Source
r/baseball•
thedeejus

Let's talk about post titles

Notice

Hey everybody, just wanted to take some time to talk about making good post titles.

#Make the post be easy to search for if you're trying to find it later

Here are some terrible titles the likes of which come up a lot:

  • I can't even

  • Oh Jose, don't ever change

  • Is he safe or out?

  • Can you believe what that moron just said? Disgusting.

  • We are all witnesses

  • Good Guy Curtis Granderson

Please, never do these horrid things. Avoid vagueness, cliches, memes, sensationalistic, overly editorialized or clickbait-type language wherever possible. Take a second to think: If I want to find this post in one year, am I going to be able to? If someone tries to submit this same post in 3 minutes, will they know that it's already been submitted? If it's a discussion, are we going to be able to have a fair and balanced discourse, or have you biased the conversation?

Clever titles are totally fine and it's OK to have some fun with them, just make sure they contain the right key words, and that you can tell what's going on in the post.

#Avoid using time-sensitive terms such as "tonight", "tomorrow" or "X just happened"

Oh, Mike Trout just made a great play, did he? What happens nine hours later when someone sees your post?

  • Bad: "Mike Trout just made a great catch!"

  • Great: "Mike Trout makes a terrific 4th inning catch"

  • Generally speaking, just avoid the word "just" in posts just to refer to something that just happened - it's only useful for just a couple minutes.

Is there an AMA by your team's AA mascot tonight in your team's sub? Give the exact time and location, and explain who it is if they're not a household name.

  • Bad: "Stenchy AMA tomorrow at 8!" Who's Stenchy? When is tomorrow, what if someone is in another time zone where it's a different day? What time, 8AM or 8PM, in what time zone?

  • Great: "AA Fort Wayne Drungos mascot Stenchy AMA Thursday, April 28th at 8PM MT in r/drungos !"

#Be clear about which person is being mentioned, especially if he has a common last name or it's otherwise confusing for any reason

There are over 1,000 players, managers, coaches, and other people of interest in MLB, and sometimes there are more than one with the same name - make sure that a fan of any team will know exactly who you're talking about. Also bear in mind that not everyone will know every pet nickname that's common knowledge in your fanbase.

  • Bad: Pirates sign LHP Miller

  • Great: Pirates sign LHP Andrew Miller

  • Bad: Crawford to DL with back stiffness

  • Great: Dodgers' Crawford to DL with back stiffness

  • Bad: Mr. Stinky with the behind-the-back flip!

  • Great: Neil Walker with the behind-the-back-flip!

Even if you're just quoting someone else's headline or tweet, it's totally fine to toss in some clarifying details in brackets.

Also, please, take a minute to make sure you're spelling peoples' names right. It not only makes you not look dumb, but also makes your post searchable in the future.

Posted Apr 28, 2016, 1:25 PM UTC · edited

14895
ajwhite98New York Yankees•

Great: Pirates sign LHP Andrew Miller

Could you not.

141
admirableorimpishPittsburgh Pirates•

I'm semi-erect from the very sight of that sentence

34
YoureprobablygayBoston Red Sox•

I was semi erect until I read your comment. Now I'm fully

1
harriswillOakland Athletics•

In the rule wiki section about twitter, there's an example that says:

[Rosenthal] Harper to Blue Jays. 20 years, $1billion

12
skoolhouserockToronto Blue Jays•

$1 Billion Canadian or USD? I'm fine either way, just curious.

4
PSChris33Toronto Blue Jays•

It could be a billion Euros or British Pounds, I don't care. I'm content with that either way.

2
PqqtonePittsburgh Pirates•

You can have Melancon back...

2†
[deleted]•

As a Pirate and Yankee fan I don't know how to feel...

1
TeddyWinsWashington Nationals•

Suggestion: we become like r/me_irl

All posts are now submitted with the title Baseball_irl and we let the crowd upvote what they want

71
StanleyLelnatsNew York Mets•

I for one would love r/baseball_irl

31
MispellingWalgreens•

Patiently waiting for it to be created...

9
Above_Average_GuySt. Louis Cardinals•

And there it is!

9
RHODODENDRONbelpsbyToronto Blue Jays•

And it's already awesome.

7
MazzocchiNew York Mets•

That's a good idea, but are there enough dank self-depreciating, and/or communist baseball images out there to warrant a whole sub?

