Jason Ross
@jross17
As seen/heard on the North Side Baseball Podcast, author, adult baseball player (which means I'm probably hurt). You can find links to all of our content, either YouTube or Spotify here:
Dear NHL draft, Please just pick people and move on what are we doing here?
I know there's going to be overreaction to the HR, but that pitch is a pitch that just isn't going to be a HR very often. You can't really be mad at Shota. Weimer went down and got it on a windy day.
Spending what could be my last snow day of the year rocking out with some music, some article writing and getting back to feeling like a human. Or maybe the roads will refreeze and I'll be right back tomorrow.
As someone who watched a lot of Jacob Tamme at UK it's interesting to see him become a voice in the backrooms. I'm excited for the next chaper.
It's officially-official. I appreciate all the great Mark Stoops was for his 13-years. but it was time for a change.
I appreciate all of what Mark Stoops did and was for Kentucky. But I cannot see an argument outside of a financial one to keep him - and those who gave him that financial benefit just need to fall on their sword here and accept their mistake instead of keeping him to spite it.
The Northside Baseball Podcast returns soon! Recording an episode on our free agent thoughts tonight with Mitch.
Out at Taft Theatre tonight to see Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band. This is the first concert I've ever been to that has assigned seats. I'm officially entering my old man era.
Credit to Misiorowski. He's buried the slider like he should. It's an elite shape and the most elite velo slider in baseball by 2mph. You can't hit it if he buries it. Credit to Miz. (the gold are sliders)
I like that the Flyers have decided just to play the entire 2025-2026 season on the penalty kill.
I really wanted Sal Frelick to fall to the Cubs in the 2021 draft. I liked him a lot as a player. He's really making me rethink that. Stop hitting.
Maybe if the Cubs give up a run in the top of the first inning they can reverse their luck, kind of how they scored in the first and lost.
I'm too old for sports to start this late. Last night crunched me. Thankfully tomorrow night is normal. Then, of course the Eagles play Thursday night this week. Regardless of the Cubs I'll be stuck late again.
I'm set up in the baseball war room ready to go. First pitch cannot come soon enough.
(5/5) Now compare the contact zone on this pitch. It's not down and in on the hands, it's much, much raised. His wOBA against LHH has jumped to .356 (!!) and a 4.73 xFIP in the 2nd half. Moral of the story: If Priester leaves the cutter up to lefties, he's going to get knocked around tonight.
(4/?) Now notice how his pitch location has shifted. It's no longer getting in and on the hands. He's getting it over the plate. This is not ideal location for a cutter. It's breaking into the heart of the zone.
(3/?) Look at *where* LHH were making contact! They were making contact low and inside. Lefties had a 52.6 GB% through this time.
(2/?) We can see the issues Priester has developed midseason in how he's used this pitch. First, look at where Priester used his cutter through July. In and on the hands. Before the ASB, Priester had a .298 wOBA against lefties and a 3.95 xFIP. That's doable for a sinker-slider guy!
(1/?) Doing a little digging on Priester, if I were a left handed hitter, I'd be looking specifically for cutters up. The cutter is a pitch that he has used more and more through the year. But it's a pitch that has gotten beaten up. It has a -2 RV and a .348 wOBA against on the season.
Getting ready to talk Aaron Civale, Carlos Santana, PCA, MiLB and the division. Episode will be live tomorrow. Spend an hour with me and Mitch, it'll be worth your time.
Can I turn off the MLB? I am sleepy. I want to go to bed. But even a Steven Matz trade has me interested enough to check it out. Stop. Trading.