The March 30 issue is, IMHO, the best of the regular baseball publications when it comes to their 2009 preview issue.
Perhaps it’s catering to readers’ short attention spans, but the items are short with lots of photos to break up the page, making it kind of hard to separate into meaningful components. That doesn’t make it less enjoyable, it just is kind of all over the place. Kind of like a collage.
A feature story considers the impact the A-Rod situation on several groups, including the Yankees (as if their annual fixture under the microscope wasn’t enough), the media, the fans, and the man himself. I wonder what psychological impact his injury has had on him: is he chomping at the bit to get back on the field and try to get back into everyone’s good graces, or does he welcome the chance to put things off for a little while?
The other NY-centric feature is a interview by Steve Greenberg with the Mets’ David Wright. To call the tale of the cross-town third baseman a morality tale might be pushing things a bit.
A couple of weeks ago I had lunch with Marty Appel, former Yankees’ PR director and author of an upconing biography on Thurman Munson. He pointed out that I made mention of the book, which will be relased in July to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Munson’s death in an airplance crash, in an entry of upcoming titles that included Selena Robert’s work on Rodriguez. I must admit I hand’t notice until he pointed it out:the book art for each appears, with the players in a similar pose. Appel wondered how fans would perceive what the ballplayers represent.
Anyway, back to the Sporting News news
Other items include “The Grid,” SN‘s preseason power poll, indicates why they’re ranked as they are, question mark, “look out for”, and an amusing “expiration date” — when the team will drop out of the post-season picture.
Former ML pitcher Todd Jones offers 30 things he thinks you should know about the 2009 season (why do more and more magazines write like they were posting to Facebook?).
“On The Spot” lists one player from each division adjudged as a “make-or-break” for his team.
Grade: A-
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