Recap for a 19-inning game

thehef · 12-02-2017, 03:52 AM

I know that recaps have come a long way, and in general are pretty cool. But just thought I'd point out an instance that illustrates where improvement can be made...

So I just finished a 19-inning game that featured plenty of drama, too many interesting things to name. The headline, however, was Schmoe Goes 5-for-8. No matter that Schmoe's five hits were all singles, he had no RBI's (he scored one run), and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 18th, and that Schmoe was on the losing team. In other words, his five hits were nice and all, but... Anyways, the recap itself contained four paragraphs that were all about Joe Schmoe, with first para noting the the other team won and the score, but that was the only mention of the game that didn't have to do with Schmoe. No mention of how the other team scored two in the top of the 19th inning of the other team's ace, who had to pitch several innings in relief... In fact the only indication in the recap about the game going extra innings was when it listed out each occurrence of Schmoe's at-bats (he singled in the first, singled in the 3rd... grounded out in the 18th... no mention of it actually going 19 innings). It was all about Schmoe.

(My rewrite will note how this was just the first game of a doubleheader and how both teams have seriously depleted pitching staffs, etc.)

Anyways, I'm not pointing this out to be critical. I'm well aware of the great work that has gone into these recaps. Rather, I'm just pointing out an opportunity for improvement, as I know these recaps will continue to get better and better

I'm guessing there's some trigger that when a player amasses five hits in a game, that should be the story - and, typically, in a nine-inning game, that should understandably be the lead, especially if his team won. That said...

I think two good rules of thumb would be 1) for any game that goes at least - let's say - 13 innings, the headline ought to include some variation of Green Sox Beat Blues in Marathon, so it's obvious (as it should be) that it was an extra-inning game... and 2) for any game that goes any amount of extras, the first part of the recap should include how the game was won (who drove in the winning run, for example). Just my .02...

12-02-2017, 03:52 AM	#1
thehef Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,391	Recap for a 19-inning game I know that recaps have come a long way, and in general are pretty cool. But just thought I'd point out an instance that illustrates where improvement can be made... So I just finished a 19-inning game that featured plenty of drama, too many interesting things to name. The headline, however, was Schmoe Goes 5-for-8. No matter that Schmoe's five hits were all singles, he had no RBI's (he scored one run), and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 18th, and that Schmoe was on the losing team. In other words, his five hits were nice and all, but... Anyways, the recap itself contained four paragraphs that were all about Joe Schmoe, with first para noting the the other team won and the score, but that was the only mention of the game that didn't have to do with Schmoe. No mention of how the other team scored two in the top of the 19th inning of the other team's ace, who had to pitch several innings in relief... In fact the only indication in the recap about the game going extra innings was when it listed out each occurrence of Schmoe's at-bats (he singled in the first, singled in the 3rd... grounded out in the 18th... no mention of it actually going 19 innings). It was all about Schmoe. (My rewrite will note how this was just the first game of a doubleheader and how both teams have seriously depleted pitching staffs, etc.) Anyways, I'm not pointing this out to be critical. I'm well aware of the great work that has gone into these recaps. Rather, I'm just pointing out an opportunity for improvement, as I know these recaps will continue to get better and better I'm guessing there's some trigger that when a player amasses five hits in a game, that should be the story - and, typically, in a nine-inning game, that should understandably be the lead, especially if his team won. That said... I think two good rules of thumb would be 1) for any game that goes at least - let's say - 13 innings, the headline ought to include some variation of Green Sox Beat Blues in Marathon, so it's obvious (as it should be) that it was an extra-inning game... and 2) for any game that goes any amount of extras, the first part of the recap should include how the game was won (who drove in the winning run, for example). Just my .02...