9/11: ATL @ STL

1) Jair Jurrjens: 105 pitches. 9 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs, 3 Changeups, 2 Sliders.

• Jurrjens came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with a good run in on righties and a little sink, a change with some sink that looks like a fastball out of his hand that he will throw to righties and a 2-7 slider with solid bite.

1st: FB (88-93), CU (84)

2nd: FB (89-96), CU (83-84), SL (84-85) - FB, CU

3rd: FB (90-93), CU (82-83), SL (79-82) - SL

4th: FB (90-94), CU (82-84), SL (80-83) - 2 FB, SL

5th: FB (90-93), CU (83-84), SL (80-81)

6th: FB (90-96), CU (83-86), SL (81-82) - CU

7th: FB (88-93), CU (81-83), SL (79) - FB, CU

8th: FB (91-95), CU (80-83)

2) Joel Pineiro: 86 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 3 Curveballs, 2 Fastballs, Cutter.

• Pineiro came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a sharp 12-6 curve with average depth, a cutter with some cut and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

1st: FB (90-92)

2nd: FB (89-92), Cut (86), CB (78-80), CU (85) - CB, Cut

3rd: FB (88-91), CB (76)

4th: FB (88-90), Cut (87-88), CB (76-79), CU (84-85) - CB

5th: FB (88-91) - 2 FB

6th: FB (89-92), Cut (86), CB (76-79) - CB

7th: FB (88-92), Cut (86-88), CB (76)

3) Trever Miller: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

• Miller came from a sidearm release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties, a sweeping 9-4 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from righties and some sink.

8th: FB (85-88), SL (75-76), CU (79-80) - 2 SL

9th: FB (85-87), SL (77)

4) Kyle McClellan: 17 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball.

• McClellan came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink and a 1-7 curve with slightly above average depth.

9th: FB (91-93), CB (75-78) - FB, CB

5) Rafael Soriano: 7 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Soriano came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink

9th: FB (93-96) - FB

Chart Observations: 8/14 PHI @ ATL

1) Jair Jurrjens: 103 pitches. 10 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 4th), 3 Sliders (3rd, 2 in 5th), 5 Changeups (2 in 4th, 2 in 6th, 7th)

• Jurrjens came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties with good sink, a change with above average fade from lefties with above average sink that he will throw to righties (and is his best offering) and a 2-7 slider with good bite.

1st: FB (89-90), CU (82)

2nd: FB (89-93), CU (83), SL (80-81)

3rd: FB (88-92), SL (78-80)

4th: FB (89-94), CU (81-84), SL (78-81)

5th: FB (90-93), CU (82-84), SL (78-81)

6th: FB (89-94), CU (81-84), SL (78-80)

7th: FB (90-92), CU (82-84), SL (80)

2) Joe Blanton: 108 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs (2nd, 3rd, 4th), 3 Changeups (1st, 2 in 2nd)

• Blanton came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties with good sink, a change with some fade from lefties with above average sink, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a big breaking 12-6 curve with above average depth. He will throw his change to righties.

1st: FB (87-90), SL (82-83), CU (81-83)

2nd: FB (87-91), SL (82-84), CU (82-84), CB (73)

3rd: FB (87-91), SL (80-81)

4th: FB (87-90), SL (81-82), CU (82-83), CB (74)

5th: FB (88-91), SL (81), CU (80-82)

6th: FB (87-88), SL (82-84), CU (80-83), CB (72-75)

7th: FB (87-90), SL (85), CU (81), CB (73-75)

3) Ryan Madson: 6 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Cutter.

• Madson came from an over the top release and showed a change with above average fade from lefties with good sink, a fastball with some run in on righties with good sink and a cutter with good cut and some sink.

8th: FB (95), Cut (91), CU (85)

4) Mike Gonzalez: 14 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Gonzalez came from a high 3/4 release and showed a loopy 11-5 slider with okay bite and a fastball with some run in on lefties.

8th: FB (88-94), SL (76-84)

5) Rafael Soriano: 14 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, 2 Sliders.

• Soriano came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 2-7 slider with good bite, a fastball with a little run in on righties and some sink and a cutter with some cut.

9th: FB (94-95), SL (80-84), Cut (91-92)

6) Brad Lidge: 19 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball, 2 Sliders.

• Lidge came from an over the top release and showed a 2-7 slider with good bite and a straight 4-seam fastball.

9th: FB (94-96), SL (85-87)

Chart Observations: SF @ ATL

1) Tim Lincecum: 89 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. Fastball (1st), Curveball (5th), 4 Changeups (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th)

• Tim came from an over the top release and showed a fastball wtih good run in on righties with good sink, a change with great fade from lefties with great sink that is his out pitch to both lefties and righties, a sharp 12-6 curve with above average depth that can be a strikeout pitch and a sharp 1-7 slider with above average bite. Battled his command a little bit.

