Pack in the Pros

Carlos Rodon is the Hottest Pitcher in MLB Over His Past 5 Starts

Published

10 months ago

August 9, 2018

Former NC State All-American pitcher Carlos Rodon has been the hottest pitcher in Major League Baseball over his past 5 starts.

His 1.56 ERA over his past 5 starts is tops in all of baseball. In all 5 of those starts, he has pitched 6+ innings, and has not recorded a loss (his record over the stretch is 2-0).

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper attributes a lot of his success to first-pitch strikes, and the development of a slider. He is throwing first-pitch strikes 59.2% of the time, which is 4.4% higher than his career average. He currently has the 17th best slider in baseball, and uses it 24.5% of the time. Also, his pitches aren’t getting crushed as hard this year, with his hard hit rate sitting at a career low of 27%. (Info via 670)

In Cooper’s opinion, Rodon has the stuff to be the best lefty in baseball.

“The stuff he’s got, he can be one of the best lefties (in the game),” Cooper said. (Link)

With a little less than 2 months left in the regular season, Rodon is easily compiling the best season of his 4-year career. His ERA (2.94), WHIP (1.09), opponent batting average (.191), and hits per 9 innings (6.16) are all at career lows.

Here is a quick clip from his 8K no-hit bid from late July.

Pack in the Pros

5 NC State Players have Advanced to the NBA Finals

Published

9 hours ago

May 26, 2019

Matthew Bradham

The Kawhi Leonard led Raptors defeated the Bucks 100-94 last night, resulting in Toronto advancing to their 1st ever NBA Finals appearance. They will only have to beat the Warriors, who will be looking to 3-peat, and have now advanced to 5-straight NBA Finals.

While no former NC State players will be playing in the NBA Finals this year, 5 former Wolfpacker players have played in the Championship series in the past.

1) Josh Powell – 3 times (06, 09, 10)
2) Chuck Nevitt – 2 times (85 & 88)
3) Nate McMillan – 1 time (96)
3) Chucky Brown – 1 time (95)
3) John Richter – 1 time (60)

Photo Credit

Pack in the Pros

Garrett Bradbury Set to Play Center for Vikings

Published

2 days ago

May 24, 2019

Matthew Bradham

When Minnesota drafted former NC State Consensus All-American Garrett Bradbury with the 18th overall pick last month, there was debate whether he would continue to play Center at the next level, or get shifted somewhere else on the line.

Well, it looks like the debate is over before there was a chance to have one.

Bradbury played center at North Carolina State and lined up there with the media watching at Wednesday organized team activity.
Pat Elflein had been the starting center, but he’s now at left guard.
“I’m just focusing on left guard,” Elflein said, via the Pioneer Press. “It feels great. I played there in college. That was always one of my things. Just being able to play both positions.”
ProFootballTalk

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is looking forward to taking snaps from Bradbury for quite some time.

.@KirkCousins8 hopes to be taking snaps from @GBradbury_11 for a long, long time.https://t.co/upAjWOPVPw pic.twitter.com/LObcfbklOh
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 23, 2019

Photo Credit

Pack in the Pros

Torin Dorn Participates in Agent Pro Day in Phoenix

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2019

Matthew Bradham

Former NC State Forward Torin Dorn worked out at an Agent Pro Day in Phoenix today in front of NBA Scouts and executives, along with two other former Wolfpacker’s: Cody and Caleb Martin (Transferred to Nevada).

In Phoenix for agent pro days. Huge contingent of NBA scouts and executives on hand. First up, Jordan Murphy, Kevin Samuel, Marques Bolden, Martin Twins, Reggie Perry, Jordan Varnado and a few others. Keldon Johnson will take the floor in a couple hours. pic.twitter.com/CsURBFkGdS
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 22, 2019

Dorn impressed at the Portsmouth Invitational a month ago.

I would be shocked to see Dorn drafted, but workouts like these could help him get an invite to the NBA Summer League or get a G-League contract.

Dorn has always defied the odds, as he so perfectly laid out in the tweet below accompanied by a highlight reel.

“You aren’t good enough to play on our AAU team”
*ok*
“You aren’t ready for college let’s redshirt you”
*Freshman of the Year*
“You’ll never get off the bench in the ACC”
*lol Roll Tape 🎬*

“As a man thinketh in his heart so is he” pic.twitter.com/X3QAjmkZPk
— Torin Dorn (@TorinDorn2) May 18, 2019

Pack in the Pros

Josh Jones Wants Packers to Trade Him

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2019

Matthew Bradham

Former NC State Safety Josh Jones wants to be traded from the Packers according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Packers safety Josh Jones is skipping the voluntary OTAs and working out in Florida because he’s hoping to be traded, a source told ESPN. The source said the 2017 second-round pick believes it would be best for both parties if they parted ways. Story coming on ESPN shortly.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) May 21, 2019

According to Demovsky, Jones is skipping voluntary OTA’s, and working out on his own in Florida.

I’m guessing Jones didn’t appreciate Green Bay drafting Safety Darnell Savage in the 1st Round a month ago, with the 21st overall pick.

Obviously Jones would like to be traded to a team where he can start, but there are plenty of other Safeties on the market.

Eric Berry, Tre Boston, Mike Mitchell, Glover Quinn, Darian Stewart, Mike Adams, Ron Parker, Kurt Coleman are all still on the market, legit starting safeties.

I just don't know where Josh Jones thinks the market is or what his leverage is.
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) May 21, 2019

Jones was drafted by the Packers with the 61st overall pick, in the 2nd Round of the 2017 NFL Draft, after leaving NC State after his Junior year.