Chart Observations: 9/18 TOR @ TB

1) James Shields: 97 pitches. (FB, CU, Cut, CB). 12 strikes swinging. 4 Fastballs, 4 Changeups, 3 Cutters, Curveball.

• Shields came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a change with good fade from lefties and above average sink that he will throw to righties and in 3-2 counts, a cutter with some cut and some sink and a sharp 12-6 curve with average depth.

1st: FB (90-92), CU (81-83), Cut (87-91), CB (80) - CU (Wells), Cut (Wells)

2nd: FB (91-94), CU (82-83), Cut (87-90) - 2 Cut (Barajas, Snider)

3rd: FB (91-93), CU (81-84), Cut (89-90), CB (80) - 3 FB (McDonald, Bautista - 2), 2 CU (Wells, Bautista), CB (Wells)

4th: FB (90-92), CU (81-83), Cut (88-89), CB (79) - FB (Barajas)

5th: FB (90-92), CU (81-82), Cut (87-88) - CU (Hill)

6th: FB (90-91), CU (81-82), Cut (87-89), CB (78)

2) Scott Richmond: 63 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

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

1st: FB (90-91), SL (82), CB (76-77) - FB (Longoria)

2nd: FB (89-92), SL (82-84), CB (73-79) - FB (Aybar)

3rd: FB (89-92), SL (81-84), CB (78-80), CU (83)

3) Brian Wolfe: 36 pitches. (FB, CB, Cut). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Wolfe came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink, a 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth, a cutter with some cut and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

3rd: FB (90-94), CB (78-82), Cut (91) - 2 FB (Zaun, Upton)

4th: FB (90-94), CB (79-80), Cut (90-91), CU (83)

4) Dirk Hayhurst: 57 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 6 strikes swinging. 3 Changeups, 2 Fastballs, Slider.

• Hayhurst came from an over the top release and showed a fastball wtih some run in on righties, a 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth, a change with good fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties and a 2-7 slider with good bite.

4th: FB (87-90), CB (73-74), CU (79-80) - FB (Zaun)

5th: FB (87-89), CB (70-73), CU (77-79), SL (78-79) - CU (Bartlett), SL (Upton)

6th: FB (86-88), CB (72-73), CU (78-80), SL (79) - FB (Aybar), 2 CU (Crawford, Longoria)

5) Josh Roenicke: 32 pitches. (FB, Cut, SL, CU). 5 strikes swinging. 2 Cutters, 2 Changeups, Fastball.

• Roenicke came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a change with some fade from lefties and some sink, a cutter with good cut and some sink and a sharp 12-6 curve with slightly above average depth.

7th: FB (92-93), Cut (89), CU (84) - Cut (Gross)

8th: FB (92-93), Cut (86-88), CU (83-84), CB (79-80) - FB (Aybar), Cut (Bartlett), 2 CU (Aybar, Crawford)

6) Dan Wheeler: 17 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 3 strikes swinging. Fastball, Cutter, Curveball.

• Wheeler came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a cutter with a little cut and sink, a 1-7 slider with good bite, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

7th: FB (86-90), CU (83), SL (77-80), CB (75-76), Cut (82-84) - FB (Wells), Cut (Bautista), CB (Wells)

7) Russ Springer: 8 pitches. (FB, Cut, CB, CU). 3 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs.

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

8th: FB (92-93), Cut (85) - 3 FB (Ruiz - 3)

8) Randy Choate: 8 pitches. (FB, SL, CU). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Choate came from a sidearm release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and a sweeping 9-4 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (87-88), SL (77-79) - FB (Snider)

9) Grant Balfour: 16 pitches. (FB, SL, CB, CU). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Balfour came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball and a 12-6 curve with average depth.

9th: FB (93-96), CB (82) - 2 FB (McDonald - 2)

Phillips Pop Time: 1.9

TB @ TOR

1) Ricky Romero: 113 pitches. 12 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (1st, 4th), 10 on Changeups (2 in 1st, 2 in 3rd, 3 in 4th, 2 in 5th, 7th)

• Romero comes from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties with sink, a 11-4 curve with good depth, a change with excellent sink and some fade from righties and a 10-4 slider with some bite. Romero is a future # 2 starter and has been absolutely dominant lately.

