TOR @ WAS

• Ricky Romero comes from a high 3/4 release. His fastball had good run and sink and some run in on lefties. His change shows good fade and sink and is his best off-speed pitch. It is his out pitch and flashes excellent sink. It looks like a fastball out of his hand. His slider can be loopy/slurvy or it can be sharp and somewhat resemble his change. His curveball is a big breaking 11-5 with good depth. Solid # 3 starter who could be a 2.

1st: FB (89-93), CU (82-85), SL (81-82)

2nd: FB (90-94), CU (82-87), CB (76-79)

3rd: FB (89-93), CU (83-85), SL (81-84), CB (75-77)

4th: FB (90-93), CU (84), CB (76)

5th: FB (91-93), CU (83-85), SL (83-85), CB (78)

6th: FB (88-93), CU (80-84), CB (74-79)

7th: FB (89-94), CU (82-84), SL (83-85), CB (76)

• Shairon Martis came from a 3/4 release with a fastball that had good run and sink, a change that looks like a fastball out of his hand until it drops off the table and it shows excellent sink and some fade, though it can be inconsistent and a 2-7 slider with some bite. His command can be erratic and he is no better then a # 4 starter for both now and the future.

1st: FB (88-93), SL (82-83), CU (81-87)

2nd: FB (86-90), SL (84-86), CU (78-81)

3rd: FB (88-91), SL (84), CU (82)

4th: FB (86-90), SL (81-83), CU (79-83)

5th: FB (87-91), SL (86), CU (80-82)

• Jesus Colome came from a 3/4 release with a fairly straight 4-seam fastabll that flashed some late run to righties and a 2-7 slider with okay bite. Could pitch for the Nats, Padres and maybe Indians.

6th: FB (93-95), SL (84-89)

• Kip Wells came from an over the top, almost high 3/4 release. His fastball has some late run and sink. His change is a straight change with some sink that he will throw to righties. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with some bite.

7th: FB (92-94), CU (85-87), SL (85-86)

8th: FB (91-94), CU (86-87)

• Jeremy Accardo came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good fade and sink. After battling his way back from injury and the minors, he went down with what appeared to be maybe a back injury to my un trained eye.

8th: FB (92-93)

• Brandon League came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run and some sink and a split with great dive that is his out pitch. He is an enigma, as he has swing and miss stuff but struggles to consistently get hitters out.

8th: FB (92-94), Split (83-85)

• Joel Hanrahan came from an over the top release and struggled. His fastball is a straight 4-seam, his slider is a 2-7 pitch that has flattened out and his change is a straight change with some sink. I still like him due to his fastball velocity, but his slider needs to come back.

9th: FB (92-95), SL (82-85), CU (85)

• Jesse Carlson also struggled. The sidearming lefty showed a fastball with good late sink and a 10-5 slider with good downward bite. He also threw a change with some fade and sink. He left too many belt high fastballs in to the Nats hitters and they made him pay.

9th: FB (87-89), SL (78-81), CU (82)

• Jason Frasor comes from an over the top release with a 4-seam fastball that flashes some run and a 2-7 slider with some bite.

9th: FB (94-95), SL (85-86)

Off tomorrow. We play the other supposed top team in our baseball league for the 1st of 3 straight times tomorrow.

