Chart Observations: NYM @ PIT: NYM Pitchers

1) Tim Redding: 49 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Fastballs (2 in 2nd, 3rd), Slider (3rd)

• Redding came from an over the top release with a 2-seam fastball with some late armside run, a change with good armside fade and sink, a big breaking 12-6 curve with good depth and a 2-7 slider with okay bite.

1st: FB (87-90), SL (85), CU (80-82)

2nd: FB (87-90), SL (81-83), CU (79-83), CB (75-77)

3rd: FB (86-89), SL (81-83), CU (81), CB (74)

2) Pat Misch: 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Misch came from a high 3/4, almost over the top release and showed a fastball with some gloveside run and sink and a 11-4 slider that just keeps going down.

3rd: FB (83-85), SL (81-84)

3) Elmer Dessens: 19 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Dessens came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with good armside run and above average sink, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with good armside fade and some sink. He will throw his change to righties.

4th: FB (86-90), SL (85-87), CU (84)

4) Brian Stokes: 21 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (both in 6th), 2 on Changeups (both in 5th) and a Curveball (6th)

• Stokes came from an over the top release with a 4-seam fastball with a little run in on righties and a change with good fade from lefties and sink. He also threw a 12-6 curve with good depth.

5th: FB (93-96), CB (80), CU (80-82)

6th: FB (92-95), CB (78-80)

5) Pedro Feliciano: 18 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Feliciano is a sidearming lefty who featured a fastball with some late armside fade and sink, a cutter with good cut, a 9-4 slider with solid bite and a straight change that moves like his fastball.

7th: FB (87-89), Cut (82-84), SL (74-77), CU (77-79)

6) Sean Green: 25 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Changeup (8th), Slider (8th).

• Green is a sidearming righty whose fastball has excellent armside run and sink, a 1-7 slider with good bite and a change that moves like a fastball with more sink then fade from lefties.

7th: FB (88), SL (74-75)

8th: FB (87-91), SL (73-75), CU (80-83)

7) Francisco Rodriguez: 46 pitches. 8 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (9th), 2 on Curveballs (9th), 4 on Changeups (2 in 9th, 2 in 10th

• K-Rod came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with late run in on righties with sink, a change that moves like a fastball with excellent late fade from lefties and a sharp 12-6 curve with excellent depth.

9th: FB (92-95), CB (79-82), CU (84-88)

10th: FB (92-94), CB (81), CU (83-87)

Chart Observations: NYY @ NYM

1) A.J. Burnett: 108 pitches. 12 strikes swinging. 2 on Fastballs (4th, 7th) and 10 on Curves (2 in 1st, 2nd, 4th, 2 in 5th, 3 in 6th, 7th)

• Burnett came from a 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties, a plus power curve that was a sharp 12-6, 1-7 pitch with above average depth and a change that showed above average sink and fade from lefties that he will throw to righties. Burnett was simply dominant, as he generated those 10 swings and misses on curves after throwing 34 of them, a 29 % swing and miss rate.

1st: FB (94-96), CB (82-83)

2nd: FB (93-95), CB (78-83)

3rd: FB (93-95)

4th: FB (93-95), CB (80-82), CU (87)

5th: FB (92-96), CB (79-83), CU (88)

6th: FB (93-94), CB (80-83), CU (87)

7th: FB (93-94), CB (80-82), CU (87-88)

2) Tim Redding: 102 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 4 on Fastballs (2nd, 2 in 4th, 5th) and a Slider (1st)

• Redding came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run and sink in on righties, a 2-7 slider with solid bite, a change with some fade and a little sink from lefties and a slurvy 12-6 to 2-7 curve with okay depth. Redding mixed speeds and eye level very well until the 6th, where he started the leaving the ball at the belt consistently.

1st: FB (88-92), SL (83-85), CB (77), CU (82)

2nd: FB (88-92), SL (83), CB (75-77), CU (82)

3rd: FB (86-92), SL (82-85), CB (73-75)

4th: FB (89-92), SL (86), CB (75-77), CU (80-81)

5th: FB (90-92), CB (74-77), CU (83)

6th: FB (89-91), SL (82-85), CB (76)

3) Brian Stokes: 25 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Changeups (6th)

• Stokes came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball that falshed run and a little sink and a change with excellent fade and sink from lefties. The one curve he threw was overthrown and garbage.