1st: FB (91-95), CB (80-83), CU (87)

2nd: FB (91-95), CU (84-85), SL (82-83)

3rd: FB (93-95), CB (80-81), CU (83-86)

4th: FB (92-94), CB (80), CU (84-86), SL (81)

5th: FB (91-93), CB (75-81), CU (83-88)

6th: FB (92-94), CU (85-86)

7th: FB (91-94), CU (81-87)

8th: FB (91-95), CB (78-79), CU (84-86), SL (83-86)

2) James Shields: 108 pitches. 11 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (3rd, 4th), 3 on Curveballs (3rd, 2 in 6th), Changeup (7th), 5 on Cutters (1st, 2 in 2nd, 4th, 5th)

• Shields came from an over the top release with a fastball that has good run in on righties and sink, a sharp 12-6 curve with good depth, a cutter with solid cut and some sink that can flash 2-7 like slider movement and a change with excellent fade from lefties and some sink.

1st: FB (90-92), Cut (85-88), CB (74-77), CU (82)

2nd: FB (92-94), Cut (87-89), CU (83-84)

3rd: FB (92-94), Cut (84-87), CB (76-77), CU (82-84)

4th: FB (91-95), Cut (85-86), CB (77-78), CU (82-83)

5th: FB (91-93), Cut (86), CB (76-77), CU (83)

6th: FB (92-94), Cut (84-88), CB (76-78), CU (82-83)

7th: FB (92-94), Cut (86-87), CB (78), CU (82-83)

8th: FB (92), Cut (84-87), CB (75), CU (80-83)

3) Randy Choate: 2 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Choate is a sidearming lefty with a sweeping 9-4 slider with good late bite and a fastball with some run in on lefties with a little sink.

8th: FB (89), SL (79)

4) Grant Balfour: 5 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Balfour comes from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball.

8th: FB (95-97)

5) Jason Frasor: 16 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs, Splitter

• Frasor comes from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball and an out pitch that is his splitter that has good dive.

9th: FB (93-96), Split (86-89)

Chart Observations: TB @ NYM

Due to the Braves game going so quick (a little over 2 hours), I did my extra chart that I had for tomorrow.

• Johan Santana comes from a high 3/4 release and shows a fastball with some run and sink, a late-breaking 10-4 slider with above average bite and a change that looks like a fastball out of his hand with excellent sink and above average fade that he will throw to lefties. His command is still not where it was last year, but is getting closer.

1st: FB (91-93), SL (83), CU (82)

2nd: FB (90-94), SL (83-85), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (89-92), CU (80-83)

4th: FB (91-93), SL (82), CU (83-84)

5th: FB (90-92), SL (85), CU (80-85)

6th: FB (91-93), SL (83), CU (79-82)

7th: FB (90-92), SL (82-83), CU (82-83)

8th: FB (86), CU (78-80) Rain Delay hit, causing his FB to be slow for the 1 batter before they called them in.

• James Shields came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run and a little sink, a change with excellent fade and sink, a cutter with good cut and some sink and a big breaking 12-6 curve. He did an excellent job of mixing his pitches and kept the Mets hitters off balance.

1st: FB (91-93), CU (82-84), Cut (86-89), CB (79)

2nd: FB (90-93), CU (83-84), Cut (85), CB (76-78)

3rd: FB (91-93), CU (82-83), Cut (88-90), CB (78)

4th: FB (91-92), CU (83-84), Cut (88), CB (78)

5th: FB (89-91), CU (81-85), Cut (87-88), CB (74)

6th: FB (89-92), CU (80), Cut (84-88), CB (74-78)

7th: FB (90-91), CU (80), Cut (89), CB (74-79)

• Bobby Parnell comes from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run and a little sink and a 1-7 slider that was sharp with above average bite.

8th: FB (93-96), SL (86-87)

• Pedro Feliciano is a sidearming lefty who showed a fastball with good run away from lefties and a cutter with good cut and solid sink.

