A view from the reporter's chair

Ken Davidoff of Newsday.com offers us a pretty unique, frank and open view of what the challenges the beat writers face with regards to rumors and scuttlebutt. Pretty darn interesting.

Best parts of the read were the behind-the-scenes stories about Pettitte's signing with Houston in the Winter of 2003 and the whole Sheffield saga of that same off-season. And I still wish we let Sheff walk to get Vlad instead. Sheff's story was awesomely funny:

Here's the kicker: Because the Yankees didn't submit the paperwork for the deal - in the effort to deceive the Braves - it wasn't yet an official contract. And the moody Sheffield decided, in early December, that he was worth more. He started threatening to back out of the deal. Cashman, sensing opportunity, quickly hammered out a five-year agreement with free agent Vladimir Guerrero for about $65 million.

Sheff backed down, however - and the Braves didn't offer arbitration - and The Boss decided he wanted Sheffield over Guerrero.