cut and a little sink, a big breaking 12-6 curve with above average depth and a change with above average fade from lefties with sink. He had zero command in this game and he is a guy that can't be consistently pitching behind in counts. Still looks like a back of the rotation guy to me.

1st: FB (88-91), Cut (84-88), CB (71-75)

2nd: FB (86-90), CB (73), CU (79)

2) J.A. Happ: 103 pitches. 8 strikes swinging. Fastball (2nd), 5 on Cutters (1st, 2 in 2nd, 3rd, 5th), Changeup (6th)

• Happ came from an over the top release and showed a cutter that moves like a 11-5 slider with good bite that keeps moving down, a big breaking 11-5 curve with above average depth, a fastball with a little late run in on lefties and a change with some fade from righties with average sink. He will throw his change to lefties and will almost always follow a high fastball with a curveball and this seems to be his preferred method of setting up hitters. Probably a # 3 down the road.

1st: FB (89-91), Cut (82), CU (81), CB (73-75)

2nd: FB (87-92), Cut (79-83), CU (79), CB (71-72)

3rd: FB (88-90), Cut (79-81), CB (72)

4th: FB (86-90), Cut (81)

5th: FB (87-90), Cut (82-84), CU (80)

6th: FB (88-91), Cut (80-84), CU (79-84), CB (72-74)

7th: FB (89-92), Cut (80), CU (81), CB (71-73)

3) Jeff Karstens: 35 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (3rd), Curveball (2nd), Slider (3rd)

• Karstens came from a high 3/4 release with a whipping arm action. His fastball has some run in on righties with a little sink, his curve is a big breaking 12-6 pitch with above average depth, his slider is a 1-7 that is sharp with good bite and his change has good fade from lefties with good sink.

2nd: FB (90), CB (71-73), CU (79-80)

3rd: FB (91), CB (71-73), CU (80), SL (77)

4th: FB (89-91), CB (71-73), SL (76)

5th: FB (87-92), CB (72-73)

4) Evan Meek: 11 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Cutter

• Meek came from an over the top release and showed a cutter with good cut, a straight 4-seam fastball, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

6th: Cut (90-94), FB (96), CB (81), SL (84)

5) Donald Veal: 16 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Veal is a 6-4, 230 pound lefty. The 24 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a 11-5 curve that starts its break early and should be easy for hitters to pick up due to that, but it would be a good pitch if it didn't do that. Don't think he will ever have the command to be a consistent major league pitcher.

7th: FB (90-93), CB (74-75)

6) Joel Hanrahan: 11 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider

• Hanrahan came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with above average bite. This was the 1st time I have seen him with his good slider and the Pirates may have made some progress with him.

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

7) Ryan Madson: 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Madson came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a cutter with good cut and some sink.

8th: FB (94-95), Cut (93)

8) J.C. Romero: 20 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs, Slider

• Romero came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-5 slider with good bite that can look like a CB on occasion, a fastball with late run in on lefties with good late sink and a change with good fade from righties with a little sink. He will drop down sidearm to throw fastballs on occasion.

9th: FB (91-93), SL (78-83), CU (82)

Will have more after my baseball game, including my 1st look at Clayton Kershaw this season, as well as a report on Cardinals rookie reliever P.J. Walters.

Chart Observations (7/8): CIN @ PHI

Picked up this extra chart on the day of, so that is the reason I chose not to update last night (that and the fact I played tennis, but the above sounded more professional)

1) Homer Bailey: 95 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (2nd, 4th, 2 in 5th), 2 Sliders (3rd, 5th)

• Bailey is a 23 year old who stands 6-3, 210. The righty has a medium frame that can get up to 220. He comes from an over the top release with a little Ubaldo Jimenez like arm action where he likes to straighten the arm on the backtake, but fairly quiet delivery. He throws 2 different types of fastballs, a 4-seam that is fairly straight and a 2-seam that can flash above average run in on righties with some sink, but it can flatten out. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth. His split has some dive, but can look more like a straight change and it served as his out pitch to lefties early until he realized it literally wasn't moving... His slider is a hard, sharp 2-7 with solid bite. Bailey will never reach the expectations he has had, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility for him to be a middle of the rotation guy. He threw all 3 of his off-speed pitches between 5 and 10 % of the time and will always rely on his fastball, which he had good command of. I think he will be an above average # 3 starter in about 3 or 4 years.

