The trip to Wichita was very successful. I will have a report for John Sickels Newsletter subscribers later today or tomorrow.

For today, I want to post something that I hope you find interesting. Zach Greinke pitched seven strong innings for Wichita Saturday night. I charted the first six innings pitch-by-pitch, using my radar gun and taking notes. Here it is:

Zach Greinke vs. Corpus Christi Hooks, Saturday August 19, 2006
FIRST INNING
Hitter: Josh Anderson
   Fastball, 87 MPH, inside corner, called strike    0-1
   Fastball, 89 MPH, low in the zone, swinging strike  0-2
   Fastball, 87 MPH, low and outside, ball  1-2
   Fastball, 91 MPH, fouled away, 1-2
   Fastball, 86 MPH, inside, 2-2
   Fastball, 88 MPH, called strike three, one out
Tike Redman
   Fastball, 88 MPH, called strike, 0-1
   Fastball, 92 MPH, inside, ball, 1-1
   Fastball, 89 MPH, called strike, 1-2
   Fastball, 88 MPH, grounded to first base, 3 unassisted, 2 outs
Hunter Pence
   Fastball, 89 MPH, fly ball to right fielder, 3 outs
SECOND INNING
Josh Bonifay
   Slider, 84 MPH, called strike, 0-1
   Fastball, 89 MPH, outside, ball, 1-1
   Fastball, 89 MPH, swinging strike, 1-2
   Slider, 83 MPH, fouled away, 1-2
   Fastball, 94 MPH, low in the zone, ball, 2-2
   Fastball, 92 MPH, fouled away, 2-2
   Fastball, 91 MPH, swinging strike, one out
Jorge Cortes
    Slider, 83 MPH, low, ball, 1-0
    Fastball, 88 MPH, low, ball, 2-0
    Fastball, 88 MPH, outside, ball, 3-0
    Fastball, 87 MPH, called strike, 3-1
    Curveball, 79 MPH, fouled away, 3-2
    Fastball, 92 MPH, fouled away, 3-2
    Fastball, 87 MPH, fouled away, 3-2
    Slider, 84 MPH, low, ball, walk
Jonny Ash
    Fastball, 88 MPH, low, ball, 1-0
    Curveball, 75 MPH, ground ball, 4-3 fielders choice, 2 outs
Mark Saccamano
    Fastball, 89 MPH, low, ball, 1-0
    Fastball, 87 MPH, low, ball, 2-0
    Fastball, 91 MPH, right down the middle but called a ball by the umpire, 3-0
    Fastball, 87 MPH, low, ball, walk
Wade Robinson
    Slider, 84 MPH, called strike, 0-1
    Fastball, 93 MPH, swinging strike, 0-2
    Fastball, 90 MPH, low, ball, 1-2
    Fastball, 91 MPH, 6-4 fielders choice, 3 outs
THIRD INNING
Kevin Davidson
    Slider, 81 MPH, fly ball to left field, 1 out
Anderson
    Changeup??, Indistinct pitch, 81 MPH, bunted to catcher, ERROR, runner to third base
Redman
    Fastball, 91 MPH, fouled way, 0-1
    Curveball, 76 MPH, single to right field, run scores
Pence
    Slider, 82 MPH, ground ball to third, 5-4 fielder's choice, 2 outs
Bonifay
    Slider, 85 MPH, EXCELLENT pitch, swinging strike, 0-1
    Fastball, 92 MPH, swinging strike, 0-2
    Fastball, 94 MPH, swinging strike, 3 outs
FOURTH INNING
Cortez
    Fastball, 87 MPH, outside, ball, 1-0
    Fastball, 88 MPH, smashed to center, HOME RUN, run scores
Ash
   Fastball, 88 MPH, outside, ball, 1-0
   Slider, 81 MPH, ball, 2-0
   Fastball, 88 MPH, called strike, 2-1
   Fastball, 89 MPH, fouled away, 2-2
   Fastball, 93 MPH, ground ball to third base, 5-3 putout, 1 out
Sacamanno
   Fastball, 90 MPH, fouled away, 0-1
   Fastball, 91 MPH, outside, ball, 1-1
   Fastball, 91 MPH, low?? Looked like a good pitch called ball, 2-1
   Fastball, 91 MPH, fouled away, 2-2
   Changeup, 80 MPH, swinging strike, excellent changeup, strikeout, 2 out
Robinson
   Fastball, 88 MPH, called strike, 0-1
   Fastball, 90 MPH, outside, ball, 1-1
   Fastball, 87 MPH, fouled away, 1-2
   Changeup, 80 MPH, swinging strike, excellent pitch, strikeout, 3 outs
FIFTH INNING
Davidson
    Fastball, 87 MPH, fouled away, 0-1
    82 MPH, indistinct pitch, low, ball, 1-1
    Fastball, 90 MPH, low, ball, 2-1
    Slider, 85 MPH, fouled away, 2-2
    Curveball, 75 MPH, bounced to shortstop, 6-3 putout, 1 out
Anderson
    86 MPH, indistinct pitch, acted like a cutter, fouled away, 0-1
    Fastball, 92 MPH, grounded to shortstop, 6-3 putout, 2 out
Redman
    Fastball, 88 MPH, hit hard to right field gap, double
Pence
    Curveball, 75 MPH, called strike, 0-1
    83 MPH, indistinct pitch, acted like a splitter, swinging strike, 0-2
    Fastball, 90 MPH, outside, ball, 1-2
    SLOW curve, 65 MPH, wild pitch, runner moves to third, 2-2
    86 MPH, indistinct pitch, acted like a cutter, ball in the dirt, 3-2
    SLOW Curve, 71 MPH, looked like a definite strike but called a ball by surprised umpire, runner draws walk
Bonifay
     Fastball, 89 MPH, swinging strike, 0-1
     Fastball, 93 MPH, fouled away, 0-2
     Fastball, 91 MPH, grounded to shortstop, 6-3, 3 outs
SIXTH INNING
Cortes
     Fastball, 88 MPH, fouled away, 0-1
     Fastball, 90 MPH, outside, ball, 1-1
     Curveball, 75 MPH, grounded to second base, 4-3, 1 out
Ash
     Fastball, 90 MPH, outside, ball, 1-0
     Curveball, 79 MPH, outside, ball, 2-0
     Fastball, 86 MPH, called strike, 2-1
     Fastball, 86 MPH, called strike, 2-2
     Fastball, 86 MPH, grounded to shortstop, ERROR, runner to second base
Sacammano
     Fastball, 90 MPH, fly ball to right field, 2 out
Robinson
     Fastball, 86 MPH, low, ball, 1-0
     Fastball, 87 MPH, outside, ball, 2-0
     Fastball, 90 MPH, fouled away, 2-1
     Fastball, 91 MPH, bunted to pitcher, throws to first base, 3 outs

So, what do you guys think of his pitch sequences? I noticed that Greinke was working his fastball low in the strike zone most of the time. He looked confident on the mound, and didn't get rattled with runners on base or when his fielders made bad plays behind him. As usual for Greinke, he seemed able to dial up his fastball into the 92-94 range at will, but preferred to work a bit slower than that to pace himself. All in all, he reminded me a lot more of the confident young moundsman of 2004 than the rattled thrower of 2005. Word from Wichita and Kansas City sources is that he has made great progress in working through his psychological issues, although of course we'll have to see if that actually pans out in the long run.