Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Baseball/Outreach/Newsletter desk/Archive 1

Featured Image discussion
I think a description of the featured image should be included in every issue. 2-3 sentences seem sufficient to give a background of the image and an explanation of its significance. -Newyorkadam (talk) 02:54, 30 March 2014 (UTC)Newyorkdam
 * Sure—if you do this task again for any future issue, feel free to write a few sentences describing the featured image. isaacl (talk) 05:32, 30 March 2014 (UTC)
 * Great idea! I liked the recent one on Ty Cobb. Also, do you think we should have a caption sometimes, always or never. I saw the Ty Cobb caption, but there isn't one for the Ed Walsh. Atomic   XYC  18:43, 15 April 2014 (UTC)

Talk on Newstletter
Do you guys want a talk page for each newsletter? Is there a bot which can automatically make a talk page and write a message such as: Welcome to the talk page for Issue (Number)! Feel free to write comments, suggestions and your favorite part! We...(Insert Other Info here). Let me know your thoughts maybe there can be a comments/suggestions page. Atomic  XYC  00:07, 16 April 2014 (UTC)
 * In order to encourage greater participation, I suggest using the main WikiProject Baseball discussion page to discuss the newsletter, rather than this one. Regarding creating a talk page for each newsletter, again personally I think it might be better to just hold discussion on the project talk page. isaacl (talk) 00:11, 16 April 2014 (UTC)
 * I think it defeats the purpose to discuss the newsletter on the main page...if everyone sees the talk to create the newsletter on the main page then there is no point in getting the newsletter... Personally I wouldn't want the main discussion page spammed by non-article editing discussion. In saying that I might create a single talk page for all newsletter writing as opposed to individual ones for each issue. Say this one for example would work. -DJSasso (talk) 18:48, 16 April 2014 (UTC)
 * Regarding discussion of the newsletter creation process, since the actual draft content won't be included, I don't believe it will defeat the purpose. Regarding feedback on the newsletter itself, perhaps this page would be a suitable place to host comments. I'll give it some consideration. isaacl (talk) 20:04, 16 April 2014 (UTC)

7th inning stretch
As mentioned before, I have drafted out the next brief 7th inning stretch article. Can we see if this will be in this could be in the next newsletter? Thanks. Atomic  XYC  16:40, 10 May 2014 (UTC)
 * I'll admit up front that I can't really provide a concrete guideline about whether or not a miscellaneous item will be included: it will depend largely on if it tickles my fancy and possibly if the newsletter needs more filler material. I'm inclined at the moment not to use the story you've written up; it's a "hey, someone said something that coincidentally came to pass" anecdote that may or may not be true. The Snopes article (linked to in the Gaylord Perry article) has an interesting investigation about its veracity, but I think it would be too long to summarize neatly into a miscellaneous tidbit. I apologize for the uncertainty; in this early experimental stage, I'm still trying to find a balance between items directly related to WikiProject Baseball, and material that have less direct relevance but may help with drawing some interest in participating in the project. isaacl (talk) 18:57, 10 May 2014 (UTC)
 * I understand your decision. How about making several articles on my sandbox which you can choose anytime you want for a 7th inning stretch article? Atomic   XYC  12:15, 11 May 2014 (UTC)
 * As long as you don't mind that it's possible none of your items will make it into the newsletter, sure, go ahead. You might also consider taking one of your interests, such as baseball cards, finding a related article that could use some help, do some work on it to expand it, and then write an brief description for the Opinion section, where you talk about your interest, how you got interested in it, and what you did to improve Wikipedia's coverage in that topic. You can furthermore suggest other articles in the same area that others can improve. In general, try to think of something to put in the newsletter that can help draw in readers to edit baseball articles. isaacl (talk) 00:16, 12 May 2014 (UTC)

June 2014 edition
Based on my availability next weekend, I have moved up the planned release date of the newsletter to Friday, June 27, 2014. Go Phightins! will not be available to make his usual contributions, so is there anyone interested in writing up project news and news from the world of baseball? Contributions in other areas are welcome as well—if you want to bounce ideas around, feel free to use this discussion page to do so. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 13:34, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
 * In order to allow for time to copy edit the newsletter, can everyone have their contributions available by the end of June 25, 2014? Thanks! isaacl (talk) 23:59, 24 June 2014 (UTC)

