In the pamphlet, Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual Relationships Challenge the Christian Concept of Humanity, Räsänen argued her belief that homosexuality and Christianity are incompatible. She claimed that homosexuality was a “sexual abnormality” and a “developmental disorder” quoting verses from the Bible to support her argument. Upon closer examination, the court found that while the parts of the pamphlet were merely subjective religious opinions, other portions dehumanised sexual minorities, constituting crimes against humanity. The court stated that these claims were contrary to the global scientific consensus that homosexuality was a normal variation of human sexuality and not a disease or disorder.
The response to the ruling from Finnish politicians was mixed. The Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, of the centre-right National Coalition Party, took a stand against political interference in the judiciary and stated that “politicians should not comment on court decisions”. Those from Räsänen’s Christian Democrats party and the right-wing Finns Party criticised the court’s decision, with Riikka Purra, the Deputy Prime Minister of Finland posting on social media: “Freedom of speech took another serious hit today through the supreme court’s voting decision.” Other politicians praised the decision, with opposition party leader, Sofia Virta, of the centre-left Green League, saying that “Finland is a country where people must not be labelled or mocked without consequence. Freedom of speech is important, but it comes with responsibility.”
The court dismissed a related charge against Räsänen over a post on X (then a tweet on Twitter), that quoted a series of Bible verses, Romans 1:24–27, to back her beliefs about same-sex relationships, finding that it was a subjective religious opinion.
The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 12. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. For those teams not in the postseason hunt, we also break down the “race” for pole position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets (9) Orlando Magic vs. (10) Miami Heat
Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers (9) LA Clippers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
CURRENT PLAYOFF BRACKET
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) play-in winner (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) play-In winner (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) play-In winner (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) play-In winner (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves (4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Houston Rockets
EASTERN CONFERENCE RACE
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have locked up the No. 1 seed, and the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers appear bound for the next three seeds, in some order, and home-court advantage in the opening round.
Who, exactly, those four teams will play in the opening round is still up for grabs, as just two wins separate the sixth seed from the 10th seed. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for position in the final week of the season.
Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control own destiny
Remaining schedule: @TOR, @TOR, @WAS, ATL
Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Sunday’s games of consequence
Monday’s games of consequence
WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are bound for the top two seeds, as OKC holds a 2.5-game lead for the league’s No. 1 overall seed.
The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to hold off the Denver Nuggets for the West’s No. 3 seed. Only two losses separate the Lakers, Nuggets and Houston Rockets.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are locked into the West’s play-in tournament and the Phoenix Suns are close to joining them, likely as the No. 7 seed.
The NBA tanking picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 12. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, lotto odds, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. We also break down the league’s playoff races each day.
What’s at stake: Clinching one of the three-worst records in the NBA to ensure the highest odds at the No. 1 pick. If the Wizards’ pick falls out of the top-8, it will go to the New York Knicks.
What’s at stake: Clinching one of the three-worst records in the NBA to ensure the highest odds at the No. 1 pick. Due to the Ivica Zubac trade with the Clippers, if the Pacers’ pick lands between the 5-9 spots on lotto night, it will go to L.A.
What’s at stake: Clinching one of the three-worst records in the NBA to ensure the highest odds at the No. 1 pick. If the Jazz’s pick falls outside of the top-8, it will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
What’s at stake: Clinching one of the three-worst records in the NBA to ensure the best odds at the No. 1 pick. The Mavs don’t control their future first-rounders from 2027-2030.
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is headed to the injured list with an oblique injury, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Sunday. Roberts did not provide a specific timeline for Betts’ return, but is hopeful that it will be less than four to six weeks.
Betts left Saturday’s 10-5 win against the Washington Nationals early, stepping out in the middle of the first inning with the team citing “right low back pain.” He underwent an MRI in Washington on Saturday night.
With Betts out, Hyeseong Kim will be activated to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster. Per multiple reporters, Kim already has a locker ahead of Sunday’s game against the Nationals.
Roberts initially said Betts suffered the injury while rounding the bases on a Freddie Freeman RBI double, but told reporters Sunday the team thinks the veteran shortstop tweaked his back on a check-swing during his at-bat earlier in the inning. Following Freeman’s double, Betts walked back to the dugout pretty slowly after stepping on home plate and was taken out of the game not long afterward.