1st: FB (92-95), CU (83-86), CB (73-79), SL (82)

2nd: FB (93-94), CU (83-86), CB (75-78), SL (82)

3rd: FB (91-95), CU (80-84), CB (80), SL (81-83)

4th: FB (89-92), CU (79-84), CB (73-80)

5th: FB (92-93), CU (80-84), CB (75-80), SL (83-84)

2) Jair Jurrjens: 112 pitches. 13 strikes swinging. 5 on Fastballs (2nd, 6th, 3 in 7th), 5 on Changeups (3rd, 4 in 6th), 3 on Sliders (2 in 5th, 7th)

• Jurrjens came from an over the top release with a fastball with a little run in on righties, a change with good sink and fade from lefties and a 2-7 slider with solid bite. The change is his out pitch and he will throw it to righties. He got stronger as the game went on, as you can see from his swing and miss totals.

1st: FB (89-92), CU (83), SL (79)

2nd: FB (90-94), CU (81-82), SL (80-84)

3rd: FB (89-91), CU (82-85)

4th: FB (89-93), CU (82)

5th: FB (89-94), CU (81), SL (80-81)

6th: FB (90-94), CU (83-84)

7th: FB (90-93), CU (83-84), SL (81)

8th: FB (89-93), CU (83), SL (79-82)

3) Bobby Howry: 25 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs (3 in 6th, 7th), 3 Sliders (6th, 2 in 7th)

• Howry is a 6-5, 220 pound righty. The 35 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with a little fade and sink that is slightly below average. Solid middle righty reliever.

6th: FB (91-93), SL (85-86)

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

4) Jeremy Affeldt: 13 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Affeldt came from a high 3/4 release with a big breaking 11-5 curve with above average depth that is sharp enough to be a strikeout pitch, a fastball with some run in on lefties and a change with some fade from righties with solid sink that he will throw to lefties.

8th: FB (93-95), CB (77-78), CU (87)

5) Mike Gonzalez: 10 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Gonzalez came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball with some run in on righties and a 11-4 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (92-94), SL (81-85)

6) Rafael Soriano: 15 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 2 on Cutters, 2 on Fastballs.

• Soriano came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little late run in on righties and a 2-7 slider that is sharp with good bite. Also showed off his cutter which was confirmed through the Braves and it has good cut.

9th: FB (92-94), Cut (88-93), SL (81)

Padres-Nats: Latos vs. Mock

Marlins-Dodgers: Johnson vs. Kershaw

ATL @ ARI

New format will be in place from here on out, as it is easier for me to do inning by inning then totals.

• Jair Jurrjens started for the Braves and attacked hitters from a high 3/4 release. His changeup showed good downward fade and sink and is his best off-speed offering and it slightly below being a plus pitch due to some inconsistencies with the break and his command of it. His slider is a sharp 3-7 pitch with good side to side movement, but inconsistent bite. His fastball flashes good fade and he actually primarily throws a moving fastball with fade, but it can be subtle at times. His slider will flash above average bite and he will also occasionally muscle up to throw straight 4-seam fastballs. He will hang sliders, but in the 5th he went to it as his put away pitch and started it on the outside corner and let the hitters flail. A # 3 starter is likely his ceiling and he is pitching at it now.

Jurrjens Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (88-92), CU (81-82)

2nd: FB (86-93), CU (80-81), SL (78-79)

3rd: FB (89-93), CU (83-84), SL (79-80)

4th: FB (89-93), CU (81-83), SL (79)

5th: FB (88-94), CU (80-83), SL (78-82)

• Jon Garland opposed him. Garland attacked from an over the top release. His fastball was a 2-seam that didn't have its usual sink to it tonight, resulting in him getting pounded. His changeup showed good fade and sink and was his out pitch to left handers. His cutter showed some cut on the hands of lefties, but is just an average offering that he tends to leave up in the zone, which could be by design. He will pitch backwards and throw changes in hitters' counts. His slider was a decent bite and was a 2-7 offering. Still a solid back of the rotation starter.

Garland Inning By Inning:

1st: FB (87-89), CU (78-79), Cut (86-87)

2nd: FB (86-90), CU (78-82), Cut (87-88)

3rd: FB (87-90), CB (73), CU (76-78), SL (82)

• Leo Rosales attacked hitters from an over the top release and did a great job keeping the Diamondbacks in the game. His slider showed good bite and was a 2-7 pitch. His fastball is a straight 4-seam, though he may also throw a 2-seam that flashes good fade. His changeup is his best offering, but it can be inconsistent with its break and fade. Solid guy to have in a pen for these types of situations.