8th: FB (87-88), Cut (83)

• Dan Wheeler came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good run and solid sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with solid bite.

8th: FB (87-89), SL (77-84)

• Sean Green is a sidearming righty who showed a fastball with excellent run and sink, a 3-7 slider with good bite and downward movement and a change with good sink and fade.

9th: FB (88-90), SL (72-76), CU (84)

• J.P Howell comes from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties, a sharp 12-6 curve with good depth and a straight change that had some late fade from righties and some sink.

9th: FB (85-88), CB (80-84), CU (81)

Got another chart, a score featuring Ricky Romero and Shairon Martis and a baseball game tomorrow.

WAS @ TB

• James Shields is a 6-4, 220 pound righty. The 27 year old has a big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball is a 4-seam with a little fade and sink. His change shows great sink and some fade and is a plus offering. His curveball is a 12-6 pitch with good bite and depth. His cutter has good cut and flashes sink. His change is his out pitch and he has great command of it. He has a very clean drop and drive delivery. Borderline ace.

1st: FB (88-92), CU (80-83), Cut (87), CB (75-76)

2nd: FB (89-92), CU (81-83), Cut (85-86), CB (78)

3rd: FB (89-91), CU (84), Cut (86-88), CB (74-75)

4th: FB (89-90), CU (80-82), Cut (87), CB (75-78)

5th: FB (90), CU (79-82), Cut (84), CB (75-77)

6th: FB (87-90), CU (79), Cut (86)

7th: FB (86-89), CU (81)

• Ross Detwiler opposed him. The lefty comes from a high 3/4 release that is almost over the top. His fastball shows some fade and a little sink. His change is a straight change with some sink. His curveball is a slurvy 11-4 offering with okay depth. He battled his command was effectively wild, as he issued 5 walks and got 3 double play balls. He has a ways to go to reach his ceiling as a 3rd starter.

1st: FB (90-94), CU (82-84), CB (76)

2nd: FB (90-93), CU (82), CB (76)

3rd: FB (90-93), CU (82-84), CB (75-77)

4th: FB (89-92), CU (82-83), CB (75-77)

5th: FB (88-92), CU (83), CB (76)

6th: FB (88-91), CU (82-83)

• Julian Tavarez attacks from a 3/4 release with a fastball that shows good fade and sink and a 2-7 slider with decent bite.

7th: FB (88-92), SL (79-81)

• Randy Choate is a sidearming lefty who showed a sweeping 9-3 slider with good late bite and a fastball with some run.

7th: FB (87-89), SL (77-79)

• Ron Villone comes from a high 3/4 release and showed a pretty straight 4-seam fastball and a slurvy 10-4 slider with solid bite. He will tighten the slider and throw a sharper one as a strikeout pitch.

8th: FB (88-89), SL (77-84)

• Joe Beimel is a 6-3, 215 pound lefty. The 32 year old has a medium to big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release and shows a fastball with some run and sink and a 11-4 curve with good bite. He is a solid lefty in a pen, though I don't know if he should be the 1st lefty in someone's pen.

8th: FB (83-85), CB (71)

• Dan Wheeler is a 31 year old righty. The 6-3, 220 pounder has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release and showed a 4 pitch repetoire for a reliever: a 4-seam fastball with a litle fade, a 2-7 slider with good bite, a 12-6 curveball with good depth and a change with good fade and sink.

8th: FB (85-89), SL (81-83), CB (76-77), CU (82-83)

• J.P. Howell comes from an over the top release with a fastball with some fade and sink, a 10-4 curve with good depth and a straight change that looks like a fastball out of his hand. Likely the new closer with the injury to Troy Percival.

9th: FB (86-87), CB (79-83), CU (80)

Have 2 charts (and a baseball game) tomorrow and all the games look pretty brutal, so it should be awesome...