Chart Observations: WAS @ NYM

• John Lannan started for the Nats. The 24 year old left hander who stands 6-4, 215 has a big frame with room to add a little more muscle. From a high 3/4, almost over the top release, he featured a fastball at 85-89, a curveball at 70-76, a slider at 81-82 and a changeup at 80-82. His fastball has good run and a little sink and is an average offering. His slider is a 10-4 offering with good depth and is a slightly above average pitch. His chnageup moves like a 2-seamer and is just a little slower and is also just an average pitch. His curveball is an 11-5 offering that can be a little loopy and that is also average. He really fights himself to try and keep his fastball down and tends to miss armside with his pitches. He is a nibbler who prefers to stay on the inside or outside corners. Most of his fastballs are aimed at the knees on the outside corner and he hits the spot quite often. He is a # 4 starter right now, who could grow into a # 3. It also isn't out of the realm of possibility to see him add enough muscle to get up to 89-91 consistently with his fastball.
• John Maine is a 28 year old who stands 6-4, 200. The right hander has a big frame with room to add a lot more muscle. From a 3/4 release, Maine showed a fastball at 89-93, a slider at 85-87 and a changeup at 82-87. His fastball has a little fade to it and is a slightly above average pitch due to its velocity. His changeup shows good fade and sink and is an above average offering. His slider shows good bite and late drop and is a 2-7 type pitch that is above average. Maine's struggles aren't with his stuff, it is with his command. He struggles to command his fastball and has a tendency to leave it up (bad) and in the middle of the plate (double bad). He likes to throw his slider with 2 strikes and starts it at the knees on the inside corner to lefties (or outside corner to righties) and have the natural movement take it out of the zone. He misses his spots more then any pitcher I have seen this year, constantly throwing outside fastballs when the catcher wants it in and vice versa. To left handers, he likes to throw sliders in and changes away. Maine is a # 3 starter right now with ace potential still with his frame and his command struggles. He likely won't start throwing any harder, though it wouldn't be crazy to see him at 92-94 consistently in a couple year. Will he ever solve his command issues and take that next step to be a # 2?
• Jesus Colome is a 31 year old who stands 6-2, 240. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. From a low 3/4, almost side arm, release he showed a fastball at 92-95 and a slider at 87-90. His slider has more bite to it then side to side movement, but it can flatten out at times. It is a sharp and late breaking pitch with 3-7 type movement when on. His fastball is a straight 4-seam. Both his pitches are above average, but he has a tendency to fall behind hitters and throw that 4-seam over the middle of the plate. Looks like a solid middle reliever who has a drop and drive delivery from the stretch.
• Bobby Parnell had some command issues. His fastball showed good fade and sink. From his high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 93-98 and a slider at 84-86. His slider showed very good bite and is a 2-7 type pitch. He has a classic drop and drive delivery with a big leg kick. His slider flashes plus. He will over throw his fastball, causing him to leave it up. He really struggled with his control in this outing and wasn't missing by much, but continued to nibble and didn't make an adjustment to throw more over the middle of the plate.
• Pedro Feliciano is a 32 year old left hander who stands 5-10, 190. He has a small frame that is maxed out. From a sidearm release, he showed a fastball at 88 and a slider at 82-84. His slider is a frisbee slider and is a 9-4 type offering. Fastball shows some sink and a little fade. He generates very good deception and throws across his body a little bit. A good LOOGY and is a good # 1 lefty to have in a pen.
• J.J. Putz is a 32 year old who stand 6-5, 250. The right hander has a big frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 92-95, a splitter at 83-86 and a slider at 85. His fastball showed good fade and some sink. He was flying open mechanically in his 2nd inning of work, causing him to lose command of his fastball. Splitter has excellent fade, but only average bite. His slider is a 1-7 offering that shows good bite. His splitter is every where from average to plus. Good top set-up man who could probably still close right now.
• Daniel Cabrera is a 27 year old who stands 6-9, 260. The right hander has a big frame that is maxed out. From an over the top release, he showed a fastball at 88-92 and a slider at 76-80. His fastball is a straight 4-seam that flashes some fade. His slider is a 11-6 offering that shows some late bite, but is just an average offering and is very inconsistent. He struggles to repeate his mechanics and will throw 40 foot sliders. He is hell for catchers, as he has no idea where the ball is going once he releases it and he spikes quite a few pitches. He is done, but you will likely hear from him again in a couple years.
• Jason Bergmann showed a fastball at 92 and a curveball at 75-77 from a high 3/4 release. The curveball is a 12-6 breaker with average break and bite. His fastball is a 2-seam with excellent fade. Solid middle reliever.
• Kip Wells is a 32 year old who stands 6-3, 205. The right hander has a medium to big frame that looks like it can add more muscle, especially on the lower half. From a high 3/4 release, he showed a fastball at 92-96 and a slider at 86. His fastball shows above average fade and solid sink and is an above average offering. His slider is sharp with late break and is a 3-9 type pitch that is also above average. I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility for him to turn into a closer.
• Francisco Rodriguez is a 26 year old who stands 6-0, 195. The right hander has a medium frame that is maxed out. From a high 3/4, almost over the top release he showed a fastball at 92-95, a curveball at 80-83 and a changeup at 83-87. The fastball shows above average fade and a little sink and is an above average offering. His curveball is sharp with late break and is a 12-6 offering that is above average. His changeup has excellent dive and has above average fade and just disappears and is a plus pitch. He has a max effort delivery and will likely be a strong closer for another couple of years.

