A sticking point arose during the Baseball Hall of Fame vote. Some have argued that this is an exception to the new rule.
In a memo written by Mr. Frankel in December 1990, he concluded that “The Times instructs staff to write about baseball for one reason only: to inform and entertain our readers.”
Prior to joining The Times in 2000, Mr. Kepner voted for the Cy Young Award in his previous reporting positions with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Riverside Press-Enterprise in California. He said the Times policy was well known at the time.
“I can see how difficult it is to vote for or against players on your pace, but I think most, if not all writers accept responsibility without worrying about disturbing or appeasing those they cover,” M said. Kepner. “I can certainly understand the logic of The Times to stick with news coverage and not be part of it. “
The BBWAA began listing the full results of the league awards votes on its website in 2012, and the internet allowed for instant reviews. Writers often share how and why they voted online. After Corbin Burnes, who throws for the Milwaukee Brewers, received the NL Cy Young Award in a close vote last week, fans and writers debated the case of runner-up Zack Wheeler of Philadelphia, who led the league pitched innings. but had a slightly higher earned run average.
These difficult decisions, now more visible to the public, are typical of screenwriters, who submit their ballots before the playoffs.
“The Times rule spares me a lot of aggravation and criticism, especially in the age of social media, from people who would disagree with my selections,” Kepner said. “For peace of mind, it’s not that bad. “
