Paul Hembekides (Hembo)
@PaulHembo
@getupespn | @espnpodcasts | @patmcafeeshow | New York Times bestselling author
One of America’s best baseball cities, hands down. The pleasure was ours 🖤💛
Anthony Volpe value this season (via @fangraphs): Batting (-5.4) Base Running (-1.1) Fielding (-2.8) He is 1 of 14 qualifiers measured as a value-negative player in all 3 phases.
No team lost/traded away more high-end talent than Milwaukee across the last 2 offseasons... David Stearns Craig Counsell Corbin Burnes Willy Adames Devin Williams Mark Attanasio has built a rock-solid infrastructure that should be modeled.
It is July 21, and the best record in Major League Baseball belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers.
% of team output in 2024 (net yardage | touchdowns) Burrow (78% | 83%) Allen (69% | 65%) Lamar (68% | 71%) Both Burrow rates led the NFL. @PaulHembo
Ronald Acuña Jr. going first-to-home on a single that traveled 11 feet in the air is ELECTRIC.
Our trilogy has landed 📕📗📘 Coming September 23 👇 books.disney.com/book/got-your-…
Aaron Judge is NOT a Yankee Stadium merchant, as so many believe. Last 4 seasons (2022-25): Home .308/.434/.677 | 95 HR Away .319/.441/.691 | 98 HR That is the best road batting line (208 wRC+) in a 4-season span since Barry Bonds from 2002-05 (212).
Through 20 starts... 160+ strikeouts Fewer than 20 walks 2025 Tarik Skubal (2.19 ERA) 2015 Max Scherzer (2.33 ERA) 2014 Clayton Kershaw (1.86 ERA) 2002 Curt Schilling (2.99 ERA) It is an absolute pleasure.
Freddie Freeman is the latest victim in baseball’s hit-batsmen epidemic. Sickening.
Batters are being hit more frequently (1.13% of PA) in the 2020s than in any decade in MLB history. Pitchers are throwing fastballs harder (94.1 MPH) and less frequently (47%) than ever before. The armside miss has sent many stars to the IL, and will send many more...
Bryce Harper slashed .338/.476/.713 (202 wRC+) after the All-Star break in his most recent MVP season (2021). He's that level of locked-in right now.
Chandler Simpson is slashing .394/.423/.470 (152 wRC+) during his 18-game hit streak. He's the only player in baseball with a sub-3.7 second 90-foot split (3.67). Just so disruptive. A throwback.
The Brewers own the best record in MLB across the last 2 months (36-15 since May 18). As the best run prevention team in the majors (3.4/game). And the best run scoring team in the NL (5.2/game). Pound for pound, the best-run organization in baseball.
This is one of 3,168 outfield assists across the last 5 seasons (including playoffs). It is the only one to exceed 300 feet in the air (301, to be exact). He’s a cyborg.
Most sack titles all-time: Deacon Jones (5) T.J. Watt (3) Watt is the only player with 3 since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
Right now—Nuss is the best QB in college football @LSUfootball 2 things I LOVE about Nuss... Outstanding pocket management -- 9% pressure-to-sack rate (lowest in SEC) Wins when hardest to win -- obvious pass: LSU 42% on 3rd & 9+ (highest in FBS) @PaulHembo 🫡
Brady Manning Big Ben Rivers Mahomes Lamar Josh Burrow -proximity to each other—ALL AFC That’s the comp of eras we’re in right now with QBs— @PaulHembo 👍
Baseball players are more talented than ever. The sport is awash in marketable stars. The rules changes have invigorated the game. The international pastime is in a remarkably healthy place 📈
Most fWAR by SP this season 1. Phillies (13.1) 2. Royals (9.6) That gap (3.5) is the largest of its kind at the ASG since the Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz Braves in 1996.
Most times leading MLB in fWAR at ASG (data since 1974): 5 -- Barry Bonds (1993, 2001-04) 4 -- Aaron Judge (2017, 2022, 2024-25) 3 -- Mike Schmidt (1974, 1976-77) 2 -- Mike Trout (2014-15) 2 -- Roger Clemens (1988, 1992) 2 -- Rickey Henderson (1985, 1990)