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Well, this was unfortunate news to see this morning:
After 20-plus years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, including the last 12 as the Blues beatwriter, I'm leaving the newspaper next week (1/2)
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) August 24, 2017
Words can't describe how difficult a decision it was to move on. I grew up at the P-D and will miss it immensely. More soon on my next stop.
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) August 24, 2017
Obviously, this leaves a gap in coverage at St. Louis’ only daily newspaper. Rutherford has been an outstanding daily beat reporter for the Blues, and the loss of both him and the Belleville News-Democrat’s Norm Sanders is a sign of diminished Blues coverage in the metro area. This comes at a time where the Blues are literally the only major sport in town between the months of October (barring the Cardinals being in the playoffs) and spring training beginning in February. The Blues have a golden opportunity in the absence of the Rams that they, as an organization, have capitalized upon. It is unfortunate that the local press coverage is facing a potential gap in writers.
The Post-Dispatch still do have a cadre of sports writers, especially Tom Timmermann and Jeff Gordon, who will do quality work with the Blues, but Rutherford leaving the paper is, regardless of the other writers on staff, a loss.