The point, and this is for [10[ too, similar to what Bruce Markusen said in the later post, is that we’re all supposed to be held accountable. Postgame is definitely more of a pool reporting situation, I grant you that, but to have everyone else pick up the pieces for you makes you a crap teammate. When you enter into certain lines of work, you accept certain responsibilities. For example, many companies require their employees to sign a waiver denoting that any and all work produced by that employee belongs to the company. Professional athletes made a choice to enter that line of work and to deal with all the trappings of what it entails, including dealing with the media. No, sticking around for postgame interviews is not a job requirement, it’s just the right thing to do. I equate it to not signing your scorecard in a golf tournament after you’ve played a bad round. Man up, sign it, and improve.

I would have preferred to not go to the clubhouse after games to get quotes during my reporting days, but the job requires it to add context, regardless of the trite stuff that is said, and regardless of whether or not you care what is said.

[9] but you did say “Talking to the media is part of a professional athlete’s job, same as going down to the clubhouse to speak to players and coaches after the game is part of a reporter’s job.” these are clearly not equivalent: one is actually part of the job description; one is not. i understand that we like to say that if you want to be in the spotlight and make all the money that entails, you have to accept media scrutiny and all that. and there’s a certain amount of sense to that, especially when we’re talking about someone in a leadership position that requires transparency. but on the flip side, do we want to make that acceptance a prerequisite for all public figures, such that only a certain type of person can fill those rolls? as far as i’m concerned, that’s an unnecessary and unwise requirement that has very little to do with how competent a person is at his job.

sure, maybe it sucks for a reporter if a player doesn’t talk to the media after a game. but come on, big deal. first of all, it’s not like the player is talking to some reporters but not others, so you’re all in the same boat. second, do you really need the player’s own reaction to his performance to write about it? i guess it comes down to the fact that i don’t give a shit what the players think or do outside of the game, and i realize that some people do, but i don’t really understand why.

The way I see it, and I think most fans would agree – Soriano’s job is to pitch, and to get out of innings as quickly as possible. Why should he have to talk to the press after he has a rough night? He didn’t even take a phone call from his mother after the game, but he’s supposed to talk to reporters? Nonsens
Sports writers are a bunch of whiners when it comes to this subject. If a politician makes a mistake does he have to answer questions about it that same night? if a movie tanks on it’s opening weekend, are the stars, the director, and writer pressed to explain themselves immediately?

Nowhere except in the sports media do people expect and demand immediate answers.
When public figures screw up, they’re usually held accountable, and most of them come around to talking about it eventually. Why are athletes expected to explain themselves on a reporter’s or producer’s deadline. It’s nonsense.

Did the world stop spinning because we had to wait for Soriano to explain why he had a crappy game? The sports media needs to get over itself, and wait for answers like the rest of us. Enough whining about athletes who don’t give you quotes before deadline

Aren't you glad your name isn't Jarrod Saltalamacchia? (yes, at 20 letters, the LONGEST first and last name in ML history) ....

I'll have a post next week on the longest names in Yankee history.

The only game where the starter disappointed me was the hughes game.

Credit can reasonably be given to Martin for guiding the young man to a successful first game, and for Burnett’s lack of implosion thus far.

Starting pitching has been good overall, aside from Hughes’s terrible game.

I like the looks of Martin so far but I’m sure if he doesn’t produce, I won’t like the looks of him, hahaha.

In case you missed it, Derek Jeter passed Rogers Hornsby on the all-time hit list and is now 69 hits from 3,000.

…and in honor of that, I offer this musical tribute that is not related in any way to this achievement except by name and the opportunity to slap you with a weak, yet obvious pun.

Hmmmm. The starters not named “CC” have ERA’s of 4.09, 4.50 and 11.25. Yes, 4.09 so far for AJ is better than last year’s disaster (but remember how Burnett began last season?), but unless Martin is to be credited for CC’s nice start to the season, it’s a stretch to make any claim one way or another about his “deftness” and “handling” the staff.