Top MLB beat writers?

Frank doesn't require a lot of motivation.

 

Disagree. His gamers are bookish for sure, but it's very good writing. It's not like it's just flowery prose with no point. It flows very well and is fresh and informative. Would you rather just read a bunch of play by play and cliches? I'm very impressed by his ability to produce that stuff on deadline.

I'm not sure about the other stuff, I haven't noticed him being beat a lot but I don't read the MLB.com guy.

 

T.R.

 

Theo Roosevelt?
Tara Reid?

 

Topkin approaches that beat like it's the Red Sox, and that's part of what makes him so good.

 

The Toronto Star's guys are good, particularly Geoff Baker, who won APSE and a National Newspaper Award this year.

 

They don't make then like the classy Maury Allen or the acerbic Henry Hect any more. They both covered the Yankees in the Bronx Zoo era for the Post. Heny Hect seemed like he could really get under players skin.

 

If Bill Madden from the Dailiy News is anywhere out here, please tell a couple of your favorite Billy Martin-Henry Hecht stories.

 

I like all the Jays' beat guys, it's tough for me to pick out one that's better than the others. Larry Millson of the Globe has been covering the Jays for years and, while I've never found Bob Elliott of the Sun to be the best writer, his Sunday notebook is always full of good stuff.

 

Many excellent ball writers: Gordon Edes is becoming a favorite the past couple years. Ken Rosenthal and Bob Nightengale are great reporters, too. Ron Blum, Dave Sheinin, Tim Brown, Murray Chass, all excellent, too. Geoff Baker is another guy whose stuff is a cut above. I'm sure I've neglected some other terrific baseball guys.

Someone mentioned that Ringolsby is a lot like Gammons. Good comparison. Both are legendary reporters and neither can write worth a lick. I also get the feeling, however, that people in their vast networks of sources seem to use them to float rumors and throw disinformation out there.

The absolute worst out there is Hal Bodley. Nice enough guy but he should have disappeared about the same time as Pete Rose.

 

I seem to recall Billy accusing Hecht of eavesdropping on a conversation from a bathroom stall. I have absolutely no idea whether that story is true, though.