1st: FB (91-95), CB (76-78), Split (87)

2nd: FB (92-96), CB (76), SL (86)

3rd: FB (92-95), SL (85-86), Split (86-89)

4th: FB (91-96), CB (76), SL (85-87), Split (86-89)

5th: FB (94-96), CB (78-79), SL (86-88), Split (89-90)

6th: FB (90-96), CB (76-77), SL (86-88)

2) Rodrigo Lopez (He's Back!): 69 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), 2 on Sliders (1st, 2nd)

• Lopez is a 6-1, 185 pound righty. The 33 year old has a medium frame that can get up to at least 200. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball has some run in on righties. His change has some fade from lefties with some sink. His slider is a 2-7 with some bite. His cutter has some cut that he can throw to either corner, but prefers to throw it in on the hands of lefties. He will throw his change to righties. Won't kill you in the NL as a 5th starter.

1st: FB (86-90), CU (83-84), SL (81-84), Cut (89)

2nd: FB (88-91), CU (85), SL (80-84), Cut (88-91)

3rd: FB (86-91), SL (80), Cut (89)

4th: FB (86-91), CU (83-84), SL (81-82), Cut (88-89)

5th: FB (82-84) *left the game following this inning due to an injury and his arm speed was noticeably slower.

3) Chad Durbin: 32 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters (6th, 7th)

• Durbin came from a high 3/4 release and showed a cutter with good cut and sink, a 2-seam fastball with good run in on righties, a sharp 12-6 curve with good depth and a change with good fade from lefties with a little sink.

6th: FB (89-92), Cut (87-89), CB (77), CU (80)

7th: FB (89-93), Cut (86-89), CB (77-78), CU (80)

4) J.C. Romero: 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Romero came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good late run in on lefties.

7th: FB (90-91)

5) Nick Masset: 15 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. Fastball, 4 Splitters.

• Masset is a 6-4, 235 pound righty. The 27 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has good run in on righties with good sink. His splitter has above average dive and is a late breaking pitch. I am a huge fan of him and think he can be utilized similar to Scot Shields was with the Angels.

7th: FB (93-96), Split (88-90), SL (86)

6) Arthur Rhodes: 29 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders.

• Rhodes is a 6-2, 210 pound lefty. The 39 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball and a 11-5 slider with good bite. Solid lefty setup man.

8th: FB (91-93), SL (80-84)

7) Dave Weathers: 28 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider (8th)

• Weathers is a 6-3, 240 pound righty. The 39 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He showed a 2-7 slider with good bite, a 4-seam fastball with a little run in on righties and a change with good fade from lefties and solid sink. Another solid set-up guy.

8th: FB (89-90), SL (83-85)

9th: FB (87-90), SL (82-85), CU (85-86)

8) Ryan Madson: 17 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Madson came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a cutter with good cut and a change with good fade from lefties with good sink.

8th: FB (96-98), CU (84-85), Cut (93)

9th: FB (94-96), CU (83), Cut (90-93)

TOR @ PHI: PHI

• Joe Blanton comes from an over the top release with a 4-seam fastball with a little run, a change with good fade and a little sink that he will throw to righties, a sharp 2-7 slider with solid bite and a big breaking 12-6 curve that can be just a floater. Struggled with his command today and was behind quite a bit.

1st: FB (87-92), CB (76), SL (81-85), CU (81)

2nd: FB (86-91), CB (76), SL (82-83), CU (82)

3rd: FB (88-91), CB (74), SL (81-83), CU (81)

4th: FB (87-90), SL (79-83), CU (80-81)

5th: FB (86-93), CB (77), SL (82-83), CU (82)

6th: FB (90-92), SL (79-80), CU (81-82)

• Chan Ho Park came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good sink and fade, a slider with good bite that was a 2-7 pitch and a 12-6 curve that had good depth.

6th: FB (91-96), SL (84-89), CB (81-84)

7th: FB (92-94), SL (82-87)

• J.C. Romero came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a straight change and a slurvy 10-4 slider.

7th: FB (89-93), SL (79), CU (80-81)

• Clay Condrey comes from an over the top release and showed a 1-8 slider with good bite, a cutter with good cut and some sink and a fastball with good run and sink. Struggled to get ahead and keep the ball down.

8th: FB (89-91), SL (82-86), Cut (88-90)

• Tyler Walker is a 6-3, 265 pound righty. The 33 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out and looks to have some bad weight, as he labors through his delivery. Hs comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a 4-seam with some run. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with good bite and his change has some sink and fade. Should be a serviceable middle reliever.

8th: FB (89-92), SL (82-85), CU (79)

• Ryan Madson comes from an over the top release and showed a fastball that was a straight 4-seam, a cutter with good cut and a change with great sink.

