Chart Observations: 9/15 MIL @ CHC

1) Carlos Zambrano: 103 pitches. (FB, Split, Cut, SL, CB). 14 strikes swinging. 7 Splitters, 5 Fastballs, 2 Cutters

• Zambrano came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball wtih some run in on righties and some sink, a split with slightly above average dive that he will throw 3-2, a 2-7 slider with solid bite, a cutter with a hint of cut

1st: FB (88-94) - 3 FB (Braun - 3)

2nd: FB (89-95), Split (87), Cut (91-93), SL (82) - 2 Split (Fielder - 2)

3rd: FB (90-95), Split (83-87), Cut (92), SL (85) - 2 FB (Hart - 2), Split (Hart)

4th: FB (90-95), Split (87-89), SL (81-82) - 3 Split (Braun, Fielder, McGehee)

5th: FB (90-94), Split (84-88), Cut (90-92) - 2 Cut (Kendall, Cameron), Split (McGehee)

2) Yovani Gallardo: 107 pitches. (FB, CB, SL, CU). 11 strikes swinging. 5 Changeups, 3 Curveballs, 2 Fastballs, Slider.

• Gallardo came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties and a little sink, a sharp 12-6 curve with above average depth, a 2-7 slider with solid bite that he will throw 3-2 and a change with some fade from lefties and a little sink that he will throw to righties and in 2-0 counts.

1st: FB (90-93), CB (80), SL (85-86) - 2 FB (Bradley, Theriot)

2nd: FB (90-92), CB (80), SL (86), CU (82-83) - 4 CU (Fontenot, Scales, Fukudome - 2)

3rd: FB (89-91), CB (78-80), SL (85), CU (83)

4th: FB (89-92), CB (79-81), SL (83-85), CU (81-84)

5th: FB (90-91), CB (79-80), SL (82-84), CU (83) - 2 CB (Scales - 2), SL (Soto)

6th: FB (90-93), CB (78-80), SL (83), CU (82-84) - CB (Fukudome), CU (Miles)

3) Aaron Heilman: 13 pitches. (FB, CU, SL). 4 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders, Fastball, Changeup.

• Heilman came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a little sink, a change with some fade from lefties and good sink that he will throw to righties and a 2-7 slider with some bite.

6th: FB (91-92), CU (84-86), SL (80-81) - 2 SL (Gallardo - 2), FB (Lopez), CU (Escobar)

4) Todd Coffey: 17 pitches. (FB, SL, Split). 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Coffey came from a 3/4 release and showed a 2-7 slider with above average bite and a fastball with some run in on righties.

6th: FB (90-94), SL (81-84) - FB (Ramirez)

5) Carlos Villanueva: 19 pitches. (FB, CU, SL, CB). 2 strikes swinging. 2 Sliders.

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

6th: FB (85-86), CU (80-83), SL (80) - SL (Bradley)

7th: FB (87-88), CU (81), SL (79-81), CB (70) - SL (Baker)

6) Kevin Gregg: 8 pitches. (FB, SL, Split, CU, Cut). 1 strike swinging. Splitter.

• Gregg came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and a split with some dive

7th: FB (88-91), Split (82-83) - Split (Braun)

7) Chris Smith: 29 pitches. (FB, SL, CU, CB). 4 strikes swinging. 3 Changeups, Curveball.

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

7th: FB (85-88), SL (75-77), CU (70-74), CB (73-75) - CB (Fukudome), 3 CU (Ramirez, Fontenot - 2)

8) Esmailin Caridad: 17 pitches. (FB, CB, CU). 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Curveball.

• Caridad came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a sharp, sweeping 2-7 curve with below average depth.

8th: FB (89-95), CB (75-78) - 2 FB (Gamel, Rivera), CB (Escobar)

9) John Axford: 30 pitches. (FB, CB). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball.

