The news has been released elsewhere and I wanted to confirm the story. The Washington Nationals have granted media credentials to five “online-only” Nationals blogs (I have no problem calling myself a blog). Nationals News Network, Federal Baseball, Nationals Daily News, Nats320, and I have media credentials for the 2010 season at Nationals Park. I’ll leave it to Patrick and Dave to discuss the specifics.
First, I want to thank the Nats for granting me this opportunity. I never intended to receive any such consideration when I started this site back in 2005. I consider it a compliment.
It’s surreal to think that a site created to track the progress of Ryan Zimmerman in Savannah and Harrisburg has led to this.
Second, and more importantly, I am trying to get my head around this. As the guy who has tracked the minor leagues for almost five years, I am not sure how much new content I can provide at Nationals Park itself. I see the value when players like Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen make their major league debuts. Additionally, I see some value in facilitating some in person relationships with Nats management, specifically the guys who run the scouting and player development.
I am trying to determine how I can most effectively utilize this new responsibility.
#1 by Souldrummer - April 16th, 2010 at 19:05
@Brian some ways you’re going to rock this 1) I think one way that you can help is by providing some independent accountability to the plan and providing a bridge between the fans following the minors and the guys making the decisions. This gives you more credibility to ask tough questions about how much signability is affecting draft picks and how much of the plan is marketing and how much is due to a strategy superior to other squads.
2) I think that you will be able to help profile new call ups with regards to rating and history and help track players you’ve been following for years when a lot of other outlets are just getting on board.
3) Hopefully you will be able to encourage other market outlets to devote more resources to other prospects and covering the minor leagues at all levels of the system.
4) You will be especially helpful when it comes to considering nationals moves and trades. How many people are following the consequences of some of the deadline deals with Veloz (cut, correct?), Aaron Thompson, Garate and others.
Hoping others pick up the baton and can help figure out how the ballpark presence contributes.
This has been an awesome sight that I check daily and you certainly deserve this. Hoping that you’ll get to check out more local minors games in person as well.
Thanks for all that you do and hope you enjoy it.
#2 by Positively Half St. - April 16th, 2010 at 19:37
Brian-
Honestly, I hope this vote of confidence gives a boost of energy that helps you maintain this excellent blog. I agree that the advantage to your storylines is not immediately obvious, but three of the other four have a similar Nats reporting slant, and Nats320 of course is a running fan biography. You have to find a way to use your new privilege to better bridge between the minors and DC. Nobody else fills that need as consistently as you could.
I guess the press credential also gives you access to the players. I am sure it will be more comfortable to talk to them on the way up to DC than on the way back down.
#3 by DMan - April 16th, 2010 at 21:40
My first blog response of the season. Just want to congratulate you and say keep up the good work!
#4 by steve - April 16th, 2010 at 23:10
GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#5 by Sue Dinem - April 16th, 2010 at 23:44
Brian – I think you’re on the right track about (further) developing relationships with the parent club’s minor-league officials. If it were me, I’d be at the park for the debuts, the draft, the trade deadline and September.
Otherwise, I tend to agree with your ambivalence – this is a site about the guys on their way to Washington, not the guys that are already there.
Congrats nonetheless.
#6 by Andrew - April 16th, 2010 at 23:44
Well deserved and hope it gives you better access to keep your readers even better informed!
#7 by gmo - April 17th, 2010 at 06:31
Some say, by nature, we should be rivals, but I’ve never once even come close to feeling that. Your site is awesome. You are good people. And I am certainly glad that somebody who does as much work and shows as much dignity as you gets the badge. I wish more of my print peers were like you. Congrats, bro.
#8 by unkle wheez - April 17th, 2010 at 07:33
I think that if you can get a press pass to the major league team, you can get a couple of our minor league teams to do it also. I think you can make connections to make that happen.
#9 by Ric - April 17th, 2010 at 07:43
First, congratulations. I really think that the Nats chose wisely.
As for how you use the credential, some of ideas above are great, and I’m sure that you will come up with any number of additional ideas. My suggestion is not to let the site name and original purpose limit you. You could always start a linked page about the big league team if you want.
My thought is that it wil be best used for front office contact – about player development, the business of player development, scouting other farm systems, the draft and scouting talent, and so on.
Whatever you decide to do, I’ll stay a reader.
Thanks
#10 by Mark L - April 17th, 2010 at 08:26
Congratulations, Teach. Calling yourself a blog is a bit of extreme modesty, as you provide much more than any blog.
#11 by RD exposfan - April 17th, 2010 at 08:29
Congrats! Use this opportunity to meet those people who are responsible for player development as well as meeting those players who are being shuttled back and forth from the minors to get a feel for what is happening in Syracuse and Harrisburg.
#12 by Russ - April 18th, 2010 at 08:49
Brian,
It is the goal of every minor leauge prospect to make it to the majors. IMHO you just got promoted to the majors. I enjoy 2 sites about the Nationals; yours and Zuckerman’s. The gap that is always missed for me is how guys felt when they got the call or when they get to do something fun at the major league level. I know that a handful of our prospects were in major league camp this year and I would love to know how they liked it and what the experience was like for them. I know the Nats did the same thing last year and guys got their first hits against major league hitters (like Halladay) in a ST game. How did our prospects feel after their first hit, at bat, homerun, etc. Another example is Desmond, who looks like he is starting to settle in for the Nats and he was in the minors for quite a while. I would love to see an interview of Desmond that talked about his journey and how comfortable he feels today.
In any event, keep up the great work and I will look forward to a great season of posts!
#13 by peric - April 18th, 2010 at 12:57
Brian,
Given both the state of the team and the “model” the Nats are attempting to use to build this franchise up from the rubble of its recent demise certainly makes this site one of the most important.
Those interpersonal relationships you mention extend to your site. Those people in scouting and personnel can see the culmination of their efforts displayed for all to see.
Then, there is the educational value of your site. Which may or may not be useful in your “day job”. This site definitely has intrinsic value in that it can educate on how to put together a simple, easy to use, yet very informative and sophisticated example of social media in action.
In fact it is so well contrived that potential extensibility and scalability are intuitively easy to visualize. There is so much that could be done with it beyond what you have already done. But, it does require an awful lot of time and work. And so we should count its continued existence as a true blessing.
#14 by Marcus - April 18th, 2010 at 18:13
Brian,
Congrats on the opportunity. I think you could use this opportunity to develop a working relationship with the Player Development staff. Then we could possibly get more of their views on some of our upcoming prospects. Good luck with this new opportunity you’ve definitely earned it…
#15 by mumma Karns - April 18th, 2010 at 18:22
Congratulations! we enjoy your work.
#16 by Jordan - April 18th, 2010 at 22:06
Brian,
Congrats man. Running a website like this requires more than a lot of people realize. You’ve definitely earned this and I can’t wait to see what this allows you to do. I believe it’s going to take this blog to a whole new level.
While it may not be for the minor league teams, you should definitely be able to make connections with those teams easier now.
Once again, congrats.
Keep up the great work.
Jordan http://oriolesprospects.com
#17 by JCA - April 18th, 2010 at 22:14
Brian – Congrats, of course. Russ’s comment (#12) is interesting. If you do end up writing about guys on the MLB roster, perhaps you should focus on system products. Not just recent call ups, but even guys with time in for perspective. Perhaps a talk with Lannan and Bernadina (when he is up) about being the senior members of the organization, what it was like when it wasn’t clear that the organization was going to avoid contraction, etc. . . Sort of following the Farm crop to the big market. Good luck.