Chart Observations: OAK @ TB

• James Shields started for the Rays and had exquisite command of his stuff. Shields featured a fastball at 88-92, a changeup at 80-84, a cutter at 83-86 and a curveball at 74-78. Shields attacks hitters from an over the top release and, as with many who come from that release, shows an above average curveball. His change is a plus-plus pitch that I didn't think he threw enough in this game (but still fired 8.1 shutout innings) and his cutter is just average. His fastball is above average due to his command. He is a # 2 for a contender.
• Josh Outman opposed him and featured a fastball at 91-94, a slider at 80-83, a changeup at 79-86, a soft curveball at 72-75 and a hard curveball at 76-81 from a high 3/4 release that is almost over the top. Outman liked to use the soft curve early in counts to try and get a cheap strike and would use the hard curve as more of a strikeout pitch. Outman has shown himself very well the 2 times I have seen him, but has left early in both outings due to a high pitch count. Outman has good control, but struggles to command his stuff within the strike zone, causing him to pitch behind and rack up big pitch counts. Potential to be a # 2 starter with a big bump in command, but probably settles in as a middle of the rotation starter.
• Michael Wuertz was 89-90 with his fastball and 82-86 with his slider from an over the top release. Wuertz's slider is a plus pitch due to it's sharp, late breaking action making it difficult for hitters to square or recognize quickly.
• Andrew Bailey was 91-95 with his fastball, 88-92 with his cutter and 75-77 with his curveball from an over the top release. The curveball is an above average offering. This is the 1st time I have seen him where he has thrown more curves then cutters.
• Santiago Casilla was 92-95 with his fastball, 83-86 with his slider and threw a change at 86 from a 3/4 release. Casilla has a max-effort delivery and relies on his strong legs to generate velocity. His slider is an above average pitch that has flashed plus due to it's sharp late break, but he has had some issues commanding it. His change is more of a show-me pitch then anything that can get hitters out and is a below average offering. Casilla's fastball is above average and features a little tailing action as well. Solid middle reliever who, if he can refine his command, could be a set-up guy.
• Russ Springer was 89-91 with his fastball, 84 with the 2 cutters he threw and a curveball at 79 from a high 3/4 release. Solid middle reliever.
• J.P. Howell was at 85-88 with his fastball, 79-81 with his curveball and threw a changeup at 80 from an over the top release. Howell is unique in that his fastball is just average, but he could be a set-up guy due to his plus-plus curveball and above average change. He also has plus command of all his pitches and looks ready to continue building on his breakout year last year. Solid set-up guy. Only worry is that when he doesn't have great command of his off-speed stuff, he is very hittable, as his deception can only help so much.
• Dan Wheeler faced 2 hitters and was 87-88 with his fastball, 80 with his slider and 75 with his curveball. The slider and curve are above average offerings and he is another Tampa Bay reliever who gets by more on command then stuff. Don't know how long he can keep this up as he is another whose fastball will get pounded if there is any regression to the off speed stuff.
• Joe Nelson featured a fastball at 85-87 and a vulcan changeup at 75-78. He is another one of those command and control guys and his change didn't have the same break as it usually does. He also struggled to get ahead of hitters and his deception did not help him when hitters know an 85-87 mile per hour fastball is coming. Solid middle reliever, but I think he is a little over extended as a guy that comes in to hold a lead.
• Aaron Cunningham is a 5-11 205 pound 23 year old outfielder. He is a right handed hitter and has a fairly prototypical stance with a slight crouch and is a little open. He also has a little bat wiggle and for a trigger, he strides and moves his hands back. Very conventional hitter. He has a medium frame that is maxed out. He is not plus on any tool, but is no worse then average on any tool. He has average power potential, he shows an ability to be able to put the ball in play. He is an above average runner. If this sounds like the profile to a 4th OF, it is. He doesn't have the speed to play CF consistenly or the power to play a corner.

A lot of Observations

Yesterday afternoon's game was blacked out, so I just scored it from Gameday. Charted the Mets-Phillies game and live scored the Rays-Red Sox game today.

