Article: Will Mike Pelfrey be ready by opening day?

[Nick Nelson]

Are you suggesting that a beat reporter should be nothing more than an organizational shill?

Well, their job is to report what's happening and what people are saying, which they appear to have done. People can (and should) scrutinize the content of quotes but I think it's pretty harsh to imply that the reporters have something wrong by relaying them to their readers.

[PseudoSABR]

Well, their job is to report what's happening and what people are saying, which they appear to have done. People can (and should) scrutinize the content of quotes but I think it's pretty harsh to imply that the reporters have something wrong by relaying them to their readers.

Generally, there's a distinction between a reporter and a columnist; isn't there?

 

IMO, the local media's credibility is easy to questions because the columinists aren't very good.

[Nick Nelson]

Generally, there's a distinction between a reporter and a columnist; isn't there?

 

IMO, the local media's credibility is easy to questions because the columinists aren't very good.

Yes. A reporter's job is to objectively relay facts and quotes. The really good ones will maybe take an extra step to provide context or balancing viewpoints, but there are only so many really good ones out there. A columnist's job is to editorialize.

 

As for the latter part of your post... well, that's why sites like this exist

[PseudoSABR]

Yes. A reporter's job is to objectively relay facts and quotes. The really good ones will maybe take an extra step to provide context or balancing viewpoints, but there are only so many really good ones out there. A columnist's job is to editorialize.

 

As for the latter part of your post... well, that's why sites like this exist

Right. I think it's fine take what you read from beat-reporters with a grain of salt, especially if the context is opaque, but to somehow equate that cynicism with a critique of the beat-reporter's job performance is poor form.

 

It should also be important to note that part of a reporter's job depends on their 'access,' so they're not going to want to jeopardize that by editorializing or even negatively framing what they might be reporting. Just saying.

[ALessKosherScott]

It wouldn't surprise me if Pelfrey bounced back to 2010 form this year. Granted, the 2010 version of Pelfrey wasn't very good at throwing any pitch besides a fastball, so the time it will take to get comfortable with his breaking pitches and splitter will affect him less.

 

Good news? Bad news? Who knows.

[drjim]

You guys ran with my point on the role of the beat writer. They report news and gather quotes, not offer constant opinions. They can provide some context in their stories but have to limit the editorizing.

 

If you don't like that I'm sure the papers will miss you. I can only imagine the amount of money that you invest in papers. They are a business, part of what they have to sell is interest in the team so people will buy papers and continue to follow the team. Doesn't mean they have to be lapdogs but constant negativity wouldn't be all that successful of a model.

[Thrylos]

Based on recent reports from Fort Myers seems that Pelfrey will be ready. The magic words were said by Andy after his first bullpen: "The ball came out of his hand good" (sic); whereas Diamond will not be because he "did not like the way the ball came out of his hand".

 

I kinda followed Pelfrey's career for a while (mainly because I like to listen to Sports Radio and the one available here is WFAN 660 out of NYC) and I think that he is one of those guys who pitch better than his peripherals and also one of those guys who had a hard time performing in NY and never really reached his potential. Will be interesting to see what he can do with the Twins in a zero pressure situation. I think that it was a very good signing for the Twins.

[Thrylos]

Yes. A reporter's job is to objectively relay facts and quotes. The really good ones will maybe take an extra step to provide context or balancing viewpoints, but there are only so many really good ones out there. A columnist's job is to editorialize.

 

But this requires pretty intimate knowledge of baseball Frankly, other than the 2 beat reporters in the biggest Twin Cities daily, the other beat reporters are either learning (and some of them in an admirably good pace - e.g the two of the 2 certain TV networks) or are thrown in even though they are football people and cannot tell a slider from a screwball (e.g. the two of a certain radio station.) Frankly, for these guys is a job and for the ones who are good, it does not end when they go home (like everyone who is good with their jobs no matter what that job is.)

[John Bonnes]

An update from the newest beat reporter, Pi Press' Mike Beradino:

 

The smile on Mike Pelfrey's face said it all.