On Saturday, Roberts initially described the injury as more “moderate” rather than serious but said Betts is not expected to play the next few games. With Betts on the IL, a much longer absence is likely.
The Dodgers close out their series against the Nationals on Sunday before traveling to Toronto to start a three-game series against the Blue Jays on Monday.
Kim will make his return to the Dodgers after being optioned to the minors to start the season to make room for Alex Freeland. The highly touted Korean prospect played in 71 games last year after signing a three-year, $125 million contract, but some batting struggles have cut into his time in the majors.
Per Roberts, Kim will split time at shortstop with Miguel Rojas, who filled in for Betts after he went out Saturday, while Freeland will mostly play second base.
Before the injury bug hit Chapel Hill, UNC looked like a National Championship contender. North Carolina sported the country’s best front court in Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, while a deep backcourt kept any opponent guessing.
The Tar Heels won’t be playing for college basketball glory, but a former Tar Heel in Elliot Cadeau will. In the Wolverines’ Final Four victory, Cadeau played an instrumental role with his 13-point, 10-assist double-double.
This was Cadeau’s third double-double of his junior campaign – and second of the postseason. Cadeau recorded a 10-point, 10-assist double-double in the Big 10 Tournament Final against Purdue. In Michigan’s Big 10 opener against Maryland, Cadeau scored 12 points and dished out 12 assists.
Cadeau only notched two double-doubles last season at UNC: in a 16-point win over Campbell, followed by a 1-point loss to Wake Forest.
Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau put up a 13-point, 10-assist, 5-rebound, 4-steal performance to help lead the Wolverines to the National Championship 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PhAGK42KoX
Cadeau’s big game poses the question: do players improve after they leave North Carolina? Just look at what Caleb Love did with Arizona, or Walker Kessler’s emergence with Auburn.
How would Cadeau play at UNC this year? His relationship with the program became fractured in the 2024-25 season, when fans consistently trashed him on social media. It’s one thing to voice your displeasure with a player, but to attack him on social media.
It’s tough knowing that guys are playing better at other schools, but for a guy like Cadeau who loves basketball, you have to feel a bit happy for him. Hopefully, North Carolina maximizes talent development this fall, making a 2027 National Championship run similar to Cadeau’s with Michigan this season.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the “New Jersey Americans”.
Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA, with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.
To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise’s jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
And for today’s article, we will continue with the third of four people to wear the No. 52 jersey, big man alum Chris Dudley. After ending his college career at Yale, Dudley was picked up with the 75th overall selection of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Stamford, Connecticut native played the first three seasons of his pro career with Cleveland, coming to an end when he was dealt to the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets in 1990. His stay with the team lasted until he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1993.
During his time suiting up for the Nets, Dudley wore only jerseys No. 52 and 22 and put up 5.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
The Golden State Warriors have put together their teams through a variety of ways over the years, yet few approaches have proven as successful as the NBA draft. More than anything else, the most talented players to represent the Warriors have arrived in Golden State either by being selected directly in the annual draft or through trades executed on that same night.
The Golden State Warriors have taken many of their top stars through the draft, but have also landed a number of notable players over the years as well. From tiny colleges to blue blood programs, these alumni have contributed significantly to the team’s roster over the years. So, we chose to take a closer look at which Dubs came from which schools over the years.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at every player who has been drafted by the Warriors out of Alabama State.
Lewis Jackson – guard
Draft year and position: third round (eighth pick, 55th overall), 1984 NBA Draft
Seasons at Alabama State: two
Seasons played with Warriors: did not make the team
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 10: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on in the first inning during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on August 10, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies lost the finale of their series with the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, but they were able to win their second straight series in Colorado and will look to keep that momentum going as their road trip moves on to San Francisco.
As the team looks to accumulate early regular season wins and set itself up for a deep playoff run this year, fans can’t help but look ahead to the potential return for star pitcher Zack Wheeler.
He saw his Cy Young Award caliber campaign cut short last year when he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his throwing shoulder and in the latest step toward his return to the team, he took the mound in a minor league rehab start that did not go as well as some might have hoped.
