Sep
21
2012

MMO Fair or Foul: Don’t Believe Everything You Read

An article by Joe D

Rich Couthino of CBS New York wrote today’s best thing I’ve read and as usual is a voice of reason.

We live in an age of instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. We are inundated with rumors about players, trades, free agency signings and personnel movement. I understand all that because the sports media is a competitive playground. But when you have a week where two New York baseball stars — Ike Davis and Robinson Cano need to defend themselves needlessly, I say enough is enough. Where is the accountability?

Throwing unconfirmed information out into the twitter world is so damaging to individuals and is needless because an unsubstantiated story can be perceived as true to some. You never can eradicate that because some bozo will bring it up when a player is slumping or under-performing. To me, it is the worst form of cowardice that there is and puts the player in a terrible situation. If he denies the rumor, people will question it. If he ignores the rumor, people will question it even more.

I would love to see the reaction of these rumor-slingers if their credibility was to be questioned in a public venue like Twitter and how they would react to it. Today’s media has the need to be first whether it is right or wrong, but to me being second and correct is the far better route to take. Fortunately, I work for people that believe in that philosophy.

Couthino is by no means suggesting to ignore everything, but to read everything through a prism that separates realism from fantasy and to consider the source you are reading and more importantly their track record for getting the story correct.

Bravo, Rich… Well said..

Keep this in mind especially as we enter the hot stove season where truth and professionalism take a back seat to attention-grabbing headlines and the outrageous.

About the Author: Joe DeCaro

I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.

9 Comments + Add Comment

PA Met fan September 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm

Completely agree, Ike should not have to defend what he is doing in his personal life to the likes of Adam Rubin. Who’s the worst mets correspondent in town. This guy is not accountable for anything he says and should be banned from citi field.
- Alex68 September 21, 2012 at 1:18 pm
  
  You could not be any more wrong… Rubin is the only met correspondet who tell it like it is, whether we as fans like it or not, he’s been spot on with everything he’s ever reported. the guy is hated by mets fans who don’t like to hear the truth……
Joey D. September 21, 2012 at 1:12 pm

Hi Joe,

So correct and it is thus important for people to be aware and recognize what is and what isn’t a reliable source.

But last night Met fans without access to SNY would have to rely on the internet since FAN bumped the Met game off the air for other programming….
Squidoo September 21, 2012 at 1:16 pm

This needs to be said loud and often. An honest appraisal of how journalism has spiraled out of control. Hope some good comes from this.
Dave Henner September 21, 2012 at 1:25 pm

Couthino has always been my favorite Mets writer. I follow him on twitter and never miss a column. He also genuinely loves the Mets which rates high for me. Glad to see him get some well deserved recognition here.
Des September 21, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Joe D. — You’ve written a terrific piece whose brevity matches its incisiveness. Bravo!!!
Metsie September 21, 2012 at 1:57 pm

There is a BIG difference between a Twitter source and a CLUB source!

Not sure about the Cano story but Rubin cited a TEAM SOURCE….

You don’t use that unless someone from the team said it!

And it isn’t a player, A coach would not say something about a trade which leaves only an executive who probably wants to trade Ike but doesn’t have the votes or this was a concerted attempt to throw the idea into the public to gauge Fan reaction!
Mr North Jersey September 21, 2012 at 2:18 pm

People at times are drawn to those in the media that share similar thoughts/opinions as they do. I find that to be the case with Coutinho. I highly respect how he doesn’t succumb to some of the less than popular tactics seen at times by others in the media. He is a rare breed indeed. Rubin is another reporter that I have always liked as well. He really does a very good job on following the Mets minors. Better than any other media person I can think of and while some feel his writings are said at times with snark at the Mets I find him to just say things how he sees it.
For example even though some feel he is about slamming the Mets one of the things he said while a guest of MMO radio the following when asked about Alderson, “You have to be a little reserved in your judgement only because they’ve had no money to work with.”
This is a fair reply that someone that was about slamming the Mets probably would not have said.

Anything usually said with a unnamed source I normally try to be reserved on with usually giving it more credence when varying multiple sources are reporting the same thing as often is the case when a trade for example is about to go down.
Lorenzo September 21, 2012 at 2:37 pm

This post is a How To Guide on navigating your Mets news in this twitter age. This is good advice Joe!

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