July 2014 edition
Calling all prospective contributors: a gentle reminder that it's never too soon to submit something for the newsletter. Heading into the second half of the season, is there an area you'd like to draw attention upon to seek the help of new editors? Have an interesting take on All-Star history? Is there a featured article or picture that is particularly interesting to you? You are cordially invited to pitch in! isaacl (talk) 00:09, 19 July 2014 (UTC)

Survey for The Inside Corner&thinsp;: July 27, 2014
You are invited to participate in the following short survey.

Please create a bullet item in the "Responses" section and answer the following questions, in as much detail as you prefer. Even if your answers are simply "No" to the two main questions, your input will be helpful.
 * Did you welcome a new editor to WikiProject Baseball since the start of the 2014 MLB season? If so:
 * What approach did you take to welcome the editor, and was it successful in engaging the new editor and encouraging more contributions?
 * Did you point them to the WikiProject Baseball newsletter?
 * Do you plan on adopting any new approaches to welcoming editors?

Thanks for your feedback!

Pinging all potential contributors
Just as a quick check: can anyone considering contributing to the next issue of The Inside Corner write a quick note in this section? isaacl (talk) 01:03, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
 * I will.  Go  Phightins  !  01:04, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
 * If you can answer a question or two to Wikipedia Signpost/Newsroom/WikiProject desk/Interviews5, I will write my usual "showcase" section. Thanks. Seattle (talk) 01:17, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

and any other prospective contributors: please make your submissions by the end of August 31, so I can copy edit them and make the request to deliver the newsletter. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 07:08, 31 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Darn, . I am terribly sorry. I was busy at the end of last week, and we went away for the Labor Day weekend, and this never even crossed my mind. Sorry.  Go  Phightins  !  20:44, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
 * No problem—just keep churning out those Good Articles! isaacl (talk) 20:52, 1 September 2014 (UTC)

Your contributions are needed!
The time is fast approaching for the next issue of The Inside Corner. If you plan to contribute something, could you please reply in this thread, or just go ahead and post your draft changes? Thanks! isaacl (talk) 03:22, 25 September 2014 (UTC)
 * Perhaps someone would like to write a preview of the upcoming playoff series? Or a recap of the pennant races? Or a retrospective of your favourite team's season? Your submissions are welcome! isaacl (talk) 19:32, 27 September 2014 (UTC)

Postseason reports?
It's been a fairly interesting postseason so far—anyone interested in writing some game notes for the newsletter? If you are planning to submit something on any topic or area, please leave a message on this talk page to let everyone know. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 04:46, 15 October 2014 (UTC)

Contributions for the next issue
To allow for coverage of the World Series, I'm pushing back the planned release date of the newsletter one week. If you are planning to submit a contribution, please write a quick reply to this post, outlining your plans. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 04:06, 24 October 2014 (UTC)
 * Hey Isaac. I can do the project news and notes, if that would be helpful. Should we do an editor spotlight? How much time do we have?  Go  Phightins  !  19:47, 24 October 2014 (UTC)
 * Yes, that would be great. I am currently planning the next issue to be released on November 2, 2014. (The planned date is next to the link for the next issue, at WikiProject Baseball/Outreach/Newsletter desk.) Sure, let's give someone their five minutes of glory... isaacl (talk) 22:07, 24 October 2014 (UTC)

Anyone else planning to submit something? A brief recap of the World Series? An analysis of the "should Gordon have been sent home" question, or a meta-analysis of the media analysis? Accolades for Bumgarner, or for the surprising Royals? A tribute to the Giants' mini-dynasty? Your contributions are welcome! isaacl (talk) 18:26, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

