Verlander, Astros block the Free Press

Not only did this story ruin like the one enjoyable moment of the last four months of the Tigers' season (their winning in Houston on Wednesday night), it gave me all sorts of unpleasant flashbacks.

I had to bench one of my reporters for a weekend or two once after the coach of our most popular beat had a hissy fit after a flippant remark he made in a column was perceived as an accusation of an NCAA violation. I didn't have the BBWAA to back me up. I still regret it to this day, though I think it was the least worst option. The problem with access disputes like this is that your readership will never side with you. Either you didn't get the story or you get accused of being whiny and entitled.

Oh well, I'm a page design hub nobody now so maybe I've received my punishment from the journalism gods.

 

Verlander is wrong to take it to this degree.

But... it reads like this reporter was live tweeting a private conversation between two players. That could really piss some people off.

Verlander could have called the reporter back from the cell phone of a Tiger media person. I sort of get not wanting to give your number to someone your already pissed at.

 

You hit upon a point, Scout.

Verlander could always ask for the the mobile phone of someone on staff. If this was strictly about getting a number, that would cure the problem is a hurry.

 

You hit upon a point, Scout.

Verlander could always ask for the the mobile phone of someone on staff. If this was strictly about getting a number, that would cure the problem is a hurry.

Still trying to figure out why the FreeP won't address Verlander. Or exactly what Verlander's issue really is. The whole thing is just odd ... at least at this point.

 

Seems like all the parties let this escalate and wanted this to blow up.
If it was this bad, why didn't the Astros PR person request a meeting with the sports editor and Fenech during the trip to Detroit in May to put everything out there?
Also if Diaz said this just to Fenech, how come Fenech didn't tell his editor?
And if you are the sports editor and you know Verlander didn't talk to Fenech the day before, why would you not be checking your voicemail or email or at least be checking in with your beat writer to see if anything was going on?
Verlander could have just not answered questions but each side was waiting to see who was going to blink first, and no one did.

 

Also, I don’t care how big of a star you think you are, athletes don’t get to choose who covers them. Verlander thinking he can have his agent call the newsroom and get a replacement reporter for the day is cute. It makes both he and the Astros look ridiculously petty.

 

I think the one thing that hasn't gotten hammered home enough in this thread is just how unhelpful and spiteful the Astros' PR folks are/were.

I don't want to say incompetent, but a group that at least has its stuff together doesn't set up these hoops to jump through.

 

I'm surprised more people aren't talking about Drellich's post, to be honest. It appears the Astros PR staff has a history of being unnecessarily heavy-handed.

 

I've seen his wife nekid. The allure is gone and he can shuddup.

 

Same happened with the Blue Jays years ago when David Wells wouldn't speak if Richard Griffin (now the Jays media guy, funnily enough) didn't leave the scrum. Rich left and Wells spoke and I always felt bad that the rest of us didn't just leave, too.

That being said—and I'm speaking generally, not about this situation with the Astros—I can see there being a case for a team to block a reporter from the clubhouse. I wouldn't go so far as to say that's never okay.

 

It's never okay. It's a violation of the collective bargaining agreement, signed by the teams (owners) and players (union).

 

But still a solid 6, right?