Chart Observations: WAS @ LAD

Both bullpens really struggled in this exciting game.

• Randy Wolf started for the Dodgers and featured a high 80's fastball, a high 60's curveball, a high 70's slider and a low 80's changeup. He showed above average command of his pitches and did a good job keeping the Nats hitters off balance all night. I have never been a big fan of his, but he continues to be a solid # 3 starter, and I believe this is his ceiling that he is currently pitching at.
• Despite a bad first inning, Jordan Zimmermann threw really well and continues to have the look of a pitcher who can grow into a strong # 2 for a contender at least.
• Ramon Troncoso attacked hitters with his low to mid 90's 2-seamer and plus mid 70's curveball. He elevated his 2-seam a little too much and that resulted in him getting hit.
• The Dodgers really miss Joe Beimel (who featured a mid to high 80's fastball, low 70's curve and low to mid 80's change, he really isn't a guy to get RH's out, but is a very good LOOGY with his FB-CB combo combined with the deception he generates from his delivery). Will Ohman once again failed to retire the one LH he faced with high 80's fastball and low 80's slider while Brent Leach failed to retire either Adam Dunn or Nick Johnson. Leach featured a low 90's fastball and an above average high 70's slider. Leach is likely pitching against Ohman for that LOOGY job and the Dodgers will have to make a decision to go with a raw youth with better stuff or with a veteran in hopes that he will return to his career norms.
• Cory Wade pitched better then his line indicated, as he attacked hitters with a low to mid 90's fastball, a plus high 70's curveball (which I would like to see him bury a little more) and an above average low 80's changeup. He is a quality 3-pitch reliever and looks to be a solid set-up guy, as his command was above average as well. I don't know if he will be able to generate the strikeout numbers necessary to be a closer.
• Guillermo Mota attacked hitters with a 94 mile per hour fastball, an average mid 80's slider and an above average mid 80's change. Mota is an extra arm for a bullpen at this stage of his career.
• James McDonald came out of the pen and was blooped to death. He went after guys with a low 90's fastball, mid 70's 12-6 curveball and a high 80's change. The 12-6 is plus and flashed plus-plus and his changeup is an above average offering. McDonald did still show some flashes of above average command, but continued to miss with his fastball in the middle of the plate a little too often. Not sure where he profiles best, but I think I would prefer him as a back-end starter, as his potential (# 3 starter) is greater then that of a reliever.
• Ron Villone is back in the big leagues and shows the same stuff, a high 80's fastball, mid 80's change and low 80's slider. All his pitches are average, with the change being a bit above average. Useful reliever to have when you don't want to waste other guys, but is it better to have him eating the innings or a younger guy who may have a future?
• Kip Wells attacked guys with a mid 90's fastball, low 80's curveball, mid to high 80's slider and a high 80's changeup. Wells needs to be a 3 pitch pitcher as a reliever, as the slider was an average offering, while his fastball and curveball are each above average. He gets some good 2-seam action on his fastball and his curveball flashed plus. Still think he is a solid option as a late inning guy, but he once again showed a tendency to nibble.