A brief review
Some quasi-random observations on the The Inside Corner, which has published 8 monthly issues so far, starting at the beginning of the 2014 MLB season: Though naturally improving Wikipedia's articles is our prime goal, the newsletter can serve as a light diversion from the heavy-duty research and writing tasks of article development. I hope everyone has enjoyed either writing something for the newsletter, or reading it! isaacl (talk) 02:23, 28 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I have compiled page view stats on the last four issues, omitting days for which the numbers were highly skewed by copy-editing. Unfortunately, due to scheduling, for most issues I haven't been able to avoid copy-editing on the day of release. As a baseline comparison, WikiProject Baseball/Style advice was viewed 22 times in October and 22 times so far in November, and WikiProject Baseball/Player style advice was viewed 31 times in October and 22 times so far in November. Thus even assuming some portion of these views are by search engine bots, we can estimate that on average the newsletter is viewed by one or two persons a day. This isn't too bad, considering...
 * ... based on the lack of response to the question I posed at WT:BASEBALL regarding outreach, it doesn't seem the newsletter is being used for its original stated purpose: as a recruiting tool.
 * Eight different editors have contributed to the newsletter: the top contributors have been Seattle, Go Phightins!, Wizardman, Spanneraol, and Newyorkadam (plus yours truly as the overall newsletter editor). The first four issues each had five contributors, the current high; July's issue had two.
 * The average size in bytes is approximately 10,000. Issues 1 and 3 are just shy of 15,000 bytes; issue 8 is approximately 6,700 bytes.

End-of-November 2014 edition
The planned release of the end-of-November edition of The Inside Corner is coming up fast: please submit your contributions soon! If you could leave a brief reply regarding your submission plans, I would appreciate it.

Additionally, though I am happy to continue in the newsletter editor role, I understand that different editorial approaches appeal to different persons, so if someone else would like to assume this mantle for some period of time, please step forward! isaacl (talk) 02:41, 28 November 2014 (UTC)
 * You've done a good job and I'm fine with you continuing in that role.. the dedication is certainly admired.. There are some issues with the newsletter though.. namely the narrow subscription base... are we basically doing this for ourselves and sending it to ourselves? Or are we trying to recruit new members or re-energize old members? Why did we decide not to send it out to all the active editors in the baseball project? Could have started with that and let people opt out rather than having them opt in.. would have helped with circulation and its still something that might be worth considering. Maybe for the xmas edition, we can do a year-end recap version and send it out to a wider group as a promotional tool.. what do you think? Spanneraol (talk) 02:24, 30 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I agree that we should make it opt-out rather than opt-in. Frankly, many people might not even be aware that it exists, and that is why they did not opt in. Frankly, I think it might be a good idea to combine the November issue (since there really isn't much going on right now) into a substantial end of the year issue that we can make sure is sufficiently substantial with all the areas covered to have a real nice newsletter to send out for Christmas. And you have been a fine editor, and I think you should continue in that role; if, however, it becomes too much or you want a break, I can edit an issue or two sporadically. Your call.  Go  Phightins  !  02:55, 30 November 2014 (UTC)
 * At this point in time, I'm not sure I'd be able to edit an edition for the end of December; I was considering moving the planned release date for the December edition to January. We could target mid-December, just after the winter meetings have wrapped up.
 * Regarding the subscription base: the impetus behind the newsletter(*) was to use it as a recruiting tool for new members. Accordingly, at the bottom of each newsletter there are instructions on how to transclude a snapshot of the newsletter summary on a user's talk page. I also wrote an article on welcoming new editors, where I described using the newsletter as a way to greet potential project members, and I placed a link to this article on the WikiProject Baseball outreach page. Each edition is publicized on the WikiProject Baseball discussion page, with a link to subscribe, so I think all project regulars should be aware of the newsletter.
 * Personally, I'm not comfortable with an opt-out approach, as the examples of this I've seen on Wikipedia have often resulted in a strong negative reaction from some editors. There hasn't been a single comment on the newsletter at the project discussion page since its first issue, which I believe is indicative of a disinterested attitude: I think most participants in WikiProject Baseball don't have much of an opinion about the newsletter either way. The stats do suggest that the newsletter is being read, so I think project members are finding their way to it, even if they haven't signed up on the mailing list.
 * If the project talk page had more traffic, then the project news summary in the newsletter might offer a convenient way to catch up on project discussions, but over the 2014 season, the number of discussion threads each month has been relatively low. I think the editor spotlight feature started by Go Phightins! is a good way to show some appreciation for regular project members, as is the list of promoted content. Perhaps we can think of some other ways to recognize good work being done? isaacl (talk) 07:32, 30 November 2014 (UTC)
 * (*) I just reviewed the discussion from earlier this year, and realized it was not as clear-cut as I had thought. The newsletter was originally created as part of the Outreach department, though, and thus this revival has continued as part of editor outreach. My personal feeling is that the time spent on the newsletter is primarily justified by how it may help in attracting editors to the project. It could also serve as a way for subgroups and task forces to report updates, but at present, the project discussion page seems sufficient. isaacl (talk) 08:11, 30 November 2014 (UTC)

