Sure, the season’s over for the Colorado Rockies, but that doesn’t mean our baseball coverage is. In fact, now is the perfect opportunity to do wacky stuff or spend a month analyzing a topic without worrying about the statistics updating each day. Believe me, I and the other writers will be indulging in quite a bit of that. Wanna join us?

We are looking for additional writers provided it is a good match. At Rockies Zingers, we tend towards lengthy posts (we average around 1500+ words per post) mixing in a fair amount of analysis with an emphasis on sabermetrics and some of the more advanced metrics. We also throw in a dash of silliness. So, while journalism skills are definitely of interest, we’re also interested in creative writing skills and analytics. In other words, we want more stats and we want more laughs. That being said, we also realize that no one (myself included) can write that length on a daily basis. So, we’re looking to add a few more writers.

The basic requirements are:

During the offseason, a submission a week though there is flexibility to take some time off for the holidays, family time, back aches and concerts (Permission required if the concert is an ex-Disney personality).

Once the season picks up, ideally I’d like two posts a week, but there may be flexibility on that.

No profanity (and yeah, sometimes it can be hard to do comedy without a swear word or too, but that just means you need to be creatively funny.)

An ability to either make deadlines or provide sufficient warning that you’re running late.

Some of the general areas I am looking for (in no particular order):

People who are interested in doing our “regular features” which include Rooftop Deck Summaries, Series Previews and Series Recaps. J.J. Buck and Adam Peterson did a great job establishing a format and it’d be good to have some backup for them (Note: This is great for people interested in getting writing experience).

People who are interested in doing baseball comedy/parody. Think NotGraphs-esque… without the profanity.

People who are interested in doing minor league coverage.

People who are interested in writing long-form posts with analysis and silliness.

People who are interested in the fan experience. Reviewing things at Coors Field, interviewing fans and the like… which is hard to do in the offseason, but we can plan ahead.

And hey, if you want to pitch an idea as a regular feature, by all means, please do so!

I am pretty hands-on where I provide feedback on a draft with things that “must change” and “general suggestions”. That being said, writers have control over their topic choice and are encouraged to write about whatever topic that interests them so long as it pertains to the Colorado Rockies. I don’t require exclusivity (You can write for other sites about non-Rockies stuff).

This is an unpaid position and though we are affiliated with ESPN, we do not “work” for ESPN…. but we still get a few neat perks from it. You will also have the opportunity to see your name in the Power Rankings section of ESPN and have your articles linked on ESPN once the season starts back up. It may also be eligible for internship (and if so, contact your college then tell me what I need to do). We also have the possibility of getting media credentials with the Colorado Rockies and their minor league affiliates.

To apply, please send an email to me at [email protected] Attention to Richard Bergstrom with the subject “Writers Wanted”

Please include the following information:

1. Your name and the city/state/country you live in.

2. A short personal bio that should include a bit about your background, education and interests in and out of baseball.

3. What baseball sites and Rockies blogs do you visit and why?

4. Describe, briefly and in your own words, what is the metric “FIP” as if I have no idea what FIP is. Explain what FIP is useful for.

5. What is your favorite baseball metric or statistic and why?

6. Who is one of your favorite baseball writers and why?

7. What are your short-term and long-term goals in sports writing?

8. Why are you interested in writing specifically for Rockies Zingers?

9. Of the “general areas” listed that I am looking for, which appeal to you and why?

Please attach a resume or curriculum vitae and any writing samples you wish to submit which you think shows a style that blends well with Rockies Zingers.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

– Richard Bergstrom, Editor/Head Writer