HotCuts & Bridges

And then I got this text from you at 9:41 central daylight: KerCut. That's Clayton Kershaw, opposite Jon Gray, tonight at 19:10 from majestic Coors Field.  My goal is watch and reflect on three innings of it. As I cut the grass and then sprayed some weeds in the grass I listened to Red Sox at Tigers.  Jordan Zimmermann was faring well.  Jackie Bradley Jr. made a running catch.  A fan ran onto the field.  Joe Castiglione said, "It's a little early...."  This person was wearing or carrying an advertisement or slogan but the Sox crew was not going to further the message.  Apparently that is the second fan-on-field incident for the Red Sox this year. Back inside for beans and rice, I sat down in time for Tyler Saladino's leadoff double.  I'm talking Twins at White Sox now.  Saladino will prove to have been one of baseball's most under-rated players entering 2017—though I realiZe now I don't know if his defense is average or better.  ...

I have left my phone at home, back on the other side of the river.  If you have sent me the HotCut text, I have not read it.  I thought about calling you or emailing you from my work email but this is not an urgent matter and perhaps I can even have a little fun with it.  I will guess what the game will be: John's guess:  MaxCut, Washington at Philadelphia. ScherZer is the best pitcher going; VelasqueZ opposite him isn't too bad; none of the other pitching matchups are that compelling: Foltyniewicz - Nova is OK; Wright - Fulmer has promise; Ryu returns, maybe you will go with a ToadCut... Phil Hughes - Derek Holland, ugh... Yovani Gallardo - Jesse Chavez...help. Real quick a note on yesterday's 'Cut.  Stroman pitched well and won: 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 ER.  Grilli the save, Kendrys Morales homers.  Snell lasted 6 2/3 but walked five (97 pitches).  Longo 1-for-3 with one walk. A snow squall erupts at PNC Park as Francisco Cervelli rea...

Then at 10:03 central daylight you sent this text: TBHotCut Young Blake Snell must've fallen out of bed this morning when he got the text informing him he was going to appear tonight in what must be his first ever HotCut, opposite Marcus Stroman. I've got Phillies at Reds going, live from Great American Ballpark.  The Phillies are about to run Rookie Davis, 4-1, top of the third.  I heard the second home run Daniel Nava hit.... Scott Schebler crosses the plate and it's tied in Cincy, where they put cinnamon in their chili—good for your aching muscles but bad for your palate.  Wait a minute, what's that?  You say the Cards are salting Lackey?  I switch over to Pat and Ron but the rally quickly fails.  Still, Crads up 3-0 at the end of 1. Marp hit one hard that Pat and Ron say the wind held up.  There is a strong wind today, heading south.  It's a blustery day.  Lynn hasn't let a man reach yet, —err..., Lackey gets a hit with one out ...

Today at 9:28 central daylight I received the following text from one RLW Jr: GutCut!!! That will happen tonight at 18:10 in Flushing, NY.  Colón, now pitching for Atlanta, against Jacob deGrom. Originally, there were three early games slated for today.  Two were washed out: Cubs at Cardinals (they will play tomorrow on what must've been an open day for both clubs) and Tigers at White Sox.  The latter have been raised out twice now.  My mother happens to be in Chicago.  In a text she said there was lots of rain there. The remainder was the tailings, not the best but re-claimable.  I listened off and on: Royals at Twins.  I heard Kennedy get into trouble early on.  He was walking guys, two in the second, both scored, the inning became a three-spot.  I want to relate first or only my pure recollection of moments I heard.  Buxton striking out, for the sixth time in nine at-bats.  The KC broadcast—Denny Matthews—mentioned that M...

At 8:27 central daylight I got the text: "Gotta be another CradsCut" Live from Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, Melky Cabrera gets thrown out at third trying to stretch a double into a triple, plating the game's first run in the process.  It's Verlander - Quintana, a make-up game.  Had yesterday's game not been rained out, there would not be any baseball right now. Enter 24-year-old JaCoby Jones who connects on a low Quintana delivery and puts the Tigers up 3-1.  I'm not feeling it at the moment but...that was Jones's first major-league home run.  Quintana's pitch count is getting a little high a little early.  And then there goes Nick Castellanos!  Quintana seems to be doing his best Tanaka impression.  It's going to be a short stint for the Colombian native today. About fifteen minutes ago, Kinsler homered. Hours later.  On the tube in front of me is Colorado at Milwaukee.  Kyle "Permit Driver" Davies is in trouble....

Ray gets me the HotCut early.  It's Cleveland at Texas, Kluber-Darvish.  Kershaw is to the HotCut what a magnet is to iron filings but he goes opposite Jhoulys Chacin and the Padres today, so the HotCut takes a pass.  The first game today is at 12:05 central daylight today.  I'm at work but I'll try to listen and will be on the lookout for bridges all day—a bridge being a lone game in action bridging the baseball crevasse of nothingness by taking us clean from one game to the next.  I'll work on that description over the course of this season. I have been listening, off and on, to Marlins at Nats.  The Marlins struck first but Strasburg yielded only those two runs over six innings.  Lind pinch-hit and sent a ball into the stands to put Washington up 3-2. Later....  Treinen fans Ozuna.  Nats win, Strasburg is 1-0.  I don't want to get into other games, other scores.  I'm agnostic to them—this journal is going to be about games I'...

HotCut is Grubs-Crads, Lester-Martinez.  Yanks at Rays leads off the season, Tanaka-Archer.  I've got it on Roku; John and Suzyn on Radio (WiFi).  Rays have them loaded bottom one, one out, up 1-0. Stats on the 2017 OverUnder:      -Common Picks:           Ray-John:  18           John-Nick:  13           Nick-Ray:  17      -Solo Picks:           Ray:  3           John:  8           Nick:  9      -Consensus Picks:           9 Now, back to the action.  The Rays have run Tanaka in the third.  Ouch.  Longo and LoMo touched him for homers.  He gave up seven runs, all earned, in 2 2/3 IP, ERA now sits at 23.63. Rays batting, up 7-2 still, bottom eight, as Greinke deals to Span in Arizona. ...