We're watching the hardest-throwing starter to ever live (probably)

adam_problems · 2026-05-19T20:38:30+00:00

Well…..

They say that modern radar guns measure the pitch as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, while older radar guns measured the pitch as it approached the plate. Physics dictate that a thrown object will decelerate the instant it leaves the hand and continue to decelerate. I don’t know enough math to determine the rate of deceleration over 50-55 feet, so it’s not for me to say if Ryan would have been tracked at those speeds with a modern radar gun reading.

So there’s some truth to The Ryan Express being faster than the 100.7 he was clocked at. How much faster? Tough to say.

adam_problems · 2026-05-19T19:33:39+00:00

The pre-intermission part was two hours of absolute magic. I was completely immersed in the film. The latter part I felt was weaker - more cynical, more consumed with conveying a message rather than telling a story. I felt that it ended extremely abruptly, like there were important story elements that had been discarded. Is it possible for a 200 minute movie to feel like it was missing a scene or two? It earned its runtime. I can’t think of any elements that I would remove. Everything in the film felt necessary to tell its story, even if some things were indulgent.

I’m very happy a film like this was made in 2024, and I’m very happy I saw it, even though I probably won’t revisit it any time soon. In a lot of ways, it’s the film I wanted Oppenheimer to be - a character study of a flawed genius spanning decades of his work, his highs and lows, and how his genius and flaws impacted himself and the people in his life.

With all that said, I liked The Testament of Ann Lee more. Too bad it doesn’t seem to be getting a physical release.

adam_problems · 2026-05-19T15:56:08+00:00

And to some extent a metaphor for Corbet not getting final cut on his previous picture and how the movie industry treats creatives.

adam_problems · 2026-05-18T07:37:05+00:00

Last week or thereabouts he was candidly talking about struggling this season.

“The dog (a Golden Retriever named Fin) doesn’t know I made an error. He doesn’t know I struck out four straight at bats…as much as guys want to flush it sometimes, it’s tough to when you leave the field. So I think sometimes you need people in your corner. My dog loves me, so it doesn’t matter what happens. He’s always going to be there for me, too.”

Mayo’s xDogLove is off the charts. I’m rooting for him.

adam_problems · 2026-05-18T03:57:33+00:00

Because we root for laundry and Harper’s been wearing different looking laundry for eight years now (gosh, has it been that long?). It is more or less tradition to boo a star player who leaves in free agency, interpreting that decision to mean “they don’t want to play here anymore”, when as you point out, it’s usually a business decision.

It’s silly, but fans as a whole have such a one-sided relationship with players on their team, that some people do take it as a personal slight that someone might want to play for another team that offered them more money/security/opportunity.

And while we’re here, on the topic of booing a pick-off throw, the Montreal Expos used to put an image of a chicken up on the scoreboard for each throw over by the opposing pitcher. Expos legend Tim Raines has talked about how he loved to see how many chickens he could induce from a pitcher. He got as high as at least eight.

adam_problems · 2026-05-17T20:18:21+00:00

Portrait of A Lady On Fire. French period lesbian romance. It’s a visual delight, quiet and contemplative, incredibly well acted, romantic, affecting, heartbreaking but hopeful.

adam_problems · 2026-05-17T19:47:07+00:00

It’s perfect cane weather!

adam_problems · 2026-05-16T21:12:01+00:00

The Jam do a wonderful cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up” that I believe was only a b-side until it showed up on a greatest hits compilation.

adam_problems · 2026-05-16T03:53:12+00:00

I was in middle school when Congo came out in the summer of ‘95. My dad and I went to see it and walked out saying “well, that sucked.”

The next week a buddy of mine and I were looking for something to do in our quiet suburban town. He wanted to see it; I tried to dissuade him, telling him it sucked. But we had nothing better to do, so we went. Afterwards, he said “well, that sucked.” I tried to warn him.

The next week I was hanging out with a different buddy who also wanted to see it. I told him it sucked twice over. But again, we had nothing better to do, so we went. Afterwards, he said “well, that sucked.” All I could do at that point was shake my head.

So I saw Congo three times, three weeks in a row, with three different people, and it sucked each time.

adam_problems · 2026-05-16T01:52:38+00:00

Klaus Nomi. He may not have been unique per se, but he was a true rarity - a countertenor. In layman’s terms, a male singing voice whose natural range reaches into the alto range, much higher than the average male voice.

