Nationals beat for Washington Post

I read that Chico Harlan has asked off the Nationals beat after two seasons. Any word on who will be taking over?

 

I saw Dave Sheinin did a couple stories this past week. Any chance it goes back to him?

 

Dave should be more than a beat writer, no? I've always considered him more of a national writer type. Excellent reporter.

 

Jason Reid, if he wants back on baseball, maybe?

After doing football/Redskins, it's sort of doubtful that would be the case. But he's certainly another strong reporter, with a baseball history going back to his coverage of the Dodgers for the Los Angeles Times.

 

Every time the Post assigns this they've told the writer "You only have to do it for two years..."

 

I think two-year rotations are often typical of major beats at major papers. Baseball, however, seems to be the only one for which writers often use the out clause after a certain amount of time, a span that usually depends on how much the individual writer loves and is committed to baseball itself as their sport of choice.

 

I think it's more typical for baseball than the other major beats. I know a lot of people (myself included) who begged off a baseball beat after two years. I don't know too many who have done that while covering the NBA, NHL or the NFL.

Covering baseball is a BRUTAL job. A lot of the big papers used to break it up into a three-man beat so it wasn't quite as brutal, but these days I doubt too many papers have three guys on a baseball beat.

 

I would think that one of the younger college guys -- Steve Yanda or Zach Berman (who helped out when Chico was off) -- would have a good shot at it. Yanda has done a great job with colleges.

 

If you're going to cover a major beat, you really should figure on three years. It takes the first year just to figure out what you're doing .....

 

Doesn't acquiring and maintaining expertise on a beat add to one's job security? You'd think reporters would cling to their beats longer so as to make themselves more valuable, rather than interchangeable. I know it's a grind, believe me, but unless the brass mandates a beat rotation, I wouldn't be sticking my head up seeking a breather these days.