Rosales Inning By Inning:

3rd: FB (87-89), CU (78)

4th: FB (87-89), CU (78-80), SL (81)

5th: FB (87-91), CU (80-81), SL (80)

• Daniel Schlereth made his major league debut last night. The first round pick from last year's draft by the Diamondbacks, he is the son of ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth. Daniel is a 6-0, 210 pound left hander who is 23 years old. He has a medium frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball and curveball. His curveball is a power curve that is a hard downward breaker and is a 10-4 offering. The pitch flashes plus and made Garrett Anderson look silly with its tremendous bite. His fastball is a 4-seam that has a little run. His fastball jumps at the hitters and is explosive. Schlereth has the potential to be a closer in the mold of a Billy Wagner, relying on a fastball-curve as opposed to fastball-slider. He will likely settle in as an 8th inning guy though.

Schlereth Inning By Inning:

6th: FB (92-93), CB (79-81)

• Jeff Bennett attacked from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release. The right hander showed a 2-seam fastball that had good fade and a hard slider that had some good depth. Solid reliever, but never want him pitching late in games due to his command issues, though he had good command tonight.

Bennett Inning By Inning:

6th: FB (91-95), SL (86-87)

• Jon Rauch attacked from an over the top release. He showed an above average 2-seam with above average fade. His curveball was a sharp 12-6er tonight with good bite and just drops off the table. His change shows good fade, but little sink and is average. His cutter showed some cut and some sink and was an above average pitch tonight, though it is normally just average. Middle reliever that I personally wouldn't want being my 8th or 9th inning guy, but should be fine in the 7th.

Rauch Inning By Inning:

7th: FB (91), CB (72-74), CU (84), Cut (86)

8th: FB (90-92), CB (73), CU (83-85), Cut (86-88)

• Peter Moylan attacked hitters from a sidearm, almost submarine release point. His fastball shows little fade and sink and the amount of movement was inconsistent from pitch to pitch. He never had good feel for his slider, leaving them all armside and down and well off the plate. He continues to battle his command and seems to be struggling to find a consistent release point. Decent ROOGY, but he has been unimpressive each time I have seen him.

Moylan Inning By Inning:

7th: FB (88-92), SL (77-78)

• Eric O'Flaherty is the Braves LOOGY who attacks from a high 3/4 release. He has the potential to be more (a full inning reliever) with a fastball that is a straight 4-seam and a slider that is a sweeping 10-4 pitch that he can also tighten into a sharper breaking slider.

O'Flaherty Inning By Inning:

7th: FB (91), SL (84)

• Rafael Soriano attacked hitters from a high 3/4 release. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. He will throw a few hanging sliders, but it is a good 2-7 pitch. Throws both a hard slider (when ahead in the count, as a strike out pitch) and a soft slider that he prefers to use to get strikes 1 or 2.

Soriano Inning By Inning:

8th: FB (92-94), SL (80-88)

• Clay Zavada attacked hitters from a high 3/4 release. The lefthander will also drop down to 3/4 on occasion. His changeup is an above average offering, but didn't show much tonight. His fastball was a straight 4-seam. His slider is a sweeping 10-4 pitch.

Zavada Inning By Inning:

9th: FB (87-89), SL (73-74), CU (81-82)

• Mike Gonzalez attacked hitters from a 3/4, almost high 3/4 release. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. his slider is sharp and is a 10-5 pitch. He throws 2 different sliders, a slurvy one to get strike 1 and then a hard one to get the strikeout. He hides the ball very well and tries to disrupt hitters timing as much as possible.

Gonzalez Inning By Inning:

9th: FB (91-95), SL (77-85)

• Justin Upton is locked in. He has plus power and seems to have a plan at the plate every time he steps up. I didn't think his super stardom would be here so soon, but it has arrived. Watch this kid at the plate and you have a guy who knows he is going to hit the ball hard every time. He is beginning to be pitched much harder now that he has been other worldly lately and this will be his next adjustment.

