Last call for Medium Well
The last call I took as an employee of The Baltimore Sun was from a gentleman who was bugged because hearing "Alfonso Soriano" was making him think of a former Orioles pitcher with sort of a similar name, but he just couldn’t figure out who it was.
After thumbing through some old media guides, I finally determined he was thinking of Armando Benitez.
So, at least on my last day of work, I made one person happy.
No doubt, my involuntary departure from The Sun Tuesday will make some other people happy, too. Over the years, through a couple of stints of writing a sports media column and, more recently, a blog, I often have been told what a moron I am and how I’ve wasted a reader’s time with my drivel. (I did like hearing from one commenter about how it was my "dribble" that was so offending. If this guy had ever seen me play basketball, he would have known just how right he was.)
There was even the occasional local media personality who found it much easier to dole out criticism of those in the sports world than to receive some critical words himself.
Unlike Mark McGwire, I am here to talk about the past. This layoff came on roughly my 24th anniversary of arriving at The Sun.
I was originally hired as a sports desk slot man, a job in which one serves as the last editing eyes on type before it is printed in the newspaper, before being promoted to different editing duties. Since getting into the newspaper business in 1979, most of my time has been spent as a sports editor of one kind or another. It was always my goal to make the game stories, columns and features that went through my hands as clear, informative and accurate as possible. I wanted headlines and captions to reflect the tone of articles to which they were attached. And though there were times I had to take a writer’s prose and turn it into English, I never thought it was my job to make his or her story read as if I had written it.
I hope, even as the world of journalism -- sports journalism in particular -- continues to shake out, that there continues to be a place for those who take care of the words.
I also hope there is still a spot for those who have a sense of place, who understand what is important to the readers. Despite 20-plus years as a Baltimore area resident, I was told by a native colleague how I would never understand what "Baltimore" on the Orioles road jerseys meant because "you’re not from here." Ah, but he is, and so I would listen to him and others who grew up here when it came time to make judgments on things such as story play and photo choices. He is still at The Sun. I hope they keep listening to him and others like him, who are unwavering in their devotion to the old Colts and the pizza at Squire’s in Dundalk.
I leave with no real regrets except that I am leaving. Well, OK, I regret that higher-ups nixed my headline suggestion for Cal Ripken’s 2,131 night, "Cal touches home," in favor of the correction-in-waiting "Immortal Cal."
It has been an honor to work with a collection of talented writers and editors and to help produce sports coverage for the passionate, dedicated fans of Baltimore. I hope to pop up soon with a new sports media blog and would love to continue wasting your time. You can reach me at rfrager@gmail.com.
Oh, and one more thing for those who might care: I was Mr. Flip.
-- Ray Frager
Comments
So YOU were Mr. Flip.
I will miss your Friday column.
Best of luck.
Posted by: C Double | April 30, 2009 12:02 PM
Don't forget "Adios a Miggy."
Posted by: Andrew | April 30, 2009 12:13 PM
will miss your blog. i guess in the next couple of years there will hardly be any newspapers left except those that will only be online with minimal staff
Posted by: FKTERP | April 30, 2009 12:16 PM
Ray-You did a great job and the fact that I only occasionally agreed with you but still anticipated you entries and columns says how much I valued your opinions. Good luck in the future and know that you really bonded with readers and home media analysts for quite a while
Posted by: Eric | April 30, 2009 12:19 PM
Such a shame. I enjoyed reading about who was covering what events and mistakes made in telecasts. I always looked forward to Fridays!
They get rid of you but hey, we get to read about reality tv here...what an unbelievable joke. Not fair.
Posted by: G | April 30, 2009 12:19 PM
I'll miss you Ray.
Posted by: Joe_Cimino | April 30, 2009 12:21 PM
Ray,
Best of luck to you and your family...I hope you are able to remain in the area.
It was a pleasure reading your blogs and print
Posted by: JettRavensSuperPup | April 30, 2009 12:26 PM
You had one of the more entertaining spots in the sports department. Good luck with whatever you choose to do next.
Posted by: Jim | April 30, 2009 12:40 PM
i'm so sorry to read this. i really enjoyed reading your blog. you are going to missed.
best of luck to you. i hope you land with something bigger and better.
Posted by: brandon | April 30, 2009 12:42 PM
Any idea what you will do next?
Posted by: Ron | April 30, 2009 12:44 PM
FLIPPER!!!
You were either a beacon of clarity (even if I didn't always see eye to eye with your clarification) or a channeler of the bizarre / inane / humorous (I will let you decide which description goes with which identity). I will miss reading you on here, but will be looking forward to following you wherever you land. I now have your email address, and you have mine, so keep me in the loop!
