Joe Sheehan vs. BBWAA

who's this rice bastard?

 

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Whenever I've been around baseball, there's a mutual respect between most of the players and the BBWAA guy. The players learn quickly to recognize that the card means those guys know the game.

 

I did and I'm headed there now. Thanks.

 

The card doesn't mean shit by itself. The players recognize guys who are in spring training and who are on the road as being more important than the others. By definition, most of those people will have a card. Beyond that, players base their decisions on what you write about them (and their friends) and whether they think you ask pissy questions.

 

Wasn't the dude who got into a tiff with Brett Myers last season a BBWAA member, and a part-timer (at best) on the Phils' beat?

As an outsider not too familiar with the organization, it seems different chapters have different standards on whom they let in. I welcome feedback.

 

I think he was a fill-in.

http://theburiedlead.com/2007/08/27/brett-myers-the-reporter-is-still-an-idiot-not-retarded/

 

I think it matters for talking to opposing players. It's a quick reference check for them to see if this guy is legit or not. But you're right, if you're at spring training and travel, you're gold. Which is why the players usually treat the MLB.com guys with the same level of respect, at least from what I've seen.

 

99.7 percent of the players don't know what the BBWAA card is and don't care. They think we're just wearing really ugly necklaces.

 

Frankly, I don't think working journalists should be voting for awards -- especially important, life-changing ones.

 

The biggest issue, as I see it, is the manner of inclusion into the BBWAA. By having a subjective method by which a potential member is approved or denied, the issue that is current before the BBWAA as it pertains to Neyer and Law will continue.

It seems fairly simple: set solid rules. That way the membership knows, potential members know, and the public loses something to gripe about.

 

The public has nothing to gripe about because the public doesn't know nor care about BBWAA membership.

The public doesn't understand who votes for MVPs, Cy Youngs or the Hall of Fame.

 

Must be a different bunch of people than who are reading about this topic in large numbers. It's certainly not unknown.

Lastly, how does that matter to those that are looking to possibly one day be badge members?