60ft6in – Pitcher Scouting Reports

J.J. Putz / RHP / closer

Putz throws a dominant fastball. It often sits in the mid-90s and is the only pitch he needs. When necessary, he’ll also throw splitters that dive when kept down, or will float to the plate like a changeup when left up. Putz owns a very sharp slider that he throws with more frequency nowadays. His distant fourth pitch is a slow 12 to 6 curve. Most famously, he had the best CBSportsline Player News headline ever after a poor outing his rookie season, “Putz, pitching like one”. 10/1/11

[fastball(90-95), splitter(82-87), slider(84-89), curve(74)]



Ian Kennedy / RHP / starter

Kennedy doesn't have overpowering stuff, but seems to have a complete repertoire. He'll throw 2-seam sinkers in the mid-80s and a 4-seamer in the upper-80s. Kennedy has a good, soft, sinking, vulcan changeup that is effective to LHs and RHs. His best breaking pitch is a big knuckle-curveball that gets lots of drop. He'll also mix in some short sliders, usually away to RH hitters. Kennedy physically resembles Mike Mussina, even using the same exaggerated ducking motion as he comes to his stretch position.

Kennedy was drafted and brought through the New York Yankees' farm system. He absolutely dominated in every level of the minors but struggled mightily in his one real shot in the Bronx in 2008. Kennedy was basically run out of town by the lack of patience and sheer stupidity of the Yankees fan base, and now he's a Cy Young contender in Arizona. 9/30/11

[2-seam fastball(85-91), 4-seam fastball(88-92), changeup(78-82), curve(72-78), slider(80-85)]

Trevor Cahill / RHP / starter

Cahill deals a sinker that can produce easy outs in bunches. His stuff is similar to a pre-injury Brandon Webb. His sinker flies around 90 mph with significant movement, so much so that he can have bouts of wildness with it. After the sinker, which he'll throw the majority of the time, Trevor throws a very soft changeup that has become his favorite secondary pitch. The change sinks dramatically, just adding to his ground ball producing repertoire. Cahill also throws two different breaking balls. The slider gets some standard sweeping action, while the curve gets good drop. I believe the curve could be a plus pitch for Trevor, with more depth than the slider at just a few mph slower.

Cahill signed with Oakland after being drafted out of high school in 2006. The California born right-hander was committed to attend Dartmouth before deciding to take his talents to the A's minor league system. Cahill signed an extension with Oakland that could keep him with the A's until 2017. 10/23/11

[sinker(86-92), changeup(76-83), slider(82-85), curve(77-81)]

Daniel Hudson / RHP / starter

Hudson burst onto the major league scene after being traded from the White Sox to the DBacks. In his first start for Arizona in 2010, Hudson allowed just one run over eight innings against the Mets at Citi Field. Hudson never slowed down and has established himself as one of the better starting pitchers in the National League.

Hudson rears back and whips his pitches nearly over-the-top. Daniel's fastball flies at 91-95 mph with arm side movement. His best secondary pitch is a sinking changeup. Hudson will work the changeup to LHs and RHs. His third pitch is a tight slider in the mid to upper-80s and may flip the occasional curve. 7/23/11

[fastball(91-95), changeup(82-86), slider(86-90), curve]

Joe Saunders / LHP / starter

Saunders was a 1st round pick out of Virginia Tech and steadily rose up Anaheim's minor league ladder. His fastball is very hittable, but he controls it well. He prefers to use his changeup as his second pitch, while dropping his curveball in for strikes against unsuspecting hitters. His distant fourth pitch is a slider that I've seen him use against tough LHs.

When Joe's career ends, he will mostly be remembered for pitching with his Virginia Tech hat after the campus shootings in 2007. 5/17/11

[fastball(85-91), changuep(78-82), curve(74-78), slider(80-83)]

David Hernandez / RHP / setup reliever

Hernandez has taken his plus arm strength to the bullpen full-time in 2011. He throws a mid-90s fastball that runs to his arm side. He'll mix in plenty of hard curveballs to RHs and LHs, giving him a decent strikeout pitch. David owns a straight changeup that he featured often as a starter. 5/18/11

[fastball(91-97), curve(79-85), changeup(81-85)]

Josh Collmenter / RHP / starter

Much of Collmenter's success has been attributed to his extreme over-the-top delivery. He has been described as an axe-thrower. His ball comes out from so far behind his head that he's almost throwing left-handed. This deception is necessary because his velocity sits around 88 mph and he tops out at 90. His second pitch is a splitter that seems to really fool hitters. The split-joint basically flies like a changeup, but he's clearly pre-gripping a splitter and I don't think he's throwing two off-speed pitches. Collmenter's third pitch is a 12 to 6 curveball. Josh will use the curve to try and get a quick strike, but does not use it as an out pitch.

