August 21, Colorado HotCut: Baseball Overshadowed, For a Day.

Hunter Wendelstedt took a Joe Kelly warmup pitch to his mask, only slightly deflected by Christian Vázquez's glove.  A trainer came out.  Kelly halted his warmup and walked to the plate where a small group was gathered.  The game was held up a bit.  There were shots of the crowd.  One fan held a sign saying, "Eclipse this!"

Welke Tosses Wendelstedt

Wendelstedt stayed in the game for a half inning but as the commercial break preceding the top of the seventh ended the television shot showed another conference of umpires.  Bill Welke then talked his colleague into walking off the field.  I somehow knew that the umpire that was struggling behind home plate was Hunter Wendelstedt.  The delay continues.  They have replayed the damaging Kelly warmup pitch several times.  It was a fastball for sure.  Kelly throws as hard as just about any other major leaguer but I'm not sure why Vázquez so badly failed to get his glove on it.  It seems like I've seen Wendelstedt leave a prior game under similar circumstances—a foul tip to the mask.

Miller Time Falls Flat

Alan Porter has finally emerged with the protective breastplate under his shirt.  That took longer than it should have.  It's Miller Time.  Andrew Miller versus Mookie Betts.

We've been out in the hills of Missouri, camped out for the eclipse.  It was a lasting image, a black disc with an exhilarating white icy ring around it.  The strange light.  Night in day, for a little over two minutes.  Betts, BB.  I missed two days of entries though you didn't miss a 'Cut.

Miller is hurt.  He isn't right.  He has a craZy mustache and he walked off the mound.

I'm not in as bad a' shape as Miller but I'm flagging bad.  I've got some heartburn, I didn't sleep much last night because of heat and humidity.