We’re looking to add to the MLBTR writing team, in a part-time position that pays hourly. The criteria:
- Strong availability throughout the week, with extra hours expected in September and October 2023.
- Exceptional knowledge of all 30 baseball teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of hot stove concepts like arbitration, the competitive balance tax, and new aspects of the latest collective bargaining agreement.
- A high school degree is required, and further education is preferred. Please include your highest completed level of education in your application.
- Writing experience is necessary, and online writing experience is preferred.
- Attention to detail and ability to follow the MLBTR style and tone.
- Ability to craft intelligent, well-written posts analyzing and contextualizing MLB hot stove news quickly and concisely.
- Ability to use Twitter, Tweetdeck, and WordPress. Experience with these is strongly preferred.
- Ability to incorporate feedback to improve performance.
- If you’re interested, email mlbtrhelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs. Please attach your resume to the email. We often receive several hundred applications, so unfortunately we will not be able to reply to each one.
At the end of your application, please fill in the blank: After the ____ season ends, assuming he does not sign a contract extension or go to the minors, Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan will become a free agent. Rather than give an explanation, simply write, “McClanahan question: [Year]” at the end.
I hear James Fegan and some other ex employees if the Athletic are available.
What does strong availability mean
Yes, I had the same question. That’s way too vague for me.
Must be single?
We’re gonna pay you as a part-timer but we need you to donate enough of your time to be a full-time worker.
Welcome to ‘Merica 2024.
Strong availability;
*you’re unemployed
*On parole
*Have close ties to Trevor Bauer & Marcel Ozuna
*Realize that Manfred is a simpleton
*A pitch count is in music only
*A relief pitcher is not exhausted after 12 pitches & can pitch 2 days in a row
*Learn to tally the IL, there’s more on that list than there is on the active list
YOU ARE HIRED
Hookt un phonix wurkt 4 mee
Uh nope, we don’t do illegal things at my company.
Tim, have you ever thought about being a broadcaster or sports announcer for MLB games? You have all the knowledge and expertise in regards to baseball IQ. It’s worth it isn’t it?
> with extra hours expected
> in September and October 2023
No thanks, I don’t want my days to have more than 24 hours in either of those months.
Ideally the person would have some flexibility where they can take some weekday shifts. But the shifts that open up can be fairly random.
If I get the job will that guarantee that I will finally get an answer to a chat question?
No
All of the MLBTR guys have Twitter, so if you really have a question you’d like them to answer they will reply very promptly. But if you really just want to see your handle name seen by a bunch of complete strangers on this website then get a life.
Funny username
As if reading and contributing to the commentary on this site constitutes “a life” lol. 🙂
Aw crap, I just implicated myself.
Shut up. No, you shut up.
A writer with some business savvy would help provide balance. When it comes to what a given club can or should do/consider…..far too often it’s to unwisely spend. Advocating for union chieftains to get a bunch of dead money contracts is no better than a cliche miser owner.
Please, please, please new writer, do not use “slash” when you state someone is batting.
(Whatever..26o,.340). It drives me crazy.
I so agree! how is someone slashing when below the Mendoza line. I would vote to have that word stricken from being used anywhere in reporting!
The slash indicates the / between each of the three stats, hence the term triple-slash. It’s a modern version of the Triple Crown.
@pepi, it’s literally referred to as a players “slash line”
It’s 2023 and you still don’t know what a “slash line” is?
Definition. Slash line is a colloquial term used to represent a player’s batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
It’s 2023 don’t you understand colloquial terms???
Everyone reading this, or nearly everyone, already “writes” for MLBTR.
Some have stronger availability than others. Examples of “intelligent, well-written posts” abound. Some post writers are far stronger than others.
One major obstacle for many candidates is that they are loath to forfeit their amateur status in order to maintain integrity.
The trap door for most is the requirement to “incorporate feedback to improve performance”. That is a deal breaker, unless a proven track record of high sensitivity leading to vituperative juvenile remonstrations is a valued qualification.
Please advise if the successful candidate can mute their readership. That option would greatly expand the hiring pool.
@ sergefunction
If I’m a journalist/writer, why wouldn’t I want to perfect my art to have criticism of my work? It’s the only way you’re going to improve. Are you speaking of trolls? Well, if you’re worried about them, maybe a career in social media isn’t for you?
Your position is inarguable. I have canceled my new business card order.
Criticism is motivation to improve yourself and your writing. It’ll toughen up the skin as well. This wiring position isn’t for the accomplished but the eager writer. And remember this, In life, it ain’t our job to silence every dog that barks…
If they think it’s a wiring position, they could be in for a shock.
