Gammons gives a nod to (gasp) blogs

From Gammons' latest blog entry on espn.com:

"It’s amazing how many club officials read USS Mariner (Seattle), Fire Brand of the American League (Boston), Ducksnorts (San Diego), Athletics Nation (Oakland), Viva El Birdos (St. Louis), Lone Star Ball (Texas), River Ave. Blues (Yankees), MetsBlog.com, FishStripes (Florida), Dodger Thoughts, Bronx Banter (great writing), The LoHud Yankees Blog, Reds Reporter (Cincinnati), Bleed Cubbie Blue, Brew Crew Ball (Milwaukee) and more…

“There are probably hundreds of sites I have missed. If so, hopefully, they’ll run by my laptop. But as we begin the 2008 season, our information, understanding and thought processes have been dramatically altered from the days when a Sunday newspaper notes column seemed significant. And, as fans, we are so much better off for all the work that is being done.”

I don't know how many of these are fan or reporter blogs, but I find Gammons' take on it a bit interesting. I do read MetsBlog.com, which is backed by SNY, because it has everything in one place. I don't have to visit 10 Web sites to get all my Mets news. Plus the main blogger does get face time with significant Mets personnel and asks some tough questions. In that sense it's got more credibility than a lot of others. The SNY connection definitely helps.

 

I would think an educated, non-casual fan would have a good enough bullshit detector to know what he/she is reading on a typical blog. That type of person is more likely to be interested in rumor, speculation and opinion that you can't get in a newspaper.

 

I think he knows who butters his bread. Now every blog he mentioned, as well as the blogosphere in general, will continue to think he's a god. Smart move.

 

Perhaps instead of the cynicism, people could check out some of those blogs and learn a little bit about how to adapt our profession to a changing marketplace? I'm not familiar with most of the sites on Gammons' list, but the LoHud Yankees blog is by Journal News beat reporter Peter Abraham, and it's a part of the newspaper's web site.

He does such a great job that I, and a lot of displaced New Yorkers I know, follow his blog as our main source for Yankees news.

 

BLOGS!

 

All I know is that the Cubs blog he named sucks donkey balls. It's terrible.

 

The Cub Reporter, however, is fantastic.