Baseball preview magazines

[Huggy]

I'm in full-scale baseball mode now that the NFL is done. I was at the mall today and I see a number of the previews are on the shelves. I saw Athlon's, Lindy's and Sporting News. I've bought them all at one time or other over the years and I'm wondering if anyone out there has opinions on this year's issues or any I might have missed.

Which one is closest to the classic Mazeroski previews? I'm big on the scouting reports on each player, not so much on the fantasy stuff.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

They are all irrelevant. Practically out of date the moment published.

 

[SoSueMe]

I sort of agree with the Predictor, although I bought two in one shot on the weekend.

I read them just because I'm hungry for ball.

Half the time, the mags are published before the free agency frenzy has tapered off.

But, never the less, I bought Athlon and Street & Smith. I'll like spring for another next weekend.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

They're all pretty useless. I have friends who used to write for the TSN Yearbook, and their deadline was a week before Christmas.

 

[Trey Beamon]

I flipped through TSN's preview at the store. Not too bad...and scouting reports galore.

Worth the $7.50? **** no. I'll wait for Baseball Prospectus, thank you very much.

 

[bigpern23]

I read them just because I'm hungry for ball.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[SoSueMe]

I read them just because I'm hungry for ball.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Oops, wrong thread I guess. Which way to the Gay Sports Writers thread?

 

[Shaggy]

Sporting News has the most scouting reports by far. I bought that and Athlon's and enjoy them both to keep me full until Ap

 

[ondeadline]

With so much information on the Internet, I never buy these publications anymore. I used to spend money preparing for fantasy baseball drafts, but no more.

 

[steveu]

Hell, I still buy the magazines. The best ones by far are Sporting News and Street and Smith. In terms of fantasy baseball, CBS Sportsline puts out a pretty good magazine.

 

[PhilaYank36]

I like SI's preview. With the exception of the Sporting News, all the others have an amateurish feel to them as far as layout and articles. If not amateurish, then just not as well done. I haven't read CBS Sportsline, though, but I guess I should since I'm doing one of their fantasy leagues. (go Cleveland Steamers!)

 

[Human_Paraquat]

I flipped through TSN's preview at the store. Not too bad...and scouting reports galore.

Worth the $7.50? **** no. I'll wait for Baseball Prospectus, thank you very much.

I'm all about Baseball Prospectus, especially for fantasy draft preparation. If you're in an auction draft, pay for the online product and use the Player Forecast Manager. If you're just a baseball fan who enjoys insightful yet smart-ass writing, the annual print edition is only like $15.

 

[mediaguy]

Prospectus is spot-on, and just hilarious sometimes. I wish I could describe bad ballplayers the way they do. Forget who it was, but they described some infielder's defense like that of a three-legged yak ... that had something else wrong. Yak was on some over-the-counter medication. You buy it for the insights, but it's laugh-out-loud funny at times.

 

[Human_Paraquat]

As a sample of what mediaguy is talking about, here's what Baseball Prospectus said about Milton Bradley in 2004:

"Not that he's going anywhere, but Giants fans with a sense of nostalgia should take to Milton; he's gifted with both Chili Davis's promise at the plate and Jeff Leonard's ability to scare the bejeezus out of whitey."

Of course, that's in addition to the reams of stats and analysis. Can't recommend it enough.