9th: FB (95-96), Cut (90-91), CU (85)

• John Mayberry Jr. is a 6-6, 230 pound man beast. The 25 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He has a slightly closed and crouched stance with a bat tap. His trigger is a stride and a cocking of the bat. He has good bat speed, but his swing can get a little long. He is a slightly above average runner, though he will probably be average as he continues to add muscle. He has above average raw power and a plus arm from the outfield. He has all the tools to be an everyday player, but he is not yet ready. He needs some more seasoning at AAA to improve his pitch recognition and keep a consistent swing.

Chart Observations: PHI @ NYM

• Cole Hamels is a 6-3, 190 pound lefty. The 25 year old has a medium to big frame that has room to add a lot more muscle. He comes from an over the top release that generates a good downhill plane for his pitches. His fastball has some natural sink and run, though it will also flash some fade at times. His change looks like a fastball out of his hand and has excellent sink and some run (though he threw it way too much in this game). His curveball is an 11-5 offering with good depth. He will throw all his pitches to any hitter and any count. Hamels has plus command, but was working in the middle of the plate a little too often. I think Hamels is a # 2 right now (cue the debate again) and I want to see him utilize his above average curve more before I call him a legitimate ace.

1st: FB (88-93), CU (79-82), CB (76)

2nd: FB (89-92), CU (79-82)

3rd: FB (87-93), CU (79-83), CB (75)

4th: FB (88-91), CU (78-82)

5th: FB (85-90), CU (76-81), CB (74-75)

• Mike Pelfrey comes from a 3/4 release. He has a 2-seam sinker that shows good fade and sink and will mix in a rare straight 4-seam fastball. His slider is a 2-7 offering with decent bite. It can be very inconsistent and hang at times. His curveball is a bigger breaking SL and is a 1-7 type pitch. His changeup moves like his fastball, just slower. His command continues to be above average and he is a # 4 right now with the ability to develop into a 3 if he can tighten his slider.

1st: FB (92-94)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (84-86)

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

4th: FB (92-94), SL (87), CU (83-84)

5th: FB (93-95), SL (81-85)

6th: FB (92-94), SL (86), CU (83)

7th: FB (91-93), CB (76)

• Jack Taschner is a 6-3, 205 pound lefty. The 31 year old has a medium to big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He has some wrist pronation when he brings the ball back at the bottom of his arm circle. His fastball is a 4-seam with some run. his slider is a sharp 10-4 wtih good bite and his change is straight with a little sink and run. Best fit is as a LOOGY, though he wouldn't kill you every once in awhile throwing a full inning.

6th: FB (90-91), SL (82-84), CU (83-84)

• Chad Durbin comes from a high 3/4 release and showed a 2-seam fastball with good fade and sink and a cutter with good cut that flashed some sink.

7th: FB (89-92), Cut (87-89)

• Scott Eyre came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball with a little run and a slurvy 11-4 slider with decent bite.

7th: FB (90-92), SL (82)

• Sean Green is a 6-6, 225 pound right hander. The 30 year old has a big frame that can add more muscle, especially in the lower half. The sidearmer shows a fastball with good fade and sink, a 3-8 sweeping slider with some bite and a change with more sink then his fastball. Solid ROOGY.

7th: FB (88-91), SL (72-73), CU (82-83)

• J.C. Romero came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 4-seam fastball with some run, a slurvy 11-4 slider and a change with good sink and fade. He will add and subtract from his SL, as he has a loopy one for strikes and a sharp one for strikeouts.

8th: FB (88-93), SL (75-83), CU (81-82)

• Pedro Feliciano is a sidearmer who showed a fastball with some sink and run and a cutter with good cut and a little sink.

8th: FB (87-89), Cut (82-84)

• Francisco Rodriguez comes from an over the top release and showed a 4-seam fastball with some sink and run. His curveball is a sharp, late-breaking 2-7 offering while his change has excellent fade and sink.

9th: FB (92-95), CB (79-81), CU (85)

10th: FB (91-94), CB (80-81), CU (85)

• Chan Ho Park comes from a 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 2-seam that has good fade and sink, a 12-6 curveball with okay depth, a 2-7 slider with okay bite, a change with good fade and sink and a cutter with decent cut.

9th: FB (92-95), SL (83-85), CB (77-80), CU (83), Cut (88)

10th: FB (91-93), SL (82-87), CB (77), CU (82), Cut (88)

• Bobby Parnell took the loss after allowing a home run to Chase Utley. He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a loopy 1-8 slider.

11th: FB (95-100), SL (87-89)

• Ryan Madson came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a change with late fade and sink and a cutter with decent cut and a little sink.

