MLB writer positions available

[nychack]

http://jobsearch.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=50358656&AVSDM=2006%2D11%2D15+12%3A10%3A48&Logo=1&JobTitle=Freelance+Writer&q=writer&cy=us&JSNONREG=1&zip=10011&Image1.x=0&Image1

 

[da man]

This says they're looking for a freelancer in New York. Are there other positions here I'm not seeing?

 

[SoSueMe]

I don't understand MLBAM.

Every single year they run a grocery list of positions available. Every single year I apply. Every single year I have someone already employed there put in good words for me. And every single year I don't receive a sniff. Nothing.

The staff of writers hasn't changed is five years - at least it hasn't changed much. Most of the 30 writers (one in each city) are the same as last year and the year prior.

I'm not saying I'm the world's greatest writer. Nor am I even suggesting I deserve a gig.

But I have covered two Triple-A seasons (one as a writer, one as a radio guy). And, I've worked an entire season covering an indy league. I've proven I can/will travel, and I'm willing to move anywhere right now for a chance to cover ball.

I thought MLB.com/MLBAM would be my best shot, especially considering I'm 30, and most daily papers have their beat writers set in stone.

But it seems they always advertise and never hire. At least not many.

Thanks for the time and space to rant and vent.

Continue the discussion.

SSM

 

[Freelance Hack]

Monster has run the same ad now, for what, three years running?

I don't know of anyone who applied through Monster and has received an MLB.com gig. Not saying it's impossible, but I think it's very unlikely.

I believe this is part of a sponsorship arrangement between the two organizations. Monster sponsors something with the All-Star game and in return MLB.com posts this ad, which is sure to generate resumes -- which Monster needs in order to sell its services to employers nationwide.

 

[SoSueMe]

Monster has run the same ad now, for what, three years running?

I don't know of anyone who applied through Monster and has received an MLB.com gig. Not saying it's impossible, but I think it's very unlikely.

I believe this is part of a sponsorship arrangement between the two organizations. Monster sponsors something with the All-Star game and in return MLB.com posts this ad, which is sure to generate resumes -- which Monster needs in order to sell its services to employers nationwide.

Roughly what I thought. I told someone at work that MLB just wants to fill their filing cabinet with resumes. I didn't apply this year.

 

[Space Monkey]

But I have covered two Triple-A seasons (one as a writer, one as a radio guy). And, I've worked an entire season covering an indy league. I've proven I can/will travel, and I'm willing to move anywhere right now for a chance to cover ball.

You're hired!

Seriously, this whole Monster-MLB thing is crap. After weeding out some of the bad apples over the years, the writers already established with MLB.com aren't leaving those jobs. If there is an opening, MLB.com has been able to pick up already established writers in whatever city they need.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Don't waste time applying and thinking you're getting a real job out of this. MLB.com writers do leave occasionally but this is a marketing deal, as mentioned. You can, I believe, get a job doing stats or freelancing from these ads, but you'd have a better chance emailing a writer for contact info.

 

[MCEchan36]

Monster has run the same ad now, for what, three years running?

I don't know of anyone who applied through Monster and has received an MLB.com gig. Not saying it's impossible, but I think it's very unlikely.

I believe this is part of a sponsorship arrangement between the two organizations. Monster sponsors something with the All-Star game and in return MLB.com posts this ad, which is sure to generate resumes -- which Monster needs in order to sell its services to employers nationwide.

I'm actually one of those people that got a job at MLBAM through Monster, practically right out of college in Jan. '05. I've been at the Minor League site for the last 2 years. Some good people there, some not-so-good people, and then there's this one wack-job you might have heard of; the guy that goes around collecting "foul" balls at games and has been documented taking them from little kids. He's also known as the shop's whipping boy.

ANYWAY, it's a nice deal here (the SNY is just next door) and the area is great (we're in the Chelsea Market), but I don't know about any full-time spots opening up. I've been told those won't be made known -- if there are any -- until late January at the earliest. Just a word of warning: if you have to take Minuteman Car service to get home each night, be prepared to ring the damned driver's neck on a routine basis. Nothing like going 50 on the NJ Turnpike at 2:30 am with not a car insight.

>rant over<

 

[BYH]

I'm actually one of those people that got a job at MLBAM through Monster, practically right out of college in Jan. '05. I've been at the Minor League site for the last 2 years. Some good people there, some not-so-good people, and then there's this one wack-job you might have heard of; the guy that goes around collecting "foul" balls at games and has been documented taking them from little kids. He's also known as the shop's whipping boy.

Please, for the sake of humanity, pound the ever-lasting **** out of him. Please. I beg you.

That BLOG is the most pathetic thing I have ever read.

 

[MCEchan36]

Try working with him. It's a miracle I'm not wearing an orange jump-suit and covered with tattoos by now. The guy has the respect of practically no one here. The one person that's friendly with him probably does it more out of pity, though.

Oh, did I mention that the dude (28 y.o.) is single?

 

[cubreporter718]

Actually this job listing is actually completely different than the empty ones of the past. There is a legit opening and they want to fill it quickly. PM me for more info.

 

[SnoopCoog]

I always hear mlb.com is a great place to work. What do they pay beat writers?

 

[Jack_Kerouac]

I'm actually one of those people that got a job at MLBAM through Monster, practically right out of college in Jan. '05. I've been at the Minor League site for the last 2 years. Some good people there, some not-so-good people, and then there's this one wack-job you might have heard of; the guy that goes around collecting "foul" balls at games and has been documented taking them from little kids. He's also known as the shop's whipping boy.

Please, for the sake of humanity, pound the ever-lasting **** out of him. Please. I beg you.

That BLOG is the most pathetic thing I have ever read.

What blog is it, BYH?

 

[everybody duck]

yeah, where's the blog found?

 

[MCEchan36]

Here's the link. You'll seriously want to vomit after just glancing at it for a moment or two. I'd love to let Chris from The Wire have at him for a little on some days.

http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

I mean you can make fun of someone all you want, and I wouldn't advise continually doing it on a popular journalist message board, but hey, dude's got a book coming out from random house vintage, so he can't be too much of a moron (the preceding statement can be completely reversed when you think about the number of idiots that have published sports books).

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307280329

 

[MCEchan36]

Cuz,

You have a point about continually bashing him, but after working with him for two years, his antics are incredibly grating on your nerves. The worst part is that he doesn't realize that what he does isn't exactly something many people respect, especially when he does it in such a fanatical way. He's not a "bad" person in the least bit, but he's certainly frustrating as hell.

 

[The Computer Says No]

From reading that blog for the first time today, I wanted to kill this guy. Now that I've watched the CBS piece on him, I want to do it slowly and painfully.



If I ever see him at a game, he is certainly getting an elbow....a sharp one in the eye too.

How about he donates all those ball to some inner-city kids league?

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

I don't even know what to say after watching that video. I like when he says he likes being "special," because after watching that video, that's exactly what I thought he was, "special." I would love, love to have seen that on Real Sports just to watch Gumbel's patronizing post-clip discussion. "Now Bernie, this guy goes to thousands of major league games to get balls? Let me guess, he's single right?"

Steve Hartman looked on the verge of tears fighting back laughs during that segment.

 

[playthrough]

To continue this threadjack...yikes. Best part of that video was him not getting a BP ball and muttering under his breath at the guy who did.

I'm sure your office is hard on the guy, but in some newsrooms I've worked in...the words "tigers" and "raw meat" wouldn't even begin to describe it.