13
pepperouchauMilwaukee Brewers•

>tfw the proletariat doesn't control the means of run production

9
simboislandSan Diego Padres•

Let's say yes

7
FakePlasticAlexDetroit Tigers•

April 28th at 8PM MT

Hoo yah Mountain Time.

47
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

enjoy your time in the spotlight - it's all downhill from here.

because you're on a mountain.

88
TeddyWinsWashington Nationals•

I love mountain jokes! You've certainly peaked my interest

14
flykesselToronto Blue Jays•

I have to say this pun thread is a slipery slope

8
ATLjoe93Atlanta Braves•

Actually, it has elevated our level of thought.

8
Sir_Bass13Tampa Bay Rays•

I expect there to be an avalanche of puns when I get back

7
Hugo_HackenbushColorado Rockies•

Where games start at a reasonable hour and usually end before 11. Mountain time is best time.

5
FakePlasticAlexDetroit Tigers•

Overall, I really like it. But there are things I miss about the living in the Eastern Time Zone. One thing that I really enjoyed was watching baseball overnight. You know, the game starts at 10 and usually ends a littler after 1 so it feels like nothing else is going on in the world, it's dark, it's quiet, and there's a ball game on.
Not that I watched every game of a Tigers West Coast trip, but a few times a year it was a really cool experience.

EDIT: a word

6
Senor_MetNew York Mets•

Walking through the woods at midnight listening to baseball is the best part of living on the east coast

I've only done it once

3
FakePlasticAlexDetroit Tigers•

I've never done that, but there's nothing more relaxing than overnight baseball.

1
jfoster15Colorado Rockies•

Mountain time is best time

3
leftyloganLos Angeles Dodgers•

Arizona time best time. No daylight savings time master race

4
desmondhasabarrowCincinnati Reds•

But daylight savings time lets it stay light out until 8:30 or so. I wish it was daylight savings time all the time.

4
Teb-TenggeriArizona Diamondbacks•

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS IS FOR PEOPLE TOO WEAK MINDED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CHANGES

8
limited-papertrailChicago White Sox•

I wanna see more click bait. /s.

"FIVE Tricks A Certain Team Is Using To Surprise Their Division"

37
dvorakkiddToronto Blue Jays•

"You'll never believe what these MLB sluggers do to prepare for day games!"

Seriously, I'd click.

16
aweinschenkerNew York Yankees•

They pee on their hands.

Saved you a click.

9
flagamuffinSt. Louis Cardinals•

A) the B) Cardinal C) way

D and E are irrelevant

edit: actually D and E are aledmys diaz

3
NJ_Yankees_FanNew York Yankees•

"Goose Gossage hates him: Use these tricks to lead the league in homers"

3
Andewz111New York Yankees•

Number 3 will blow your mind!

1
p-wingSan Francisco Giants•
  • Bad: Crawford to DL with back stiffness
  • Great: Dodgers' Crawford to DL with back stiffness

OH GOD NO oh wait this is good news

20
AugugLos Angeles Dodgers•

again?

1
sapeetapottusAtlanta Braves•

RIP John Coffey

1
leftyloganLos Angeles Dodgers•

Oh Meowy, don't ever change. We are all witness to Meowy not being like that good guy Curtis Granderson. I can't even right now.

I can't believe this moron just said that.

19
naaahhmanLos Angeles Angels•

Your title is lacking a time/date.

19
Constant_Gardner11New York Yankees•

"I can't even. We are all witnesses. Good guy Colon JUST made an unbelievable tag. (But is the runner safe or out?) Oh Col0n, don't ever change. (But can you believe what that moron broadcaster just though? Disgusting.)"

17
CydoniaKnightCalifornia Angels•

Avoid vagueness, cliches, memes, sensationalistic, overly editorialized or clickbait-type language wherever possible.

Let's talk about post titles

This seems vague.

12
GavinMcGBaltimore Orioles•

First, integrate into the existing culture. Then, work to change it from within.

Devious.

3
CrustyMToronto Blue Jays•

Your thoughts on Accidents for Drilling rig machine part 1?

11
cptclicheCal Ripken•

I'm personally excited for the prequel.

10
anatabolicaSan Francisco Giants•

Neil Walker is Mr. Stinky?

