5TIGS

[John VanderWal @VandyonTigers]

The Biggest Lie in Baseball Today

The biggest lie in baseball today isn’t that pitchers throw harder.
It’s that people who’ve never played the game at the highest level think they know more than the people who actually did.
I’ve got to laugh at the fucking know-it-alls on here.
Some of us spent 14–15 years in the big leagues. We played 162 games a year. We stood in against 85 mph, 100 mph, 101, 102. We didn’t read about it. We lived it.
Then you’ve got people who never played at that level, never stood in the box against elite velocity, never spent a day in a professional clubhouse, telling the people who actually did that they’re wrong.
That’s fucking hilarious.
Now we’ve got keyboard gurus and pitching-school salesmen acting like they unlocked some secret that’s never existed before.
Give me a fucking break.
Hard throwers have always existed. Triple-digit arms have always existed. Filthy breaking balls have always existed. What changed was the technology used to measure and report pitches—not the fact that freak athletes have been blowing baseballs by hitters for decades.
And here’s what these geniuses never talk about…
Modern hitting instruction has become so obsessed with lifting the ball and launch angle that we’ve created worse hitters. When your swing is built to hit underneath the baseball instead of driving through it, you’re going to struggle more against elite velocity. Pitchers look more dominant in part because the hitters have gotten worse.
But that doesn’t fit the narrative.
Instead, they pretend pitching schools reinvented the human arm.
The funniest part is the absolute confidence. They read numbers off a screen and think they’re qualified to lecture people who spent decades living this game at the highest level.
Here’s a little advice: before you tell someone who’s actually been there what big league velocity looks like, make sure you’ve done more than watch YouTube clips and stare at TrackMan numbers.
Until then, quit pretending you’re the smartest guy in the room.
You’re not baseball people.
You’re fucking dumbasses.
#VandyOnTigers #VandyDandyReport #DetroitTigers #MLB #Baseball

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

💯💯💯

[Kirk Herbstreit @KirkHerbstreit]

THANK YOU!!!!!
Where did the athletic ability go?
Clutch hitting in the 8th and 9th inning?
Starting pitching that goes 8 or 9 innings?
Base stealing-hell just good base running and SPEED?!?
Sac bunts-moving runners over late in a game?
Where’s Tony Gwynn? Rod Carew?
Wade Boggs? Ichiro?
Those guys wouldn’t exist in today’s ridiculous HR or K “launch angle” game!
The game has been dying with the youth of America for YEARS and now is losing the core fanbase as well with this ridiculous product we’ve had to digest for the last 7-10 years.
Bring back Small Ball and athleticism…this shit dreadful!!!

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

Elite D1 glove and all around dog on the field. 🔥🔥🔥 @FrankieR215

[Frankie Rutigliano @FrankieR215]

Currently in Transfer Portal

MIF with 3 years of eligibility

Previous 2 years at University of Portland

Video Below 👇🏼

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

🤡🤡🤡 Era

[Dan Clark @DanClarkSports]

𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗿𝗮
- clean shaven
- straight cap
- no bling
- team-oriented
- respectful
- doesn't suck on lollipops

𝗛𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗿𝗮
- bum fluff on chin
- crooked cap
- bling
- seeks attention
- outspoken
- sucks on lollipops

[Fryedaddy/Frito @shegone03]

I’m not a Manny Machado fan and I am baffled that he decided to work with @Teacherman1986 but I agree 💯 on his view of analytics and wish more players would speak out about it.

I firmly believe that @MLB players are getting too much information and that it’s hurting their performance because they are overthinking.

I believe in keeping it simple and using the tools you have developed over a lifetime of playing and going out and competing with a clear head.

Video courtesy of @MartyCaswell

#shegone
@notgaetti @BobFile @twuench @billdubs @iamrags @artofhitting @hittingguru7 @slider_sinker @SliderDom @low_and_outside @TheRealJHair @DMEASrecruiting @VandyonTigers @mikepiazza31 @SalMarinello @RVGDag @AMBS_Kernan @TheKineticArm

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

@d1baseball @BaseballAmerica @TransferPortal @BUncommitted @NCAABaseball @HarbourCats @WCLBaseball

[Kristyn Sandberg @KSandberg23]

Somewhere NCAA baseball (& youth baseball) has ventured away from passionate & emotional to players acting myopic and showing total disrespect for the game, acting like total jackasses (as seen in the number of ejections today).

