The JS Sports Staff [Latest: Witrado leaves for Sporting News, replaced by Todd Rosiak]

[trwi7]

We need to find a Jason Wilde-type to cover the Brewers. I really think Jason does a great job with the Packers.

 

He's been pretty annoying lately whining about Packer fans chanting the Bears still suck because he doesn't like the word suck.

[GAME05]

if Seth McClung wasn't working on catching on with a team this year, he would definitely have my vote to be the next Brewers beat writer. he clearly has a love for the team and the city (and we love him), has an intimate knowledge of the team, has a funny and engaging writing style that makes him very entertaining to read, he'd probably have greater access to Melvin and the players than other beat writers (what player would close the locker room off or not do an interview with a recent teammate?), and he would bring an amazing professional knowledge of the pitcher-hitter matchup that is unparalleled. i could see him not only writing articles about entire games, but a full article that is a deep analysis on Axford and Lucroy's approach to a single batter in a crucial situation.

 

i guess i'm just dreaming since McClung has a year or two left of baseball, but he would be one of the few writers who i would search out to read everything he wrote.

[hawing]

Is the Witrado departure confirmed?? Enough so I can post this?

 

 

I'd also be way on board with Jim Breen taking over.?

 

Edit: Though after the reception he got from the "mainstream media" when he broke the Greinke news, I could imagine his not wanting the job.

[molitor fan]

My distaste for Witrado is such that this news may actually top the Greinke trade for good Brewer news this off-season for me. I am absolutely thrilled. Breen would be a great choice as would a couple other brewcrewball contributors.

[Funketown]

Are you kidding me molitor fan? This guy is pure comedy!

[BrewCrewForever]

I think we need to start a "write-in" campaign for Jim Breen. Imagine how great it would be to have a writer covering the team that is as knowledgable as Jim is.

Amen to this. Jim would be perfect and add a lot of talent to the Brewers beat. Hopefully he get's a chance. So long Witrado! Don't let the door hit you on the way out. I do not read the Sporting News and now I know I won't be reading it anytime soon.

[berniebrewer4life]

I think my reaction was pretty much the same as everyone else here.

 

http://www.plixer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/applause.gif

[brewmann04]

man the sporting news made a bad choice what will he be covering for them.i would like to see also someone who cares about the crew.

[PKBadger]

Is the Witrado departure confirmed?? Enough so I can post this?

 

 

I'd also be way on board with Jim Breen taking over.?

 

Edit: Though after the reception he got from the "mainstream media" when he broke the Greinke news, I could imagine his not wanting the job.

 

A few tangential notes on "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye":

 

1)? I always thought that Steam was an African-American music group.

2)? According to Wikipedia, the song was on a list of "lyrically questionable" songs distributed by Clear Chanel to its stations after the 9/11 attacks.? Mind-boggling.

3)? One of my favorite and under-rated baseball traditions is the Chicago White Sox organist playing this tune when the opposing team makes a pitching change, and the fans singing in unison.? Simple but effective, keeps the crowd fired up during a rally.

[danzig6767]

Are you kidding me molitor fan? This guy is pure comedy!

No kidding. Witrado was terrible, but he's simply just a beat writer, not a player that can actually impact games. Plus, IMO at least, Haudricourt does a good job overall as the main guy covering the team and there are other places to get Brewers info like from Adam McCalvy who does a good job.

[crewcrazy]

Jim is flattered that so many instantly thought of him, but doesn't think he'd be qualified.

 

Of course, as others pointed out, qualifications didn't keep AW from getting the job.

[yoshii8]

Great news about Witrado, this off-season keeps getting better. I expect far less posts in this thread now that he is gone.

[YoGo24]

Heard a rumor about who the replacement is going to be. We might end up wanting Witrado back if it comes to fruition

[CWSOmaha]

Who's the rumor?

[PeaveyFury]

Please tell me it's not the return of Drew Olson...

[MNBrew]

Tom Flaherty?

[BrewCrewForever]

Please tell me it's not the return of Drew Olson...

I have no inside info, but I doubt it is him. I just can't see it. Between his radio show, being editor of espnmilwaukee.com and stuff he writes for the site, I don't think he could be on the beat.

[PKBadger]

I'll guess Bob Brainerd. Can't think of anyone else who would generate the negative reaction that YoGo alluded to.

[Invader3K]

Brainerd would be fine.

[endaround]

It would also mean less Brainerd on camera which is a win all around

[1992casey]

Please tell me it's not the return of Drew Olson...

My opinion is that Olson's material improved noticeably when he moved to onmilwaukee.com. Drew couldn't have suddenly gotten better on his own. It appears to me that he was constrained to doing things a certain way when he was with the Journal-Sentinel.

 

Witrado, on the other hand, is likely to be poor wherever he goes. A careful and aggressive copyreader could reduce issues caused by his vocabulary and grammar skills, but that's not going to improve the quality of his content.

[hawing]

Brainerd would be fine.

I think it would be a fundamental improvement if Witrado's successor were someone who likes the Brewers, or at least doesn't dislike them. Brainerd appears to fall into that category. His writing, which I admit I have not sampled, may be better than his on-screen presence.

 

I also won't be surprised if 1992casey's observation above turns out to be right on target - that some of the quality level of Brewers beat writers at the JS can be traced to how the JS wants things done.

[RockCoCougars]

Heard a rumor about who the replacement is going to be. We might end up wanting Witrado back if it comes to fruition

I can't see this happening unless Eugene Kane takes over the Brewers' beat.

[dadofandrew]

Olson does suck less than Tony W, no doubt. I continue to root for Mark Stewart, who did a fine job with Badgers' basketball, though he's covering preps now.

[trwi7]

Telly takes over beat writing/on field nonsense duties.