• Oliver Perez has lost a lot of his stuff and almost all his command. This is no longer a pitcher who sat in the mid 90's and teased with you a great slider. This new version of Perez sits in the low 90's and teases with you a wildly inconsistent average slider. The main problem is all the old command issues remain. He struggles to control his stuff, let alone command it in the strike zone. You could also tell he was upset and frustrated with his performance yesterday (he was getting squeezed quite a bit as well). He has the look of a pitcher who doesn't know what else to do to try and get results. The Mets must tread carefully here, as he may be close to just losing the mental side of it as well.
• Jamie Moyer is a freak. The guy has a tremendous 2-seam fastball that sits in the low 80's. He complements this with an above average low 70's curveball, a high 70's cutter and a mid 70's changeup. He has above average command of all his pitches and looks to be ready to have another solid year as a back-end starter.
• Ken Takahashi made his major league debut. The 40 year old (no typo) lefty sits with a fastball at the high 80's, a decent changeup in the low 80's, a decent slider in the mid 80's and a curveball at the low 70's. He is an extra arm. He has good command, but nothing about his package jumps out at you. Plus, what team has much time for a 40-year old rookie (and only the Mets would have time if he was Latino)
• Pedro Feliciano threw a 1st pitch changeup to Raul Ibanez (who hit it out of the balpark to knot the game at 5) for some reason. Made zero sense.
• This leads me to my next point in regards to why Jerry Manuel may favor Omir Santos over Ramon Castro: game-calling. Castro called many questionable pitches, like changeups out of Perez when behind in the count and obviously struggling to command everything. Castro also rarely visited the mound to try and reassure his pitcher. Not saying anything for sure, but that was my observation. Castro is a very useful bat.
• Bobby Parnell has a big arm, sitting in the middle to high 90's with his fastball. He showed zero ability to command either of his off-speed pitches though (a mid 80's change and a high 80's slider). He can be a strong late inning reliever, but you have to wish that the kid could have gotten half a season in AAA to try and develop an off-speed pitch. You can't do that in the big leagues.
• I am going to echo what a lot of other people have said this season: Ryan Madson is the best reliever in the Phillies bullpen. Madson is throwing a high 90's fastball (sat at 95-96), a tremendous change that is effective to hitters on both sides of the plate at the low 80's with good bite and fade and a low 90's cutter. If Brad Lidge's struggles continue (and his slider lacked the same bite it showed last season again yesterday), then Madson is in the driver's seat for the closer's gig.
• Brad Penny was very strong for the Red Sox. He settled in, pumping in low to mid 90's fastballs, mid 70's curveballs and a mid 80's splitter. If he pitches to his potential (and he showed today that it is still a strong # 3 starter), then the Red Sox staff will be that much better.
• James Shields was on. Featuring a low 90's fastball, a devastating low 80's change, mid 70's curveball and a mid 80's cutter, he can be dominant when he is commanding all his pitches and he was doing just that. His change is a plus-plus pitch with tremendous fade and sink, causing many hitters to swing over the top of it. He can throw it to both right handers and left handers with equal success. Theo Epstein said it best on the telecast: "James Shields keeps proving he is a frontline starter in this league."
• Manny Delcarmen had some control issues, which the announcers say may be related to a hip flexor. I don't buy it, but he definitely struggled commanding his low to mid 90's fastball and low 80's changeup.
• Hunter Jones is an extra arm. The kid has a solid low 70's curveball, but with a fastball sitting in the mid 80's (mostly 86), he will get hit hard once teams just sit on that. A low 70's curveball is not a good pitch to have as your out pitch when you are trying to become a LOOGY.
• Ramon Ramirez is a very, very good reliever. Hard for me to fathom that both the Rockies (Huston Street and Manny Corpas are inferior pitchers) and Royals (though they did get Coco Crisp) dealt him away. He attacks with a mid 90's fastball and a mid to high 80's changeup that is just filthy. He is a luxury as a 7th inning guy with the likes of Saito and Papelbon ahead of him in the pecking order.
• Carl Crawford stole 6 bases to go with a 4-4 day. The guy knows how to use his legs by pounding the ball on the ground and just running. Of his 6 steals, only 1 was close (not Jason Varitek's fault, he was stealing them on the pitchers and twice stole the pitch after pitchouts, the best time to run).

I have copies of every game played thus far this season at my disposal at work, so if there is someone specific you would like for me to get a read on for you, let me know.