Mariano Rivera, RHP, closer

Mariano throws mostly cutters, in and out, to LH and RH. For a pitcher that has had so much success, it's amazing that he has thrown only one pitch over most of his career. 85-100% of the time, he'll throw the cutter. Rivera's straight 4-seam fastball is usually used up and in to RH hitters. Rivera struggled some early in 2007, but his stuff is basically the same as it's always been, so you can expect tons of saves and another successful season out of him in 2008. 3/25/08 CSJ *cutter(91-95), fastball(91-95)

Chien-Ming Wang, RHP, starter

Wang is a sinkerballer. He throws tons of 2-seamers that bore in on RHs and sink away from LHs. His slider is standard, getting good break when thrown well. When thrown poorly the slider stays up, floating out of the strikezone. When facing LHs, Wang likes to use his changeup away. In 2008, Wang has begun using his splitter more often. It used to be his fourth pitch, by far, but he has begun using it a bit earlier in the count, as opposed to only as a strikeout pitch. The splitter has more velocity than the changeup, and may get unpredictable movement. I have noticed Posada have a difficult time catching it because it will sometimes bite quickly away from his mitt. Wang's stuff doesn't blow anyone away, but his sinker is good enough to throw lots of quality innings. 5/9/08 CSJ *fastball(88-93), slider(81-87), changeup(78-80), split(81-87)

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 LH and RH. 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 has a solid minor league track record, and should see some success in the bigs. 4/24/08 CSJ *fastball(85-90), changeup(78-81), curve(71-73), slider(78-81)

Phil Hughes, RHP, starter

Hughes has a good arm and compact delivery. He has dominated at every stop in the minors, and should produce quality innings at the major league level. His fastball seems very straight, but he can spot it very well, inside and outside with good velocity. Hughes' curveball looks like his #2 pitch, a big, hard, 12-6 breaking ball. A tight slider and a straight changeup round out Hughes' repertoire, both pitches that should improve with more work. Expect Hughes to pitch well early in 2008, but once those innings start piling up on his young arm, he will most likely tire out some in the 2nd half. 3/20/08 CSJ *fastball(89-95), curve(68-76), change(78-83), slider(75)

Brian Bruney, RHP, reliever

Bruney is simply a fastball/slider guy. He has very good velocity on his fastball, and mixes in a hard, tight slider. He'll use the slider away to RHs and bust it inside on LHs, much like a cutter. If Bruney tries a changeup, it's exclusively away to LHs. His career has been up and down and he never reached his scouts-eye projection of being a dominant closer. 8/6/08 CSJ *fastball(93-98), slider(85-92), change(88-89)

Chris Britton, RHP, reliever

Bob Wickman's body double, Britton has about the same crummy stuff. He throws a fastball in the 80s and a curveball in the 70s. His fastball flies very straight, and at 87mph, doesn't look like it will be a very effective pitch. His curveball gets good drop at times, but it was all over the place in his 5/1 outing. As of August, Britton seems to have added a tighter breaking ball that he is using inside on LHs. 8/19/08 CSJ *fastball(84-90), curve(75-78), slider(80-81), changeup(75-80)

Joba Chamberlain, RHP, reliever

Chamberlain has ridiculously good stuff. His fastball is overpowering at 95mph and up. What makes him such a big prospect is the command he shows with that pitch. He has the ability to relax and hit his target at 95mph. In 2007, he coupled his fastball with a slider that was nearly unhittable. Chamberlain is already a legend, and according to legend, he also owns a good curveball and changeup. He has not shown these two pitches very often yet in the bigs, usually sticking with the fastball/slider combination, even now that he's a starting pitcher. 7/1/08 CSJ *fastball(90-100), slider(81-90), curve(74-80), change(81)

Jonathan Albaladejo, RHP, reliever

Albaladejo throws a moving fastball and two different breaking pitches. He's an imposing presence on the mound, pounding his boring fastball in on RHs bats around 90mph. He then mixes in a slow curveball in the low-70s that gets good downward drop. His slider is an average pitch, looking like it has a tendency to hang in the strikezone. 4/24/08 CSJ *fastball(85-91), curveball(70-74), slider(79-81)

Andy Pettitte, LHP, starter

Pettitte has always been known for his cutter, a pitch that actually resembles more of a slider nowadays. Pettitte often uses the cutter inside on RHs. When going well the pitch is jamming hitters and breaking bats. Pettitte is not afraid to also backdoor the cutter to RHs or even use it away to LHs. Pettitte's fastball is a fairly straight pitch that he tries to work in and out to hitters, setting up his other offerings. Pettitte's curveball can be a very effective pitch, getting big sharp break sometimes. At other times, the curve can look like it's just floating towards home plate. Pettitte's straight changeup is fairly standard. 8/19/08 CSJ *fastball(86-92), cutter(80-87), changeup(78-82), curve(72-76)