I am featuring Eric as our editor spotlight this month, which got me to thinking ... it would be fun, and I think our project has the maturity to handle, to have a "WP:BASEBALL Hall of Fame", where we could "enshrine" editors on a monthly or quarterly basis for "lifetime achievements" to the project ... our own little Cooperstown (probably as close as any of us will ever get ). Thoughts?  Go  Phightins  !  23:02, 1 December 2014 (UTC)
 * Interesting idea? How would you decide whom to nominate for this honor and would the entire project vote on it? I think monthly would be too often as you'd run out of qualified candidates fairly quickly I'd think.  Spanneraol (talk) 23:24, 1 December 2014 (UTC)
 * I generally throw ideas out there before getting too specific :-)
 * I would think it might be a function of The Inside Corner staff, perhaps, to review, and perhaps WP:BASEBALLers to nominate privately? Not really sure -- maybe we could have a rotating selection committee or something.  Go  Phightins  !  23:41, 1 December 2014 (UTC)
 * You could have a page for people to post nominations and then a second round where the membership votes.. I don't know how you can really do it privately on wikipedia.. I'd suggest having a rule that nominees have to have been active for at least five years and you cant nominate yourself.  This subject might need to be switched over to the main project page for further discussion as its more than just a newsletter thing. Spanneraol (talk) 00:12, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
 * I suggest something simpler: perhaps an "All-Star" gallery where anyone who awards The Baseball Barnstar can list the recipient. isaacl (talk) 02:01, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
 * We can hash out the semantics, but I think that we should have a way to recognize long term excellence in baseball contributions, hence my thoughts for the Hall of Fame.  Go  Phightins  !  02:41, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
 * The problem with any recognition that goes beyond a single person's arbitrary judgment is there's a potential to unintentionally upset someone. I was reading the talk page of the Wiki Cup recently; the discussion on trying to adjust the scoring to be more equitable, for some definition of that word, is quite intense. I think the editor spotlight feature is a good low-key way to give kudos to a long-term contributor, showcasing their achievements to project members. How about continuing to work on making this a regular feature? The nice thing One nice aspect is that interviews aren't time sensitive, for the most part, so we can bank them for future publication. isaacl (talk) 04:04, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
 * I appreciated the recognition of the spotlight feature. It was a nice surprise. I can see both sides in this Hall of Fame idea. Do we know if any other WikiProjects have unique ways of recognizing long-term contributions? EricEnfermero  HOWDY! 04:42, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
 * I want to heed caution with a "Hall-of-Fame" entry, it slights users who have contributed meaningfully to the Project and it seems, honestly, slightly arrogant. I support the "editor spotlight" section, and echo isaacl's statement above. Seattle (talk) 06:12, 2 December 2014 (UTC)

