A Stunning Show In Disinterest
After making it clear (without saying it outright) that I was irritated about the lack of traffic being sent to my blog, after almost three years of posting on a daily basis (several times a day in many cases), I didn't write one word on this site for three days----and no one in the administration says a word; no one wonders what happened; no one, apparently, cares whether I'm here or not.
Here's the bottom line and whether anyone likes the fact that I'm saying it or not, I don't care: This blog provides the best pure baseball writing on this site or on 99% of the sites out there, paid or unpaid. If that's not appreciated; if no one's interested in anything but hyping that painfully dull and tedious MLB Network or, as my friend Matt from Diamondhacks says, "it's all about selling Alyssa's hoodies", then fine; if that's truly the case, then this community can do perfectly well without me.
Jane Heller at Confessions of a She-Fan is a better writer than I am; Jeff and Allen at Red State/Blue State are smarter than me; but no one----whether they're getting paid for their work or not----puts the combination of analysis; creativity and writing skill together like I do.
No one.
And if this is how I'm going to be treated, then I may as well take my work elsewhere because they're not interested in doing the barest minimum to keep me here anyway.
Here's the bottom line and whether anyone likes the fact that I'm saying it or not, I don't care: This blog provides the best pure baseball writing on this site or on 99% of the sites out there, paid or unpaid. If that's not appreciated; if no one's interested in anything but hyping that painfully dull and tedious MLB Network or, as my friend Matt from Diamondhacks says, "it's all about selling Alyssa's hoodies", then fine; if that's truly the case, then this community can do perfectly well without me.
Jane Heller at Confessions of a She-Fan is a better writer than I am; Jeff and Allen at Red State/Blue State are smarter than me; but no one----whether they're getting paid for their work or not----puts the combination of analysis; creativity and writing skill together like I do.
No one.
And if this is how I'm going to be treated, then I may as well take my work elsewhere because they're not interested in doing the barest minimum to keep me here anyway.
Let it be known that I -- Jeffery Michael Lung -- care. A LOT. Reading this blog has been a morning ritual for me for over a year now. I will follow the Prince wherever he may go as the excellence in writing will certainly continue. And I have noticed... I've been clicking, looking for the next post, and while it saddens me to see this one in particular, I totally get it. (For the record, I have not purchased an Alyssa hoodie, nor will I.)
No one touches the Prince when it comes to blogging baseball.
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam
It's not just about selling Alyssa's hoodies or the MLB Network, they are also plugging mlb.tv on the front page today.
I think the idea that the administration of MLBlogs has an interest in their (non-professional) bloggers lost currency a while ago. There has never been a sense that they want to promote quality writing or genuine debate, it's about quantity and self-promotion.
MLBAM layed off about 30 people recently so I expect the amount of time dedicated to this site will decrease even further.
http://arizonaviaslough.blogspot.com/
Report any abuse or spam
I lost a lot of traffic on my blog too. I made another one but I don't think it is going to take off like the one here did. As long as you keep up the great work you will get traffic. Good writers always find an audience.
http://downonstrikes.blogspot.com/
Report any abuse or spam
Echoing Jeff here....Let it be known that I - Jane Heller - care a lot too. Your daily posts have been required reading since I came onboard. I learn a lot from them - from what's happening in baseball to why it's happening. I agree with hardball: good writers find readers. Don't go, Prince.
- http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
Report any abuse or spam
Well, ever since I first laid my eyes on your blog, it has been one of the sites I automatically check on when I wake up or come home from school. As much I can make the case for PONY to be a Pro Blog, it deserves more than that. It deserves a title as larrge as the amount you write. Prince of New York is the Lou Gehrig of Mlblogs, pro or fan.
Aaron
http://districtboy.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam
I'm not an MLB blogger, but I am an avid MLB blog reader. Your blog, Paul, is the very first one that I've read every single day (literally) for almost a year now.
For what it's worth, I care!
~Pam
Report any abuse or spam
I have only caught onto you in the past couple of months, but I have an outside interest in the Seattle ball club and have looked for your name for awhile.
I did not know that you have been active that long, but it is a great thing to know that someone with talent is out here. I know I do what I do on here because I love the game, and if I have talent or not, I am not going to take my ball and go home after a few off season months of new writers springing up like wildflowers.
I was told a long time ago that sometimes things go in circles. You might be popular for a long time, then hit a dry spell, but if you truly trust and love your work, it( your audience) will come back to you and they will be glad you are still there.....typing away.
With that said, I would love to still see your postings and your blogs on MLBlogs.com, but like some of us, some of the other people might not have the content or the depth in their works, but they do have heart and determination.
And we all had that in the past, or we would have never risen to a higher level in the first place. Come on guy, stay and just enjoy what you write. I know I do not get paid to do it daily, it is therapy and a great release to show my love for the greatest sport on earth.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Report any abuse or spam
Paul,
I do not know why I put Seattle when I know it was New York..............mind wanders at 3 am. I apologize, might have been the bad chicken wings or the warm beer.
Just stay guy...............we would miss you too much if you left.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Report any abuse or spam
Just to be clear, I wasn't referring to anyone who actually reads the blog when I said "no one cares" (I appreciate the support above, by the way), but to the administration of this community, who still have said absolutely nothing about the prospect of my departure. They clearly don't care, and if things remain as they are, my move will be made by Monday, for better or worse.
Report any abuse or spam
Hey Paul, Im not a Blogger, but I check yor blog everyday, more than once sometimes, and it would be bad to see you stop blogging. You wrote you may take your work elsewhere, so, I, and all you readers, I think, would like to know where that is, so that we can keep reading your work.
And, about what you said about your skills, I think it is either totally accurrate, or pretty close to that. Im actually surprised that you dont write in a blog where you get paid for your work, because I have seen many bloggers who get paid and are not nearly as good as you are.
Report any abuse or spam
Hey man at least you're on the top 100 on a regular basis, I get beat out by cleat ads. Seriously though, I read your blog at least weekly and you've been a good source of info.
Cob
http://cobf.mlblogs.com
Report any abuse or spam
Paul, I just started reading your work not too long ago but you are a really good. You are near the top when it comes to page views every time I have seen it. I agree that if you do decide to take your work elsewhere you should let us know so we can continue to follow you. It would be a real shame for you to stop all together.
http://downonstrikes.blogspot.com/
Report any abuse or spam
There is supposed to be writer on the end of my first sentence. My bad.
http://downonstrikes.blogspot.com/
Report any abuse or spam
A blogger with an attitude..I like that. Hey don't feel bad brotha, I wrote an entry thanking Mark for being my inspiration to quit smoking and I don't believe he's even read it. I've been in the top 20 blogs here for a while and I get no front page luv like some of the above one's you've mentioned. Don't worry about them, do what you do man. You've gained a new fan today...D
http://baseballsnatcher.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam