Redundancy

Now, this makes me mad. It seems that whenever I write a gamer and give it to the editor, he makes his changes. For the most part, the changes are all right. But, this one bothers me, and it happens often:

Before changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie that game at 3.”

After changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie the game at 3-3.”

This is a habitual change, which bothers me quite a bit. I know I’m a young writer, but I’ve got four years of sports writing and about 18 years of reading, writing and understanding of the English language.

A side-note: I hate abbreviations in my articles. In AP articles, you never see “Mussina led NY to a win…” Why is it then fair game to change my writing to “Jones shut down NY after six innings.”?

Maybe this is something most young writers go through. Any thoughts?

 

Please forward this post to the Department of Redundancy Department forthwith.

Thank you.

The Management.

 

Mike,

That may be a style rule at the paper. Don't loose sleep over that.

If I edited that sentence, I would have done this:

“Smith doubled to (right-center?), driving in (three?) runs to tie the (score, not game), 3-3.

 

That's why you're the Ace. Good editing that truly gives the reader what really happened.

 

Now, this makes me mad. It seems that whenever I write a gamer and give it to the editor, he makes his changes. For the most part, the changes are all right. But, this one bothers me, and it happens often:

Before changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie that game at 3.”

After changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie the game at 3-3.”

This is a habitual change, which bothers me quite a bit. I know I’m a young writer, but I’ve got four years of sports writing and about 18 years of reading, writing and understanding of the English language.

A side-note: I hate abbreviations in my articles. In AP articles, you never see “Mussina led NY to a win…” Why is it then fair game to change my writing to “Jones shut down NY after six innings.”?

Maybe this is something most young writers go through. Any thoughts?

 

Hawk Harrelson would have written: "Smith smacked a two-bagger with the bases juiced, putting up a crooked number on the board for the good guys to knot the score at 3 apiece!"

 

Now, this makes me mad. A newb comes in here and makes his changes. For the most part, the changes are all right. But, this one bothers me, and it happens often:

Before changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie that game at 3.”

After changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie the game at 3-3.”

This is a habitual change, which bothers me quite a bit. I know I’m a young writer, but I’ve got four years of sports writing and about 18 years of reading, writing and understanding of the English language.

A side-note: I hate abbreviations in my articles. In AP articles, you never see “Mussina led NY to a win…” Why is it then fair game to change my writing to “Jones shut down NY after six innings.”?

Maybe this is something most young writers go through. Any thoughts?

 

I'll get back to you at 12 noon.

 

Now, this makes me mad. A newb comes in here and makes his changes. For the most part, the changes are all right. But, this one bothers me, and it happens often:

Before changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie that game at 3.”

After changes: “Smith drove a double to the gap, clearing the bases to tie the game at 3-3.”

This is a habitual change, which bothers me quite a bit. I know I’m a young writer, but I’ve got four years of sports writing and about 18 years of reading, writing and understanding of the English language.

A side-note: I hate abbreviations in my articles. In AP articles, you never see “Mussina led NY to a win…” Why is it then fair game to change my writing to “Jones shut down NY after six innings.”?

Maybe this is something most young writers go through. Any thoughts?

 

I think this whole issue is something that should be addressed at the next Associated Press Sports Editors of the Associated Press convention.

Furthermore, it should be brought up the next time the Associated Press Sports Editors of the Associated Press get together.

 

He needs it by 10 a.m. in the morning.

 

Tying the game, 3-3, is just as redundant as tying the score at 3-3.

The play in question tied the game at 3.