In a rush to head out of town (don't anticipate much presence this weekend), but before I go, here's a look at the stuff Hill and Varvaro were throwing in AFL action this afternoon. Hill threw three innings in a start, while Varvaro threw one in relief. (Box score!)
| Pitcher | Pitch | # | Speed | pfx | pfz |
| Hill | Fastball | 35 | 87.6 | 6.7 | 5.9 |
| Slider | 8 | 80.3 | -2.2 | 0.7 | |
| Change | 8 | 78.8 | 6.3 | 5.5 | |
| Varvaro | Fastball | 9 | 93.4 | -8.2 | 11 |
| Curve | 7 | 79.4 | 0.2 | -7.6 |
Hill's high-80s lefty fastball isn't much to write home about, but what you'll want to notice is the 5.9 under pfz. Most normal fastballs wind up somewhere between 8-12. Hill's is quite a bit lower than that, with the implication being that he gets a lot of sink and the result being a lot of groundballs. Hill's GB% in West Tenn last year was 55%. Combine an ability to keep the ball down with a three-pitch repertoire and the ability to throw strikes and you have a guy that, much like Doug Fister, could come out of nowhere to open some eyes. Don't forget this name.
As for Varvaro, he has Fields' two-pitch repertoire, only (based on today) his fastball has a ton more tail. The 12-6 curveball is right on, though. As is the case with most young minor league relievers, Varvaro has the stuff to succeed. He just needs to spend less time confusing the guy behind home plate and more time confusing the guy beside it.