Baird on Blogs

In the midst of interviewing a couple of Royals players for newspaper assignments I was working on last week, I ran into Allard Baird before the May 13 game against the Devil Rays. So I turned on my recorder and did a two minute impromtu interview with him about Royals blogs.

Q. Are you familiar with any of the KC Royals blogs online?

A. No.

Q. So do you avoid them because of the scrutiny? Or some other reason?

A. Not because of the scrutiny. I think it's very unfair—just like talk shows to me, reading the local newspaper, I think as human beings, no matter how you feel about something—you hear something over and over and over and over. And when things are going good, you're not as good as they are saying. You can't let that factor in. And when things are going bad, you're not as bad as they are saying and you can't let it influence you. I think no matter who you are as a human being, I think the more you hear that stuff, I just don't believe in doing it.

I read the national papers. Obviously I go to a lot of sites to gather information about clubs and everything.

But I think [blogs] are great for the fans. I think they are good for the industry. I think they are outstanding and I see a lot of value to them. Because you [as the blogger] may look at something in a more valued way of a fan rather than a journalist, and you may be able to get them that piece of information.

But for me to go in there doesn't make sense.