HOU @ WAS

This game is currently in a rain delay in the 11th (of course its an extra, so I don't get more money), but will give you what I saw thus far:

• Roy Oswalt looks like the same pitcher he has always been. He features a low to mid 90's fastball, mid 80's slider, low 70's curveball and mid 80's changeup. He attacks hitters and forces them to try and put the ball in play. He left the game due to a bone bruise on his right index finger.
• Scott Olsen has lost some velocity on his fastball. He sits in the mid to high 80's with it, in addition to a mid 80's change and mid 80's slider. The real fun part is attempting to differentiate between these 2 pitches, as the slider's break can be fairly indistinguishable to the naked eye. Olsen had a chance at being a middle of the rotation guy when his fastball was in the low 90's, but with it in the high 80's, he is a back-end starter.
• Chris Sampson had some major command issues of his stuff and when you have a 2-seam fastball in the high 80's, you can't afford to be falling behind. He also showed a low 80's slider. Both pitches are major league average pitches (he also throws a high 70's curve and low 80's change). He is what he is, a long reliever who shouldn't be pitching in big situations.
• Tim Byrdak was the only Houston reliever who looked decent in this game. He attacks hitters with a low 90's fastball, a low 80's slider and a low 80's changeup. But, he is another pitcher who shouldn't be pitching at the end of games and is only a middle reliever, not a set-up man.
• Geoff Geary is another middle inning reliever throwing late innings. Geary attacks with a low 90's fastball, mid 80's slider and low 80's curveball. He is nothing amazing as a reliever and is a protypical RH reliever.
• Saul Rivera looked good for his 1 inning, mixing his high 80's 2-seamer, high 80's cutter and mid 80's slider very well. Looks to be back to what he is, a very durable middle reliever who can get you multiple outs.
• Julian Tavarez is another guy who is a solid middle reliever who shouldn't be pitching late in games (sense a trend here?). He attacks hitter with a mid to high 80's sinker that is plus and an average slider. He is a very good and versatile reliever to have at the front of a bullpen or in the middle to get ground balls, but you don't want to rely on him as your 8th or 9th inning guy.
• Garrett Mock is someone the Nats have high hopes for in the back of their pen. I don't see it. He is another guy who is probably a 10th or 11th pitcher with his low 90's fastball and a low 80's slider. Both pitches are only major league average pitches. He has/had solid command until he seemingly twisted his ankle on a Michael Bourn bunt pop out. Don't know if there is too much of a bigger ceiling here either.
• Kip Wells actually looks the part of a late innings reliever with his mid 90's fastball, low 80's curveball and high 80's changeup. Both the fastball and curveball are plus pitches, but he also showed a tendency to nibble as opposed to attacking hitters (which has been his M.O. for awhile). That being said, this is a good risk by the Nationals to see if he can become something as a reliever. Upside is of a set-up man, as he still shows a little tendency to the long ball.
• Joel Hanrahan didn't look great but got the job done with his stuff. He still shows closer stuff to me and needs to be back in that role.
• Elijah Dukes has grown a lot as a baseball player. One of the ultimate "toolsy" guys, he is showing signs of putting it all together. Pitchers used to feed him sliders that start on the outside and break off the zone and he would swing. Now, he is learning to let those pitches go and taking the free ball pitchers give him. This causes them to throw him more fastballs and he feasts in those situations (his HR off Oswalt was on a 94 mph fastball at the letters). You never know what your going to get from this guy in regards to off the field incidents, but he can be a strong corner outfielder (he is a little over exposed as a CF) and give you some fairly good production. The power is real and I think lines of .270-.330-.480 are not out of his grasp.

Back on the grind tomorrow with 2 charts.