“Pitching for the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the right-hander worked three innings against the Durham Bulls and threw 49 pitches,” Jim Salisbury
Philadelphia Phillies’ Zack Wheeler Raises Fastball Concerns During Rehab Start
Wheeler’s command seemed to deteriorate after the first two innings and there was a notable downtick in his velocity. His fastball topped out at less than 94 mph, while it averaged 96 mph last year.
As Wheeler looks to pick up where he left off last season following his surgery, he’ll want his fastball back at full strength. But when asked about concerns that the pitcher’s stuff might never come all the way back, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski downplayed the latest results.
“We expect it to keep building up,” Dombrowski said,
Philadelphia Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski Sends 2-Word Zack Wheeler Message After Injury Rehab Turns Heads
But with Wheeler now 35 and coming off of a significant surgery, it’s also possible that he will have to adjust to a slower fastball moving forward. Though Dombrowski downplayed that possibility, he offered a three-word response when asked if Wheeler could still be effective even if the speed never comes fully back.
“For sure,” Dombrowski said, according to Gelb. “No question about it. With all his pitches and the effectiveness of his breaking stuff, for sure. It just takes it to another level when it’s got that (added velocity). But he can be a very effective major-league pitcher at 95 mph.”
Presumably, Dombrowski would still have confidence in Wheeler if his fastball sticks around the 93 mph range that it was mired in during his latest rehab start. But as he continues to work his way back to the major-league rotation, Wheeler will be looking to get his full power back.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 02: Starter Ryne Nelson #19 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Chase Field on April 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
By the time this is published, three series will be in the books, and it’s been the best of times and the worst of times. Initial thoughts on the whip lash?
James: The team’s lack of overall depth is staring them straight in the face. Paul Sewald is still a head-scratching signing by the front office. Loaisiga is pretty much just who we all thought he would be when he signed the make-good minor league deal. He’s likely working his way into becoming the team’s primary closer the way Shelby Miller did last season. The team needs to find some consistency in the offense. Right now, Marte, Perdomo, and Carroll are largely carrying the team. Lawlar was just really starting to shape up before he got hurt. The currently rostered alternatives to Lawlar are not encouraging. Santana and Arenado need to find some sort of fountain of youth, at least for a few months. The current Eduardo Rodriguez is the one we all thought we were getting starting 1.5-2 years ago. Zac Gallen is starting to look like the “better” version of Gallen from last season, the post deadline version. Someone needs to get into the bullpen and work with Ryne Nelson on his pitch shape. His four-seam is not moving quite like it did last year and he is getting punished as a result.
Overall, the team is basically playing to the level expected, even if a closer examination has those results coming in a way other than expected. Mostly, the team cannot afford any further significant injuries. The roster is already being held together with bubble gum and bailing wire. One more injury to a starter or primary bullpen arm and this season could get ugly in a damn hurry.
Makakilo: With a little bit of serendipity, the Diamondbacks could have won Friday’s game (tied after 8 innings), and they could have won two games against the Dodgers (each lost by 1 run). Their record would have been 6-2! So far, the Diamondbacks have not yet reached their potential to be a playoff team. It could happen!
Spencer: I’m not sure what to make of it. Expecting a win against LA would be foolish. But expecting to sweep the Tigers would’ve been similarly foolish going in. And we pulled the worst of Atlanta’s pitching yet receive no offense….? Let’s talk at the end of May and see what’s up.
1AZfan1: It’s been a rollercoaster, for sure, but I’m going to follow along with Mak’s comment and say that we’ve been blown out twice and in each other loss we’ve either lost by 1 or we were tied going into the 9th inning. Finishing about .500 in 1-run games is about what you should expect so sitting at 2-2 in those contests seems fair. The only disappointment with our current record is that we swept the Tigers instead of the Dodgers. It stinks losing to the Dodgers.
ISH95: Pretty crazy start to the season. There have definitely been positives. The offense got off to a great start, then switched to ice cold. E-rod has been great to see, Gallen’s been decent in total, but Nelson has been a concern. If this is how it’s going to be all season, we’re all going to have more grey hairs by the time it’s finished.
