Hey Doc,
I looked for the dreaded upside down W in Capps but really didn't see much of it. I tried to stop and start as much as I could, but I could never really catch a shot with his right elbow that high. Can you capture a moment in his delivery and highlight that? The shot you've captured, above, really doesn't show much of an invert, IMHO.
I like the leg slide, as it may be quite deceptive. I love his arm slot. I don't know what he throws, besides gas, but I would imagine he has a flattish curve with lots of gloveside break (is that what I'm seeing in the play-by-play) and a cutter/slider/something #3 with lots of movement.
But what I thought was interesting (and you quasi-mentioned it, too) was that he had a semi-El Tiante/Felix turn-away from the plate. I would accentuate that, I think. A little more turn, and with that Nelson slide, you would have a great deal of motion......and then the guy at the plate would still have to pick up a 98 MPH heater. You would have to look at back then leg then glove THEN find a Ryan Express-type fastball. Yikes!
Uh...no thanks, were I the guy at the plate.
And as for the maximum effort finish, well it didn't seem to negatively impact a Gibson or Bunning. It'll do.
Snow is just classically smooth. Looks like a guy just playing catch.
But Capps can get out MLB guys right now. If he handled Venable he will have no problem getting out most RH hitting guys. Holy snot, how many guys touch 98 right now? It's not like guys see a bunch of FB's like that. Heck, a bit of wildness might not hurt Capps.
Can he throw gas two days in a row? If so, he's a guy who could easily pitch 70-80 innings for the M's this year. Nelson did that. Is that more valuable than the 140 he'll pitch as a starter in he minors? And working him from the pen this year doesn't mean he's always going to be a pen guy.
I think your experiment might just work.
You didn't mention that in his "Thermonuclear" Cape Cod innings, Capps gave up exactly 1 earned run. 0.39 ERA, if you're counting.
The M's are loaded with young arms. We are WAY short of current bullpen arms. Let the supply meet the demand.
moe

With his control, he needs to be encouraged to throw tight -- since he's a college pitcher, he may not yet be sharp doing it. But again, calling on my ancient history, a reputation like Drysdale's or "Sal the Barber" Maglie might be enough to go from potential to proof very quickly. Somebody else said it (EDIT: mojician) but I heartily agree -- we need young studs in the pen like Ramirez, Snow, Capps, Pryor, Moran, et al who get a rep for for no quarter given (how's that for a Mariner slogan). Then the team will start approaching the 90-win level with the hitting and starters we have or have coming.

Certainly set-up. He's a monster. And because I'm not a huge fan of his motion for 100+ pitches I wonder whether they'll make that adjustment sooner or later. I have them doing it later, especially since we have a lot of options that are closer to the bigs. Pryor is the same type of guy and he's already had his season-long adjustment.
But if we wanted to take a guy or two from the low minors, stuff them in the pen and see if they can't be in the bigs ASAP, then I'd pick Capps and Carson Smith to do that.
I'd love to give Maurer another chance to start before bullpenning him, because his motion isn't as bullpen-leaning as those of Capps and Smith.
Like I said, our 2013 pen does not concern me at all. I just wonder if all the spit and baling wire can hold the 2012 pen together until all these arms get up here.
~G

Capps' Cape Cod days were the summer he was drafted. After signing, he then went to the Midwest League, where he fanned 21 in 18 innings, although there he allowed 12 runs also. He was the Paxton of the 2011 draft - much better than his draft position based on what he was doing on Cape Cod.
Hensley's performance in the Arizona Fall League, especially when Snow, Moran, and Hultzen did so well, makes me think he's going to be a little slower to the show.

From College

Morrow was hardly a bust. 107 OPS in his first year, 127 in his second.

Edit: OK....got it.
I've always felt the Morrow deal was more with the way the M's used/demoted/promoted him and not with any talent deficit.
He had the ability to get MLB batters out, right away.
Capps too, it appears.
Maybe Capps' future is as a starter, but a question to ask is would he benefit more from the MLB experience than the AA deal?
Doc has mentioned the Earl Weaver process and how he first used future starters in the pen. Well, Hank Bauer did it in Baltiimore before Weaver. In '65, Jim Palmer (all of 19 years of age and with 129 innings of A-ball behind him) got his first call-up to the Orioles. They would win 94 games that year (finishing third). Palmer threw 92 innings in 27 games, 6 as a starter. He was useful on a really good team. The next year he had 30 appearances, all starts, and threw 208 innings.
I know that Palmer/Bauer/'65 is ancient history but it can be seen as a template here.
If Capps can help this team this year by being pen guy, then that should be where/how he is used. Lord knows, we look like we need a reliable BP arm or two.
Spot start him if you have to....and if his future is as a starter. But in the present he is more valuable to the team and to his future by going the bullpen route.
moe

Today's game seemed pretty routine for him. The Generals were losing (only their 2nd game of the year) so he came on in the 8th to get his work in.
He struck out the side on 9 pitches. Yeesh.
In three appearances, he's got 9 Ks against no walks in 5.2 IP, no runs. He keeps this up and I don't see him staying in the minors past the All Star break. Dude's arm is tough to ignore.
We have a lot of those guys in Jackson...
Though I do want to know why Taijuan Walker didn't start today (Yoervis Medina got hit early and often in his stead).
~G