Thread: Favorite Local Baseball Sportswriter

Before I put this topic out here, I'd like to request that this be a positive thread. If you want to be critical or a writer, start your own thread.

Who is your favorite local baseball writer? I'm asking for two reasons:
1) I'd be interested in which of the local writers is making an impression on most of our members and
2) I'm wondering if some fans of these writers would like to try and post links to their favorite stories in the forums as they appear.

So I'd be interested in both - who is your favorite and why do you think others should read them?

I think Rhett Bollinger and Brandon Warne are both really good at their jobs.

Bollinger has so much access, but he doesn't come off as a Twins shill, at least not to me. He's a good reporter and adds great insight.

Warne is good with numbers and stats, but he integrates them cleanly and clearly. He seems to have a good finger on the fan pulse too.

La Velle E. Neal III

I've always liked Reusse. First and foremost, it's obvious he actually loves baseball. And he also has important connections inside the Twins so when he writes an article that player X is an up and comer to watch or player Y should shape up, it's probably someone in the Twins that wants that message out there. And I also like how worked up he gets some people.

Not sure what to say about the writing for sure, but I love to listen to LENIII on the radio. He's great there.

Last year it was Mackey hands down. Really liked to read Sinker's stuff too, but this is so far and in between these days
This year I really like what Woolfson, Warne and Berardino doing as well. So these 5 would be it

ESPN1500 for me leads the web sports content for Twins' sports by a huge margin. Looks like the Stib is third these day (sorry LaVelle) with Joe C's departure and (especially) Howard Sinker's semi-retirement from the Twins' world.

Brad,

Are you talking about the stuff Rhett writes other than for the Twins MLB site? Cause, in there, in my opinion, Rhett tells the Twins story exactly the way the Twins want him too and nothing more. Basically is another PR guy for them. I don't read his other stuff, if he has any.

LEN3 right before the beginning of 2012 ST, didn't know Dozier had been a shortstop like forever...and this is after Dozier was Twins minor league player of the year. He said they're trying to convert Dozer from a 2B to a shortstop...as if shortstop was new to him. Apparently he went to a game where Dozier just happened to play 2B so, bam, he was a 2B. It's hard to believe his stuff when he doesn't know simple stuff. NOW he's been converted to 2B.

I got to go with Mackey.

Originally Posted by ThePuck

Brad,

Are you talking about the stuff Rhett writes other than for the Twins MLB site? Cause, in there, in my opinion, Rhett tells the Twins story exactly the way the Twins want him too and nothing more. Basically is another PR guy for them. I don't read his other stuff, if he has any.

LEN3 right before the beginning of 2012 ST, didn't know Dozier had been a shortstop like forever...and this is after Dozier was Twins minor league player of the year. He said they're trying to convert Dozer from a 2B to a shortstop...as if shortstop was new to him. Apparently he went to a game where Dozier just happened to play 2B so, bam, he was a 2B. It's hard to believe his stuff when he doesn't know simple stuff. NOW he's been converted to 2B.

I got to go with Mackey.

I think Bollinger does a good job especially when you consider that he works for the Twins (I'm assuming) and that he can't really be critical. For me, I read him because I like the access he has, I think he is a good writer and he seems like a nice guy. In that position, that works for me. I mostly follow him on Twitter, where I feel like he does a good job of reporting the facts.

I get most of my analysis from bloggers, so when I'm looking for a different type of information, Bollinger seems to always have it.

In the interest of keeping things positive, I should note that this opinion has nothing to do with a lack of quality in our current options. But I got to say it. I still miss Kelsie Smith. It's been, what, like two years now and I'm a bit bummed when big Twins news happens and she's not the one I'm reading for the story.

I agree with gunnar...for baseball, nobody locally comes close to Reusse.

Right now is the best collection of writers the Twins have ever had.

I'm still a Reusse guy first but there is great diversity over. Berardino is my go to beat guy.

On a side note, if you aren't following all of them on Twitter you are really missing out.

Does Seth count as a writer for these purposes? The first place I turn to every day is the minor league report (and I know he does not write them all). I know this sounds like butt kissing, but really, that is the only article about the Twins I read every single day.

Phil Miller and Mike Berardino are my favorites, and two of the better writers we've had on the beat in some time.

Berardino may be the only reason I know the Pioneer Press exists. He almost makes it worthwhile to subscribe. For opinion, I go hot and cold on Reusse and on Mackey.

Let me ask this... Is your opinion, in any way, swayed by things other than their article, specifically, how does a beat writer's twitter activity affect your opinion. I definitely have my favorites, and I can make a list... I just really like most of them as people. For me, Twitter activity is a huge part of my opinion at this point.

Originally Posted by Seth Stohs

Let me ask this... Is your opinion, in any way, swayed by things other than their article, specifically, how does a beat writer's twitter activity affect your opinion. I definitely have my favorites, and I can make a list... I just really like most of them as people. For me, Twitter activity is a huge part of my opinion at this point.

For me I want about 90% of tweets to be about baseball, the Twins, or interaction with fans/questions. Less than that and I generally won't follow.

Seth, I appreciate the work you do but the extraneous stuff you had on twitter made me stop following. I imagine I am in the small minority.

No worries, and no need to apologize. I'm not going to apologize for occasionally writing about non-baseball topics. I may have to take a look now... My assumption is my baseball tweets constitute at least 95% of my overall tweets, probably more.

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Phil Miller and Mike Berardino are my favorites, and two of the better writers we've had on the beat in some time.

My answer exactly. Of the two Berardino is slightly better 'cause he's more of a stats guy.

I don't understand the fuss about LENIII. Sloppy and lazy, in my opinion.

Reusse is probably my least favorite baseball writer in the Twin Cities just because of how lazy he usually is. Crusty old guy playing the "aw shucks" rube schtick, most of his non-insider stuff is low hanging fruit.

I really like Phil Miller's writing. I think Berardino is right there with Phil writing, but he does a great job on Twitter too.

I like Mason and Bollinger a lot too. And, Mackey was definitely at the top of the list the last two seasons. I'm a big Reusse fan too.