Which is more likely to continue: Rodriguez’ hot start of Nelson’s cold one?
James: I think Rodriguez’s hot start is the more likely for two reasons. First, this version of E-Rod is pretty much the pitcher the team was expecting to get all along. Over the previous two seasons he has shown flashes of this, but was constantly battling nagging injuries. A nick here, a knock there and he was rarely ever pitching at his best. Now, he’s in better shape after new conditioning and he was made ready earlier in the spring to pitch for Venezuela, which has helped him be in mid-season form in April. The second reason I pick E-Rod is that Ryne Nelson has had some ridiculously bad luck. The first four hits he surrendered this season all left the yard. Even Brandon Pfaadt bounced back from a similar stretch earlier in his career and he doesn’t have as high a ceiling. I’ve never been one convinced that Nelson had TOR stuff, but he does have the makings of a solid #2/3 pitcher if he can correct his current four-seam issue and continue to develop his secondaries.
Makakilo: Two reasons that Nelson will bounce back before Rodriguez regresses.
This season through Friday, Rodriguez’s FIP was 2.60 and Nelson’s FIP was 9.18. Nelson’s FIP is unbelievably different from his career FIP. Rodriguez and Nelson have career FIPS that are not that much different (3.95 vs 4.25).
Nelson is 28.2 years old and Rodriguez is 33.0 years old. Rodriguez has the experience needed to stay consistent.
Spencer: Rodriguez’. Nelson is still young and the league has been adjusting to him. Plus he’s only been a full time starter for…what like months not even years at this point because of Yo-Yo Hazen? Rodriguez has a history of a great season every few years.
1AZfan1: I’m expecting regression to the mean from both, but I don’t have faith in ERod to keep this going much longer. Maybe he really is the pitcher we had always hoped he was when we initially signed him, but it’s been a whole lot of disappointment over the last 2 years that have scarred me to the point that I’m just waiting on the other shoe to drop and he’s back to our old 5 ERA pal. I hope I’m wrong, of course.
ISH95: The constant hard contact that Nelson is giving up scares me. His last start saw 9 balls hit over 100 miles per hour while he was in the game and he was responsible for eight of them. That’s not a recipe for success, and if they don’t figure that out, he’s going to have a long season.
Bigger loss: Pavin Smith or Jordan Lawler?
James: Lawlar by a country mile. Pavin Smith is little more than a placeholder player in the 26-man roster anymore. He is entirely mediocre in the field, both at first and in right. Even without signing Santana, I wondered just how much time Smith would actually get as a starter. Yes, he puts together decent at-bats. But he doesn’t find the production of someone like Perdomo, despite his reputation for his discernment at the plate. On the other hand, this is basically Jordan Lawlar’s big make or break season. And right now, he is on the shelf with a significant break. Jordan Lawlar still looks to have a bright future in the desert, albeit in left instead of at short. This is likely Pavin Smith’s last season in Arizona
Makakilo: Lawlar’s injury was the bigger loss because the outfield has significant uncertainty about which outfield players will exceed pre-season expectations. After the injury, it looks like Carroll and Tawa have the best chances to exceed pre-season expectations.
Spencer: Lawlar because he needs healthy reps and was finally showing why judging a prospect with ~100 plate appearances is bad analysis. But don’t sleep on the effect of losing Smith. Santana’s leash just got a lot longer since we have basically no 1B depth. That’s going to have a big impact too. Positive behind the scenes (hopefully) and negative on the field.
1AZfan1: Lawlar is the popular answer for all the reasons everyone mentioned above and I agree with it. Among players with at least 20 PA on the D-backs, he leads in OBP, wOBA and wRC+ and he’s second (to only Corbin) in SLG, xwOBA and fWAR. Pavin’s loss hurts because Santana is now our only first baseman, but I’m happy to see Fernandez getting reps there just to find him a spot in the lineup.
ISH95: At the start of the season, I’d have said Pavin Smith because Carlos Santana: Only First Base Option is the stuff of nightmares, but Fernandez has shown very strong early returns that might mitage that disaster a bit more. Plus I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot from Lawler in his first real season. But Fernandez and Lawler’s start has switched that around for me.
How has the first few games of ABS gone in your opinion? Has it changed anything about your game experience?
