Jack Parkman

Not really, but I understand the simple thing. I'd just prefer the clustered data. It gives more info. At the very least minimum maximum and average should be marked with a number instead of just having to eyeball it.

Yeah, kinda for clustering purposes, and I'd improve by marking min, max and average with a number.

I was actually going to post that. I understand how to read the graph in that the dot is the average for the outing, and that the line is the minimum and maximum velocities for the start, There are zero data points on them, so I'm a little confused.

Today is another positive step. I won't completely rule out a velocity jump for him until we get through the 2019 season and it still hasn't returned. I'm starting to get a little more skeptical that his plus velocity will return, but I'm still holding out a glimmer of hope that he's still working on control and repetition of his delivery. I'm not sure he can be much more than a back end of the rotation pitcher with where he is currently.

Actually there is, you position the defense where there are clusters. Playing the percentages of where a hitter is most likely to hit the ball. It isn't going to be as effective as a shift for a pull hitter, but it can still have a positive effect for making outs for the defense.

Maybe he isn't unlucky, so much as analytics have caught up to his batted ball profile and defenders are playing him differently. When players have "unlucky" seasons, you have to take that into account.

No, we watched the same game. He has to be damn near perfect with his command/control to be successful right now, and he was until the HR. Once he lost that pinpoint command it was over. He should have been able to give the team 8 innings with where his pitch count was after 6, but everything went to crap. He started walking guys and the command was gone. He then proceeded to get lit up. He has zero room for error. Just because he was nearly perfect through the first 5 2/3 today, doesn't mean he's going to locate like that in most starts.

I've been one of the biggest Giolito fans out there, but if he doesn't get back to throwing mid-90s he's meat. His fastball isn't good enough to miss bats at 90-93. Eventually, his breaking stuff won't matter because hitters will just wait for a fastball in the zone and launch it.

Dadgummit. Line looks worse than he pitched today.

Wicked slider from Giolito.

1)Not what I said. I said that social issues and economic issues are fundamentally intertwined and inseparable. I prefer the term "socioeconomic." I'm arguing that one without the other does nothing for the good of a disenfranchised population. I speak on this from personal experience. Both are equally important. Never did I say that social issues need to be on the back burner. Just that they are useless without economic empowerment as well. What good is it if people are nice to you if you're homeless, starving and physically uncomfortable? 2) I really don't know how to get around this with Citizens United still on the books. That SCOTUS decision legalized bribery. The issue in my book is that by taking the money, a politician has to continue to put politics/party/special interests over their constituents. It is a catch-22 of epic proportions. I think that if the party as a whole took that position, they can win elections by making it a key talking point, but it is still a massive quandary.