6th: FB (95-96), CU (78-83)

7th: FB (93-96), CU (81-84), CB (80)

4) Pat Misch: 11 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Misch is a 6-2, 195 pound lefty. The 27 year old has a medium frame that can add quite a bit more muscle to his frame. He comes from a high 3/4, almost over the top release. His fastball has good run in on righties and some sink. His slider has a sweeping 10-4 action with some bite. His change has some sink and run in on righties. His curve is an 11-5 pitch with solid depth. He is a tweener, not enough fastball to be a consistent starter and no real out pitch to be a reliever.

8th: FB (85-86), CB (74), CU (77-80), SL (84-85)

5) Brian Bruney: 7 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Bruney came from an over the top release with a fastball that had some run in on righties and a little sink and a 2-7 slider that is sharp with good bite. They just wanted to get their 8th inning setup man some work.

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

6) Elmer Dessens: 23 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Dessens is a 5-11, 200 pound righty. The 38 year old has a small frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has some run and a little sink in on righties. His change shows good fade from lefties and some sink. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with solid bite. His curve is a big breaking 12-6 with good depth. He has solid command, but is just a temporary solution type pitcher.

9th: FB (87-91), SL (84-85), CU (79-84), CB (75)

7) David Robertson: 17 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Robertson comes from an over the top release with a straight 4-seam fastball and a power 12-6 curve with good depth. You have to like these Yankees relievers who all have strikeout stuff and average to above average command.

9th: FB (87-92), CB (76-78)

• Argenis Reyes is a 5-10, 165 pound 26 year old. The switch hitter, righty thrower has a small frame that can get up to at least 175. From the left side, he has an open stance that is fairly straight up and holds the bat somewhat in front of his back shoulder and moves the bat in a circle as he awaits the pitch. Trigger is a cocking of the bat and a stride. He is a utility infielder and not much more.

