| 01 May 2009
It's a sad week for readers and employees of the Baltimore Sun as more than 60 people got the axe. I live towards the Washington area, and not in Baltimore proper; however, it won't be the same not seeing some of the names I have grown accustomed to reading the past several years.
The world of the media is changing with the growth of the internet, blogs, video-on-demand and cable. Most news agencies have cut somewhere in the past few years, but even though that's the case, it's galling to see the sweeping change in some personnel aspects of the media.
From PressBox.com:
This week, the Baltimore Sun has cut about 60 editorial staffers in a big budget cut mandated by its bankrupt parent, the Chicago-based Tribune Company. And the cuts have hit the paper’s sports department.
Goodbye to Ray Frager, who joined the Sun’s sports department in 1985 and has been an assistant sports editor for more than 15 years. Frager penned a Friday print sports column plus his “Medium Well” blog.
While the Sun hasn’t yet officially released a list of the names of those cut, Frager did confirm his status on his Twitter page, writing, “I was among bunch at Baltimore Sun that got the axe today.”
Those who got pink-slipped Tuesday and Wednesday include assistant sports editors Frager and George VanDaniker. Also gone: sports columnists Rick Maese and David Steele and one of the top sports reporters, Bill Ordine. In fact, it has been reported that some of the sports guys got the word while sitting in the Camden Yards press box.
The casualties also include: deputy managing editor Paul Moore, editorial page editor Ann LoLordo, op-ed editor Larry Williams, medical/science/education editor Patricia Fanning, copy desk chief John McIntyre, systems editor Steve Auerweck, regional editor Jay Apperson, metro editor Eileen Canzian and photo assigning editor Chuck Weiss. Add to the list bureau chiefs Joe DeCarlo, Dan Clemens and Bill Caulfield.
Other Sun staffers, like crime columnist and blogger Peter Hermann and metro columnist Laura Vozzella, have been “bumped back” to reporting duties.
Apparently, the Sun even went so far as to station a security guard on the skywalk between the Sun's building and the employee parking garage.
Rumors abound that there could be more staffing changes and cuts through the end of May.
I'll miss reading Frager's columns and blogs, along with items from Mease, Ordine, and Steele. What a shame, and I hope everyone who's been affected gets back to doing what they love. As for the Baltimore Sun, let's hope that the quality to the paper doesn't deteroriate due to the changes.
***
After an April that started out so well, perhaps the Baltimore Orioles are looking like the team most everyone thought they were going to be. With the Jays and Rays on deck, things could become even more bleak if things don't turn around soon. The offense will score some runs, but you have to wonder how long the Pie experiement will last, if Gregg Zaun's bat with catch some life, will the bullpen be hit or miss, and aside from Uehara, can we get a decent by anyone? I wasn't really all that pressed to have Rich Hill speed back to health, but Baltimore needs some arms, and if he can be consistent, he may stop some of the bleeding.
- Does anyone not think it's time to perhaps give Nolan Reimold a cup of coffee in the majors -- like soon? I know it's only April, but he's raking down in the minors. Well, we know why Pie is in the lineup, but I really hope Reimold is given a chance before the summer begins to prove he belongs. Then again, it might be best that he still spends the time in Triple-A to develop.
- Matt Wieters -- I guess the Orioles were right to not promote him, at least for now. Look at his numbers down on the farm. However, if you look at starting catcher's Gregg Zaun's numbers, any one else would do better than him right now.
- Is Jeremy Guthrie still suffering the ill effects of not going to Spring Training in Florida, but opting to pitch for team USA in the World Baseball Classic? His first two starts of 2009 were great, the last two -- not so much.
- Finally, looking at the home attendance so far this season -- aside from Opening Day and Saturday's game in which the team had a huge walk up crowd against the Rangers -- is disheartening. For those of you who have attended games at the Yard this season, why do you go? For those who don't, why don't you? Is it the economy, or the team just being plain bad for a decade plus?
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