Chart Observations: ATL @ TOR

• Jair Jurrjens is a 23 year old who stands 6-1, 200. His medium frame has room to add a little more muscle. From an over the top release, he featured a fastball at 87-95 (sat at 90-92), a changeup at 78-83 and a slider at 77-80. He has very clean mechanics is deceptive. He brings his hands slightly over his head and also hides the ball by having his glove hand separate high and cover his release point until the last second. His changeup has excellent fade and a little sink. It isn't a strikeout pitch, but will cause the balls to be hit in play lightly. An above average pitch that is borderline plus. His fastball has a little fade and some sink and is slightly above average. His slider is more of an up and down pitch and is a solid 3rd pitch and also slightly above average. He is a strong # 3 starter and think he is pitching to his upside right now, as his frame doesn't show a ton of projection left and he already has plus command.
• Scott Richmond is a 29 year old who stands 6-5, 215. He has a big frame that can add more muscle and get to at least 230 if he so desires. From an over the top release, he showed a fastball at 87-92, a slider at 82-85, a curveball at 74-78 and threw 1 change at 85. He has a classic drop and drive delivery. His curveball is a big breaking 12-6 pitch that can freeze hitters. Above average pitch, but does have a tendency to allow home runs on it (2 in the first inning on the CB). His slider is a 2-7 offering and is above average with good depth. Likes to start it on the outside corner and let it break off, causing many swinging strikes and weak contact. He generates a good downhill plane for his pitches and his fastball has natural sink. His changeup is a pretty straight offering and is just a show pitch.
• Jesse Carlson is a 28 year old who is 6-0, 160. Medium frame with long legs and has room to add more muscle. The sidearming left hander showed a fastball at 89 and a slider at 81-83. The slider is a sweeping pitch with some downward movement and cuts across most of the plate. His fastball also has good side to side movement with a little sink. He throws across his body, allowing him to generate even more deception.
• Peter Moylan showed a fastball at 86-89 and a slider at 76-78. His fastball has great fade and a little sink. His slider doesn't have a ton of break either way. It can be somewhat sharp, but is just an average offering. He generates good deception and is more of a submariner then a sidearmer. He really battled his command today. He looks like he could be a solid ROOGY with his release, but he looks more like a 10th or 11th man in the pen.
• Eric O'Flaherty is a 24 year old who stands 6-2, 220. The left hander has a medium frame with room to add more muscle, mostly in his lower half. From a high 3/4 release, he featured a fastabll at 92, a slider at 83-85 and a changeup at 82. His slider is a 10-5 offering and is a sweeping slider with great downward movement, bite and depth and is close to being a plus pitch. His changeup has some sink, but no fade and is fringy. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. Is a solid LOOGY to have in a pen and looks like he could be good enough to be the # 1 lefty in a pen.
• Jeff Bennett is a 28 year old who stands 6-3, 200. He has a medium to big frame that is maxed out. From an over the top release, he showed a fastball at 92 and a slider at 87. His fastball shows some good fade. His slider was a 1-7 type pitch that hung more then it broke. This guy looks done from the two outings I have seen.
• Shawn Camp is a 33 year old who stands 6-0, 205. He has a medium frame that looks to be maxed out. From a low 3/4 release, he featured a fastball at 86-87, a slider at 78-80 and a changeup at 81. He has some whipping arm action. His slider is sharp, but doesn't have a lot of movement. His fastball has above average fade and some sink. His changeup moves just like his fastball and is an average offering. He is a guy who looks to be a 10th or 11th guy in a pen.
• Jason Frasor is a 31 year old who stands (shockingly) at 5-9, 175. He has a small frame that looks to be maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 92-94, a slider at 84-86 and a splitter at 84-86. He has a drop and drive delivery from the stretch with a leg kick. Fastball has a little fade to it, but not a whole lot. His split shows some sharp break and good fade. Slider is a sharp 2-8 offering. Decent depth and more downward movement then side-to-side. Solid right handed reliever who is best in a middle relief role, but won't kill you as a setup guy.
• Rafael Soriano showed a straight FB at 90-93 and a 2-7 slider at 81. from a high 3/4 release. His slider was decent, but not as sharp as two nights ago.
• Brandon League is a 26 year old who stands 6-2, 200 pounds. He has a medium frame with room to add more muscle, especially in the lower half. From a low 3/4, almost sidearm, release he showed a fastball at 94-96, a slider at 85-87 and a changeup at 83-85. His changeup shows very good fade and a little sink and is an above average offering. His slider is a sharp 3-7 offering with good depth and is a tick above average. His fastball has decent fade, but not much sink, though it has a lot of action out of his hand. Solid middle reliever right now and if he can continue to work through his command (a tick above averaeg right now), he could be a set-up man.
• Manny Acosta is a 28 year old who stands 6-4, 170 pounds. He has a long and lean frame with room to add a ton more muscle. From an over the top release. he showed a fastball at 91-97 (sat at 94-95), a curveball at 78-83 and a changeup at 84. His fastball is a 4-seam with natural sink due to him generating a good downhill plane through his delivery. His curveball is an 11-5 offering with good sink, but doesn't appear to be a strikeout pitch. His changeup has good depth and fade and is an above average offering. He adds and subtracts velocity from his curveball depending on what he wants it to do. Solid middle reliever who still has the look of a set-up man to me.