Backup baseball beat writers

Reading the thread on the jobs board about Barry Svrluga and it appeared he worked all 162 games. That got me thinking about backup baseball writers and who they are. I know of Goolsby (sp?) is STL, but do most papers have a main guy and a backup? Who are some of the others?

 

He didn't work all 162, Steve Yanda did a few for the Post I recall.

 

At the two major papers in my area, each has a writer who is backup beat writer for baseball and hockey. They both make a few road trips on each sports, but probably spend most of the year in the area.

 

In KC, I'm pretty David Boyce is the backup guy, but only at home. If I recall correctly, he would usually do notes or a sidebar for Royals home games.

 

Sheldon Ocker in Akron is in his 60s but still does all 162.

 

If someone does all 162, they've got great work ethics and are insane.

I did 148 one year, plus the All-Star game, playoffs and the World Series. I did 140 the next year. Both years, I was so fried it wasn't even funny...

162 is unheard of. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it is really rare... I know some hockey guys who do every game, but for the most part, football is the only (Big 4) pro sport where beat writers do every game...

 

Speaking of back-ups. For those of you that work at a one man shop (like i do) what do you do if you get sick during like state basketball or football what do you do? If you're the only option for sports and are sick as a dog with the flu or something then they're screwed right?

 

Screwed like a sorority pledge at her first kegger.

 

Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News goes to all 162.

His newspaper doesn't pay him for the overtime. In fact, they assign another writer to cover the Dodgers on Tony's scheduled days off. Tony goes anyway, and the backup writes.

 

At the Chronicle, Jose de Jesus Ortiz is lead Astros. Brian McTaggert is his backup.

 

i'm all for work ethic and rolling up your sleeves and hammering day after day, but this i don't get

i can see once in a while going to the yard on your off day to work on advance stuff or talk to guys, but every day?

if they ain't paying you, take a freaking day for yourself

 

Isn't the off season for days off?