HotCuts & Bridges

You are out near Hood River for the weekend but you are still 'Cutting.  At 11:06 central daylight you issued the edict:  MotorCity HotCut. It's been two months since Detroit was in the HotCut .  Tampa appeared a couple of times in May.  Michael Fulmer is listed to pitch for Detroit, despite reports earlier this week that he is battling shoulder bursitis .  On the hill for Tampa, in his second 'Cut of the season, is Chris Archer.  The impact of the bursitis appears to be clear from Fulmer's work over the last month.  In 26 1/3 IP he has struck out fourteen batters and posted a 1.37 WHIP.  Over that same time Archer has thrown 34 innings while striking out a whopping 49 batters and posting a 1.12 WHIP.  The Rays would seem to have the advantage heading into this one. * Todd FraZier has left the building, putting the White Sox up 1-0 on Marcus Stroman and the Blue Jays.  Matt Davidson gets in the act, going back to back with Frazier, hitting his fifth home run in s

I got word today at 7:21 central daylight:  Houston HotCut .  Boston and Drew Pomeranz head to Minute Maid Park in Houston to face Mike Fiers and the Astros.  Pomeranz, featured in two 'Cuts in April, is 3-1 over the last thirty days with a 3.42 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.  Fiers has slightly better stats over the last month:  3-1 record with a 2.48 ER and a 1.31 WHIP. Mad Dog, Deep-Sixed I heard RiZzo homer to lead off a third straight game.  Then the umps decided on second thought it was a foul ball.  Maddon was tossed.  The Cubs still did some damage in PNC against Trevor Williams and his Rag Tag Band. On the television via Roku via MLB.TV we saw Wieters tweet one off of Matz, only for Michael A Taylor to make it back-to-back jacks.  With two out Matz deals to Ryan Raburn, who made a nice sliding catch on a fly that fittin' to land in the very corner of left field.  Raburn, backwards looking K.  Commercial break in progress.  Hyundai, Verizon on a rooftop, Cardinals mower.  Pap

Am I Still 'Cutting and Bridging? Is the sun still shining?  Is the rain still raining?  Is FP Santangelo still making weird statements about why fans are booing Bryce Harper when he comes to bat? I ended the last entry with a backfoot slider.  An Ollie Pérez backfooter to get Conforto is the first pitch of this entry.  Ollie, at 35, is grey under the cap.  Former Padre, former Met, former Pirate.  The Nats lead the Mets 8-2, bottom 8.  Dusty to the mound on his birthday. Phillips 66.   "We should get gas." "That Phillips 66?" "Yeah." "Sure." "Is that Colombian?" "Ecuadorian." "It's nice." Texts from you about Wacha, exasperation setting in—but what's that now?  Two doubles from Marp?  Back to his old tricks in the leadoff spot.  Here's Joe Blanton, 8.36 ERA.  His batting average against when facing the first batter he sees is .571.  Wilmer just took him out.  Blanton is done.  C

Past 18:00 central daylight on a Tuesday— Bauer works to Bellinger in the HotCut.  Seager is on first, full count, two outs.  Fastball is a little up and a little out.  Grandal now, the switch-hitting catcher with six homers.  Sharply he is retired on a liner to first.  I've got WTAM radio overlaying the STO visual feed on MLB.TV.  Samsung commercial.  Cardinals mower, Papa Johns.  Papa's in the house.  IHOP.  Commercial break in progress but the radio ads still flow:  My Pillow. A Spark, Doused Kipnis, Lindor, Brantley to face ... The Shaw, Clayton Kershaw.  The Indians haven't seen Kershaw since 2008.  A lot has changed since then.  The count is 2-and-0.  A fastball at 92 is center cut and Kipnis turns it into his ninth double.  On the first pitch Lindor goes 6-3.  Tom Hamilton says Lindor "gets the job done."  Meh.  Don't play for one run.  It's hot, the Shaw is sweating fierce.  Lindor should look at some pitches.  A weak grounder on the first p

The Watched Pot Around 13:30 I had suggested to B that there was not any HotCut today.  A minute later I received the text:  SF HotCut.  It's Berríos and Samardzija.  Now on my phone via LTE in a cabin at Washington State Park is Texas at Washington.  This game began at 11:05 central daylight, an early start I'd say for a Saturday game that is not the first game of a doubleheader.  Which by the way, there are two of today, including a scheduled single-gate, straight up old school twin bill.  The Nats are leading, powered by an Adam Lind home run.  Ryan Zimmermann has the day off. Blackmon for MVP? The Rangers scored two in the ninth off Koda Glover and sent the game to extras, where they won in eleven or twelve, Kela getting the win, Shawn Kelley the loss.  I would then have shifted to Cards - Phillies but the Cards were up 6-0 behind Carlos Martinez and I found that less than compelling.  So I went to Jeff Hoffmann and Colorado leading the Cubs at Wrigley, 4-0 in the se