McCaughey At the Bat: Scott McCaughey Chats at 2 pm on ESPN Today

He's a five-tool player. Always has dirt on his uniform. The sort of guy you want around the clubhouse. Ever since his days with The Young Fresh Fellows, Scott McCaughey's enjoyed hall of fame status around the northwest, mixing local pursuits (seasonal Pogues cover band K.M.R.I.A.) with major league duties (southern altern… oh, hell, R.E.M.)—and, somewheres along the line, while fronting transcendent dad-rock-if-your-dad-was-properly-medded-Brian-Wilson band the Minus 5, he convinced former Dream Syndicate slugger Steve Wynn and tour-mate/perennial all-star Peter Buck to join a new project about baseball. Let's assume they didn't argue over the name.

The Baseball Project's debut album Volume One: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails—Brit-invasive murder balladry concerning Mark McGwire and "Ted Fucking Williams"—won David Letterman's heart and stage and continues to draw…not undeserved attention, the collection's sorta brilliant, but …unexpected, shall we say, attention. Of the sort that finds our hero appearing on ESPN.com. And responding to the needs of Sportsnation. McCaughey takes pitches about the Baseball Project on the ESPN website at 2 pm (Pacific, of course) today. Here's the link for the chat.

While ESPN's web-masters won't allow endless requests for YFF lore, we may as well, y'know, still root for the home team. If Scott McCaughey doesn't win, it's a shame.

Suggested questions for the Local Cut faithful:

1.) Are the Young Fresh Fellows ever going to release new material?

2.) Will the Adam Dunn trade push the Diamondbacks over the top in the NL West?

3.) Was Hazel's song about Boog Powell an influence?

4.) Easier: explaining 'the infield fly rule' to Robyn Hitchcock or 'indie cred' to Pete Rose?

5.) Do Michael Stipe and Manny Ramirez ever hang out?

6.) Could you make sure that Michael Stipe and Manny Ramirez hang out at some point?

7.) Dear God, could we see footage of Stipe and Man-Ram hanging? Please?

8.) As old media distribution systems crumble, do you think the demand for music ideally liberated from corporate grooming yet exponentially more dependent upon the public's whim engenders more or less freedom among the artists; will the MLB players' union allow a limited form of instant replay before the post-season?

9.) Why doesn't anyone care about singles anymore? (cf: Ichiro, Courtney)

10.) Maple or ash: which bats more rock?

Links:
Baseball Project
Scott McCaughey Wiki

Dated photo of Mr. McCaughey courtesy of In Music We Trust.