Speaking of hacks …

Selig Can Send Message on Arizona Immigration Law

In 18 years as the head of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig has been fed a steady stream of fastballs. There have been labor fastballs and steroid fastballs, pitches he has learned how to hit. Lately, he has been taking his hacks at human growth hormone fastballs.

I realize if you’re writing about sports you’re legally mandated to use as many metaphors as possible, but perhaps it’s best to be selective. And also not to use the same word four times in the lede.

Just for the hell of it, you could try using metaphors that actually make sense and are relevant to the topic at hand. At least use a pitch count as an easy cop-out to refer to how many times big moments he’s had. Or how about

In his more than 40 years in Major League Baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig has seen his share of fastballs. He’s always crowded the plate when it comes to protecting the sport, but brush-back pitches in the form of steroids and labor disputes have taken their toll. Fortunately, Arizona’s new immigration bill presents itself in the form a nice, juicy fat one right over the middle of the plate.

Oh wait, that would require being a writer with the smallest semblance of skill or attention to your craft. Better to just bang out another column (on a topic most people touched on last week). Thanks, NYT, for letting us read this drivel.

4 May