11th: FB (94-97), CU (83-85), Cut (92)

PHI @ SD

Am supposed to make my Happ report detailed. As if my scouting reports aren't detailed enough...

• J.A. Happ is a 26 year old who stands 6-6, 200. The left hander has a big frame that can add a ton more muscle and can probably get up to 215 very comfortably. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He pauses when he is at the bottom of the arm circle with a straight arm. His arm action is similar to that of Ubaldo Jimenez, though not to as big of an extent. His fastball is a straight 4-seam with a little run, though he will also mix in a 2-seamer with a little fade. His cutter is similar to Jamie Moyer's, in that it moves and looks more like a slider on most occasions. It can be anywhere from a 2-7 to a straight side to side pitch. His curveball is a big breaking 11-5 offering that he didn't throw much, but is a pitch he will need to be succesful as a starter. His changeup looks like a fastball out of his hand with good sink and fade, but he didn't throw any after Nick Hundley singled off it. His cutter looks like a fastball out of his hand, but keeps going down. His cutter is his out pitch, but it isn't a swing and miss offering. Likes to throw high fastballs with an 0-2 count or throw a cutter. Looks like he could be a back of the rotation starter, as his frame shows the ability to add a ton more muscle and add velocity. Strikes me as a classic pitching tweener though, one who doesn't have enough pitches to be a starter and no true out pitch to be a strong reliever.

1st: FB (88-90), Cut (82-84), CB (73)

2nd: FB (89-92), Cut (83-85), CU (79-81)

3rd: FB (88-92), Cut (82-85)

4th: FB (88-91), Cut (82-85)

5th: FB (88-91), Cut (80), CB (75)

6th: FB (88-92), Cut (83-85)

7th: FB (87-91), Cut (81-82)

• Chris Young is a 30 year old who stands 6-10, 280. The right hander has a big frame that appears to be maxed out. His gloves goes really high after separation, way over his head. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has some cutter movement to it while his slider is a 2-7 pitch that can be inconsistent break-wise. He can hang some spinning sliders. His curveball is a big breaking 12-6 pitch that he doesn't throw enough, though it is a little loopy. His command can be inconsistent and he can leave fastballs up. PETCO forgives a lot of his mistakes and I believe he could only be a major league starter playing half his home games at PETCO.

1st: FB (85-89), SL (78-79), CU (79), CB (70)

2nd: FB (85-87), SL (75-78), CU (79)

3rd: FB (85-87), SL (77-78), CU (75-77), CB (68)

4th: FB (84-87), SL (75-76)

5th: FB (85-86), SL (74-78), CU (73-75)

6th: FB (84-86)

• J.C. Romero is a 33 year old who stands 5-11, 205. This was the left hander's first appearance since being suspended for steroids. He has a small frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release, though he will drop down to 3/4 and will go sidearm to throw 0-2 sliders to lefties. His fastball is a 2-seam with some fade and sink. His change shows some fade and sink. His slider is a 10-4 offering that can be slurvy. He has a classic drop and drive delivery as a reliever. Solid reliever who can bounce between quite a few roles in a pen.

8th: FB (91-94), SL (80-83), CU (78-81)

9th: FB (91-93), SL (82)

• Ryan Madson finished the game for the Phils. The right hander showed a high 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball and one changeup that was in the dirt.

9th: FB (95-96), CU (83)

• Greg Burke attacked hitters from a high 3/4 release. His fastball has good fade and movement. His slier is a 2-7 offering that is average. He is your classic sinker/slider reliever. He did not have his best command tonight and got hit harder then he had been.

7th: FB (89-91), SL (82-83)

• Luke Gregerson attacked from a 3/4 release with a fastball that showed excellent fade and sink, a sharp 2-7 slider and a changeup with good fade and sink.

8th: FB (91-92), SL (81-85), CU (80)

• Edward Mujica attacked from a 3/4 release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a split with above average fade and sink. He had good command of his off speed stuff for the most part tonight, though struggled to hit spots with his fastball.

9th: FB (92-94), SL (81-86), Split (87-88)

• Will Venable has returned to the big leagues. The 26 year old who stands 6-2, 210 has a medium frame with room to add more muscle. The lefty hitter/swinger has a slightly open stance. He just doesn't look comfortable in the box. He holds his hands a little behind him and a touch in front of his body. His trigger is a little toe turn. He has an average arm and average speed. He has a double trigger in his swing, as he cocks the bat twice and his swing can get long as a result. He dropped a ball in LF and missed a mistake pitch that he should have hammered. A 4th OF who will need to show a lot more to stick in the bigs.