Collmenter was a high school legend in Michigan, where he led Homer High School to the state championship in 2004 and a total of 75 straight wins. His battery-mate at Homer and Central Michigan University was Dale Cornstubble, so the box score was sweet no matter what the outcome. He's also unafraid to sport a proper moustache to stop a losing streak. 10/6/11

[4-seam fastball(86-90), splitter(74-80), curve(68-71)]

Takashi Saito / RHP / setup reliever

Saito is a breaking ball pitcher. He pounds the strikezone with tons of sliders and curves, showing amazing control. He'll throw them for strikes, or out of the zone to try and get hitters to chase. His fastball is low to mid-90s and gets good movement. Lastly, Saito may mix in changeups to LHs. Saito played collegiate baseball at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sandai, Japan. 8/14/11

[fastball(89-94), curveball(75-77), slider(80-85), changeup(83)]

Brad Ziegler / RHP / setup reliever

Ziegler is a sidearmer. He throws from a 1/4 arm angle, making his fastball get decent movement and giving the batter a release point they aren't used to. Predictably, as a sidearmer, he also throws a sweeping slider. Ziegler has improved his changeup, a pitch that can be lethal against left-handed hitters.

Ziegler, college roommate of Ryan Howard, famously began his career by pitching 39 consecutive scoreless innings in 2008. 8/13/11

[sidearm fastball(82-87), slider(70-73), changeup(73-75)]

Craig Breslow / LHP / reliever

Breslow was an Ivy Leaguer in college and now a waiver wire pickup by the A's. He throws a 90 mph fastball and an upper-80s cutter. His full repertoire includes a sweeping curve and a changeup. 7/31/09 CSJ

[fastball(87-93), cutter(83-89), curve(71-78), changeup(74-77)]

Bryan Shaw / RHP / reliever

Shaw uses a cut fastball as his primary pitch. The plus cutter, coupled with his plus velocity, makes Shaw a tough at-bat. He will drop in a few curveballs as well. I haven't seen a normal 4-seam or 2-seam fastball from Shaw yet, but he has floated a changeup or two.

Shaw was the closer for the the Long Beach State Dirtbags before Arizona snatched him in the 2008 draft. 10/7/11

[cut fastball(91-95), curve(81), changeup(80)]

Joe Paterson / LHP / reliever

Paterson is a lefty specialist. He has an unorthodox cross-body delivery that gives LHs trouble. Joe throws a sweeping slider as often as he throws his fastball. In the rare case he's facing a RH, Paterson mixes in a changeup. 5/17/11

[fastball(84-87), slider(70-73), changeup(78)]

Wade Miley / LHP / starter

Miley looks terribly average. His fastball sits around 89-90 mph and he currently lacks the control needed to succeed with below average stuff. Miley works in plenty of changeups that routinely miss the strike zone. Wade also spins an average slider and rare curve. Miley pitched collegiately for SE Louisiana and spent one summer pitching for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League. 9/16/11

[fastball(86-92), changeup(77-82), slider(77-79), curve(72-77)]

Sam Demel / RHP / reliever

Demel relies heavily on his cutter. He'll spin the cutter inside on LHs and work it away from RHs. Demel will work in his 2-seamer and throw a standard slider away from RHs. Demel's fourth pitch is a changeup that he tends to bounce at the plate. 7/23/11

[2-seam fastball(91-92), cutter(88-89), slider(82-84), changeup(85)]

Jensen Lewis / RHP / reliever

Jensen Lewis throws a decent moving fastball out of his herky-jerky delivery. He puts together a couple of twitches, and then very quickly the ball flies out of there. He likes using his changeup as his secondary pitch, and he creates some decent deception with it. Lewis' third pitch is a fairly standard slider. Coming out of Vanderbilt, Lewis has produced good minor league numbers, and has quickly stuck in the Indians bullpen. 5/5/09 CSJ

[fastball(87-93), changeup(79-84), slider(83-86)]

Mike Zagurski / LHP / reliever

Zagurski is 15 years too late. His hair and stomach belonged on the 1993 Phillies. His stuff is decent. He has a hard, beer bottle busting fastball and a standard slider. His command of the changeup seems to be lacking, and he will pull it to his glove side, making it appear to be a baby slider. 7/21/07 CSJ

[fastball, slider, changeup]

Chris Jakubauskas / RHP / reliever

Jakubauskas comes straight over-the-top, attacking hitters with a fastball/curve combination. He will mix in the occasional changeup and cutter. Jaku began his career playing for the Florence Freedom of the independent Frontier League after going undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma. 9/7/11

[fastball(90-93), curve(75-79), changeup(80-83), cutter(87)]