We continue our series on “the glue guys” (and gals!) of the baseball world, people who aren’t players or a part of teams but who are important connectors and folks who amplify the joy of baseball for others.
There is an extreme lack of in-depth coverage of Minor League Baseball, and I feel as though I give an unparalleled look at the Yankees system that allows fans to be excited about the future.
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Next up, and the youngest to be featured on the series, is @elijfishman.
Eli, now studying sports media as a Freshman at Ithaca College while logging hours covering the Yankees minor league baseball affiliates, was kind enough to sit down with us to talk about his start as a teen baseball reporter and his passion of covering MiLB.
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Good Men Project Sports:
When did you start doing what it is you do and why?
Eli Fishman:
I began writing and reporting as young as 11 years old, covering the Seton Hall University baseball team for my own website, which I called Talkin’ Ball.
Eventually, I started covering other teams, including my local Minor League Baseball team, the Somerset Patriots, who had always been independent. In 2020 they joined the New York Yankees farm system as their Double-A affiliate, which changed a lot for me.
I had been involved with the Yankees minor league system, going to Staten Island Yankees games back when they were an affiliate, and some minor league spring training games in Tampa.
Heading into the 2021 season I was covering the Somerset Patriots for Jersey Sporting News. I worked extremely hard to keep up with every single player in the system at every single affiliate as well. Early into the season I became extremely active on Twitter, sharing videos of players I took at games, as well as commentary on the system, and daily recaps of each affiliate.
I grew a bit of a following there, which has opened up some other doors for me, including having articles published by YES Network.
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GMP Sports:
What do you think you bring to the baseball fan-base – why has it been so successful?
Eli Fishman:
Yankees fans love their prospects, probably a bit too much.
There is an extreme lack of in-depth coverage of Minor League Baseball, and I feel as though I give an unparalleled look at the Yankees system that allows fans to be excited about the future.
Jasson Dominguez hits one into the night sky 💣 (via TikTok: jassondominguez ) pic.twitter.com/233cXUUHbA
— Eli Fishman (@elijfishman) February 4, 2022
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GMP Sports:
How do you do it? How much time do you put into it?
Eli Fishman:
I put a LOT of time into it. I covered well over 50 minor league games last summer, and it was pretty much a full time job for three months.
I love everything about baseball. It’s a game that’s so simple, yet so complicated.
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This past offseason, I probably averaged close to an hour working on content in some capacity daily.
Although that may not sound like much, that’s on top of working at my school radio station, TV station, playing club baseball, going to classes, and managing a social life.
During the season, it will go back to being my full time job covering the Yankees farm.
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GMP Sports:
What is your “real” job and how long have you been involved in the game of baseball?
Eli Fishman:
Well, I’m currently a student in my Freshman year at Ithaca College, studying sports media, so I guess that’s my “real” job.
I’ve been involved in the game of baseball as long as I can remember, starting with playing t-ball at age 5; I guess I just fell in love with it.
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GMP Sports:
Why baseball for you? What is it about the game of baseball that you love? What makes it bigger than ‘just a game’ for you?
Eli Fishman:
I never really know how to answer that question.
I love everything about baseball. It’s a game that’s so simple, yet so complicated.
There’s no other sport that creates as much controversy. Shifts, rule changes, player development, Moneyball, manager decisions, umpire calls.
Since my niche is Minor League Baseball, I would have to say improve minor league pay and conditions. They are slowly improving, but there is still a LONG way to go before players can live and play comfortably.
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Baseball is so unique in that it’s such a subjective game, and every play and every decision can be viewed with a different lens.
It’s also unique in that every player is different. No two players have the same stance, the same delivery, the same pitch repertoire. Heck, most pitchers hold the baseball in insanely different ways when they throw the same pitch.
It’s just so thought provoking and unique, that’s why I love it.
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GMP Sports:
One thing about baseball that you would change and one thing that you would never change?
Eli Fishman:
Since my niche is Minor League Baseball, I would have to say improve minor league pay and conditions. They are slowly improving, but there is still a LONG way to go before players can live and play comfortably.
A line drive base hit from Yankees 2021 1st round pick Trey Sweeney today pic.twitter.com/p3yF7a1jWU
— Eli Fishman (@elijfishman) March 18, 2022
This especially deals with players in Latin America who spend their life training to play professionally, forgoing an education, only to play for a couple of years making low wages before being cut and left with not even a high school diploma.
The general promotion of the game, specifically via social media, needs to improve, and it should be easier for fans to watch games. End TV blackouts.
One thing I wouldn’t change is the on-field pace of play. Don’t mess with pitcher/batter timing or the way the game was created in 1838. The game has done so well for a reason.
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GMP Sports:
Any ideas for what types of things baseball can do to better connect to its fans?
Eli Fishman:
End TV blackouts and lower the prices of tickets, jerseys, baseball cards, etc. It will be worth it for the growth of the game.
Players, teams, and the league need to improve their social media skills. Putting effort into content can give great insight to fans. Imagine how much the game would grow is Mike Trout did that?
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Also, players, teams, and the League need to improve their social media skills.
Unfortunately it has all gone to waste, but Trevor Bauer did an incredible job with social media, his YouTube!, and really showcasing his personality on and off the field.
Fans love that.
Bauer didn’t earn 500K followers on Twitter/Instagram and 400K YouTube! subscribers for his play on the field. He did because he put effort into his content and gave great insight to fans.
Imagine how much the game would grow if Mike Trout did that, or even just a team’s social media account did it.
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GMP Sports:
For this Series, we are focusing on people like yourself who aren’t players or a part of teams but who are important connectors, people who amplify the joy of baseball for others.
If I asked you to name one or two of those people, who would you name and why?
Eli Fishman:
There are so many. Jomboy Media is the first name that comes to mind. Jimmy and Jake have done an amazing job of serving as connectors.
[GMP Sports: We know. That’s why @Jomboy_ was the first in this Series!]
Sports broadcasters play SUCH an important role in the game and its development as well.
Growing up in New York, Michael Kay, Ken Singleton, Suzyn Waldman, John Sterling, and Gary Cohen were the voices of my childhood, and connected the game for me. ESPN’s Jeff Passan is another name that pops to mind.
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Photo Credit: @elijfishman (Twitter – screencap – with permission); all images and embedded Tweets, with Eli’s permission.