James: I don’t mind it. I think it is helping to drive home just who the worst of the worst umpires are. Mostly, I will be glad when ABS has been around long enough that I don’t get 5-10 minutes of explanation about the ABS system in every MLB game I watch. Overall, I think it is shaping up to be a net positive. That will only become more so once the early days negatives start to fade away.
Makakilo: I like it! Even a few corrected calls give the players more control over the game outcome, which is a great thing!
Spencer: I’ve been singing its praises since I first saw it in AAA years ago. Full Robo Calling can’t come fast enough for me. Human action changes everything else about the game, why limit the one thing you can fully automate to create a level playing field? (We all know the actual answer: the ump union would be furious and mlb gets free marketing from bots and incels tweeting about wrong calls constantly…)
1AZfan1: I think on the whole it’s been a success, but I don’t think it’s made as much an impact on the game as the pitch clock did. I still feel there are too many missed opportunities by our hitters and catchers. To that point, our 4 ABS challenges by hitters is the least amount in the league, per FanGraphs (catchers are middle of the pack in total challenges). I hope our hitters get more comfortable challenging soon.
ISH95: Love it. And one thing I’ve been particularly happy to see is that my general reaction to a call being overturned against the Diamondbacks has been fairly neutral. I’m sure that will change as the season progresses and the stakes get higher.
What’s one topic that you could give a 15 minute Ted Talk on with no prep time?
James: I was a chef for 30 years before becoming a scholar of Anglo-Saxon literature, Tolkien, and fairy tales. So I have two knowledge bases that I can pretty readily draw from for anything from a 30 second explainer all the way up to a 90 minute lecture. None of those subjects are particularly Ted Talk type material though. I would probably have to settle for something like the value of art or something related.
Makakilo: My journey from Diamondbacks fan to writer. Along the way, I learned how to use statistics websites, improved my writing, and developed my own writing style. And I had a lot of fun! I overcame several bumps in the road. My writing moves between Microsoft Office Software, Google Docs, and the WordPress Editor. The editor shows that I currently have 555 posted articles.
Spencer: Personal security in Big Brother America. More necessary than ever and yet rarely allowed.
1AZfan1: My professional training is in maintenance management, but that’s not a very TED Talk friendly subject, so it would likely be on the value of utilizing history in organizational leadership. The Navy is huge on history and heritage and learning to leverage that has helped me tremendously as a leader. Maybe that doesn’t play too well outside the military, though.
ISH95: I’d always argue that history and heritage is important as a leader. What that history and heritage looks like, however, would differ from path to path. For me, I could probably give a pretty decent TED talk on how to improve the financials of a restaurant or how to train and develop younger people to get to where they want to be. That’s a huge part of my job as a fast casual/fast food restaurant manager, and, as much as I may complain about them kids sometimes, something I actually find very rewarding.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 02: Starter Ryne Nelson #19 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Chase Field on April 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
By the time this is published, three series will be in the books, and it’s been the best of times and the worst of times. Initial thoughts on the whip lash?
James: The team’s lack of overall depth is staring them straight in the face. Paul Sewald is still a head-scratching signing by the front office. Loaisiga is pretty much just who we all thought he would be when he signed the make-good minor league deal. He’s likely working his way into becoming the team’s primary closer the way Shelby Miller did last season. The team needs to find some consistency in the offense. Right now, Marte, Perdomo, and Carroll are largely carrying the team. Lawlar was just really starting to shape up before he got hurt. The currently rostered alternatives to Lawlar are not encouraging. Santana and Arenado need to find some sort of fountain of youth, at least for a few months. The current Eduardo Rodriguez is the one we all thought we were getting starting 1.5-2 years ago. Zac Gallen is starting to look like the “better” version of Gallen from last season, the post deadline version. Someone needs to get into the bullpen and work with Ryne Nelson on his pitch shape. His four-seam is not moving quite like it did last year and he is getting punished as a result.
Overall, the team is basically playing to the level expected, even if a closer examination has those results coming in a way other than expected. Mostly, the team cannot afford any further significant injuries. The roster is already being held together with bubble gum and bailing wire. One more injury to a starter or primary bullpen arm and this season could get ugly in a damn hurry.
