Dodgers: One beat writer left

I wasn't around then, but I'm guessing there wasn't anybody from MLB.com on the road during the '60s, either.

 

Yep. We did home games and selected road games (read Brian Golden) in Anaheim, San Diego and -- when they were good -- the Giants. I'd cover 12-15 games a year.

 

The late Terry Johnson covered for Pasadena in the early 80s, then moved on to Torrance and took the beat in 1982 when Chris Mortensen left for Atlanta. Steve Hunt, now the ME at San Gabriel took over for Johnson at Pasadena and had it until Matt McHale took over.
At the Santa Monica Evening Outlook, Dave Daniel, who still is the secretary-treasurer of the BBWAA chapter, was the beat guy in the mid-70s. Mike Martinez covered from 77-80 until going to the San Jose Mercury News, then on to the New York Times. Chris Long covered from 81-83. In '83, the paper was sold to Copley, which eventually merged staffs with the Daily Breeze and Terry Johnson covered for both.

 

Are you kidding? Dream. Pretty soon his grand scheme (or the grand scheme of his minions, I lose track of who is who these days) will be realized: The only place to get any fucking "beat" coverage of MLB will be that damn website. Also, buy a T-shirt, and make sure to watch MLB Network for more "independent" coverage of the sport.

Then, of course, the empty press boxes allow MLB to turn them into luxury suites (and charge the handful of reporters still around an arm and a leg to sit there).

 

Tony Jackson is one of the hardest-working guys I've ever met in this business. He's one of those guys who is at the ballpark on his day off. Granted, this was years ago, but the guy has an unbelievable work ethic. Good guy too...

Awful...

 

The truly baffling part of all this to me is the thought process (and I use that term loosely) that went into the decision. Somewhere, some suit who brings absolutely nothing to the table had to have decided, "Aw hell, who cares about Dodgers coverage? All those baseball writers do anyway is eat hot dogs and watch ball games."
By that measure, that same suit can pretty well justify getting rid of the entire newsroom because he/she/it is the only truly indispensable member of the organization. People who have no clue making decisions that impact, in this case, multiple newspapers and hundreds of thousands (for now, anyway) readers.
The same moron who made that call is sitting at the club today, laughing to the boys how he got rid of some more hack writers this week. I think that's what pisses me off the most. Before any suit lays off a reporter or editor, he/she/it should actually have to do that job for a couple of days to get an understanding of what's involved.
Silly me. That could never happen. That's actual work, and that might make them miss a meeting.

 

I don't think that's the case Moon...

From what I've heard, the decision was made to cover only home games, and if that's the case...

Not saying I agree with it, but honestly baseball is probably the most expensive beat to cover because of the sheer number of away games. I think this is going to start happening all over the place pretty soon, if it hasn't already.

 

Then why bother? If this paper -- AND THIS "GROUP" -- are not going to staff a hugely popular franchise with a dedicated fanbase and readership, then you it might as well become a mailer.
Dean Singleton focuses his anger and disgust toward Eric Schmidt when the assclown should look in the fucking mirror. He has been dismantling franchises and institutions for over three decades and in that course has become a media icon or mogul. He is an opportunist making his way to a coffin on the dedication and service of poorly-paid professionals.
He has ruined our profession.

 

I'm stunned. Just speechless. Wow. I...I...wow.

 

Talk about pressure to break news... When you're the only traveling writer, how do you explain getting beaten by a phone call from AP or a press release?