Boston Globe Baseball Writers Report to Spring Training in “Best Shape of Their Lives”

By Jerome Ferguson

FORT MEYERS- The dew glistens on the finely manicured blades of grass in an un-trampled outfield. The swirls from the infield rakes remain in perfect symmetry between the bases. And the press box shines brightly without a mustard stain or a cigarette burn to sully the industrial furnishings. After a winter of dormancy, today is the day that the Boston Globe baseball staff gets back on the beat, and they are ready to dispense some classic spring training clichés.

“I didn’t like the way last season ended,” said veteran scribe Peter Abraham. “We did not have enough enthusiasm in the NLDS, and I think it really cost the team. That’s why I spent the off-season working my butt off- practicing crossword puzzles, doing a word-a-day desk calendar, and even getting Lasik surgery to improve my vision, so I could see the game I cover with more clarity than ever before. I think it’s safe to say that right now I am in the best writing shape of my life.”

[RIGHT: There's no time like springtime for baseball writers to get in peak physical condition.]

The Globe editorial staff has spent the offseason focusing on the virtues of chemistry and teamwork. They want the staff to bring a rough-and-tumble attitude to the ballpark that can adapt to whatever challenges the season might throw at them. If they bring their lunchpail with them to the park every day, the editors insisted, they will be able to contend with anyone, and might even come out on top at the end of the season, just as long as lady luck is on their side.

Baseball writer Nick Cafardo stressed the importance of paying attention to detail. “It’s a long season, 162 games, and if you don’t bring it every day, somebody else will,” Cafardo, still dripping with sweat, told other reporters after submitting a human interest story on Josh Beckett’s charity work. “I really want the team to be the best there is at fundamentals, you know, doing the little things the right way. Anybody can write a story about a baseball game, but we need to use proper apostrophes, know when to use their/they’re/there, and adhere to the MLA conventions on punctuation. Spring training is where you have time to do the grammar and usage drills that get lost in the shuffle during the season. Those are the kind of things that separate the men from the boys.”

One topic the staff identified as a potential area of improvement is their situational writing. “It’s one thing to be able to accurately recount what happens on a daily basis, but we can always get better at special interest pieces, big game features, and capturing the excitement of a thrilling pennant race,” Abraham noted. Specifically, the staff mentioned that it wants to take advantage of the opportunities the team presents, and not waste any articles. It’s that sort of old-school mindset that has Boston buzzing about a breakout season for the Globe writing team.

Now is the time, the entire staff agreed, to mentally and physically prepare for the grind of a long season. If the writers get in a habit of hustling and getting the most they can out of every story, it will come as second nature once the malaise of a long season starts to set in. “Let’s be honest,” Cafardo, a veteran of many tiring seasons explained, “it’s great to talk about execution now, but what about when you’re in Oakland in August on the 10th day of a 14 day road trip, you’ve eaten nothing but ballpark food for two weeks and you’re living out of a suitcase? You’re not going to be able to hit a home run with every story then. But if we get into the habit of working for everything now, being aggressive, getting that extra lead or quote, and playing to our strengths, we will be prepared for those difficult situations. Remember, speed doesn’t slump.”

Cafardo went on to explain that he expects big things this year from beat writer Amalie Benjamin and columnist Tony Massarotti. Benjamin, he said, is really starting to come into her own with a couple of seasons under her belt, and although some have questioned whether Massarotti can stay in touch with his audience as he ages, Cafardo insisted that Massarotti’s experience is essential to the team’s success. Besides, as Cafardo pointed out, “you’d be surprised how many new tricks that old dog can learn.”

The Globe writers will wrap up their spring training on March 29, when they will head north to start writing the stories that really matter. They have said that they’re focusing on taking the spring one day at a time while they shake off the rust that develops over the winter. So don’t expect Pulitzer winning journalism these first few weeks, as the staff rounds back into form, because spring training profiles are mostly worthless puff pieces, devoid of real insight and full of clichés.