ALL THE PRINT THAT FITS

We recently made a request of local print media to answer a few softball questions as Spring Training opens. We caught a few packing, other unpacking and at least one is unable to participate because of the editor that manages them.
We'd like to follow up in a few days with some better questions, so if anyone else has a question to submit - send it in and we'll peruse, rephrase it then take full credit for it.

Five Quick Softball Questions - SLUSSER

First up, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

1. Last season did you notice any differences in on the field management between Art Howe and Ken Macha?
In terms of actual strategy? Not huge, major differences, although I think the A’s took more chances on the bases early on. I would have been stunned had Howe done anything as gutsy as pinch hitting for Dye in Game 5.

2. Who is more apt to spew forth tired clichés; front office personnel, managers and coaches or players?
It’s a mix. Very young players are probably the mostly likely because they don’t have much experience with the media, but anyone – front office, field staff, players – without much imagination or who is just plain shy (and there’s nothing wrong with that) can come out with all clichés.

3. What's the best food to eat and beverage to drink when reporting on a game - be specific and explain why?
Coffee, coffee, coffee. (Because of the late deadlines.) I don’t eat much during games, and always try to avoid the hot dogs altogether; I think I had just one last year, which is pretty good.

4. Is it impossible to not root for the team you cover?
It’s impossible TO root for the team you cover, I think. We try so hard to be objective that it’s hard almost not to go too far the other way, so I do try to talk to fans or respond to their e-mails to keep some perspective on what they might be thinking and what they find important. But when something is your job, you really stop being a fan of it. It’s…..your job.

That said, I think most reporters would admit to hoping that the good guys to deal with, the good quotes and nice people, do well. And it’s always better to cover a winning team than a losing team…. There’s more reader (and editor) interest and everyone in the organization is in a better mood.

5. What do you do during 'downtime' when on a road trip?
I have friends in a lot of the AL cities, which is nice, so I’ll usually try to catch up with them. I’d like to be better about working out in hotel gyms, but that’s hit and miss. Sometimes, I’ll catch a matinee if there’s a theater nearby. Mark Saxon and I used to go to museums, but he’s in Anaheim now, so I’ll have to see if I can tag along with Bill King, instead.

Five Quick Softball Questions - SUCHON

Next is Josh Suchon of the Oakland Tribune:

1. Last season did you notice any differences in on the field management between Art Howe and Ken Macha?
I covered the Giants the last four years. So I can't answer that
question.

2. Who is more apt to spew forth tired clichés; front office personnel, managers and coaches or players?
Managers first. Players second. Front office personnel third.

3. What's the best food to eat and beverage to drink when reporting on a game - be specific and explain why?
The best food is anything free. The best drink would be anything
alcoholic, but that will get you in trouble. I prefer water and hot tea, or
anything that's not a soda.

4. Is it impossible to not root for the team you cover?
It's not impossible at all. Being objective is part of the job. It
was what hard when I was in college, working for my school newspaper. I won't
say names, but I know reporters in other markets, in all sports, who root
*against* the team they are covering -- because they either want their
offseason/vacation to start sooner, or because they can't stand the
people they cover.

5. What do you do during 'downtime' when on a road trip?
I read a lot of books and magazines, especially on planes. I sleep a
lot and go to the hotel gyms often. I have friends in almost every city, so
there's not much downtime anyway. You'd be amazed how little time there
is, especially when you're traveling and covering a game on the same day.

Five Quick Softball Questions - FLETCHER

Here is Jeff Fletcher of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:

1. Last season did you notice any differences in on the field management between Art Howe and Ken Macha?
On the field I think they did things pretty much the same. I think the only difference might be that Macha was a little more rigid about looking at lefty-righty stuff. He would almost never put two lefties back to back in the lineup if he could avoid it at all..

2. Who is more apt to spew forth tired clichés; front office personnel, managers and coaches or players?
I would say managers, followed by players, followed by front office people. Managers seem to resort to the cliches most often because it keeps them from saying something they might regret. Players do it because they just get tired of answering questions.

3. What's the best food to eat and beverage to drink when reporting on a game - be specific and explain why?
I try not to eat while I'm watching a game because then I'd gain 15 pounds a season. I almost always have a cup of water or a soda at my side, though. You gotta watch out for spills,though. They can wreck a computer.

4. Is it impossible to not root for the team you cover?
I'm asked this question a lot, and I have a standard answer. I think that, in most cases, you "prefer" the team you are covering wins, because then the players are happier, the manager is happier, there is more interest in the team, etc. You also don't want to find yourself covering a team that's hopelessly out of the race, because then the games mean nothing and it's like spring training all over again. That said, you aren't going to be upset or be in a bad mood when the team loses. That's what I mean by preferring them to win instead of rooting for them to win. At the end of the season or in the playoffs, you may also be a little relieved when the team loses, because that means you can finally get some time off. Covering the playoffs is a lot of work, so you are generally pretty fried after one series, let alone if your team gets all the way through the World Series.

5. What do you do during 'downtime' when on a road trip?
I don't go on trips as often as the other people you've asked but when I'm on a trip I usually to go out for a nice lunch before a night game or a nice dinner after a day game. I also like to play golf whenever possible. There's also not that much downtime when you are getting to the ballpark at 3 for a night game.



...more to come, so send in a few questions for the follow up.