There’s a very specific type of heat that releases helium in the baseball world. You may remember it emanating from the halcyon days of Aroldis Chapman, the prospect. Or from the first glimpses of Jordan Hicks. Or from Hunter Greene, the still burgeoning Reds starter.
It is the heat that comes from a velocity reading that not only touches 100 mph, but eclipses it. Baseball fans have gotten used to the concept of three digits flashing on the screen, but when the third digit climbs to be a three, or — heaven help us — a five, the alarm bells will sound.