• Axford is a 6-5, 195 pound righty. The 26 year old righty has a big frame that can add a ton more muscle and he looks like a string bean. Long and lanky that needs to reall hit the weight room. Axford came from a high 3/4 release working predominately from the stretch. He has a long arm action and a cocking action that appears to add some stress to his shoulder. Is a max effort delivery with a fairly violent head jerk. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink that flashes good late tilt action to it. His curve is a 12-6 offering with slightly above average depth. Can battle his command at times, likely due to the violence in his delivery and the resulting difficulty in repeating his mechanics. Intriguing with the amount of projectability left to him, but likely just a 4-A pitcher, as he is very likely to suffer an injury.

8th: FB (92-95), CB (78-80) - FB (Scales), CB (Fukudome)

10) Jeff Samardzija: 19 pitches. (FB, SL, Split, CU). 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Changeup.

• Samardzija came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a split with good diving action, a straight change that he will throw to righties and a 2-7 slider with average bite.

9th: FB (90-95), Split (85), CU (86), SL (82) - FB (Gamel), CU (Braun)

Chart Observations: 8/12 PHI @ CHC

1) Jeff Samardzija: 74 pitches. 6 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs (1st, 2 in 3rd), 2 Splitters (both in 3rd), Slider (3rd)

• Samardzija came form a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties with good sink, a split with above average late dive when right, but can also be flat with little dive and is extremely inconsistent, a 2-7 slider with solid bite, though it isn't a big swing and miss pitch and a straight change.

1st: FB (93-96), SL (80-82), Split (83-85)

2nd: FB (91-94), SL (78)

3rd: FB (91-93), SL (79-82), Split (82-86), CU (86)

4th: FB (92-94), SL (78-82), Split (83-85)

2) Pedro Martinez: 99 pitches. 14 strikes swinging. 6 Fastballls (1st, 3 in 4th, 2 in 5th), 3 Cutters (1st, 2nd, 3rd), 5 Changeups (2 in 2nd, 2 in 4th, 5th)

• Pedro is a 5-11, 195 pound righty. The 37 year old has a small frame that won't be adding any more muscle. He came anywhere from high 3/4 to low 3/4. His fastabll has some run in on righties with a little sink and flashes above average movement. His change has good fade from lefties with solid sink that he will throw to righties and serves as his go-to pitch. His cutter has above average cut and can look like a slider at times and he will backdoor lefties with it. His curve is a 1-7 offering with average depth. Solid back end starter, though he is likely only going to give you 5 or 6 innings an outing.

1st: FB (87-92), CU (78-80), Cut (82-83)

2nd: FB (87-92), CU (77-80), Cut (81-84), CB (72-73)

3rd: FB (87-92), Cut (80-85), CB (74)

4th: FB (88-89), CU (77), Cut (78-79), CB (69-75)

5th: FB (86-92), CU (78), Cut (78-83), CB (73)

3) Sean Marshall: 84 pitches. 10 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), 6 Curveballs (4th, 3 in 5th, 2 in 7th), 2 Cutters (4th, 5th), Slider (7th)

• Marshall came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 11-5 slider with some bite, a cutter with some cut and a little sink, a fastball with a little tailing action, a big breaking 11-5 curve with above average depth and a change with a little fade from righties that he will throw to lefties.

4th: FB (87-89), SL (82-85), CB (72-75), Cut (85-89)

5th: SL (81-82), CB (71-74), Cut (86-87), CU (82)

6th: SL (80-83), CB (71-73), Cut (86-87), CU (80)

7th: SL (80-84), CB (71-73), Cut (84-85)

4) Chan Ho Park: 26 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs (6th, 8th), Slider (8th), 2 Changeups (both in 8th)

• Park came from a high 3/4 release and showed a change with some fade from lefties with sink, a fastball with some run in on righties with sink, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a 2-7 slider with good bite. Will throw both get me over curveballs and out pitch curveballs.

6th: FB (89-91), CU (83), CB (80)

7th: FB (88-93), CB (73)

8th: FB (90-91), CU (80-86), CB (79), SL (85)

5) Aaron Heilman: 17 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (8th)

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

7th: FB (91-92), CU (81), SL (82)

8th: FB (91-93), CU (83), SL (82-83)

6) Carlos Marmol: 12 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

• Marmol came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and a 3-8 slider with above average bite.

9th: FB (93-94), SL (82-85)

7) Chad Durbin: 16 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Cutter.

