A Note About Our Super Regional Coverage

Yesterday’s news about Luke Heimlich will cast a pall over the Corvallis Super Regional this weekend. It shocked our readers—and it shocked us. The details of the OregonLive article are horrifying.

We’ve heard passionate arguments about why Heimlich shouldn’t pitch this weekend, about why he shouldn’t be with the team. We’ve heard a few arguments taking the other perspective, too.

All of that is outside our control.

Although the Heimlich story will likely be covered in depth elsewhere, we will restrict our coverage of the Super Regional to the events on the field.

If Luke Heimlich pitches—which he may well, according to Oregon State head baseball coach Pat Casey—we will cover his stat line and any crucial defensive plays in which he is specifically involved. That’s it. There will be no editorializing or indictments or defenses.

Why?

Because we don’t have any special insights. We don’t have any insider sources. And even if we did, this isn’t a story we feel that we should be doing original reporting on.

Ultimately, this is a settled legal matter that nevertheless carries heavy emotional weight for all parties involved. Out of respect for everyone this story touches, we will limit our focus to the facts of the games being played.

It isn’t fair to the other 24 members of the Oregon State baseball team to make Heimlich the exclusive focus of the weekend. And—far more importantly—we have grave concerns about keeping a painful story in the news when it isn’t clear that doing so will benefit the victim.

That’s not to say that we will completely ignore further developments in this story. We won’t. As additional professional reporting is done, and as details emerge about Heimlich’s future or that may impact Oregon State University, we will provide updates.

Thank you.