Social media’s prominence in society has added a new layer to many free agency pursuits. But when it comes to cryptic posts that might tip off where a high-profile player might land, Jeff Passan remains unmoved.
Appearing on Sportsnet on Wednesday night, the ESPN MLB insider discussed the latest internet breadcrumbs, in which Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw posted a since-deleted picture of a Kyle Tucker jersey. But while many took Straw’s post as a sign that the 4-time All-Star will soon be signing with Toronto, Passan isn’t holding his breath.
“Never before has one of those posts I’ve ever seen led to an actual scoop,” he said. “Now, it’s going to happen. Like, it is bound to happen at some point in my life and I’ll sit there and say I was an idiot for not chasing it.
“But there are only 24 hours in a day. And I take those hours, I look at them as extraordinarily valuable. If I waste one of those chasing an Instagram post that gets deleted on the small chance that maybe it means something, frankly, I’m probably just not very good at my job and should have just gotten better sources that would have told me instead of relying on Myles Straw.”
Passan’s stance is certainly strong journalistically, although he may be selling the internet sleuths short here. Look no further than in his hometown of Cleveland, where several social media clues preceded LeBron James’ return to the Cavaliers in 2014.
Still, Passan’s comments remain noteworthy, especially considering his status as the preeminent MLB insider. After all, if you want to be named Awful Announcing’s Insider of the Year, you’re going to have to do more than just rely on Myles Straw’s Instagram for free agency updates.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.