Chapman's velocities in Cincinnati are being recorded by PITCHf/x, which uses cameras, not radar, for its measurements. Cincinnati's PITCHf/x system has been pretty accurate for speed measurements this year, and this week's games don't appear to be an exception.

Kansas City's PITCHf/x system, on the other hand, has been recording speeds that are around 1 mph too fast this year, as compared to other parks. I'll have to check Wednesday's game to see if it was even faster than that, but I've noticed that people tend to see the pitchers and games where velocities are 2-4 mph faster and ignore the pitchers/games where velocities are the same or slower, even if they altogether average out to around +1 mph.

Pitch f/x also had Tommy Hunter maxing out at 95.8 mph (and averaging 92.4 mph against a seasonal average of 90.2 mph) in the Feliz game, just as a point of reference.

The following ballparks have PitchFX systems that run about 1-2 MPH hot: KC, Toronto, CWS.

I noticed this when the Yankees played these teams and was wondering if any of the data collection services take this into account or normalize for it.

With no malice - or, particularly opinion - I wonder if the discussion and/or readings such as they are have provided an environment for "doing the impossible." Conditioning, nutrition and other factors aside, men tried at least since the mid-1860s to break the four minute mile, and did not succeed until Roger Bannister in 1954. But once he did, demonstrating that it was possible, it was accomplished again within weeks. (Indeed, the record was shattered, beaten by almost two full seconds, just five weeks later.) Without researching, I'd guess that 105mph has never before been recorded, but now that Chapman "has" accomplished it I rather expect that he and probably others will do it again in the near future.

I don't care if they are accurate or not; Sale throws exceptionally hard for a young lefty. I think they should let him go back to starting next year. I saw a 3 pitch K against KC that were all read as 99. The hitter stood no chance. Another pitch or two and he could be gold.

Regardless of race, the best athletes are going to end up going to the sport where they feel like they can get the biggest payday. If you compare the lower payoffs in baseball, plus living the life of a minor league player to the allure of the instant riches and fame being a high pick in the NBA / NFL, it's easy to understand the choice.

Funny comment re: KC's gun .... my wife (God Bless her) puts up with me watching Ranger games on direct TV once we get the kids to bed, at the end of a game the other night Blake Wood for KC is pitching and I am not really paying attention at that moment - she makes the comment "sheesh ..he throws hard" I watched him touch 97 on the next pitch and I was like, "No ... something is wrong with the gun, Blake Wood does not throw 97" ..I paid attention to it the rest of the series and all the Ranger pitchers I follow were a couple MPH higher than normal (Tommy Hunter reference above) ...

Is there any atmospheric, temperature, or wind effects that would cause an MPH or two difference on a pitched ball?

For what it's worth, I saw Chapman pitch in a Triple A game in Columbus a couple of weeks ago. The scoreboard radar showed nothing unusual with the precious pitchers. Aroldis came in to close out the extra inning game and three of his last 5 itches were clocked at 101,102,103 MPH on the scoreboard. The other two were breaking balls.

Kevin: I'm curious. Your analysis doesn't compare the opportunities with basketball- where most high skill players are these days playing a year, tops, in college before entering the NBA draft, whereas in baseball, my understanding is that, once a player has signed a letter committing to a college baseball program, MLB will not allow him to be drafted until his class has graduated?? If I'm correct, wouldn't that account for the problem? Has this been the target of a lawsuit against the NCAA or MLB? Seems to me the players (perhaps with the "help" of agents) are making the right economic choice for themselves? I suspect I'm missing something. Maybe the economic tide has just turned against baseball, and the inevitable result is what we have seen- a tsunami of Central/ South American/ Caribbean players signing up for the best opportunity available to them. This is a GREAT topic that is very much worth study and action- by the NCAA, by MLB or, heaven help us, the Department of Justice? Thanks

Who says MLB doesn't have juiced baseballs anymore?

KG: I'm pretty late to this game (I have a really good excuse, I swear!), but let me state that I have a *VERY* hard time imagining Brett Myers' issue as a "one-time" thing given the details that emerged. It seems more likely that that was the only one time anyone else found out.

It is an odd coincidence that you muse about Josh Leuke on the same day that the NFL lessens its suspension of Roethlisberger. These are but two examples of fellows who seem to have something missing in their off-the-field lives. I suspect that they need the adoring entourage of enablers, or the awards, or a half-drunk female, to make up for whatever they lack. Pathetic.

Late here too, but Leuke has a one time offense as well. Lying to the police isn't a second count. It was a stupid stupid thing to do, but it isn't worse than any number of other incidents. I got the impression that Baker had the right tone in his coverage and people just hate the sound of it. Heck, ESPN magazine has a big story about a lineman who was jailed for a sexual crime who deserves a chance too.

That said, I hope the M's release him. Then he can go somewhere else and get another chance. The people jealous and judging of athletes just need to get their fix. People seem to forget that lessons are sometimes hard learned. If he does jail time then so be it, but he cannot be robbed of his profession.

"Still, Fitt explained, there is the possibility of such a system helping both sports. “If more players are going to school because of strict slotting, teams could change,” explained Fitt. “It's obviously good for the college game, but maybe it's also a way to level the playing field as you could see some of the smaller schools offering full rides to bring in a star and fill in more of their roster with walk-ons.”"

This absolutely will not happen. Smaller schools, especially privates, see athletics as a revenue generating enterprise, but not in the way you normally think. They spread scholarship dollars around, so that nearly everyone ends up paying something, and frequently quite a bit, just to play their sport.

I get the impression, though I don't have any data to back it up, that the percentage of pitchers, especially middle relievers, who throw at 95 or above has considerably increased the last three years.

A college schollie is worth more than 100K - that's why you take the 100K, negotiate 4 years of college with it and then go back if it doesn't work out in the minors. If he goes right to college he doesn't get the cash.