"V" is for "very sorry to see you going.
Posted by: Big Daddy (not Lipscomb) | April 30, 2009 12:47 PM
I've really enjoyed reading the column and later the blog over the years. It was one of my favorite blogs, with lots of good information. I'll miss it and I'm sorry to see things come to this.
By the way, for those who haven't ever contacted Ray for anything, he is a super nice guy. I wrote about a year ago asking him what the two new Orioles radio network affiliates he mentioned in his blog or his column were, and got back a complete updated list to use when I'm on the road! It's great to have someone willing to go above and beyond like that and willing to interact with the public.
I'd definitely be interested in any new projects Ray comes up with. Hopefully, he finds a way to link us all to it.
I never suspected he was Mr. Flip, but now that I know, it definitely fits, in retrospect I can really see it.
Posted by: John | April 30, 2009 1:01 PM
These are tough times....however, I think you're most likely tough as well and tough times don't last but tough people do! You'll land on your feet somewhere else. Best of luck!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 30, 2009 1:19 PM
I thought you were Flip,lol. Good luck Ray, I'm sure you will land on your feet somewhere. I'll miss your updates on the local radio scenes
Posted by: Buzz in Kuwait | April 30, 2009 1:35 PM
"I hope they keep listening to him and others like him, who are unwavering in their devotion to the old Colts..."
And I wish instead that they'd fire any Sun writer who continues to beat this dead horse everytime the Ravens play the Colts. The true fans love our Ravens and don't appreciate when your paper gives them the erroneous impression we want the Colts back.
Posted by: Joe | April 30, 2009 1:40 PM
Well, crap. I like Schmuck's blog and Ravens Insider well enough, but this was easily my favorite blog. I've always liked your posts and this loss stings heavily. Here's hoping you get a new gig that's even better.
Posted by: Matthew | April 30, 2009 1:42 PM
From one Delaware boy to another you will be missed.... I hope you find work close to home and very soon!
Posted by: Nick Atsidis | April 30, 2009 1:42 PM
Ray,
You are a gifted writer. I always enjoyed your Friday column. Long before I started writing my column I never missed yours. I wish all the luck in the world because you are a class act.
Jim Williams
Posted by: Jim Williams | April 30, 2009 2:06 PM
Ray,
I had the good fortune of meeting you, being behind the camera during your appearance on Comcast Sportsnet a few years back. You blogged afterwards that it was terrible. In all fairness, I would see others that would do far, far worse than you did.
That said, having worked in Baltimore media for the last decade, I made reading your blog a regular habit and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having also been laid off from that job in the last couple of months, I wish you all the best. Hopefully something better is waiting in the wings, as it was for me.
Posted by: Miles | April 30, 2009 2:16 PM
Good luck and godspeed Ray! And thanks for an enjoyable blog too!
Posted by: Glassman | April 30, 2009 3:26 PM
A latecomer to your blog, I am saddened to see you go. I was laid off recently and your blog provided me a moment or two of daily entertainment. I appreciated your insight and wit, and it will be missed. May you find another platform for you to inform and amuse.
Best of Luck
Posted by: Lance | April 30, 2009 3:27 PM
Best of luck in the future. This is a very sad day for any literate sports fan. I hope to read you somewhere else sometime in the very near future.
Posted by: Joe | April 30, 2009 3:31 PM
Nice shot at Nestor on the way out.
Posted by: eric | April 30, 2009 3:37 PM
Good luck, Ray. You DESERVE it!!!
Posted by: ItIsMe | April 30, 2009 3:43 PM
I'm sorry you're leaving. Good luck to you for your future.
Posted by: waspman | April 30, 2009 4:06 PM
So YOU were Mr. Flip? Who knew? OK, seriously, the best of luck to you. And many, many thanks for putting up with me for all those years. I couldn't have been easy. I can be a tad tempermental when it comes to my copy. But you were always a true professional, and I have the utmost respect for you. I just hope I didn't misspell anything in this comment. But if I did, I'm confident that you would have caught it. Thanks again, Ray. - Roch "Around the Clock" Kubatko
Posted by: Roch Kubatko | April 30, 2009 4:12 PM
Ray,
There were four things I read in the sunpaper. Your column was one of them. It is sad to see you go, now I only have three things to read.
Your blog was also one of my on-line reads. You will be missed and thanks for the work you did.
