Balta1701 Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 I first read this and thought it was cool...then thought "Hey wait, haven't they done nothing other than build a batting cage ball tosser and give it wheels?" PhillieBot, the one-armed, three-wheeled robot, designed by engineers at the University of Pennsylvania, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. The spectacle is part of Science Day festivities at Citizens Bank Park, said Evan Lerner, a spokesman for Penn's engineering school. The pitching robot has been in the makings for a month and a half as Penn engineers Jordan Brindza and Jamie Gewirtz assembled parts and wrote software in their spare time, Lerner said. They started with a Segway, gave it a robotic arm and added a third wheel. They also gave it a pneumatic cylinder, which delivers a burst of compressed carbon dioxide to power the pitch. The robot's computer brain can be tweaked to change pitch velocity and trajectory. On Monday, Brindza and Gewirtz took PhillieBot out to the mound for its final test, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. After the press of a button, the robot's mechanical arm reared back and then moved toward home plate; at the top of its delivery, it flicked its mechanical "wrist" and shot the ball forward. The ball appeared to be traveling no more than 30 or 40 miles an hour, the Inquirer reported. But that was by design, since the Phillies didn't want the pitch approaching Major League speeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Josh Johnson is a beast. Best pitcher in baseball? 3 times this season he's had no-hitters into the 5th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 07:15 PM) Josh Johnson is a beast. Best pitcher in baseball? 3 times this season he's had no-hitters into the 5th. Still underrated to me. This guy has done nothing but dominate since the second half of '08. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalapse Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Brandon Wood has been DFA'd. End of an era. A horrible, sad era. Of course that's assuming the former #3 prospect in all of baseball doesn't clear waivers which I wouldn't count on. I hope for his sake that he's claimed or traded, an outright release would be pretty brutal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjshoe04 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Can we please get Wood and have him and McPherson battle it out in triple A? This would be amusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JorgeFabregas Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 14, 2011 -> 05:10 PM) That was exactly my first thought. Dusty better not dare ruin that arm. No s***. The Player's Association should be able to sanction managers like that. Their pitching substitutions should be handled by a court-appointed guardian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (JorgeFabregas @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 05:53 AM) No s***. The Player's Association should be able to sanction managers like that. Their pitching substitutions should be handled by a court-appointed guardian. Reds pitchers already look gassed as compared to last season. That was quite predictable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 06:58 AM) Reds pitchers already look gassed as compared to last season. That was quite predictable. If you were a Reds fan, would you have traded last season's Central win for the possibility of better pitching this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Chappas Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Kalapse @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 11:15 PM) Brandon Wood has been DFA'd. End of an era. A horrible, sad era. Of course that's assuming the former #3 prospect in all of baseball doesn't clear waivers which I wouldn't count on. I hope for his sake that he's claimed or traded, an outright release would be pretty brutal. Which is why I am not certain the Royals are the lock they are portrayed to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Kalapse @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 11:15 PM) Brandon Wood has been DFA'd. End of an era. A horrible, sad era. Of course that's assuming the former #3 prospect in all of baseball doesn't clear waivers which I wouldn't count on. I hope for his sake that he's claimed or traded, an outright release would be pretty brutal. I have to imagine someone out there taking a chance and claiming him, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Kalapse @ Apr 19, 2011 -> 11:15 PM) Brandon Wood has been DFA'd. End of an era. A horrible, sad era. Of course that's assuming the former #3 prospect in all of baseball doesn't clear waivers which I wouldn't count on. I hope for his sake that he's claimed or traded, an outright release would be pretty brutal. Maybe Coop can fix him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 12:39 PM) If you were a Reds fan, would you have traded last season's Central win for the possibility of better pitching this year? Obviously not, but it goes to show you that if you have a "dream season", which I believe they did after all their ridiculous comebacks, you better capitalize in the postseason and go far. Also, I thought it was foolish of them to go into this year with basically the same exact team they had last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 11:28 AM) Obviously not, but it goes to show you that if you have a "dream season", which I believe they did after all their ridiculous comebacks, you better capitalize in the postseason and go far. Also, I thought it was foolish of them to go into this year with basically the same exact team they had last year. Especially with how young that team is, I don't think that's foolish at all. They have the luxury of playing for time and pretty much expecting to get better, not worse. And even if they struggle this year, with Wainright out, the NL Central is totally winnable for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 05:36 PM) Especially with how young that team is, I don't think that's foolish at all. They have the luxury of playing for time and pretty much expecting to get better, not worse. And even if they struggle this year, with Wainright out, the NL Central is totally winnable for them. Like I said, I felt they overachieved last year. Everyone was concerned about the innings Leake and Wood threw, and they probably would have been wise to invest in a set-up man instead of Masset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 I blame this on Greg Walker. Following Tuesday night's 9-0 loss to the Brewers, a game in which Philadelphia managed only two hits, the Phillies had not scored more than four runs in a game in 10 days and in their last 28 innings had mustered just one extra-base hit. I watched the game with ESPN analyst and 1984 Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe, who said about the Phillies, "Offensively, this team is a lot less than what they were in a lot of ways." What's changed is the offense and, in turn, the Phillies' identity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 10:13 AM) Which is why I am not certain the Royals are the lock they are portrayed to be I can confidently say that atleast one of these big time Royals' prospects won't make it. In fact, 3-5 of them probably won't end up being much more than a bench player. But when their 15th and 20th rated prospects are as good as several teams 2-5 prospects, it gets really scary. There would have to be a ton of them that fail - like 75% - for them to not become a contender. QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 11:38 AM) I blame this on Greg Walker. I remember the Phillies doing that for a few stretches last year too. That offense just goes cold at times. This year, it's a bit more understandable, considering they've been relying upon Wilson Valdez to man 2B for them and Ben Francisco is playing RF for them and hitting 5th. They miss Utley and they miss Werth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Jose Contreras looks AWESOME at closer. Love that man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 02:45 PM) Jose Contreras looks AWESOME at closer. Love that man. I really wanted him back. Not necessarily as a closer. But his stuff profiles much better in the bullpen. He made Braun look stupid just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 In 686 plate appearances last year, Daric Barton drew 110 walks. In 3120 plate appearances in his career, Yuniesky Betancourt has drawn 106 walks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 03:48 PM) In 686 plate appearances last year, Daric Barton drew 110 walks. In 3120 plate appearances in his career, Yuniesky Betancourt has drawn 106 walks. Wait, why are these 2 being compared? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 02:48 PM) In 686 plate appearances last year, Daric Barton drew 110 walks. In 3120 plate appearances in his career, Yuniesky Betancourt has drawn 106 walks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 01:03 PM) why are there seagulls in Chicago when there is no sea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 20, 2011 -> 02:58 PM) Wait, why are these 2 being compared? Just to establish a frame of reference. Yuniesky Betancourt walks very, very, very little. He set a career high in walks last year with 23. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 So Quade going with the strange decision of playing Soto in both games of the DH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Jered Weaver is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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