 

 

His words were pretty strong, too.

 

 

"I'm going to be ready," the veteran right-hander said Monday, Feb. 18, after facing hitters for the first time this spring. "I feel great. There's not a doubt in my mind. Opening Day, I'm going to be on the team."

 

 

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22615042/minnesota-twins-mike-pelfrey-feels-good-after-first

[Thrylos]

An update from the newest beat reporter, Pi Press' Mike Beradino:

 

 

 

www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22615042/minnesota-twins-mike-pelfrey-feels-good-after-first

 

This is really interesting. And I am glad that it looks really good. This is really encouraging

 

On another note, just adding to what I said earlier about the baseball experience of most of the Twins' beat writers these days, here is this quote from the article:

 

His slider was a little rusty, but Pelfrey broke off a few curveballs and was able to keep his sinker and split-finger changeup down in the zone.

.

 

Clearly, this must have been some sort of circulating rumor among the press, which contadicts the following image (also in the same article) of Pelfrey throwing BP today :

 

 

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site569/2013/0218/20130218__twinsspringtraining_mikepelfrey.jpg

 

I'd love to hear more about Pelfrey's four-seamer (which is the pitch he is throwing in the picture, btw )

[Mike Sixel]

When the Twins say Marquis throws strikes, and other factually incorrect things, and the beat guys repeat it like it is true.....are they doing their job? When St. Peter says payroll does not matter, and not one of them follows up and asks why they needed a new stadium, are they doing their job?

[drjim]

When the Twins say Marquis throws strikes, and other factually incorrect things, and the beat guys repeat it like it is true.....are they doing their job? When St. Peter says payroll does not matter, and not one of them follows up and asks why they needed a new stadium, are they doing their job?

 

A good beat writer would report the first quote and then add accurate statistics or additional quotes to provide context without making editorial statements.

 

I'm pretty sure you made up the second quote. That is the opposite of what St. Peter would assert. Not sure what you want a beat reporter to do with that.

[Mike Sixel]

St. Peter just said it last week.....it is easily findable on 1500 am, for example.

[drjim]

St. Peter just said it last week.....it is easily findable on 1500 am, for example.

 

I listened to it and don't remember it that way. What was the exact quote and question?

[Nick Nelson]

When the Twins say Marquis throws strikes, and other factually incorrect things, and the beat guys repeat it like it is true.....are they doing their job?

It is factually incorrect that Marquis throws strikes? So you're saying he throws nothing but balls? Amazing he's been able to carve out a major-league career like that.

 

I know you're trying to make a point here but you're going to have to give concrete examples rather than referencing vague situations that aren't really evidence of anything.

[Guest USAFChief]

It is factually incorrect that Marquis throws strikes? So you're saying he throws nothing but balls? Amazing he's been able to carve out a major-league career like that.

 

I know you're trying to make a point here but you're going to have to give concrete examples rather than referencing vague situations that aren't really evidence of anything.

Seriously, Nick?

[Nick Nelson]

Seriously, Nick?

Yes? I’d like to see an actual example of this supposedly irresponsible reporting. I remember being frustrated with the Twins’ stated reasoning for the Marquis signing; I don’t remember having a problem with the way those statements were presented by reporters. You can’t shoot the messenger because you don’t like what the source has to say. Again, it is not the job of a beat reporter to analyze and critique these things.

[Mike Sixel]

We are off topic. My original post was that the beat writers in this town report what the twins say as truth, regardless of its truth, so why should I read them. YMMV....read them if you wan. I really have no interest in debating that topic.

[cmathewson]

The beat writers reported what they saw with their own eyes yesterday. They saw a guy who threw 90 pitches at full speed (mid 90s FB, high 70s change, no sliders). He's throwing 90 pitches every other day. His arm might fall off between now and the end of spring training. A meteor might land on his head before the end of spring. But as it sits right now, he has more strength and stamina of any pitcher in camp. There is no good reason to believe he will not be ready for starting duty on April 1.