Posted by: Jeff | April 30, 2009 4:58 PM
Ray, I was critical once but ever since then I really liked reading your stuff. Its too bad there won't be any other way to get the info you have been providing in your blog and column. I hope you resurface somewhere immediately and the Sun let's you post it here.
Best of Luck and thanks!
Posted by: Almost Believin' | April 30, 2009 5:06 PM
Ray - You were a pleasure to read. Funny and informative and it was obvious you cared about the work. A sad day indeed. Best of luck.
Posted by: George in Canton | April 30, 2009 5:09 PM
Thanks, Ray! Good luck!
Posted by: Neil | April 30, 2009 5:38 PM
Best of luck to you, Ray. I have always enjoyed reading your column.
Posted by: Jules W. | April 30, 2009 5:47 PM
Best of luck Ray, you had a great blog....we'll down a pizza for you at Squires!
Posted by: dave taylor | April 30, 2009 5:50 PM
This is not right. As an avid reader of the column and the blog, I'm sad this day has come.
I look forward to reading you elsewhere. Please know that you never wasted my time.
Ken
Fang's Bites
Posted by: Ken | April 30, 2009 6:03 PM
Ray,
I'll never forget the night you called me on the cell. Just to take the time to help me in my new frontier of Golf sports talk radio. You shared years of what works in the industry, to a real rookie. I'll always be grateful. Thank you my friend. For being You and the consumate Professional.
Your " A Gamer" !
Posted by: Kevin Allen | April 30, 2009 6:28 PM
Gonna miss you Ray. I too hope someone's going to take care of the words . By the way, what do you mean "correction-in-waiting" when referring to the headline, "Immortal Cal"? Seems okay to me.
Posted by: duke of york | April 30, 2009 6:50 PM
Medium Well will always have a place as my favorite Sun blog.
Posted by: Peter Blair | April 30, 2009 6:57 PM
I liked you better as Mr Flip.
Posted by: Matt | April 30, 2009 7:05 PM
bummer!
Posted by: greg | April 30, 2009 8:02 PM
Best of luck, Ray. I didn't always agree with your blogs, but it's a shame that it ended like this. At least you won't be there when they finally turn off the lights at Calvert Street -- and I don't think that's too far off. Godspeed.
Posted by: Jeff | April 30, 2009 8:51 PM
I've never responded but always enjoyed your blog. Best of luck. You will be missed.
Posted by: bill | April 30, 2009 9:42 PM
Good Luck, Ray. I always enjoyed your entries.
Posted by: Mike Miller | April 30, 2009 10:32 PM
Ray/Flipper,
Take a couple of months and write a novel Mr. Flip style. You'll make a mint and can move to the Caribe to work on your 'dribble'. Best to you.
Posted by: Chuck G | April 30, 2009 10:35 PM
SAD SAD SAD Day!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Richard Old O's fan | April 30, 2009 10:53 PM
Ray...
Best of luck. 24 years at a place used to count for something but not anymore.
I don't actually like The Sun and I stopped subscribing years ago and only read you guys in the sports section on-line.
I'm sure you'll come down on your feet somewhere else.
Posted by: Ed | April 30, 2009 11:53 PM
Mr. Flip was always one of my favorite parts of the Sun. Thanks for the laughs.
Posted by: Brian | May 1, 2009 12:54 AM
Thanks Ray!
- a quiet reader . . . though maybe I should've made more noise . . .
Posted by: waycoolg | May 1, 2009 1:33 AM
I always liked your column. Best of luck to you my friend.
Posted by: Hal from Bel Air(formerly Hal) | May 1, 2009 1:55 AM
Ray, I've never commented on a Sunpapers blog till now but enough is enough. I loved your columns/blogs. While I enjoy reading all the sports columns, I don't read each and every one, with only one exception. I've never missed yours. I'm really looking forward to reading you again, hopefully here in Baltimore. BTW, all these years, I thought Schmuck was Mr. Flip. Good luck to you.
Don
Posted by: Don | May 1, 2009 7:51 AM
When I delivered The Morning Sun in the 60s in Loch Raven Village, it was a great paper. Your departure is yet another sign that this once-fine daily document has lost whatever it once had. Fair winds, my friend. The best is yet to come!
Posted by: Bobby Ballgame | May 1, 2009 8:49 AM
I will miss your blog Ray. As someone who had 20 years with his company to see it all crash on March 3rd when the plant was closed, and today is my last day working @ the Vertis plant in Belcamp, I understand how you feel Ray. Best of Luck.
Posted by: Jeff Perkins | May 1, 2009 9:13 AM