1. This is great Major League Baseball All-Star break content.
The Twitter account @UmpireAuditor has compiled the 10 worst strike calls of the first half of the season. The account got very scientific, using actual measurements for the distance each pitch was out of the strike zone.
The range of pitches off the plate that were called strikes is 4.45 inches to 5.48 inches.
What struck me about the one-minute video, though, was three things: (1) Some catchers really do an excellent job of moving a ball several inches; (2) Some of the missed calls actually didn’t look that bad; (3) It was funny hearing the announcers get fed up with the umps.
Umpires blew 855 strikeouts in the first half.
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) July 12, 2023
These are the 10 worst by distance missed. pic.twitter.com/T0fJGDMKog
2. This right here is why I find fake sports Twitter accounts funny.
We’re reaching dangerous territory https://t.co/fX3F0Tscle
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 13, 2023
The fake quote Durant is referring to is, “I’m 7-foot tall and have the skillset of a shooting guard.”
Durant did not say this, but for him to say this made-up quote is making us “reach dangerous territory” is just sooooooo dramatic. This fake quote is the complete opposite of dangerous.
We reached dangerous territory with fake quotes and stories a long, long, long time ago. People saying Hillary Clinton was selling children out of a pizza place, or the COVID-19 vaccine is a chip from Bill Gates is dangerous. Not, “I have the skill set of a shooting guard.”
3. I'm not sure why anyone who is pregnant would want someone to sign their belly, but Aaron Rodgers was happy to oblige one fan when she made that request.
A first for Aaron Rodgers at @ACChampionship! 😂#NFL pic.twitter.com/jgg2VzLqQU
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) July 13, 2023
4. As discussed on this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina (see below), Stephen A. Smith ventures into all sorts of nonsports territory on his non-ESPN affiliated podcast. He covers it all from politics to dating to pop culture, and it’s truly fascinating to see an ESPN personality go there.
Imagine someone trying to make this list on ESPN.
A fan asked Stephen A Smith for his TOP 5 women list EVER & he responds 👀 pic.twitter.com/JIy3da5qp4
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) July 13, 2023
5. A brand-new SI Media Mailbag came out Friday morning, and this week I answered your questions about Jeff Van Gundy, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, Kenny Albert, Threads, summer and much more.
6. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with New York Post sports media reporter Andrew Marchand. Topics covered include:
• Did the NBA play a role in ESPN’s axing Jeff Van Gundy?
• What will ESPN do for its top NBA booth?
• How is Derek Jeter doing on TV?
• What’s going on with ESPN Radio?
• Tom Brady–Fox update
• Threads
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