Mike Mussina, RHP, starter

Mussina is finished, velocity wise. His fastball may touch 88mph nowadays, but not likely. He still has a good knuckle-curveball but since his fastball is so hittable, it's easy for batters to lay off the breaking pitches. Mussina will vary his arm angle on the fastball and curve to try and create deception. Moose doesn't stop there though, he'll try anything to get an out. He has a little slider which he has started relying on more, especially inside on LHs. Then he'll mix in some straight changes that are really slow. And by slow, I mean they look like a lob coming in at around 70mph. One of the few plusses for Mussina, is that he still has great command of his pitches. 5/10/08 CSJ *fastball(82-89), slider(78-84), curve(61-78), change(65-71)

Edwar Ramirez, RHP, reliever
	Edwar is basically a two-pitch pitcher. He throws a decent moving fastball and a great sinking changeup. He came out of the independent leagues and is now producing at a high level for the Yanks. He'll mix in a tight slider to RHs occasionally. 8/6/08 CSJ *fastball(88-92), changeup(76-82), slider(80-84)

Jose Veras, RHP, reliever
	Jose Veras is a tall man. He uses his lanky body to produce a mid-90s fastball and sharp breaking curve. He has consistently produced good K totals in his professional career, but also tends to post a high WHIP. Veras has shown a split-finger pitch that can dive under bats. 8/6/08 CSJ *fastball(90-97), curve(74-82), splitter(85-88)

Darrell Rasner, RHP, starter

Rasner deals a very hittable fastball and a slow 12-6 curve. His stuff isn't overpowering but he seems to command it well. He'll spot the fastball inside and out. He can drop his curve in for strikes and will routinely do this with the first pitch of at-bats to get ahead. His off-speed pitch is a very straight changeup. Rasner's main pitch is a very short, tight slider. He likes to work the slider in on LHs and frontdoor it to RHs. 7/1/08 CSJ *fastball(86-90), curve(71-75), changeup(82-84), slider(82-87)

Billy Traber, LHP, reliever
	Former 1st round pick of the New York Mets, Traber offers up a fastball in the mid-80s, a big slow curve, a changeup, and a tight slider. He relies on spotting his fastball and then dropping in the curve. His slider is very sharp and is often thrown low and in to RHs. The changeup is a soft pitch offered up to RHs. 4/24/08 CSJ *fastball(85-90), curveball(69-73), changeup, slider(80-83)

Scott Patterson, RHP, reliver

Scott Patterson has one of the ugliest deliveries in baseball. However, he seems to spot his fastball well and drops in a slow curveball. His jerky delivery may also give batters an uncomfortable look at his pitches. Patterson played five years of independent league baseball before making a full-time switch to relief pitcher, where he has consistently put up dominant numbers. 6/2/08 CSJ *fastball(87-91), curve(69-73)

Kei Igawa, LHP, starter
	Japanese art model and professional pitcher, Kei Igawa throws three basic pitches. He has a fastball, changeup, and slider. None of these offerings are very effective, and he lacks command. Igawa has also used a very slow curveball. 6/16/08 CSJ *fastball(85-90), changeup(73-76), slider(75-78), curve(64-66)

David Robertson, RHP, reliever
	Robertson is a young pitcher with a loose arm. He throws a 90mph fastball and breaks off a sharp curveball. David has shown a straight changeup to LHs. Robertson was MVP of the 2006 Cape Cod League playoffs. 8/6/08 CSJ *fastball(87-94), curve(75-81), changeup(83-85)

Dan Giese, RHP, starter/reliever
	Giese had a long minor league career before finally getting his shot in 2008. He simply deals two pitches; a moving fastball and a curveball. He has shown excellent command throughout his career. 7/1/08 CSJ *fastball(84-88), curve(71-79)

Sidney Ponson, RHP, starter
	Ponson has really started to bounce around the league since Baltimore got fed up with his antics and high ERAs. Now he's the Yankees' problem. He sinks his fastball and mixes in a slider to his glove side of the plate. Ponson will try and backdoor his slow curve and throws a split-finger pitch as his off-speed offering. 7/22/08 CSJ *fastball(87-94), slider(80-84), splitter(82-85), curve(73-77)

Damaso Marte, LHP, reliever
	Marte has always been a fastball/slider pitcher. He has decent velocity on the fastball and gets his slider to sweep across home plate. I have never seen a changeup from Marte. He has posted some very good seasons as a setup man, and continues to produce in 2008. 5/14/08 CSJ *fastball(90-94), slider(81-83)