Makakilo: With a little bit of serendipity, the Diamondbacks could have won Friday’s game (tied after 8 innings), and they could have won two games against the Dodgers (each lost by 1 run). Their record would have been 6-2! So far, the Diamondbacks have not yet reached their potential to be a playoff team. It could happen!
Spencer: I’m not sure what to make of it. Expecting a win against LA would be foolish. But expecting to sweep the Tigers would’ve been similarly foolish going in. And we pulled the worst of Atlanta’s pitching yet receive no offense….? Let’s talk at the end of May and see what’s up.
1AZfan1: It’s been a rollercoaster, for sure, but I’m going to follow along with Mak’s comment and say that we’ve been blown out twice and in each other loss we’ve either lost by 1 or we were tied going into the 9th inning. Finishing about .500 in 1-run games is about what you should expect so sitting at 2-2 in those contests seems fair. The only disappointment with our current record is that we swept the Tigers instead of the Dodgers. It stinks losing to the Dodgers.
ISH95: Pretty crazy start to the season. There have definitely been positives. The offense got off to a great start, then switched to ice cold. E-rod has been great to see, Gallen’s been decent in total, but Nelson has been a concern. If this is how it’s going to be all season, we’re all going to have more grey hairs by the time it’s finished.
Which is more likely to continue: Rodriguez’ hot start of Nelson’s cold one?
James: I think Rodriguez’s hot start is the more likely for two reasons. First, this version of E-Rod is pretty much the pitcher the team was expecting to get all along. Over the previous two seasons he has shown flashes of this, but was constantly battling nagging injuries. A nick here, a knock there and he was rarely ever pitching at his best. Now, he’s in better shape after new conditioning and he was made ready earlier in the spring to pitch for Venezuela, which has helped him be in mid-season form in April. The second reason I pick E-Rod is that Ryne Nelson has had some ridiculously bad luck. The first four hits he surrendered this season all left the yard. Even Brandon Pfaadt bounced back from a similar stretch earlier in his career and he doesn’t have as high a ceiling. I’ve never been one convinced that Nelson had TOR stuff, but he does have the makings of a solid #2/3 pitcher if he can correct his current four-seam issue and continue to develop his secondaries.
Makakilo: Two reasons that Nelson will bounce back before Rodriguez regresses.
This season through Friday, Rodriguez’s FIP was 2.60 and Nelson’s FIP was 9.18. Nelson’s FIP is unbelievably different from his career FIP. Rodriguez and Nelson have career FIPS that are not that much different (3.95 vs 4.25).
Nelson is 28.2 years old and Rodriguez is 33.0 years old. Rodriguez has the experience needed to stay consistent.
Spencer: Rodriguez’. Nelson is still young and the league has been adjusting to him. Plus he’s only been a full time starter for…what like months not even years at this point because of Yo-Yo Hazen? Rodriguez has a history of a great season every few years.
1AZfan1: I’m expecting regression to the mean from both, but I don’t have faith in ERod to keep this going much longer. Maybe he really is the pitcher we had always hoped he was when we initially signed him, but it’s been a whole lot of disappointment over the last 2 years that have scarred me to the point that I’m just waiting on the other shoe to drop and he’s back to our old 5 ERA pal. I hope I’m wrong, of course.
ISH95: The constant hard contact that Nelson is giving up scares me. His last start saw 9 balls hit over 100 miles per hour while he was in the game and he was responsible for eight of them. That’s not a recipe for success, and if they don’t figure that out, he’s going to have a long season.
Bigger loss: Pavin Smith or Jordan Lawler?
James: Lawlar by a country mile. Pavin Smith is little more than a placeholder player in the 26-man roster anymore. He is entirely mediocre in the field, both at first and in right. Even without signing Santana, I wondered just how much time Smith would actually get as a starter. Yes, he puts together decent at-bats. But he doesn’t find the production of someone like Perdomo, despite his reputation for his discernment at the plate. On the other hand, this is basically Jordan Lawlar’s big make or break season. And right now, he is on the shelf with a significant break. Jordan Lawlar still looks to have a bright future in the desert, albeit in left instead of at short. This is likely Pavin Smith’s last season in Arizona
Makakilo: Lawlar’s injury was the bigger loss because the outfield has significant uncertainty about which outfield players will exceed pre-season expectations. After the injury, it looks like Carroll and Tawa have the best chances to exceed pre-season expectations.
