Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Welcome to Year 2 of Dodger Insider.
One year ago today, this blog launched with the hopes of complementing and extending the Dodger coverage on dodgers.com and in the team’s official magazine, which we renamed to underscore our desire to integrate print and digital. The 1,309 posts in the past 365 days testify to the effort, but you readers can judge how well we’ve succeeded.
I’m pleased with what we’ve done, but not satisfied. With both the blog and the magazine (whose first 2015 issue comes out in March, barely eight weeks from now), I feel we can make bigger strides — and to be perfectly frank, I’d like to see us make a bigger impact. It’s been interesting to observe from the inside what kind of content strikes the Dodger fan fancy. The juggling act, within a finite amount of time (no more than 168 hours per week), is to cater to that sweet spot while also expanding it. The idea supply is endless, but it’s all in the execution.
For you Dodger Insider historians, the most popular post of the first year was Yasiel Brings Lightning, Hates Thunder. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the blog this past year, starting with team historian Mark Langill, as well as Cat Belanger, Yvonne Carrasco, Erin Edwards and Josh Tucker, not to mention the Dodger photographers and video team. But most of all, I’d like to thank Cary Osborne, who truly and tirelessly embraced this blog’s mission.
In the comments below, please offer your suggestions for how the Dodgers’ official blog could improve. In the meantime, once again, here’s to a great 2015 …
Debbie Gonzales (@debbiegonz55)
Great job!! Loved it! Keep up the great work!
oldbrooklynfan
I’m very happy that I made “Dodger Insider” part of my daily trip through the computer world. Presently I have no suggestions but I’m looking forward to reading what others are thinking.
plexp2014
Jon, it is hard to figure many ways you could improve the blog.
It was, at the very least, a daily read – often more than that. Your prime limitation is that you are part of the organization, so rumors and unofficial pronouncements were pretty much out – but you were always able to guide us to links that were less encumbered.
For old school history buffs (and I am among that crowd) you had wonderful pieces (usually from Mark Langill) going back to Brooklyn and the early LA days. At the same time, modern “history” pieces – such as Cat Belanger’s recent recap of the first pitches of the year – keeps the current audience happy. (Pet peeve – if there are multiple “first pitches” before a game, they can’t all really be “first” pitches — shouldn’t we simply start calling them ceremonial pitches or the like?)
All in all – bravo to one and all – first year job VERY well done.
PS- also enjoyed Jon Soo Hoo’s daily blog — but he needs more captions, please pass that on to him if you get the opportunity.
Larry Rosenberg
Jon, your blogs rocks. Your sincerity and commitment to the Dodgers and baseball is evident, refreshing and welcome. But, as I commented last year, if the Dodgers desire to “make a bigger impact” with digital media, may I again suggest that “Dodger Insider Magazine” be one price for print and web access? As season ticket holders, we “automatically” subscribe to the print version for $40.00 each year, yet we can’t view that content online with our computers, iPhones, iPads or any other digital device. This is so 1990 and “Dodger Insider Magazine” remains the only publication to which I subscribe that requires a separate fee for online access. Over 30,000 season ticket holders would like to read the magazine, as well as the blog, on their smart phones and tablets, etc. Can this be the year? Go Dodgers!
Jon Weisman
This has been at the top of my list of desires … will keep you posted.
Larry Rosenberg
Thanks, Jon.
Mark Hagerstrom
Miss you on the “outside”, but appreciate what you are doing here, particularly the “Don’t Panic (yet)” offerings.
Vin Smith (@wanturlove)
…Let’s put it this way. Years ago, when (Dodger Blue?) the Dodgers magazine first shuttled over to (Long Beach Press Telegram?) and then seemed to cease production entirely, I figured I would barely get a scent of Dodgermania way up here, hanging off the Oregon border. As a lifelong Dodger fan, I need my periodic Dodger fix. Then, after a lot of silence, the Internet began to bring me Dodger news and views. Then, a year ago, here comes you fellas with Dodger Insider. Wow! It makes the old days of that original magazine seem like just a pittance and a trickle of info. You guys are the very best. Keep it up!
Michael Green
You’re all doing a great job, and I look forward to checking it daily. Maybe more links to other sites and information about the Dodgers?
Chris Steamer
Jon, congratulations on the great site this has become. I knew from reading your book, that this site was going to be another great Dodgers website to follow. A couple years ago, another Dodger blogger (Tony Jackson) had a website, which he occasionally video recorded interviews that Dodgers players gave after the game and would post them to his website. That I miss seeing, so if there was anything that I think could make this site better, that would be it. I know a lot of players fall into that “Do whatever it takes to help the team win”, speech, but sometimes you hit gold (or a lot of times when you’re interviewing Greinke) and actually find out what the player was thinking that I think only comes out through video (and not so much through print). Regardless, it’s been a great website and magazine, and hope you enjoy 2015.
javier monarrez (@javieru23)
I love the blog, thank you all for all the hard work put into it. I would really like to see an expansion, like an app for the iPad/iPhone. Also, maybe a podcast, I know mlb does one w/ Ken Gurnick and I do listen to another great podcast from Dugout Blues. Maybe one more in the style of Dodgers Insider would be great addition for us fans.
Jon Weisman
Would like to do a podcast – but limits of time might impede that.
Steve Becker
Hi Jon, I love the blog and appreciate all the hard work. The only note I have for you beyond what others have already said: The WordPress favicon drives me crazy when I am trying to get back to the tab with your blog in it.
Keep up the amazing work!