Those of you who have been following this blog for awhile know that I like to do a “compare & contrast” of the baseball preview issues for Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine in which I would look at the features and predictions for each, as well as examine “the next big thing” that captured the respective editors’ attentions.
That’s much harder this year because ESPN did not have a baseball preview issue. Rather they spent the space for the dates that would normally carry such a preview in self-congratulatory mode, which they do a little too often to my thinking. Here are the covers for the editions one might expect to cover the opening of the baseball season:
April 2
April 23
To which we reply
For what it’s worth, here’s the cover of SI‘s baseball preview in my New York area:
The main story, by Ben Reiter, deals with the new Baby Bombers, plus the addition of Giancarlo Stanton. The second lede, by Tom Verducci, is all about the newest “stat,” launch angle, which, when coupled with its cousin, exit velocity, is supposed to reveal all sorts of information (which is important, why?).
Finally we have Jon Tayler’s feature on the next generation — literally — of baseball stars, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fenando Tatis, Jr., Nick Gordon (son of reliever Tom), Bo Bichette (Dante), and Cal Quantrill (Paul).
Following a brief feature on the ascending LA Angels, we get into a page for each team. SI picks exact records for how the teams will finish, opening themselves up for the usual post-season guffaws. Each report consists of the projected starting lineups and rotations plus closer; an “Enemy Lines” digest from rival scouts; and a “Payoff Pitch” focusing on one player. (Spoiler alert: The magazine picks the Washington Nationals to beat the NY Yankees in the World Series.) By the way, points were deducted for the graphic designers for making some of the background colors so dark as to make the font a bit difficult to read.
Just for fun here are the head-to-head entries for the past few years on the SI/ESPN preview issues:
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| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Enjoy.
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