I got to wondering tonight about what the buzz around Gallardo was back in the '04 Draft. Here are some scouting reports cited in the BF.net draft-day thread: LIVE FB, MOST PLUS VELOCITY BORING INTO RHH, SINK WHEN DOWN, OCCAISIONAL CUT ACTION. TIGHT ROTATION, DOWN 3/4, SNAPPING CB. ALSO THROWS STRAIGHT CHANGE. REPEATS DELIVERY WELL. CLEAN, BALANCED DELIVERY. LOOSE, VERY QUICK ARM W/ GOOD EXTENTION. AGGRESSIVE, COMPETITOR. MAINTAINS VELOCITY ... Gallardo's fastball is consistently clocked between 91 and 94 mph and has reached as high as 96. Scouts consider Gallardo's curveball above average. His changeup, while a work in progress, is good enough to make hitters thinking fastball look foolish. Gallardo, who has 117 strikeouts in 50 innings this season, impresses scouts with his smooth delivery. Scouts said his effortless motion reduces the likelihood of the arm trouble that makes high school pitchers the biggest draft risks. There have been several notes about Covey's ability to maintain his velocity late in games. Both guys are/were praised for clean, loose arm action. Both are/were profiled as having good curveballs with developing changeups. Velocity ranges are almost identical. Honestly, if I had to highlight a main difference between the two pitchers on their respective draft days, it'd be that Covey has a (widely-accepted) better curveball. The more I think this pick over, the more I like it.