Welcome to The Long Game

Here we go.

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock

Some news!

Today I am launching The Long Game, a thrice-weekly (or more) newsletter about baseball and life.

In the five years since my book came out, I’ve been searching for a creative outlet that lets me continue to write about baseball but also allows me to write about other topics that interest me. The Athletic was great for the former but not the latter. Baseball continues to occupy a large portion of my brain, and that will never change. This newsletter will reflect that. But I’ve also written about other adventures, like that time I did pilates with Kerry Washington, spent an afternoon with Aquaman, and watched J Lo dance in a warehouse in the Valley. The Long Game will make room for fun experiences like this as well.

If my Twitter feed has taught me anything, it’s that human beings respond better to authenticity than anything else. I can tell you that right now my plan is to write one post a week on what’s happening in MLB, one post a week on what’s happening with the Dodgers, and one profile a week on a human being I find super interesting—but these topics are subject to change based on what’s happening in the world, or in my life. I’m forever interested in writing about mental health because that’s a topic that affects all of us. You can expect to read many posts on how athletes and other people in the spotlight cope with the pressure of being human while they’re expected to be superhuman. I will also write honestly about whatever I’m going through. I became a writer because I want people to feel less alone. Shining a light on what it means to be human, even in extraordinary circumstances, is my true north.

The Long Game will also be a place where like-minded humans can gather and form a community. I hope my subscribers will post in the comments often, with the understanding that trolling and disrespect of others will not be tolerated.

I believe that Substack and other platforms like it represent the future for writers, because they allow readers to send their hard earned money directly to the writers they want to read, cutting out the middleman. Making the jump from traditional media to this format is essential for both my creativity and my mental health, which are inextricably linked. You can help alleviate the financial anxiety that comes with taking this leap by subscribing.

For the full experience—three newsletters a week plus the occasional bonus issue—I’m asking you to support me directly, paying $6 a month or $50 a year. You’ll get each issue of The Long Game delivered to your inbox. You’ll also be able to read my posts online and participate in subscriber-only community threads.

For those of you who want access to quarterly zooms where you can ask me anything you want about baseball, celebs I interview, my dog, how to break into sports journalism, or anything else, I’m offering that for $200 a year.

And for those of you who enjoy my writing but are unable to subscribe, do not worry! One issue a week will be completely free. For the last five years nearly everything I’ve written has been behind a paywall. As a writer, I know what it’s like to be broke, and as a reader, I understand the frustration of getting those “this is your last free article” messages. It’s important to me that at least some of my work is accessible for all. I do hope you’ll consider becoming a paying subscriber later, if you can afford it. But if you can’t I completely understand and I’ve still got you.

I’m so excited to get started. I hope you will join me on this journey. I can’t do it without you.

<3

-mk