Scooped! : Going to Wordpress was a Messy Affair

Yesterday, in anticipation of moves to be made by MLB teams (Cubs), I was busy posting, “(K)Night Moves: Big trade means the chess game is on, and another big splash is possible.” But, as often is the case, the post was confounded by technology, and my inability to rectify the situation. (The post is a day old...but written actually Sunday Night to be posted Mondayish...)

I post all my blogs from the Lowell Public Library. Their new ID system limits computer usage to a maximum of 2 hours per day. So I must read articles, write/revise, respond to blogs/emails and craft posts in a matter of that time. (I am financially strapped for cash. So much so, that paying $20/month for internet isn’t possible.)

As a result, in the process of doing this posting, my article was distorted on this website. It looked horrible; and the links, many researched in short order, were all missing. It honked me off to no end.

Highlights of that now “old news” post:

1. Milwaukee’s acquisition of CC Sabathia. In chess, ‘a powerful queen moved’ on the board.
2. Pitching in the post-season trumps offensive juggernauts. (Table of recent powerful offenses – greater than 900 Runs scored.)
3. Acquiring a top-flight pitcher, a queen, from Oakland. (Rich Harden.
4. Giving up SP Sean Gallagher and minor league C John Donaldson, both of whom have bright futures as discussed in prior posts on this site. The rooks and pawns of a mega deal.
   

I write this now as a reminder to those writers who likely learned this tidbit eons before I: get the story in, even if it isn’t perfect. I messed up formatting and my links were gone, but I had the right idea. My struggles with Wordpress are limited to a post here or there. Somehow, it seems to jumble up my best work – with tables and images important – when I need them most.

At the root cause of this dilemma is my own personal flaws. With ample income and requisite time to complete such easy tasks as research of this sport, I could put together well-thought out and structured posts. Even do it as my daily bread. But that’s the cookie crumbling around me. 100s of thousands of writers are fighting their demons – message crafting, self-esteem issues, addictive behaviors and so on – and manage to not get 'scooped' on a story.

Why I mention all this?

Because it is always a writer’s dream to make observations about a circumstance that few (if any) are thinking long and hard on. And have those musings come to a head, with the pertinent facts in place and the foundation undisturbed. (It wasn't completely a shock, but I did have several postings back in late May and early June related to the pitching hunt...)

In sport, everyone has an opinion. Anecdotal observations are constantly made. Some expand it to include actual statistics – though they usually leave out anything detrimental to their thesis. It doesn’t behoove many to break apart the arguments, get down to the nitty gritty, because after all, it is just a game.

But since I write about it, and hope to predict and project where these Cubs are going, I am glad to see that this trade went through.

Good Luck to Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson and Josh Donaldson.
And say hello to Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.