Reusse Nominated for Spink Award

[Seth Stohs]

1500 ESPN host Patrick Reusse has been nominated for baseball's highest honor for a writer, the J.G. Taylor Spink Award. 

 

Phil Miller wrote this article which calls the award is give annually for “meritorious service to baseball writing.”

 

I think it's great. I think he's quite deserving for all of his years covering the Twins. I've been able to get to know him the last 4-5 years and always enjoy conversing with him. I've really enjoyed going on air with him from Ft. Myers the last couple of years and catching up at the Diamond Awards. I always enjoy getting a text message from him asking me what I know about a certain minor leaguer, or reminding him the name of the player who did whatever. It's enjoyable because I know he's about to talk to that player and there will be a story coming soon.

 

I know he can rub a lot of people wrong, and he loves acting the part of the curmudgeon, but I for one will be hoping he'll get into Baseball's Hall of Fame in December. 

 

Here you can find the list of previous Spink Award winners who have been enshrined in Cooperstown. 

[Sssuperdave]

Very cool, thanks for sharing this Seth.

 

Reusse used to rub me the wrong way big time. I've never liked it when sportswriters take personal shots at people in an attempt at humor, and he does that as much as anyone. However, I've really come to appreciate his baseball knowledge after listening to him on 1500 for the last few years. He's a true baseball lifer and student of the game, and can draw the most interesting anecdotes out of guests on his show. He's forgotten more about baseball that I will ever know.

[nicksaviking]

One month I might really dig Reusse, the next he might get nothing from me but eye-rolls, but he's a really good picture-painting journalist and no matter what his take happens to be it's compelling and well written. Good for him.

[gunnarthor]

Good for him. I will say he's my favorite columnist around. I've always thought that his love of baseball and Twins history was genuine. It really bothered him when the Twins were floundering in the 90s - that was a hell of a time. So I hope he gets in.  

[Mr. Brooks]

I used to love Ruesse until I started listening to his radio show and heard some pretty disgusting attitudes towards women come out of his mouth.

People defend it by saying he's old and these attitudes were once considered normal, but that's no excuse for me.

 

I'm not into censorship, so I don't believe he needs to go away or not have a platform or anything, but I certainly can choose to have zero respect for him.

[jimmer]

When I first read this, I thought it read Stink Award, and I was like, well, it's about time.

[Thrylos]

In my book he is close to the Turkey of the year rather than the Spink Award.   I'd rather see Sid Hartman win it.

 

His problem as a writer is that he is opinionated and pontificates those opinions, instead of analyzing the big picture using data.  Lots of writers pontificate, but they do not win any awards...

 

On the other hand, an Award that includes Bill Conlin among its recipients, should not carry much weight...

[peterb18]

As a long time reader and listener of Ruesse I find him to be a very negaive person. And the names that he has called people over the years is very disturbing. If I had a vote it would be a no because of his verbal abuse toward certain individuals.

[drjim]

I find him to be the best Minnesota sports media person without a close second.

 

He knows ball and can spin a great yarn. His radio show when he has Kaat or Kelly or Buster or Kurkijian or an old ball writer from another city is as good as it gets.

[curt1965]

Good for the "Fulda Flash!" Pat has always had a soft spot for SW Minnesota, and for that reason alone I love him! But his knowledge of baseball and Minnesota sports is unsurpassed in the Upper Midwest, IMHO.

Really hopes he wins the award!

[D. Hocking]

If I remember correctly, at Twinsfest this year, he had Seth on for about 30 seconds when some player showed up and Seth was suddenly gone.  I will never forgive him for robbing us of that interview.

 

I find him to be the best Minnesota sports media person without a close second.

He knows ball and can spin a great yarn. His radio show when he has Kaat or Kelly or Buster or Kurkijian or an old ball writer from another city is as good as it gets.

 

He does have a good rapport with these guys.

[USAFChief]

Easily the best Minnesota baseball writer in my lifetime.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Tim Tschida gave Reusse a great interview back when replay was being integrated.

 

Reusse also occasionally begrudgingly admits when he is wrong sometimes, which is a rare thing.

[bird]

 

Easily the best Minnesota baseball writer in my lifetime.

 

Concur.

[Seth Stohs]

 

In my book he is close to the Turkey of the year rather than the Spink Award.   I'd rather see Sid Hartman win it.

 

His problem as a writer is that he is opinionated and pontificates those opinions, instead of analyzing the big picture using data.  Lots of writers pontificate, but they do not win any awards...

 

On the other hand, an Award that includes Bill Conlin among its recipients, should not carry much weight...

 

Since when was a columnist's job not to express opinions in an article. They are tasked with analyzing any sort of data. 

 

Also, he was a beat writer for a long time before he was a columnist and was very good in that role as well. 

[jimmer]

Murray Freakin' Chase has a Spink Award.

[gunnarthor]

 

Murray Freakin' Chase has a Spink Award.

In fairness, Chass' reporting on baseball's labor issues really were some of the most important reporting in baseball history. I get that he's seen as a grouchy angry 'get off my lawn' now kind of guy but the players don't get the victories they got without Chass' dogged reporting. I believe (I may be wrong) that he helped break the owners collusion story in the 80s as well.

 

If he had died in 1995, his legacy would look a lot different than it does now.