Sports

Jordan Weems was in his tenth skilled season when he was featured right here at FanGraphs for the primary, and heretofore solely, time in July 2020. His story was certainly one of resilience, but in addition of change. Then 27 years outdated, Weems was a transformed catcher quickly to make his big-league debut as a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2011 out of Columbus (GA) High School in 2011, he moved to the mound 5 years later after dwelling in Mendoza-line territory whereas carrying the instruments of ignorance. Weems is now in his third season with the Washington Nationals, and by and enormous he’s solid a good profession as a reliever. The 6-foot-4 right-hander has made 118 appearances at baseball’s highest stage, and his numbers embrace 140 str...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter in regards to the Rays working out of mound visits and varied visit-related hypotheticals, then (21:00) reply listener emails about “due up” vs. “on deck,” strikes vs. pitches within the strike zone, whether or not specializing in wins as an alternative of runs makes WAR much less intuitive, Quinn Priester and FIP-based pitcher WAR, Ronald Acuña Jr.’s ping-ponging strikeout price, whether or not the ball-strike problem system hampers strikeout celebrations, how a lot infielders assist management the working recreation, superior pitching machines and the minors-to-majors transition, why there aren’t extra main league trick performs, cathartic uniform-burning, and timeout-induced accidents. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”Audio ou...

Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports Over the course of his storied profession, Andrew McCutchen has stood there and watched ball 4 go by 1,075 occasions. I watched one thing like 750 of these pitches on Thursday, after which I reduce them down into supercuts. I hope to God I by no means to see one other ball 4. I used to be waiting for one thing particular. I observed the opposite day that McCutchen flips his bat quite a bit, which caught me off guard. If you’re a Pirates fan, I’m certain precisely what I’m speaking about, however I think individuals outdoors Pittsburgh is perhaps startled by it, too. After all, McCutchen is a veteran who tends towards a extra conventional taking part in fashion. That’s to not say that he performs with none aptitude or that he doesn’t have a humorousness ...

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports On Saturday at Citi Field, Max Fried was unhittable. For seven innings, the 30-year-old lefty baffled the Mets, surviving a handful of hard-hit balls, together with two that may have been house runs in a number of different ballparks. But as a result of he walked three batters, went to a three-ball depend towards 5 others, and wanted 24 pitches to finish the seventh whereas working his depend to a season-high 109, Fried received the hook from supervisor Brian Snitker. He may solely watch as J.D. Martinez — who had already hit two scorchers of at the very least 105 mph off Fried — clubbed a solo homer off nearer Raisel Iglesias with two outs within the ninth. The Mets’ rally would finally fall brief, however the run left the Braves nonetheless looking for t...

Phil Didion/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK It’s not fairly proper to say that Fernando Cruz was a late-blooming prospect. That would indicate that he was a prospect, and he wasn’t, at the least not likely. He was picked within the sixth spherical of the 2007 draft as a hitter, however by no means made it out of A-ball in 4 years. He tried pitching after that, and it labored, however not sufficient for the Royals to maintain him. He kicked across the minors, indy ball, and the winter league circuit for greater than a decade. He performed in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. He was dwelling a full baseball life, and nearly completely outdoors of affiliated ball. Over the 2021-2022 winter, although, Cruz placed on a present, racking up a 2.03 ERA with 81 strikeo...