Baseball Digest is Bigger, Better Than Ever

Written by: Mark Healey on 12th January 2010

Baseball Digest is Bigger, Better Than Ever | read this item

This past March, Baseball Digest, the oldest, continuously published baseball magazine in the United States launched its first-ever website dedicated to daily content. With a fully searchable archive on Google , an aggressive presence on Facebook and Twitter, as well as “Baseball Digest LIVE”, a highly-rated Internet Radio program, the American Pastime’s classic publication is enjoying a major brand resurgence.

This innovative and long-term vision has also resulted in another unprecented change; It is now a full-size magazine for the first time in its 68-year history. Beloved by generations of baseball fans, Norman Jacobs, the Publisher of Baseball Digest says the decision to increase the size of “the little book of baseball” was not easily made.

“Our readers have always been incredibly loyal,” said Jacobs, who has
run the magazine since 1969, “It was important to all of us to make
sure that our subscribers and advertisers would welcome the new
format, and they have.”

The award-winning content will remain the same as it has for decades;
the popular “Fans Speak Out” section where the longtime editors John
Kuenster and Bob Kuenster respond to readers’ letters. Original and
previously published articles from some of the best baseball writers
in the country will also continue to be a major feature in each issue.

Jesse Spector, who writes the popular “Touching Base” column for the
New York Daily News, will have one of his recent articles “Physical
Toughness Required” in the Jan/Feb issue.

“I still remember the first time my grandfather gave me a copy of
Baseball Digest, and how much I enjoyed it, learning the little bits
of trivia and getting introduced to players from around the majors,”
said Spector. “To see a story of mine appear in the pages of Baseball
Digest, all these years later, is both an honor and a thrill. And when
I think about a kid who might be reading the magazine for the first
time, and for that kid to have something I wrote be a part of his or
her introduction to baseball, well, that’s just humbling.”

The issue, now on sale (pictured, left), also includes:

• Warmup Tosses: Yankees complete long, challenging season by capturing their 27th World Series Title. By John Kuenster, Editor-in-Chief

• All-Star Rookie Team: Our annual selections of top first-year players by position headed by Rick Porcello and Chris Coghlan. By George Vass

• Player of the Year: The honor goes to Twins catcher Joe Mauer who won his third batting title with a .365 mark. By Barry M. Bloom

• Pitcher of the Year: Despite playing for a last-place team, Royals
right-hander Zack Greinke was game’s best hurler . By Dick Kaegel

• Baseball Profile — B.J. Upton: Tampa Bay Rays outfielder shares some of his thoughts about the game and his personal life. By Rick Sorci

• Plays That Make Baseball Great: Ten situations that heighten the interest of fans, keeping them on the edge of their seats. By Larry Stone

• Once-In-A-Lifetime: Players who had only one World Series at-bat during their careers share their memories of the event. By Bob Kuenster, Managing Editor

Baseball Digest is published six times a year and has a circulation of 125,000. You can subscribe by clicking here.

Mark Healey is the Online Editor for Baseball Digest

Topics: American Pastime, Baseball Digest, Baseball Fans, Baseball Magazine, Baseball Writers, Classic Publication, Facebook, Feb Issue, Google, Internet Radio Program, Little Bits, Long Term Vision, New York Daily News, Norman Jacobs, Physical Toughness, Readers Letters, Resurgence, Searchable Archive, Spector, twitter, York Daily News

Scott Allen says:

January 12, 2010 at 2:49 pm

The size changing from the small size will ensure I and several friends no longer re-new our subscription to Baseball Digest. The small size made the digest great to take anywhere with you. Why weren’t the most loyal readers polled? So long to the digest.
Mark Healey says:

January 12, 2010 at 3:44 pm

Scott,

First of all, thank you for your comments and for your readership. Unfortunately, as Mr. Jacobs states in the current issue, things are very difficult in the magazine industry at the moment. Going full-size was the only way to improve both ad and newsstand sales. We certainly hope you reconsider.
Jeremy says:

January 12, 2010 at 4:30 pm

It’s a stretch I think to say that there has been enough feedback from readers to say that they have welcomed the new format. I only got my issue this week. I have no doubt that advertisers love it as the ads have to be bigger. I understand that reason for it, but it is somewhat shocking and I for one loved the smaller size. BD seems less substantial in its larger size. But at the end of the day it is content that sells. I still have every BD I’ve ever received and I know when I stop ordering my son will pick it up. And so on, and so on.
Jimmy Scott says:

January 13, 2010 at 6:08 am

I got my new issue two days ago and was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t expect it to be the size of a regular magazine. Sometimes, change is good. This is one of those times. I can still take it anywhere with me, (that was kind of a lame excuse not to renew, don’t you think?) but my choice is generally the bathroom. I do most of my important reading in there.
Bob Gorinski says:

January 15, 2010 at 9:16 am

Don’t mind the size change. It did appear the content was lacking in the issue. Seemed like a half-hearted effort at putting a good content filled issue out…kind of mailed it in. With just 6 issues a year that was disappointing and has me questioning my renewal decision.
Joe says:

January 17, 2010 at 12:45 pm

Very unhappy when the new-sized BD arrived. The smaller size was long part of BD’s charm and uniqueness; the new size is sadly generic. I understand the economic climate, however, and will remain a subscriber.
Phil says:

January 17, 2010 at 7:35 pm

Don’t think I will get used too the new size. Why ruin a good thing? Will probably not renew. Of course they will say the readers love the new size.
Jim Bahler says:

January 19, 2010 at 12:16 am

I’ve been purchasing Baseball Digest since 1961, and I’ve bought most of the back issues I could afford, to where I’m missing less than 40. Was I shocked by the change when the new issue arrived? Sure! But, after watching the number of issues per year drop from 12 to 10 and on and on,now to 6, I’m much more concerned about Baseball Digest’s continuing existence than I am it’s size. If this size gets the magazine back into the Barnes & Nobles and the Borders bookstores, and can eventually get back to as many as 12 issues per year, won’t we all be happier? Do those of you who mutter about not resubscribing really want to see the only regularly published baseball magazine die? Now, if they’d only reinstate the scouting report in the March/April issue, I’ll be very satisfied.
Wiseguy says:

January 20, 2010 at 10:34 pm

I liked the old size of the magazine but what I really enjoy is the content. Magazines and newspapers are struggling to survive so may I suggest that if you are a loyal reader or subscriber, please learn to adapt, improvise and overcome. The size of this magazine doesn’t matter as long as the quality continues. I love Baseball and I love Baseball Digest. JMO