Inquirer Beat Guy to MLB.com ?

Like they have on the Sixers?

 

Kate is doing a credible job. Lay off Joe.

 

That's a separate issue, Drip. Bully for her and them. But it doesn't support a pattern of seeking "experienced beat guys." (And the "guy" part has nothing to do with this.)

 

Again, given the fiscal situation, and the people already in place at 400 N. Broad Street, i's a move that, in my opinion, doesn't need to be made.

 

Yup, you're right drip. They can just throw another staffer on the baseball beat, just rip them away from their family and toss them on the road for 140 nights a year. We're not talking about a GA opening here, drippy. Ever consider the fact that there might not be anyone else at the Inquirer who is willing to cover baseball?

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer is a business, blog. You either do the job or do something else. It's really quite that simple. There are enough qualified journalists there who can cover the beat without it causing a problem. That is all I've been saying. This crap about ripping guys away from their family, where is that coming from?

 

I know top editors who love it when they have a grueling beat to fill in-house. It allows them to force tough decisions on staffers whose salaries they would like to shed or whose egos they would like to dent: Either do this beat or you will end up covering Podunk city council for the rest of your days here.

So the person takes on the killer beat and essentially demotes himself (or at least gives himself a pay cut in terms of hourly demands), or he refuses and ends up in the Podunk bureau, or he resents being pushed off out of the current, preferred role, says, "screw this!" and walks -- thereby shedding the salary from the big bosses' ledger.

It's a win-win-win for management. Add a fourth win, if they have someone raw internally who is thrilled for the chance and will do it for little or no raise in pay. Heck, in these times, some people would kick back pay to the editor to get a promotion or a role that is necessary in the newsroom and thus packs a little job security.

 

Well, if you really want to know, I'd suggest you take a peek at their Guild contract. I think you might find something in there that prevents management from requiring travel out of their reporters. You do want this warm body to travel, don't you drip? Or maybe in these tough economic times, it would make sense for the Inquirer to just staff home games.

 

I know about the guild contract at the Inky pretty well. All I have said, and will continue to say, is that there are qualified people at 400 N. Broad St. to more than adequately cover the Phils. It's nice that the powers that be are giving an outsider a chance at earning the job.

 

That seems awful backward to me.

 

peter abraham from new york is a candidate for this job.