WANTED: MLB.com proofreader

[dlk9s]

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9047/mlbtribemistakelh3.jpg

 

 

[RightFieldCoder]

It amazes me that someone who works for Major League Baseball makes this kind of an error a week after a Cy Young Award winner is traded. I somehow doubt the writer of the story, a Brewers beat writer, made the error.

 

Of course, they probably figured that since it didn't have anything to do with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cubs that no one would read or notice it.

[And That]

Didn't you hear? Our new nickname is now also the Tribe.

 

Milwaukee Brewers! Go Tribe!

[TooLiveBrew]

That one's gotta be on McCalvy. He's usually very good with attention to details. However, I recall earlier this season that a story on Cameron was up on the Brewers.com front page, neatly paired with a picture of Rickie Weeks. Hey -- they all look the same, right? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/ohwell.gif

 

Now legitimately, I realize both are just honest mistakes (& I want to stress again that I think McC does a solid job), but both are glaring. When stuff like that happens, you just know McCalvy is going, 'Why couldn't it have been a typo in the game notes?!' Just a simple mistake before clicking "Post" on the server, but certainly makes you look bad -- and all the hard work done on a full article gets glossed over. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[monty57]

If it's like the newspaper biz, the writer submits the story, and the Editor titles it, so it's likely not McCalvy's fault.

[TooLiveBrew]

The interwebs can work a bit differently -- in my (very limited) experience, the title & article are submitted by the author. It's basically like making a big post on a forum, where you enter in a subject line (title in this case) & body (article in this case). That's my own experience, though, and I certainly don't know or claim to know what system/software/service Brewers.com & McCalvy use.

[Katuluu]

I'm fairly certain McCalvy isn't actually posting the article on the site. And it is pretty rare for a writer to come up with the title of the article, as that is what copywriters are for.

[tristarscoop]

I think you're assuming it's done as a blog post would be and that is highly unlikely. It's simply NOTHING like posting or blogging. Just as a newspaper's website doesn't work that way, I would think the Brewers site is the same way. He definitely has editor(s). It's not opinion, so he can't just write it up and post it. They have to fact check and proofread to cover their butts legally.

 

Clearly someone messed up here, but I doubt it's MCCalvy.

 

That being said, the Brewers.com proofreader seems to have been napping for awhile. Last week during all the Vote for Hart the underline said "For AL MVP"

[TooLiveBrew]

I think you're assuming it's done as a blog post would be and that is highly unlikely. It's simply NOTHING like posting or blogging. Just as a newspaper's website doesn't work that way, I would think the Brewers site is the same way.

 

Thanks for the input -- and yes, I was assuming it was done like a blog post. That's how I figured the interwebs would work! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

 

Clearly someone messed up here, but I doubt it's McCalvy.

 

Glad to hear you say this. I certainly think his accuracy, especially when contrasted with the JS's coverage, is very good & consistent. The picture of "Mike Cameron" & this error certainly don't fit with Adam's track record, but I figured a couple mistakes along the way were understandable. If it's the editor(s) making these mistakes (& that certainly sounds like the case), then sheesh! Wake up!

[Katuluu]

Pictures would usually be done by an intern. McCalvy would have absolutely zero input on that.

[GAME05]

I'm a proofreader by trade. I'm currently pouring over a 28-page report on Edinburgh, which will see two other proofreaders after me go through it, yet plenty of errors will get through. it just happens, and yeah, sometimes those errors are kinda embarrassing. plus when we're talking about an internet article, it might only be recieving a very quick readthrough by a second person so it can be released faster.

[jflick1215]

Yep, as others have said, McCalvy does not write the heads, or the sub-heads.

There was a headline a few years back, that had to be taken down when pointed out..."Brewers look for Bush to Stop Bleeding". True story.

[tristarscoop]

My experience with sportswriting, too, is that the proofreaders often aren't "sports people." I know you'd think MLB.com would have the bestest and brightest, but those of us that are both word nerds and sports-minded don't come along too frequently.

 

Papers/websites would prefer people who catch those kind of mistakes over people who aren't as sharp on that, but know their sports. They can learn, over time, what stats and details are supposed to look like, but you can't really teach how to be a copy editor. I often had people copyediting me that had less than no sports experience. They would have had no idea that the Brewers aren't the Tribe.

 

Also, mistakes like this tend to happen when cutting and pasting is used. The theory is that "it was right before" and so they gloss right over it.

 

Headline and sub-head and photo cutline writing is harder than you'd think. You don't want to have any white space, so whatever you write has to fit within set parameters and not be shorter. So my guess is that the sub-head they used is standard length and so they cut and paste and never paid any attention to the Tribe part.

[cubfan1126]

Tribe?

 

Maybe the headline writer thinks the Braves are still in town.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif

 

 

[GAME05]

My experience with sportswriting, too, is that the proofreaders often aren't "sports people." I know you'd think MLB.com would have the bestest and brightest, but those of us that are both word nerds and sports-minded don't come along too frequently.

you make an excellent point. I'm the only male editor in the office, and up until six months ago when i first saw the reports, we were still referencing the Montreal Expos.

[dadofandrew]

Adam mentioned in passing to me that he submits his stuff to be looked at and posted. I would guess those are written by someone other than himself.

[reillymcshane]

This a simple mistake - happens all the time. In news organizations they are cranking out tons of material, and it happens. I've seen a million more serious mistakes while working in the marketing industry for almost 20 years - it's the nature of turning over stuff quickly. Just happens.

[jjgott]

The typo bug strikes again!...

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Pic not working for me... I might be the only one, though.

[jjgott]

Better?

 

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l359/johnniegott/typo.jpg

[TooLiveBrew]

WOW. "Embarassing" only begins to address that.

[Team Canada]

I'm a proofreader by trade. I'm currently pouring over a 28-page report on Edinburgh,

You mean poring? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Muphry's Law strikes again!

[TSack27]

I'm not proficient with the screenshots, but looks like espn.com proofreaders are in the same boat...

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280718126

 

"Giants manager Bruce Bochy was ejected for arguing a call during the fifth inning. He came out of the dugout to complain after home plate umpire Jim Wolf ruled Ryan Braun safe at third after a triple to left-center. San Francisco third baseman Jose Castillo took the relay throw from shortstop Omar Vizquel and appeared to tag Braun, but Wolf -- covering third when crew chief Ed Montague ran to the outfield to watch the hit -- called Braun safe.

 

Bochy and Braun engaged in a brief discussion and the Giants' manager turned and began walking back to the dugout when he was tossed. Bochy then came back out to argue further. It marked the fourth time this season and the 37th time in his managerial career that Bochy has been ejected."

[1992casey]

I'm not proficient with the screenshots...

 

Taking a screen shot http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Menotti80]

i dont know who wrote this, but i believe he has made several starts against the brewers in his career. maybe this person meant year, not career. in fact, im pretty sure i have seen JJ Hardy homer off of Wandy while eating dinner at O'Donoghue's...

 

 

Friday, July 25 Miller Park | 7:05 PM CT

 

Wandy Rodriguez, LHP (5-3, 3.31)

Astros (46-53) @ To be announced

Brewers (56-43)

 

Scouting Report:

Astros: This will be Rodriguez's first career start against Milwaukee in his fourth season in the Majors. Rodriguez comes off a very successful outing against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing just one run on nine hits against the division leaders. Rodriguez has been hit-or-miss this season but has showed a bit more effectiveness in his last three starts.