Are We Gonna Baseball?

[dougdirt]

You're a sportswriter? Nice, maybe youre one of the good ones.

I'm not. I'm an abrasive jerk, just like the rest of us online because we deal with the dumbest people on the planet on a daily basis. I truly think at some point every single one of us turns into it because it's simply overbearing when you have a truly large following and they can, at any point, just reach out and say whatever they want to you, and it's a part of our job to try to read and reply to the comments so we don't just turn them off and do have to actually see them. Call it me making an excuse if you want - but that's my reality and it's the reality for a lot of people in the industry.

[RedTeamGo!]

Hated sportswriter checking in here.

Two teams have cancelled practice today because they haven't gotten test results in FROM FRIDAY. At least two other teams had test administrators not show up over the weekend and are considering cancelling practice today because of it. And Nick Markakis has opted out of playing the 2020 season.

I think people are making too big of a deal out of the test result delay. Holiday weekend. The mistake was starting this on a holiday weekend.

[NebraskaRed]

I think people are making too big of a deal out of the test result delay. Holiday weekend. The mistake was starting this on a holiday weekend.

I agree that's a big part of this.

But MLB needs to make sure that this doesn't happen again. And they need to make sure every teams gets the PPE they were promised.

[dougdirt]

I think people are making too big of a deal out of the test result delay. Holiday weekend. The mistake was starting this on a holiday weekend.

I don't think they are at all. The entire point of "being safe" is actually being safe. If you have guys going 4 days between test results, you aren't being safe. Again, two teams have cancelled their workouts today. If this were during the season, two games would have been postponed over this. Maybe more. The A's are waiting to see if the results come in today or not - they might cancel their practice today, they are just hoping they can have it pushed until later in the day with results coming in. The mistake was that they didn't do a very good job of planning any of this.

[kaldaniels]

Hated sportswriter checking in here.

Two teams have cancelled practice today because they haven't gotten test results in FROM FRIDAY. At least two other teams had test administrators not show up over the weekend and are considering cancelling practice today because of it. And Nick Markakis has opted out of playing the 2020 season.

Suffice it to say, this is an unusual season. Players have actually been given an option whether they want to play or not. In a normal year you just can't sit out as it would be a breach of contract.

That said, why isn't the focus on the fact that what, 98% of players right now have chosen to play and go for it this season, in spite of the risky circumstances? Instead we have writers who gleefully or passive-aggressively point out each and every player that opts out as if it adds fuel to their opinion that the season should not be played.

Maybe that reply is one of the comments that you don't like to read Doug but it's a legit question as far as I see it.

[kaldaniels]

And just so everyone is prepared, Mike Trout could very well opt out.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...le/5371712002/

“I think the biggest thing is this is our first child. I’ve got to be there. If I test positive, I can’t see the baby for 14 days. We would be upset. I’ve got to keep Jess safe. I’ve got to keep the baby safe. … I try to talk to my wife every night about this. I know I’m risking myself. I could meet somebody and get this virus. That’s the last thing I want to do.’’

[dougdirt]

Suffice it to say, this is an unusual season. Players have actually been given an option whether they want to play or not. In a normal year you just can't sit out as it would be a breach of contract.

That said, why isn't the focus on the fact that what, 98% of players right now have chosen to play and go for it this season, in spite of the risky circumstances? Instead we have writers who gleefully or passive-aggressively point out each and every player that opts out as if it adds fuel to their opinion that the season should not be played.

Maybe that reply is one of the comments that you don't like to read Doug but it's a legit question as far as I see it.

For the same reason we don't write about the 70% of the time players fail to get hits, but only write about the 30% of the time they do.

But I'll again point out that I believe you are confusing talking about and pointing out that a lot of stuff isn't going well with being happy that it's not going well because it doesn't hold up to what you believe should be happening.

[kaldaniels]

For the same reason we don't write about the 70% of the time players fail to get hits, but only write about the 30% of the time they do.

But I'll again point out that I believe you are confusing talking about and pointing out that a lot of stuff isn't going well with being happy that it's not going well because it doesn't hold up to what you believe should be happening.

I can’t say I follow that last sentence perfectly but I do believe some writers are “happy” to score points when things take a bad turn so far as having a season goes. As to what I believe should be happening - if I was Mike Trout, I’d probably opt out. But anyway I’m not sure what “what you (me) believe should be happening” is.

[TOG]

I'm not. I'm an abrasive jerk, just like the rest of us online because we deal with the dumbest people on the planet on a daily basis. I truly think at some point every single one of us turns into it because it's simply overbearing when you have a truly large following and they can, at any point, just reach out and say whatever they want to you, and it's a part of our job to try to read and reply to the comments so we don't just turn them off and do have to actually see them. Call it me making an excuse if you want - but that's my reality and it's the reality for a lot of people in the industry.

Why would you want to do job that makes you an abrasive jerK?

[JaxRed]

With Markakis bowing out, it continues a trend. Although to be honest, with less than 10 guys a trend can change very quickly. Most of the guys opting out have collected a huge amount of salary already in their careers.

Price - 184 million
Zimmerman - 139 million
Markakis - 119 million
Leake 94 million
Desmond - 76 million
Hernandez 221 million


Exception
Joe Ross - 5 million

And then a couple guys who did not have MLB contracts and were long shots to make teams

Tyson Ross
Wellington Castillo

[RedTeamGo!]

I don't think they are at all. The entire point of "being safe" is actually being safe. If you have guys going 4 days between test results, you aren't being safe. Again, two teams have cancelled their workouts today. If this were during the season, two games would have been postponed over this. Maybe more. The A's are waiting to see if the results come in today or not - they might cancel their practice today, they are just hoping they can have it pushed until later in the day with results coming in. The mistake was that they didn't do a very good job of planning any of this.

Like I said, the mistake was starting this on July 4th weekend.

I work in logistics, in my world everyone knows when there is a Friday or Monday off because of a holiday weekend expect delays.

[757690]

Yeah, I cant imagine once youve hit your 30s/40s/50s and are still a writer for a perennially laughing stock team, that it feels very accomplished

Making 37K a year, writing about a bunch of players who are 10-30 years younger than you, doing something than most casual fans could do.

Geoff HObson. JOhn Fay. C Trent, lol We are some Cincy Media Titans!

Si Burick, Hal McCoy and countless long term local sportswriters take offense at this

[JaxRed]

Fix the problem. Move on.

[Kc61]

And just so everyone is prepared, Mike Trout could very well opt out.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...le/5371712002/

If it’s necessary for Trout to opt out, so be it. Every player is entitled to do so and he’s no exception.

But I really could have lived without the indignant tweets of “Just tell us when and where” and all that.

The parties’ fight over dollars seems small minded in light of the obvious difficulty of proceeding with this season. To think that one side proposed a 114 game season as a negotiating position.

[Boston Red]

Si Burick, Hal McCoy and countless long term local sportswriters take offense at this

He was responding to me, and it certainly wasn't my point at all. I think local sportswriters can be fantastic. Just know your audience for God's sake. Your audience is interested in sports and want to read about sports. If you get to a point where you think sports are insignificant and you are too important to waste your time on them (and the people who are passionate about them), please for the love of God get out of sports writing.