Hahahaha! You’re such a goob, good catch. I easily cleared the ‘3-typo’ minimum…
I don’t never thought I could be no wrighter but then I seen this. Hot damn.
Why the McClanahan question anyone could answer that.
You’d be surprised.
🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m not write for the job.
That’s so rong.
“No discernable bias” seems to disqualify most writers on this site. Sure, it’s not ESPN, and many will complain about my complaint, but this site had a bunch of guy willing to write off Texas as a 3rd or 4th place team, almost like Jon Heyman. Look at the way they handled the Mets blowing past the threshold vs them handling a team not based in a giant city. If there were no bias, I would expect a mea culpa from at least a few guys for underestimating Texas and their 1927 Yankees’-like lineup and run differential. Sure, they won’t keep this up, but it’s almost like writers find a way to back justify their predictions if they are wrong or justify them if the team gets unlucky. I like what you guys are doing with free content, but I hope you all look at the biases against the non-urban teams.
I thought we all basically wrote for them already for free? Huh.
I ain’t afraid of no post.
Which team is non-urban? To my knowledge, MLB teams are ALL located in the largest cities in the country.
It sounds like you are a lot more concerned with our preseason predictions than we are. Plus I think we sent those just to subscribers, so you probably didn’t even see them?
I should also note that under/overestimating a team is not bias. Bias would be, like, me telling the staff to write less about the Rangers because I don’t like them, which would never happen.
At a time where The Athletic is “committing dedicated beat reporters to the [teams] that most consistently produce stories that appeal to both large and news-hungry fan bases, as well as leaguewide audiences,” we are not doing that, and I have never told our writers to focus more on the popular teams.
It’s probably true that in approximately 2006, we had some extra Cubs posts because I wrote everything and I was a Cubs fan.
I was referring to the live chats mainly (and maybe articles, if I remember correctly).
@deGromTexasRanger That’s because the Rangers are an unlikeable team. Everyone just loves a team that tries to buy a pennant. See where they are in September before you start belly-aching.
No bias? I am old enough to remember the Brian Robert’s rumors on here. I wish there was no bias because that’s always been the only thing holding this site back in my opinion. I probably notice it more than others because I am a Cardinals fan but regular posters know the site shows favoritism to the Cubs.
I could legitimately meet these qualifications but I fear working for a bunch of die hard Cubs fans wouldn’t work out. Heck I will be surprised if this post stays active for any length of time.
Could you be a bigger Cardinal “homer”?
A Cardinals fan sees a Cubs bias. Shocking! I’m also a Cardinals fan, and I know Tim Dierkes is a Cubs fan, but I have never read this site and thought any writer was biased towards the Cubs or against the Cardinals.
How long have you been visiting this site???
Tim just said himself he was biased at the beginning of the site. He said it himself he admitted it.
I understand that we all have a bias. That doesn’t make anyone a bad person. But back in the Brian Robert’s days the site was literally trying to create the news instead of reporting it and that was lame. And yes there have been numerous instances since then where there was selective reporting that favored the Cubs.
I don’t blame anyone for it I really don’t. But don’t act like it doesn’t happen.
“And yes there have been numerous instances since then where there was selective reporting that favored the Cubs…don’t act like it doesn’t happen.”
Don’t act like that unqualified statement is based on anything but your own biased imagination.
Dude Tim is a Cubs fan. Steve Adams who I don’t believe works for the site anymore is a Cubs fan.
I don’t visit the site as much as I used to so perhaps it’s improved. But there has always been a pro Cubs bias around here. Shoot there was an article about the Cubs a few weeks ago that was rather out of place for thos site
I understand a small bias I do. But don’t pretend it doesn’t exist. And you expect others to not have a bias might be asking too much. Lead by example.
I’ll push back on that. Having some extra Cubs articles in 2006 was perhaps a bias on volume, but not on the content.
“literally trying to create the news” – um, no.
“numerous instances since then where there was selective reporting that favored the Cubs.” – prove it
Not sure if this is trolling, but:
If you read MLBTR even occasionally you know Steve Adams still works here.
Plus, he’s not a Cubs fan.
Such an odd job posting. Anyway, here is the answer in case anyone needs it:
After the ____ season ends, assuming he does not sign a contract extension or go to the minors, Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan will become a free agent.“McClanahan question: [Year]”
> Rather than give an explanation,
> simply write,
> “McClanahan question: [Year]”
> at the end.
I used to be a part time writer in the 80’s. “Dear Penthouse, I never thought these stories were true…”
Hi Tim,
Is there an offer for the hourly rate, or are you leaving that up to negotiate at a later time? I have multi-year SEO experience writing for the PCB industry, but I’m hesitant to submit an application without some sort of pay expectation. Thanks.