Post 2014 winter meetings edition
As discussed above, the November edition has been postponed to be combined with the December edition. I have currently planned the release for December 14, which will be shortly after the end of the winter meetings, so typically there will be a bunch of player transactions and speculation in the news. During this off-season, you might want to solicit help for your favourite areas of improvement; it might be something in Mobushgu's Baseball Mountain or some of your favourite players/teams. Maybe you can write about a day at the ballpark, or your TV game-watching routine, to help everyone remember why we're baseball fans. How about talking about some of the upcoming Hall of Fame candidates, which might inspire some sprucing up of their articles? We can always use more blurbs for featured articles and pictures as well, which can be queued up for future issues. If you plan to contribute, please leave a reply to this message. Thanks to everyone for their edits to Wikipedia! isaacl (talk) 01:37, 6 December 2014 (UTC)
 * What is the link to where we are drafting this edition?  Go  Phightins  !  03:04, 6 December 2014 (UTC)
 * On the WikiProject Baseball/Outreach/Newsletter desk page, see the section, "Next issue". isaacl (talk) 03:08, 6 December 2014 (UTC)

Calling all contributors: will you be able to submit something today? Thanks! isaacl (talk) 20:02, 13 December 2014 (UTC)
 * I did an interview with Eric that I can submit ... not sure how much other time I'll have.  Go  Phightins  !  20:17, 13 December 2014 (UTC)

January 2015 edition
Do you have a pet project you've been trying to complete? This quiet period is the perfect time to pick it up, dust it off, and plug away at it. Perhaps we can get everyone to write up a few sentences about their backburner initiatives, and draw in a few more people to help out? It may also be nice to feature the newest members of the Hall of Fame: let's see if we can get the project members to spruce up their Wikipedia articles.

Feel free to chime in with your own ideas about what the next newsletter edition can cover. If you have something you plan to submit, please write a short reply. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 13:19, 15 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Note all of the regular sections of the newsletter can use contributors: project news, baseball news (Around the Horn), and the article and photo showcase. If you're interested, please write a quick reply, and go ahead and add your content to the newsletter draft. isaacl (talk) 14:22, 18 January 2015 (UTC)

2015 pre-season edition
With pitchers and catchers having reported, and full squad workouts just around the corner, it's time for the pre-season edition of the WikiProject Baseball newsletter! Contributors in all the regular departments are needed: project news, featured articles and picture, and baseball news. Do you have a team or player you'd like to spotlight? Perhaps you'd like to cover your team's up-and-coming prospects? Please write a quick reply to this note if you are thinking of contributing. Thanks! isaacl (talk) 13:23, 24 February 2015 (UTC)
 * As there isn't any content submitted, the pre-season issue is delayed; can any one planning to submit something please respond? Thanks. isaacl (talk) 21:43, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Hi Isaac, sorry ... I have been quite busy with The Signpost. Let's see; my week this week is jam-packed, but the week after that, I could potentially look into something. Nothing has been submitted at this point?  Go  Phightins  !  22:04, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
 * I've been super busy lately.. but might be able to help out in another week or so... why dont we skip the march issue and do something that comes out around opening day? Spanneraol (talk) 22:18, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Subject to availability constraints, of course (the newsletter is more of "kind of nice thing to get done" rather than "must come out now"), my personal preference would be to keep to a regular rhythm. Surely someone would like to wax poetic about the prospects of their favourite team at this point, when all teams are starting out even in the standings and hope springs eternal? Last year, we released the first issue on opening day, which established a last Sunday of the month schedule. We could play around with the release dates a bit: perhaps a spring training issue on March 8 or March 15, and an opening day issue on April 5? Then we could resume a last Sunday of the month schedule or switch to first Sunday of the month (last Sunday for some reason seemed to work out well for me for most months last year, but of course who knows what it'll be like this year). isaacl (talk) 23:26, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, there isn't much about which to wax poetic related to the Phillies, although I did try earlier today :-)  Go  Phightins  !  02:02, 2 March 2015 (UTC)

Can anyone planning to contribute to the March 15 edition please do so today? Thanks! isaacl (talk) 14:24, 14 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Drat. I am sorry, Isaac, I meant to pull something together this weekend, and, well, now it is Sunday night and I have not done so. I apologize. Is there anything I can do tomorrow afternoon EST to help?  Go  Phightins  !  03:01, 16 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Start on the season opener edition? :-P You can include predictions again, or anything else that tickles your fancy. (The pre-season version is out the door and should be delivered soon.) isaacl (talk) 03:03, 16 March 2015 (UTC)