Spencer: Lawlar because he needs healthy reps and was finally showing why judging a prospect with ~100 plate appearances is bad analysis. But don’t sleep on the effect of losing Smith. Santana’s leash just got a lot longer since we have basically no 1B depth. That’s going to have a big impact too. Positive behind the scenes (hopefully) and negative on the field.
1AZfan1: Lawlar is the popular answer for all the reasons everyone mentioned above and I agree with it. Among players with at least 20 PA on the D-backs, he leads in OBP, wOBA and wRC+ and he’s second (to only Corbin) in SLG, xwOBA and fWAR. Pavin’s loss hurts because Santana is now our only first baseman, but I’m happy to see Fernandez getting reps there just to find him a spot in the lineup.
ISH95: At the start of the season, I’d have said Pavin Smith because Carlos Santana: Only First Base Option is the stuff of nightmares, but Fernandez has shown very strong early returns that might mitage that disaster a bit more. Plus I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot from Lawler in his first real season. But Fernandez and Lawler’s start has switched that around for me.
How has the first few games of ABS gone in your opinion? Has it changed anything about your game experience?
James: I don’t mind it. I think it is helping to drive home just who the worst of the worst umpires are. Mostly, I will be glad when ABS has been around long enough that I don’t get 5-10 minutes of explanation about the ABS system in every MLB game I watch. Overall, I think it is shaping up to be a net positive. That will only become more so once the early days negatives start to fade away.
Makakilo: I like it! Even a few corrected calls give the players more control over the game outcome, which is a great thing!
Spencer: I’ve been singing its praises since I first saw it in AAA years ago. Full Robo Calling can’t come fast enough for me. Human action changes everything else about the game, why limit the one thing you can fully automate to create a level playing field? (We all know the actual answer: the ump union would be furious and mlb gets free marketing from bots and incels tweeting about wrong calls constantly…)
1AZfan1: I think on the whole it’s been a success, but I don’t think it’s made as much an impact on the game as the pitch clock did. I still feel there are too many missed opportunities by our hitters and catchers. To that point, our 4 ABS challenges by hitters is the least amount in the league, per FanGraphs (catchers are middle of the pack in total challenges). I hope our hitters get more comfortable challenging soon.
ISH95: Love it. And one thing I’ve been particularly happy to see is that my general reaction to a call being overturned against the Diamondbacks has been fairly neutral. I’m sure that will change as the season progresses and the stakes get higher.
What’s one topic that you could give a 15 minute Ted Talk on with no prep time?
James: I was a chef for 30 years before becoming a scholar of Anglo-Saxon literature, Tolkien, and fairy tales. So I have two knowledge bases that I can pretty readily draw from for anything from a 30 second explainer all the way up to a 90 minute lecture. None of those subjects are particularly Ted Talk type material though. I would probably have to settle for something like the value of art or something related.
Makakilo: My journey from Diamondbacks fan to writer. Along the way, I learned how to use statistics websites, improved my writing, and developed my own writing style. And I had a lot of fun! I overcame several bumps in the road. My writing moves between Microsoft Office Software, Google Docs, and the WordPress Editor. The editor shows that I currently have 555 posted articles.
Spencer: Personal security in Big Brother America. More necessary than ever and yet rarely allowed.
1AZfan1: My professional training is in maintenance management, but that’s not a very TED Talk friendly subject, so it would likely be on the value of utilizing history in organizational leadership. The Navy is huge on history and heritage and learning to leverage that has helped me tremendously as a leader. Maybe that doesn’t play too well outside the military, though.
ISH95: I’d always argue that history and heritage is important as a leader. What that history and heritage looks like, however, would differ from path to path. For me, I could probably give a pretty decent TED talk on how to improve the financials of a restaurant or how to train and develop younger people to get to where they want to be. That’s a huge part of my job as a fast casual/fast food restaurant manager, and, as much as I may complain about them kids sometimes, something I actually find very rewarding.
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