10
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

he is now

23
giobbistar21New York Mets•

That makes literally no sense coming from you.

-7
jfoster15Colorado Rockies•

Is he safe or out?

To be fair, I said, "Is Garneau safe or out?"

Totally different

10
Jhacker111Chicago Cubs•

"Oh Padres, never change: Miller to DL after he just got HBP."

Am I doing this right?

10
mwagner26Seattle Mariners•

r/drungos isn't real. A little part of me died.

7
[deleted]•

^^^^Look ^^^^Again

4
mwagner26Seattle Mariners•

Dank.

2
gynocerosNew York Mets•

I'm gonna good guy Curtis Granderson if I goddamned feel like good guy Curtis Grandersonning.

Can we stop using the hash symbol just because it's in the tweet, though?

5
hoaxonerNew York Mets•

It's a pound sign! Jesus you young whippersnappers changing the definition of things! We need to play the game the right way without batflips and with proper decorum! This is why Harper is a bum! Be more like good guy Curtis Granderson!

I just...can't even right now.

5
growingupsuxSt. Louis Cardinals•

It's very clearly a sharp. 𝄞 # ♭ ♪ ♬

8
JasosStinkyBallcapPittsburgh Pirates•

It's an octothorpe!

7
nicholieeeeBaltimore Orioles•

I believe the correct term is tic tac toe board.

11
gynocerosNew York Mets•

I'm 41. It was a pound sign to me before it was a hash when I learned about those in a C++ class way before Twitter.

When it's used to denote pounds, I'll call it a pound sign.

When it's used to reference hashes, I'll call it a hash symbol.

3
mevans93308Los Angeles Dodgers•

My professors always called it a pound sign. "Don't forget to pound include..."

2
MinoripriestNew York Mets•

Because of that, I do too.

Just, make sure you don't call it C pound.

2
cptclicheCal Ripken•

It was a number sign first!

2
destinybondMiami Marlins•

I really like this one. What's the initialization period gonna be like for this one? When will posts be removed because of it?

5
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

We probably won't REMOVE any posts unless the title is especially bad - we'll probably just stick with flair-shaming for now

20
moeburnToronto Blue Jays•

Is this all for searchability? How often do you actually search through old posts?

2
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

When submitting a new post, you should always search to make sure no one else has already submitted it.

As far as search for months-to-years-old posts, yeah that comes up less often, but I personally still do it kind of a lot, and I bet some other people do too.

3
moeburnToronto Blue Jays•

But... either the link url will be flagged as "this has been posted before", or you'll be able to see it in the new feed, or if it's old enough that you don't see it, it doesn't matter if people have already submitted it, new people might want to see it for the first time.

Honestly this all seems like the rantings of an anal retentive neat freak.

1
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

People often try to submit the same story from different sites. In fact, sometimes it's the exact same article but with a different tag in the URL (&sourceid=PFL) because they arrived at the page from different links, and the alert will fail. The URL duplicate alert isn't very reliable.

and yes, the rest of the things you're saying are true if the title is good. If you're trying to submit a .gif of Adrian Beltre dancing, and someone else submitted it "LOL get a load of this guy!" 30 seconds ago, you'll submit it again because you have no way of knowing it had already been submitted, and then one of us has to delete the post, and then explain to you why it got deleted when you complain about it in modmail. If they title it "LOL get a load of Adrian Beltre dancing!" then you won't submit it in the first place.

6
applepiedestroyerNew York Yankees•

Can you add not to add wildly speculative titles like this one

2
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

I'd say that's covered by "sensationalized"

4
clutchyballHouston Astros•

TBH, that wasn't "wildly" speculative. Announcers seemed to think it was fractured and the way he reacted at first base helped with that. I'll admit it was speculative, though.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
NonSequiturGuy1New York Mets•

If I ever get the most upvotes in a Friday Trash Talk Thread, can I have immunity from Mod rules for like an hour or something?

1
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

There aren't really rules but since you asked sure, once

2
NonSequiturGuy1New York Mets•

Yay

1
thedeejusOPHasta la Klubsta, baby•

I get to decide the hour though

1
NonSequiturGuy1New York Mets•

Tough negotiator. Deal. If this becomes a thing, I want it named after me. the "/u/NonSequiturGuy1 Trash Talk Thread Winner Thread" or something.

1