Lavelle

[Obsvr]

Maybe i'm in the minority, and he seems like a good dude, but is he not the worst beat writer?  I mean...compared to Russo, it seems like he puts in the bare minimum.  

 

We fixed the front office...maybe it's time for the strib to shake things up a bit.

 

Lavalle...if you DO read this site...try harder please.

 

thanks!

[mazeville]

I like LaVelle. I have no problem with him whatsoever. 

 

I guess it all depends on what you want in a beat writer, IMO. But I'm personally happy with the coverage from the two dailies. And when I want deeper analysis, I come here. 

[John Bonnes]

I got a notice about this thread, but I think we're all open to honest feedback regarding work, provided it's civil & respectful. So let's open it up to opinions on what people think of local coverage, including our own, and what people would like to see more, see less and what they like and dislike. 

[TheLeviathan]

I tend to follow Bernardino locally if I want Twins news.  He is the best beatwriter of my lifetime in this market.  Maybe for any sport.

[Riverbrian]

I think Lavelle is a solid reporter. 

 

But I am finding Berardino to better socially and therefore more useful. 

[jimmer]

 

Maybe i'm in the minority, and he seems like a good dude, but is he not the worst beat writer?  I mean...compared to Russo, it seems like he puts in the bare minimum.  

 

We fixed the front office...maybe it's time for the strib to shake things up a bit.

 

Lavalle...if you DO read this site...try harder please.

 

thanks!

Not a big fan of LaVelle.  I know he's well respected, but just not a fan. Berardino is much better, IMO.

[Willihammer]

Berardino is very good. I have no complaints with Lavelle, he covers the basics fine.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I think Dave's scoops have us spoiled around here.

[DaveW]

Russo is the best beat writer in all of sports media, it's unfair to compare Lavelle to him.

Lavelle is fine, I don't have twitter, but if I did I would probably give him a fellow, Bern is cool as well.  The common man is amazing as well, the rest of the Minnesota sports media scene is pretty "meh" I mean somehow even I scooped them on the biggest Twins trade in the last 5+ years.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Agree with Dave above. Russo is beyond compare.

 

I think LaVelle follows the team well enough, and that is mainly his job after all. But, man, he is a terrible writer. I don't know how he has been able to overcome such a glaring deficiency.

[Drew]

 

...The common man is amazing as well...

 

Oh that's not a thing anyone believes right? 

 

But I agree with Russo and Berardino, miles better than the competition.

 

 

 

[USAFChief]

I tend to follow Bernardino locally if I want Twins news. He is the best beatwriter of my lifetime in this market. Maybe for any sport.

concur.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Now that I think about it, I always enjoy hearing him on the radio. 

 

...which is good, because he's one of, like, three people allowed to talk about baseball over the airwaves in this market. 

[DaveW]

 

Oh that's not a thing anyone believes right? 

 

But I agree with Russo and Berardino, miles better than the competition.

Oh man, the Common Man is freaking fantastic and is sorely needed in a Minnesota media landscape who has far far far far far to many who will refuse to ever go after any of the Minnesota ownership groups (Wilfs and Pohlads are all terrible)

 

[nicksaviking]

 

Agree with Dave above. Russo is beyond compare.

I think LaVelle follows the team well enough, and that is mainly his job after all. But, man, he is a terrible writer. I don't know how he has been able to overcome such a glaring deficiency.

 

Haven't u herd? This is the age of the 'net, no 1's gotta rite good no more. s'all about the Tweets and emojis .

[Obsvr]

I agree, Russo is definitely beyond compare...the guy is a beast.  

 

Seems to me that Lavelle is just WAY to comfortable over there and the effort he puts in really shows.  I'd be a little embarrassed doing the same thing at the same paper as Russo though.  There are probably 10 people on this board alone that could do his job significantly better.

[DaveW]

 

 There are probably 10 people on this board alone that could do his job significantly better.

I know one person on this board in particular that has no qualms about posting quality scoops even if the Twins brass would prefer it not to  be posted....

[Mike Sixel]

I really like LaVelle on the radio.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I generally don't agree with LEN III, but as a beat reporter he's fine. When ever reading any beat report one must remember that the relationship with the club is important to maintain, so they rarely make waves. That might be why I generally don't agree with  LEN III.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Lavelle defends every single Twins move, and even gets super defensive when people (on kfan or Strib live chats) even criticize any decision.

 

I get not wanting to be constantly negative, but there comes a point when you lose credibility.

[Monkeypaws]

Russo and Bernardino are definitely top shelf beat guys, to the point of almost obsessive.

 

LaVelle is pretty good. Perhaps he has a life outside of his job?

[Mr. Brooks]

Russo and Bernardino are definitely top shelf beat guys, to the point of almost obsessive.

 

LaVelle is pretty good. Perhaps he has a life outside of his job?

Well if you have listened to Russo when he fills in on kfan, he most definitely has a life outside of his job.

[old nurse]

 

Oh that's not a thing anyone believes right? 

 

But I agree with Russo and Berardino, miles better than the competition.

It is amazing that a guy with a few bits repeated 13-14 times a week can have a show that lasts

 

[Pardon My Dinger]

Oh man, the Common Man is freaking fantastic and is sorely needed in a Minnesota media landscape who has far far far far far to many who will refuse to ever go after any of the Minnesota ownership groups (Wilfs and Pohlads are all terrible)

 

 

Can't tell if gets the joke.

 

...can't make Fry meme work.

[twinsnorth49]

I don't mind Lavelle, he's sort of your predictable, comfy read guy for Twins stuff. Doesn't compare to Russo or Berardino at all, but that's ok.

[Doomtints]

LEN3's reporting is fine.  I think he sometimes injects his opinion on prospects which readers can read and then run with.  This results in too much love for some prospects and not enough for others.  But this is not his fault at all, it's a problem with the information age. 

 

Berardino is a great guy.  Sometimes he is a bit moody in his sports pieces but, hey, who wouldn't be moody when reporting on teams in this market?

[Monkeypaws]

Pretty rare for the Pioneer Press to have anything better than the Star Tribune. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

LEN3's reporting is fine.  I think he sometimes injects his opinion on prospects which readers can read and then run with.  This results in too much love for some prospects and not enough for others.  But this is not his fault at all, it's a problem with the information age. 

 

Berardino is a great guy.  Sometimes he is a bit moody in his sports pieces but, hey, who wouldn't be moody when reporting on teams in this market?

 

Man, if LaVelle writes too much about prospects, what do I do? Sorry, man!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

...can't make Fry meme work.

http://i.imgflip.com/1fon6p.jpg

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

LaVelle mostly editorializes at this point. In that sense, he's ok. He doesn't report much anymore. 

 

He has been with the Strib more than a decade and generates page views for them.