(L-R) DETROIT – OCTOBER 22: Christian Petersen, Mike Heiman, Chris Chambers and Brandon Lopez prepare before game 2 of the 2006 World Series in the media room at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
From an editing stand point game two could not have gone better. The photos were great, the game was interesting and we were dry and warm, unlike our coworkers outside taking the pictures. Sure they get the better seats and sure they get to take all those amazing photos but on a night like last night I was just fine with the role I was playing.
The game started off with a little controversy after TV announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver started talking about a discoloration on the throwing hand of Tigers starting pitcher Kenny Rogers. It was all they talked about for the beginning part of the game and they kept on showing it. Major League Baseball has very strict rules about pitchers using substances like dirt or pine tar to affect the spin they put on their pitches and the announcers were speculating that the coloring on Rogers hand may in fact be an illegal substance.
Situations like this always make the job of editor interesting for a few reasons. The first is that by the time it becomes clear what may be a big story it is to late to inform the photographers to shoot it. Since they are on the field and not parked in front of a TV like we are they don’t always know what the side stories are.
The second is that an angle like this isn’t always the easiest for us to illustrate. It isn’t like we can walk up to the pitcher and say, “Excuse me Mr. Rogers can we see your left hand so we can take a picture of it.” The photographers have to do their best to illustrate the story from where they are sitting and we as editors have to make sure that we help tell that story by moving the correct pictures.
The third tricky part of a situation like this one is writing the caption. We need to move our photos in real time so our clients can see them as fast as possible. We cannot speculate as to what is on his throwing hand nor can we ask him. We have to take an objective view to what is going on and let our clients decide how they want to use the photos. In a case like this where the photo needs to move and our clients are waiting for it we just explain what we know is going on in the photo. Rogers is pitching in the first inning. That is all we can say for sure at the time we send the photo and that is all we put. Once we find out more we can resend our photos with a more detailed captions as you see in the first photo below.
DETROIT – OCTOBER 22: A detail of the left pitching hand of Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers is seen as he throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers won 3-1 to advance to tie the series 1-1. The discoloration on Rogers’ pitcher hand was brought into question during the first inning. Rogers was made to wash his hand before the second. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) 
DETROIT – OCTOBER 22: Home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez #72 talks to Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
In the end we came out with some great photos of the game and of Rogers that appeared on our client’s computers minutes after they actually happened.
DETROIT – OCTOBER 22: Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after getting out of the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Here are some links to some of our photos that were used online and some of our best post season photos so far.
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