Baseball Toaster The Griddle
Help
A place where a man can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure, but he has to keep his watch on Pacific Time.
Frozen Toast
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
The Griddle
Archives

2009
02  01 

2008
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  10  07 
06  05  04  03 
Suggestions, comments, ring the catcher's interference alarm?

Email me at btimmermann@gmail.com

The stuff I keep track of
Random Game Callbacks

Select a date:

Personal favorites that I wrote
FAQs
Copy editor, please read lead of story
2008-03-07 17:00
by Bob Timmermann

Headline:

Matsuzaka, awaiting birth of child, likely to follow Red Sox to Tokyo

Lead paragraph:

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—Daisuke Matsuzaka probably won’t fly to Tokyo with his teammates because his wife’s due date is March 19, the date of the flight, but the Red Sox hope he can join them in his native country.

Comments
2008-03-07 17:26:07
1.   gpellamjr
I don't see the problem. The paragraph seems to follow the headline.
2008-03-07 17:27:44
2.   Bob Timmermann
It seems contradictory to me.

But if I get into a semantic battle with you, I will not just lose, but also be ritually shamed.

2008-03-07 18:39:59
3.   Woden325
I'm with Bob on this one. The headline suggests Matsuzaka is likely to go to the game, while the lede suggests that it is unlikely.

Here's hoping that there will not be a mass ritual shaming.

2008-03-07 19:00:11
4.   Sam DC
Oh dear, I read it over and over and found the lead paragraph ok with the headline.

I just seen enough to know that Bob isn't the type to forgive and forget on this sort of thing.

2008-03-07 19:11:26
5.   110phil
The headline explicitly says "likely to". The lede explicitly says "probably won't." Seems pretty clear-cut to me.
2008-03-07 19:16:40
6.   yankee23
It seems to me that the "follow" in the headline contradicts the fact that Matsuzaka will likely arrive before his teammates (because her due date is the day of the flight). So I'm with Bob on this one.
2008-03-07 19:23:39
7.   bobsbrother
Hope does not equate to likely. Of course, a woman's due date is such a crap shoot that the baby could easily be born a week ahead of it, in which case there presumably would not be a problem for him to go, and just as easily could be born a week later. The writer here is treating it as though it's set in stone.
2008-03-07 19:34:12
8.   Bob Timmermann
During Thursday's Dodgers-Red Sox telecast on ESPN, Steve Phillips expounded on obstetrics and inducing labor.

It was awful.

2008-03-08 09:45:20
9.   110phil
6/Yankee 23: you're right, I misread it.
2008-03-08 19:32:59
10.   Sam DC
Well, is his wife delivering in the US or Japan?
2008-03-08 19:42:58
11.   Woden325
Upon reflection, I guess the headline and lead do make sense, although it is phrased awkwardly. In both cases it really means that he won't be traveling with the team, but may join them a couple of days later.

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.