• Durbin came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a change with a little fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties and a cutter with some cut and sink.

9th: FB (87-90), Cut (87), CU (81-84)

Chart Observations: CHC @ WAS

1) Kevin Hart: 83 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 on Cutters (2nd, 5th), Fastball (3rd)

• Hart came from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties with solid sink, a cutter with good cut and sink and a sharp 12-6 curve with average depth that can be a strikeout pitch. I like him better as a reliever and wonder if he can hold up for a full season, as he has that rubbery arm action where his wrist joins in making an arm circle.
  

1st: FB (88-93), Cut (85-86)

2nd: FB (90-94), Cut (87), CB (80-81)

3rd: FB (91-94), Cut (87-89), CB (77-80)

4th: FB (90-94), Cut (86-88), CB (77-79)

5th: FB (87-94), Cut (83-87), CB (79)

2) Garrett Mock: 63 pitches. 7 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (2 in 2nd, 2 in 4th), 3 on Curveballs (all in 2nd)

• Mock is a 6-3, 230 pound righty. The 26 year old has a big frame that is maxed out. He comes from a 3/4 release. His fastball has above average run in on righties with good sink. His change moves like his fastball, but slower. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with above average depth that is sharp enough to be a strikeout pitch and he has shown an ability to bounce it or throw it for strikes. His slider is a sharp 2-7 with good bite. His stat line looked ugly, but he has good pure stuff. His command is a severe question mark though and he constantly fell behind. Another guy I think I would prefer as a reliever.

1st: FB (90-91)

2nd: FB (89-92), CB (73-76), CU (77-78)

3rd: FB (89-92), SL (83)

4th: FB (88-92), CB (74-76), CU (78), SL (81)

3) Julian Tavarez: 19 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Tavarez came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties with good sink, a sharp 2-7 slider that can be flat and a chnage with some fade from lefties with above average sink. He was released after this game and I have been saying this (as many others have said) that he should have been released a while ago.

4th: FB (90-92), SL (80-85), CU (83-84)

4) Ron Villone: 46 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. Fastball (6th), 2 Sliders (both in 6th)

• Villone came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on lefties, a loopy 11-4 slider with good bite and a change with late fade from righties.

5th: FB (88-89), SL (78-85), CU (83)

6th: FB (87-90), SL (78-86), CU (82)

5) Jeff Samardzija: 41 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (6th, 7th), 3 on Splitters (6th, 2 in 7th)

• Jeff came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a split with average dive that has good late action and flashes above average dive and a big breaking 2-7 slider with good bite that appears to be a curve-slider hybrid.

6th: FB (93-96), Split (84)

7th: FB (93-96), Split (85-86), SL (82)

8th: FB (92-94), Split (85-86), SL (81)

6) Tyler Clippard: 20 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Clippard is a 6-3, 200 pound righty. The 24 year old has a big frame that can get up to at least 220. He came from an over the top release with a lot of herky jerky action and a cocking arm action. His fastball has some run in on righties. His curve is a 12-6 with above average depth. His change is straight and looks like a fastball out of his hands with some fade fade from lefties that he will throw to righties. His slider is a 2-7 with solid bite and he will throw 3-2 changeups. Clippard is likely going to be a solid middle reliever, but he isn't going to be a guy who dominates and middle reliever is his likely ceiling.

7th: FB (90-92), CU (80-81), CB (75-76), SL (83)

7) Sean Burnett: 18 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Burnett came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on lefties and a 10-4 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (90-92), SL (77-81)

8) Mike MacDougal: 11 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs.

• Mike came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with above average run in on righties.

9th: FB (94-97)

9) Jeff Stevens: 13 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Stevens is a 6-2, 205 pound righty. The 25 year old has a medium frame that can get up to 210. He came from an over the top release. His fastball is a pretty straight 4-seam. His curve is a 12-6 with above average depth. His elbow is bent from when he starts his delivery until he finishes the pitch and I don't know if this takes away or adds stress to it. His command was a little bit of a question mark and looks like a 4-A guy to me.

