Connor Soblom of TrackMan Baseball

Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks!

This week we welcome Connor Soblom, Western US Sales Manager at TrackMan Baseball, to the show. We discuss baseball analytics and how it affects the approach and methodology to pitching and hitting. Everything from spin rate and bat speed, to calling balls and strikes, and everything in between. We also delve into the different ways TrackMan technology is being used in all manner of athletics, at all levels, including football, softball, golf, and tennis. 

Connor on Twitter: @Connorsoblom
TrackMan Baseball on Twitter: @TrackManBB
Click here to learn more about TrackMan Baseball 

In the second half of the show, we discussed the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions. Topics include: 

The Tigers have fallen back to earth, playing .300 baseball in the month of May after their best start in several years.

The Tigers are now 9.5 GB of the first place Guardians in the AL Central. Is the season over before Memorial Day...again? 

How much blame for another lost season should go to team president and roster builder Scott Harris?

Should manager AJ Hinch catch any heat, despite being given a roster which can't hit?

Lions QB Jared Goff got PAID.  Did the Lions have any other choice? 

Pro Football Focus is bad, ranking Goff as only the 16th best QB in football. PFF goes for usual "Goff isn't mobile and struggles under pressure" trope. Yet 2 older, immobile QBs coming off Achilles surgery are ranked higher. And try to name any QB not named Mahomes who doesn't struggle under pressure.

 PFF is also good, naming 5 Lions to their "Top 25 players under the age of 25" list. PFFs number one player under 25 is the Lions' 23-year-old stud right tackle, Penei Sewell. It's fitting Greg's latest Substack newsletter is about Sewell.

The NFL remains the gold standard for marketing, as the 2024 schedule release dominated sports talk last week.

The Lions have become the NFL's must watch darling, a new America's Team. Driving the point home is the Lions have 9 nationally televised games in 2024, including 5 in prime time.

The NFL knows exactly which teams drive TV numbers. As long-time fans, it's just shocking to see the the LIONS be one of those teams.

The Lions open the season with a wild card rematch on Sunday Night Football, as Matthew Stafford and the Rams come to Detroit. 

 We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! 

Programming note: Al will be traveling, so we'll be taking time off in early June.  Our next episode is scheduled for June 17th.

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Nick's TwitterX: @NickMilanovich
Greg's TwitterX: @GregEno
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