With regard to the Dam/Reddy discussion: I don't understand why Bernie wasn't more popular with the racial minority groups. Though it seemed like he was ignoring social issues, he really isn't because economic empowerment goes a long way to cure social ills. As I said earlier, there is a combination of socioeconomic factors involved in empowering marginalized groups, whether by race, sex/gender identity or disability. Changing social attitudes isn't good enough alone, because then you get "pity work" where someone understands how crappy a marginalized person's situation is and gives them a low paying job that doesn't match their skillset or career goals. Giving someone a job because of their situation alone isn't good enough either, because if social attitudes don't change, the person in question is subjected to harassment or lack of advancement. The reason why I don't understand why Bernie wasn't as popular with racial minority groups, is that in my opinion they stood to benefit the most from his policies. Better pay, more opportunity, getting out of the poorhouse, etc. With regard to the Democratic in-fighting: We have to realize what is at stake here. Our country is under attack by an authoritarian regime, that isn't able to do what it wants because the Founders of this country put a darn good amount of checks and balances in place to prevent that. Unfortunately, the checks and balances are being eroded by corruption in the form of legalized bribery via Citizens United, along with the entirety of the GOP which has been hijacked by the economic elites, and runs on propaganda such as fear mongering, hawkish tendencies, and racial division. Our democracy is in trouble. I, personally am conflicted with regard to the "progressive purity police." On one hand keeping the destructive GOP out of positions of power is an awesome thing, but at the same time I believe that the mainstream Democrats are at best centrists and at worst Eisenhower Republicans. Sometimes you have to put what is best for the country ahead of the advancement of the party's agenda. I think that both parties have lost their way, and it is resulting in a broken system. The Dems, in order to win elections HAVE TO put the middle class ahead of taking money from PACs and other special interests, unless they have the public's greater good in mind. I have very little faith in the system to correct itself until we nearly return to gilded age work conditions. It won't get that bad again, but it will get as close as they can under current law. People have felt the hit, but it hasn't hit home hard enough yet. I believe we actually need another great depression to get our collective heads out of our collective asses and wake up and smell the roses, so to speak. It seems like it has to get really, really bad before people will change their mind. We know two things: 1. Lassez-faire capitalism doesn't work 2. Communism doesn't work 3. What does work, is something in between. We had a good balance for a long time and unfortunately, got complacent and people forgot what works and doesn't. Corporations have proven time and time again they aren't responsible enough to pay their employees a living wage/not pollute the environment/make decisions that values a human life over saving money for the company, if paying lawsuits are less costly than saving a human life. This is why strict regulation is necessary. Nobody talks about how monopolists have gotten around monopoly laws by creating a cartel for certain goods and services There are very few choices, especially with regard to technology. Nationwide, there are 4 cell phone companies and 5 cable companies. 4 companies controlling the entire market is not acceptable. Most general household items, you get at Wal-Mart, Target, or online at Amazon. Books are Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Computer operating systems: Microsoft or Apple. There is the illusion of choice, but there really isn't any choice in the US market, because mergers have destroyed it. There are somewhere between 4-10 companies in any one type of good or service area, and that is too few for truly healthy competition. The Sherman Antitrust Act is still on the books and needs to be brought back with a vengeance. Until the cartels are broken up, nothing will change. That is the first step to rectifying the economic ills of our country.

yes in the last 20, but that is an arbitrary number given they have 2 in the last 22. I was looking at the entirety of Favre and Rodgers' career.

They have 2, and they may have had 3 if it wasn't for an incredible fuck up on an onside kick a few years ago. They ran into some short term juggernauts as well, no team in the NFC has had the consistency that the Packers have. They are the class of the NFC and it isn't close. Go see how many divisions and playoff appearances the Packers have since 1992 and go pick any other NFC team. Not even close.

Not to mention Kevin King, who was their 2nd round pick last season. I hate to say it, but the Packers are killing the draft so far. They picked up an extra 1st rounder for next season and they still got the 2 CBs they wanted. Ew. That organization is so incredibly well run. Gonna be hard to compete with them until they somehow fuck up the QB position.

The pick is in...wonder where they're going here.

I wouldn't be opposed to using a 4th or 5th to go to 31 with NE to grab a top player. Lots of decent talent left.

Another gopher ball by Junis. LOL.

1. Baby steps is correct. 2. Velo is up 2mph he was averaging 90 before and consistently 92-93 tonight. 3. Yes, he's having command issues. Yes he's not missing enough bats, but lots of weak contact. Only 2 hard hit balls all night, the Soler HR and the the lineout by Gordon to end the inning. So, a positive development. Be patient.

Yes, but that pitch wasn't a strike you have to tip your cap on that one.

Giolito not missing bats but getting tons of weak contact.

Gopher ball Junis lol.

I think the long illness of Muhammad Ali had a lot to do with it.

The only way to stop the destruction of the US democracy is to amend the constitution to overturn Citizens United. That decision has basically corrupted the system by legalizing bribery. Without overturning CU, we're basically going to turn into Russia.

This is the biggest lie in politics. They don't. They hoard it, and complain about regulations, wages, taxes, etc. while raking in millions. Economic elites are the aristocrats of the USA. The sooner we admit that, the sooner we can start tackling the problems. These people are the leeches of society. They take all and give little, and we're supposed to be grateful for the crumbs that we receive.