When you strike someone out, do you really need the stare down & explicits directed towards the opposing teams players and benches?

When you hit a home run, do you really to walk 20 feet, stare at the opposing bench, chirp & make hand gestures as you round the bases?

& while I am at it … button up the damn jerseys. Why are we out here playing with the top 5 buttons undone? Look professional, especially if thats your ultimate goal.

Hear me out, I am ALL FOR the emotions BUT it’s gotta be team focused instead of opponent focused & taunting in nature.

Is the 🤡 show really worth a game suspension?

[Dan Clark @DanClarkSports]

This will be an unpopular opinion with some baseball fans.

Other fans, with more traditional views on baseball, will agree with me though.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱?

[Baseball America @BaseballAmerica]

Should mid-majors be concerned?

https://t.co/RJVwOAEhVy

[Jacob Rudner @JacobRudner]

Mercer missing the field is bad for college baseball.

If a mid-major can win 44 games, finish top 30 in RPI, rank among the national leaders in homers and still miss, what exactly is the path supposed to be outside the power conferences?

Column: https://t.co/S37EUPSVzn

[Codify @CodifyBaseball]

MLB teams hitting under .240:

1998: 0
1999: 0
2000: 0
2001: 0
2002: 0
2003: 0
2004: 0
2005: 0
2006: 0
2007: 0
2008: 0
2009: 0
2010: 1
2011: 2
2012: 5
2013: 5
2014: 4
2015: 0
2016: 1
2017: 1
2018: 8
2019: 4
2020: 11
2021: 12
2022: 14
2023: 8
2024: 11
2025: 9
2026: 15 so far

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

@Jacobtheclipper Game has been dead, where have you been?

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

Started our conference play last week. Took the series against Grants Pass. I went 5 for 9 and batted .555 in the series.

Current season stats:
AVG: .444
OBP: .545
SLG: .667
OPS: 1.212

@LydosLab

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

@GiaRutigliano

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

Started our conference play last week. Took the series against Grants Pass. I went 5 for 9 and batted .555 in the series.

Current season stats:
AVG: .444
OBP: .545
SLG: .667
OPS: 1.212

@LydosLab

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

Grinder 💯💯💯

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

Taking advantage of the nice days!
C/O 2027 | SS/2B
[email protected]

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

Continuing to work on my game and compete with purpose every rep.
C/O 2027 | SS/2B

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
@GiaRutigliano @lauraberg44 @jennytopping

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

Thank you Coach Berg and the entire Oregon State softball staff for a great camp experience. Grateful for the opportunity to learn and compete at a high level. Go Beavs 🧡🖤🥎

@lauraberg44 @jennytopping @CoachDomGarcia

[5TIGS @5TIGS]

🔥🔥🔥

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

PNW Yard showcase tournament in Centralia, WA. Hitting and fielding highlights.
@CoachTarr @MelyssaLombardi @Coach_Jo_Evans @Coach_Inouye @lauraberg44 @GCU_Softball @CalPolySoftball

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

My schedule for this weekend:
Lydo’s Lab 18u

Sunday Oct. 19

Borst Park Sports Complex Centralia, WA

Game 1: 8:00am field 3

Game 2: 11:20am field 9

Game 3: 1:00pm field 9

@CoachTarr @MelyssaLombardi @Coach_Jo_Evans @Coach_Inouye @lauraberg44 @GCU_Softball

[Giavanna Rutigliano @GiaRutigliano]

My schedule for this weekend:
Lydo’s Lab 18u

Saturday Oct. 18th

Borst Park Sports Complex Centralia, WA

Game 1: 2:40pm Field 6

Game 2: 4:20pm Field 4

@CoachTarr @MelyssaLombardi @Coach_Jo_Evans @Coach_Inouye @lauraberg44 @GCU_Softball