9th: FB (91-93), CB (73)

Score Observations (7/4 Game): MIL @ CHC

1) Rich Harden: 52 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (1st), Changeup (2nd)

• Harden is a 6-1, 195 pound righty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a lot more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4, almost over the top release. His change has good fade and sink and does appear to be his only off speed offering and it flashes plus, but not consistent. His fastball has some run in on righties. Someone should tell Harden that since he abandoned his other pitches to stay healthy, that he has been pretty worthless lately throwing just 2 pitches.

1st: FB (89-94), CU (82-84)

2nd: FB (88-94), CU (81-86)

3rd: FB (88-91), CU (83)

2) Braden Looper: 112 pitches. 2 Fastballs (2nd, 4th), Splitter (3rd)

• Looper came from a high 3/4 release with a fastball that has some run and sink in on righties, a split with solid dive and 2-7 slider with some bite. Anytime he gives you 5 innings, it's a win for the Brewers, as I have no idea how he gets guys out.

1st: FB (88-90), SL (85-87), Split (82-85)

2nd: FB (89-90), SL (85-86), Split (82-84)

3rd: FB (88-90), SL (83-86), Split (82-85)

4th: FB (87-90), SL (84-85), Split (80-83)

5th: FB (87-88), SL (81-84), Split (82-83)

6th: FB (86-89), SL (82-83), Split (79-82)

3) David Patton: 37 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (4th)

• Patton came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties and a power 1-7 curve with good depth.

3rd: FB (88-90), CB (77-78)

4th: FB (88-91), CB (76-79)

4) Jeff Samardzija: 45 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball (5th)

• The NFL must really want this guy, because someone stole his stuff and they are the prime culprit. He comes from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties, a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a solid splitter. Not impressed with what he worked with.

5th: FB (90-92), Split (82-84), SL (79-83)

6th: FB (91-93), SL (79-81)

7th: FB (89-94), Split (83-84), SL (79-81)

5) Carlos Villanueva: 7 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Changeup, Slider.

• Villanueva came from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball, a change that looks like a fastball out of his hand and has good late from lefties with sink and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

7th: FB (85-88), CU (79), SL (79)

6) Todd Coffey: 9 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 3 Sliders.

• Coffey came from a 3/4 release with a fastball with some run in on righties and a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite.

8th: FB (92-93), SL (81-83)

7) Kevin Hart: 23 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (9th), Curveball (9th)

• Hart came from an over the top release with a fastball with good run in on righties with sink, a cutter with good cut that flashes 2-7 slider movement and a 1-7 curve with solid depth.

8th: FB (91-93), Cut (87-88), CB (79)

9th: FB (91-93), Cut (85), CB (78-80)

8) Chris Narveson: 14 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Curveball

• Narveson is a 6-3, 205 pound lefty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a high 3/4 release. He has a couple of pauses in his delivery and holds the break of his hands for a little while. His fastball is a straight 4-seam while his curve is a big breaking 11-4 with good depth. 4-A guy.

9th: FB (87-90), CB (73)

Brief Extra Report: 5/1 FLA @ CHC

• Graham Taylor is a 6-3, 225 pound lefty. The 25 year old lefty has a medium to big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a 3/4 to high 3/4 release and threw pitches at both points. He straightens his arm on the backtake ala Ubaldo Jimenez. His fastball has some sink and run. His slider shows some bite, but not much and is average. His change has some run and sink. 4-A arm and that is why I only watched an inning

1st: FB (83-85), SL (76-80), CU (79)

• Jeff Samardzija is a 6-5, 220 pound righty. The 24 year old has a big frame that is close to being maxed out. He comes from a high 3/4 release. His split shows good fade and sink while his fastball has excellent fade and a little sink. I think he profiles better as a reliever in the Justin Masterson mold.

4th: FB (90-91), Split (82-83)

• David Patton is a 6-3, 205 pound righty. The 25 year old has a medium to big frame that can add a little more muscle. He comes from a 3/4 release with a fastball that has late fade and sink, a power curveball that is a 12-6 type offering and a change with some sink and fade. Maybe a 12th guy in a pen, but I wasn't impressed.

5th: FB (87-89)

6th: FB (88-91), CB (75-79), CU (83)