PIT @ CHC: Game 2

1) Carlos Zambrano: FB, Split, SL, CB, Cut. 117 pitches. 9 strikes swinging. 5 Fastballs, 2 Sliders, Splitter, Cutter.

• Zambrano came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with good run in on righties and some sink, a sweeping 2-7 slider with good bite, a cutter with some cut. a 12-6 curve with average depth and a splitter with good dive.

1st: FB (89-94), Split (84-86), SL (80-81), Cut (90-92) - 3 FB (LaRoche, Jones, Milledge), 2 SL (LaRoche - 2), Cut (Jones)

2nd: FB (87-93), Split (81), SL (77), Cut (87-90)

3rd: FB (88-91), Split (81-82), SL (75-79) - FB (LaRoche), Split (Young)

4th: FB (86-91), Split (81-85), SL (78) - FB (Karstens)

5th: FB (90-92), Split (81-84), CB (73)

6th: FB (88-93), Split (84), SL (79-81)

2) Jeff Karstens: FB, SL, CB, CU. 61 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

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

1st: FB (88-90), SL (76-79), CB (70-72), CU (79-80)

2nd: FB (87-90), SL (76-78), CB (72) - SL (Baker)

3rd: FB (86-89), SL (75), CB (70-72), CU (77-79) - FB (Lee)

4th: FB (85-87), SL (76), CB (71), CU (79)

5th: FB (85-86), CB (70), CU (78)

3) Donald Veal: FB, SL, CB, CU. 18 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball

• Veal came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and some sink and a 11-5 curve with slightly above average depth.

6th: FB (90-93), CB (75-79) - FB (Lee)

4) Steven Jackson: FB, SL, CU. 3 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Jackson came from a high 3/4 release and showed a change with some fade from lefties and some sink that he will throw to righties and a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink.

6th: FB (89), CU (80-81)

5) Justin Berg: FB, SL, CU. 6 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Berg came from a high 3/4 release and showed a 2-7 slider with solid bite and a fastball with some run in on righties and some sink.

7th: FB (89-91), SL (83-84)

6) John Grabow: FB, SL, CU. 23 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Fastball.

• Grabow came from a high 3/4 release and showed a fastball with some run in on lefties and some sink, a change with good fade from righties and some sink and a 11-5 slider with solid bite.

7th: FB (87-90), CU (77-82), SL (82-83) - FB (Milledge)

7) Jesse Chavez: FB, SL, CU. 15 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Slider.

• Chavez came from an over the top release and showed a straight 4-seam fastball, a 2-7 slider with good bite and a change with some fade from lefties and some sink.

7th: FB (92-93), SL (81-83), CU (85-87) - FB (Baker), SL (Johnson)

8) Esmailin Caridad: FB, CB, CU. 11 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. 2 Curveballs.

• Caridad came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with a little run in on righties, a straight change with a little sink and a sweeping 1-7 curve with average depth.

8th: FB (91-94), CB (76-78), CU (89) - 2 CB (McCutchen, LaRoche)

9) Virgil Vasquez: FB, Cut, CB, CU. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball, Cutter.

• Vasquez came from an over the top release and showed a fastball with some run in on righties, a cutter with above average cut, a 12-6 curve with average depth and a

8th: FB (88-91), Cut (84-86), CB (72) - FB (Hill), Cut (Hill)

9th: FB (88-91), Cut (85-87), CB (72-73)

10) Carlos Marmol: FB, SL. 21 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Slider.

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

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

Chart Observations: NYM @ PIT: PIT Pitchers

1) Paul Maholm: 81 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Fastball (4th), Slider (4th)

• Maholm comes from a high 3/4 release with a 2-seam fastball wtih good armside run and above average sink, a 11-4 curve with above average depth, a change with above average sink and looks like a fastball out of his hand and a sweeping 11-5 slider with good bite.

1st: FB (86-89), CB (73), CU (81-82), SL (80)

2nd: FB (87-89)

3rd: FB (86-90), CB (75), CU (82-84), SL (81)

4th: FB (87-91), CB (74-77), CU (84-85), SL (81-83)

5th: FB (87-90), CB (74-75), CU (82-83), SL (82)

2) Jeff Karstens: 25 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Karstens comes from an over the top release with a sharp 2-7 slider with good bite, a fastball with good armside and a little sink, a big breaking 12-6 curve and a change with some fade and sink from lefties.

5th: FB (87-90), SL (79), CU (79), CB (68-72)

6th: FB (87-91), SL (77), CB (69-76)

3) Evan Meek: 15 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Meek is a 6-0, 220 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out. He comes from an over the top release. He is fairly difficult to chart, as he throws a FB, CB, Cut, SL and CU. I believe he is similar to some of these other pitchers that throw predominantly cutters, but some disagree. I believe his cutter has good cut, but the amount can be inconsistent and it can flash being straight. His 4-seam fastball has some run in on righties. His curveball is a 12-6 pitch with good depth. I like him and he has plus velocity, but his command can come and go.

7th: Cut (88-94), FB (93), CB (78)

4) Steven Jackson: 33 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 on Sliders (8th, 2 in 9th), Changeup (8th)

• Jackson is a 6-5, 215 pound righty. The 27 year old has a big frame that has room to add a lot more muscle. He comes from an over the top release. His slider is a 2-7 pitch with solid bite, but can flatten out or flash as plus. His fastball is a 2-seam with some armside run and sink. His changeup has good fade and sink that he will throw occasionally to righties. I am not a big fan of him as a 1 inning reliever, and his velocity isn't good enough to really be a guy I would be confident in as a Scot Shields type. I think he is a swingman for a contender at best.

8th: FB (88-89), SL (80-83), CU (81-83)

9th: FB (87-90), SL (80-82), CU (81-83)

5) Jesse Chavez: 1 pitch.

• Chavez threw a fastball with some movement. Got a groundout and I do like his stuff.

9th: FB (93)

6) Matt Capps: 25 pitches. 3 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs, Changeup

• Capps is a 6-2, 245 pound righty. The 26 year old has a medium frame that is maxed out with a little bit of bad weight. He comes from an over the top release. His fastball has some run in on righties. His slider is a big breaking 2-7 with good bite, but doesn't appear to be a true strikeout pitch due to some loopy action. His change is straight with a little late fade from lefties. Solid closer, but more of a set-up guy or middle reliever on a contender.

10th: FB (91-94), SL (82-84), CU (87-88)

On a personal note, despite a (what seems like) 0-13 slump (more of a junior year slump then the senior year FLA slump, made the same adjustment I did after FLA that year and am back to hitting the ball hard by getting my stride foot down quicker, just not getting the hits to show for it yet), I have been selected to the Tri County League All Star team. The game is next Friday (July 10th) and luckily I have off work that day, so this should be interesting.

Ladies, take note. I am an All-Star. True Story. :-)