NYM @ SF

• I got to watch Johan Santana pitch for the 1st time in about 2 years and he is definitely amongst the best pitchers in the majors. He was at 89-93 with his fastball, 79-84 with his changeup and 82-86 with his slider. The bad part of this is the Mets seem to take off everyday he pitches, making errors or just not hitting, or both. His fastball is above average due to his plus command, his changeup is plus-plus and his slider was above average. He mainly was FB-CU and had guys way out in front or swinging over the top of his change. If the Mets can ever play defense behind him, his pitch counts would become much more manageable. A legit # 1.
• Randy Johnson has lost some stuff. He was 88-94 with his fastball, 84-88 with the slider and 83-86 with the splitter. Johnson's slider is now merely a plus pitch and his fastball is slightly above average. The splitter is just an average offering. He still has plus-plus command, but now gets punished when he misses in the zone or teams bloops fall in and both happened to him today. He is a back of the rotation starter for a contender though with his ability to eat up innings and is a valuable pitcher.
• Justin Miller was picked up by the Giants from the Marlins. He features a fastball at 87-91 and a slider at 78-82. Nothing about this guy is plus. He struggled with his command (I would say it is below average), his fastball is average and his slider may be a tick above average. He has a slight amount of extra movement in his stretch, as the lead foot comes down, then out. Not sure if its anything, but it is a different thing. He seems to be in the mold of Vinnie Chulk or Kiko Calero, but just doesn't have the stuff to be that. Organizational reliever.
• Merkin Valdez demonstrated his plus arm featuring a fastball at 95-97 and a slider at 85. Valdez was once a top prospect before he had multiple arm surgeries, but he has a plus fastball and a plus slider with average command from a high 3/4 release point and you have to think the more innings he throws, the more his command will develop. I think this kid is a future closer, though he will need to be quick to shed his injury-prone label and show an ability to pitch on back-to-back days.
• Pat Misch is another reliever who didn't show much. From a 3/4 release, he was 85-89 with his fastball, 84 with his slider, 75-78 with his curveball and 80-82 with his changeup. I liked his curveball, but when you sit at 85-89 with your fastball and only show a little above average command, your error zone gets a lot smaller. I think he is a long reliever in a pen, but he isn't a guy who has LOOGY potential, as his curveball isn't a true out or plus pitch, but just above average. His changeup was also a touch above average, making him a good candidate to face both righties and lefties.
• Bobby Parnell was another lightning arm on display this afternoon. He was 94-98 with his fastball and 81-85 with his slider. His slider is average, though it has flashed above average a few times I have seen him and his command is also just average. I wouldn't expect him to maintain a sub 2 ERA all season, but it isn't out of the question for a sub 3 ERA and being a solid 7th inning guy if he doesn't get victimized too badly by the Mets defense or balls in play. Parnell's upside is that of a closer, though I think he will settle in as a set-up man.
• Brandon Medders finished the game for the Giants and got hit around a little bit. Once a hard throwing right hander in the Diamondbacks system, he has made himself into a command and control type pitcher (whether it's an upgrade or not is debatable). He featured a cut fastball at 88-91 (may just be natural cut, but it is a cutter), a curveball at 68-70 and a slider at 80-83. Only the cutter was a real above average pitch and that is only due to the fact he can typically spot it. He only has above average command, so he does tend to leave pitches out over the plate and with his new velocity, he gets hit. His curveball is a plus offering, but is no out pitch, as it is too slow and easy to fight off. Another guy who features best as a 10th or 11th guy in the pen. He will likely continue riding the bus to Fresno and back.
• J.J. Putz got the save for the Mets and featured his 4-seam fastball at 94-96, a slider at 82 and a splitter at 84-86. The splitter had very good bite today. When the splitter doesn't have good bite, he is forced to rely on his fastball to left handers and that is how he gets hit. His slider is above average and his fastball is also above average. His command is above average, but when he misses with the fastball, he tends to miss up. If he can continue to be consistent with his splitter, he is a luxury for the Mets, as he is a closer pitching the 8th inning.
• Manny Burriss, a 6-0 190 pound 23 year old, is a switch hitter with a small frame that can add quite a bit more muscle (though if he does, he likely loses some speed). From the right side, he features a crouched stance. He is a plus runner who understands his strengths and looks to pound the ball on the ground. He moves his weight back as the pitcher is about to release. From the left side, he features a crouched stance, but also opens himself up to see the ball better. He may be a tad overexposed as a starting 2Bmen, though he fits their park very well with his speed. I think he winds up being a super utility guy that can play everywhere (he came up as a SS) and being the top guy off a bench for a contender. A career like Chone Figgins also isn't out of question.
• Pablo Sandoval, a 5-11 245 pound 22 year old, is a switch hitter with a squatty build and a body that would be described by scouts as bad. He has huge thighs, which have to worry you as he ages. His frame is currently maxed out (hard to tell if it is good or bad). He shows a fairly stright up stance and takes a big leg kick right before the pitcher release. He is a below average runner. He is more or of a line drive gap hitter then a masher. His upside is likely close to that of a starting 3B. If he was able to catch everyday, he would be immensely more valuable. The only problem with his as a corner infielder is I don't believe he will show the power needed from those positions and doesn't offer too much defensively. He is the classic defensive tweener, as he can't play OF, can play manageable corner infield spots, but you wish you had someone better there and he can spot catch, but you don't want him catching everyday. I think he is good enough to establish himself as an everyday 3B for a team that gets its power elsewhere (like Philly) and is a guy that will be a .280-.330-.440 guy in his prime. Very aggressive hitter that won't walk much.
• Travis Ishikawa, a 6-3 225 pound 25 year old, has a big frame that can add a lot more muscle. He features a slightly open stance that is nearly identical to that of teammate Fred Lewis. You would think he would have power his frame, but he also appears to be another gap-hitting San Francisco corner infielder. He is a tweener to me, but a tweener in the sense I think he is a 4-A player. He doesn't offer much in regards to batting average (probably about a .260 hitter), power (maybe 15 home runs, that's the max), defense (kind of lead footed and doesn't have great hands) or speed (just an average runner). Sounds like a 4-A player to me. John Bowker is hitting .317 in AAA. Sounds like its his turn again in the "Who Wants to Play First Base for the Giants And Not Be Worthless?" gameshow.
• Bengie Molina's catch and throw ability has really deteriorated. He is slow in his exchange, it appears his arm angle has dropped causing the ball to tail towards second base and his arm is just average. However, he is their best hitter, so he will continue to play. It actually scares me to what Sandoval's defensive is like back there, as I would think playing Molina at 1B could be a better option (who knows at this point, he has to be better then John Bowker).