Pete Abraham is leaving town. He’s accepted a job with the Boston Globe and will be returning home to cover the Red Sox. The future of his Yankee blog, which has become a staple in this small corner of the blogosphere, without warning, is uncertain. Someone will take his place of course, but the Pete Abe era of Yankee coverage is over. And that comes as an unpleasant shock.
Congratulations are in order. Because Pete has served us well. Spoiled us, really–which is only fitting, being Yankee fans and all. He was the first beat writer in New York to embrace the concept of blogging. He got it as a way of communicating with the world–how to be engaging, candid, informational, compulsive. It didn’t take any stroke of genuis on his part to post uncut audio from the locker rooms just common sense, a feel for what the audience wants. Nobody else took advantage and Pete ran with it. He’s made a name for himself.
It hard for Yankee fans on the web not to go to his site numrous times each day.
Pete’s gain is our loss, sure, but this is still great news. He deserves it. After all, how could he pass up a chance like this? Even as the newspaper business crumbles and morphs into something different, the Boston Globe is Big Time and you don’t pass up a chance at Pay Dirt when it comes your way. Not an easy cherce–he’s leaving behind some great pals in Tyler Kepner and Mark Feinsand and Sweeny Murti–just the right one.
In a few weeks, Pete will be blogging about the Red Sox, which sure is a funky turn of events–I feel like a dog with its head tilted to the side in wonderment. How will Sox fans will take to him at first? Will his Lo-Hud readership feel betrayed? Blogging for the Enemy. I’m curious to see how it plays out.
In the meantime, a gaping hole now exists in Yankee coverage on-line. River Avenue Blues does a stellar job with information and insight, and there are any number of other engaging Yankee sites, but who is going to replace Pete?
It can’t just be anybody. It has to be someone who loves to interact with his audience the way Pete does, who is willing to feed our insatiable appetitte for information, for the news, for what’s shakin’–Now. I’m not saying it can’t be done. In fact, there is an opportunity for a new voice inside the press box to step in and fill the void. But the bar is set and it is set high. Pete has left his stamp on how the Yankees are covered and how we follow them.
So, a toast. You earned it, big fella. Glad to see you bringing all home.
