Given what a crazy week it's been around here, this announcement may not seem well-timed. But it really needs to be made now, so things can go smoothly.
I am going to be stepping down as managing editor and writer of Bless You Boys. I've given this much thought over the past couple of months, since the Tigers' season ended, and my belief that it's something I should do gets only stronger with time.
I've been writing at BYB for the past three years, and can honestly say I've put everything I have into it, trying to make it the best Detroit Tigers blog available. But looking at the next year to come, I know I won't be able to give this site and its community the same attention as I have previously. Working on BYB has been extremely gratifying, and I want to make sure it stays that way. The last thing I want is for you (or SB Nation) to let me know that I'm not doing as good of a job anymore.
But the changes to come shouldn't be too drastic, as the new managing editor is someone you're very familiar with. Kurt Mensching is a valuable part of the BYB community, and if you've read Mack Avenue Tigers, you know he does an excellent job of providing the sort of thoughtful, fair analysis that isn't available anywhere else in the traditional media nor the Tigers blogosphere.
Will this be the same BYB you've become accustomed to? Well, what we have here works, for the most part, and Kurt knows that. So a winning formula isn't going to be completely overhauled. But Kurt is his own man with definite ideas on how this blog and community can be run, and I think it'll be exciting to see what a fresh voice brings to this site. I'll let Kurt speak for himself in that regard, however.
I do plan on still having a role at BYB from here on out. Kurt and I will determine what exactly that will be in the weeks and months to come. But I still want to write about the Tigers, and still want to participate in a community that's become a huge part of my life.
There will be some transition over the next couple of weeks, as I "clean out my desk" and help Kurt with what he needs to familarize himself with the inner workings of this site. But the plan is to change things over by the end of the year. So there will definitely be a time for a proper goodbye. I have a lot of people to thank, and want to make sure I do that before moving on.
Any questions, thoughts, or concerns can be left in the comments of this post, and Kurt and I will do our best to address them as thoroughly as possible. You can also e-mail me or find me on Facebook, if you prefer to reach me that way.
As always, thank you for reading and giving your time to Bless You Boys. It's been a wonderful experience following the Detroit Tigers with you.