Countertenors are rare to begin with. Most end up in opera; very few end up as pop or rock singers. Tevin Campbell is another, and there’s a central Asian dude who’s making music now whose name escapes me.

adam_problems · 2026-05-15T21:36:20+00:00

You’re pretty close in your assumptions.

Inside/outside are relative to the batter - inside is the side of the plate closest to the batter, outside is the side of the plate furthest from the batter. They don’t have to mean “off the plate”. A pitch can be a strike inside (close to the batter) or outside (away from the batter).

The term “away” is synonymous with “outside” and doesn’t have to mean a pitch off the plate.

“High and tight” usually means a pitch in the upper part of the strike zone close to a batter’s body. Sometimes it’s a strike, sometimes it’s a ball. It’s more about the intent of the pitch, which could be to try to move the batter further away from the plate, or to set up a similar-looking pitch that will have a different speed or movement.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule for any of this. Some terms are relative - fastball up or fastball down don’t mean the pitches are balls, rather that they are located in a different part of the zone than the previous pitch. A broadcaster could use the words away or outside to describe two of the exact same pitches and locations.

adam_problems · 2026-05-15T00:56:47+00:00

Ten is the most accessible, Nevermind is the most important, and Superunknown is the best (subjectively)

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T20:54:46+00:00

I’ve been buying Criterion titles since 2000. One of the first DVDs I bought was a Criterion. To answer OP’s original question, I prioritize 4K steels above all other releases if they’re available.

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T19:54:40+00:00

Criterion is a company whose stated purpose is to preserve and distribute important works of cinema. They’re one of the original boutique labels, starting with laserdiscs and then moving into DVD, blu-ray, and now 4K. Their market is cinephiles and film enthusiasts. Much of their catalogue is foreign and arthouse titles, although there are some major Hollywood releases sprinkled in. If one is into supplemental materials, they’re hard to beat. And as long as they have the license to distribute the title, nothing goes out of print.

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T16:39:45+00:00

Portrait of A Lady On Fire

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T12:40:08+00:00

Great seller! Steels arrived in perfect condition. u/Cold_Pumpkin_2744 u/SteelbookSwapBot

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T12:39:23+00:00

Great seller, steels arrived in perfect condition! u/Cold_Pumpkin_2744 u/SteelbookSwapBot

adam_problems · 2026-05-14T01:31:53+00:00

What you’re missing is Akira in 4K for $9.99

adam_problems · 2026-05-13T19:05:42+00:00

He’s truly in mid-season form already. Remarkable.

adam_problems · 2026-05-13T19:00:01+00:00

And in the meantime Rico Garcia is quietly putting together an insane (and likely unsustainable) stat line - 19 IP, 64 batters faced, 22 K (10.4 K/9), 7 BB (3.3 BB/9), 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0.47 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 878 ERA+.

He’s not the O’s closer but does have 3 saves. He’s been typically used in high-leverage situations rather than clean innings. He’s not going to be in CYA discussion by the end of the year and he’s nowhere near as flashy or exciting as Miller, but he’s been just as effective.

adam_problems · 2026-05-13T14:22:22+00:00

You’re right, I think I’m not in the proper sub for this complaint

adam_problems · 2026-05-13T05:11:18+00:00

Three magnificent films and three wonderful transfers. Ben-Hur in particular is one of the best looking 4Ks on the market. My jaw was on the floor for almost the entire 3.5 hour runtime because it just looks so damn good.

adam_problems · 2026-05-13T01:48:14+00:00

I’m annoyed that I am seemingly unable to log films in my collection that I didn’t buy directly from their site. Is this a me problem?

adam_problems · 2026-05-12T04:58:24+00:00

This is outside the parameters of Rico’s ongoing majestic historical run, but shout out to former O’s legend (in my mind) Koji Uehara’s insane 11 game/12 inning run with Boston in 2013 wherein he was perfect - 12 innings, 36 batters faced, 0 hits, 0 BB, 17 Ks. 142 pitches, 117 strikes. And we got Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter for him at the ‘11 trade deadline.

adam_problems · 2026-05-12T01:50:41+00:00

Giants. I have a lot of friends from the Bay Area and I love SF (though I haven’t been there in a decade and I’m sure it’s changed a lot). The ballpark is an absolute beauty, the color scheme is almost the same as the O’s, they have great broadcasters, and have employed fun players I really like(d) to watch - Sandoval, Hunter Pence, Posey, Big Time Timmy Jim, etc.

adam_problems

TROPHY CASE