The Sun is one of the Tribune Co.’s papers that have been told to cut staff. Most have offered early buyouts to get to the number, as did The Sun. Whatever shortfall was left meant layoffs. So I’m guessing either Roch saw the writing on the wall as the #2 man (at best) on the O’s beat and took the buyout, or he’s being pushed out in a numbers crunch.

From Editor & Pubilsher, THE paper of record concerning journalism…

BALTIMORE – Employees of The Sun in Baltimore are bracing for layoffs Friday (June 18), and they say management hasn’t been forthcoming about how many people will lose their jobs or how the layoffs will be handled.

The Baltimore-Washington Newspaper Guild, which represents newsroom employees at The Sun, organized a protest today outside the newspaper’s downtown Baltimore offices. Staffers lined up behind 100 black folding chairs representing the 100 jobs that will be lost in the latest round of cuts ordered by Tribune Co., which owns The Sun.

Sixty of the cuts will be in the newsroom. Union leaders say about 34 Guild-represented employees have applied for buyouts, meaning up to 26 could be laid off. But they say they didn’t get a firm number in a meeting with management this morning. They also don’t know whether people who get laid off will be forced to leave the office Friday.

A spokeswoman for The Sun did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

I added a question mark to the title since we don’t KNOW if he’s leaving.

The Sun, which along with 10 other dailies and 23 broadcasting stations is owned by Chicago-based Tribune Co., announced a 100-person — 60 in the newsroom — buyout plan two weeks ago. It specified one week of pay for every six months of service with comparable continuing health insurance coverage, but interested parties had only 12 days to declare.

The offer — the second this year — was open to all 1,400 employees of the Baltimore Sun Media Group’s one daily and 21 weekly newspapers, but the lion’s share was expected to come from the Sun’s 300-person newsroom.

That didn’t happen.

"I’m actually surprised that The Sun was able to garner that many buyouts," White said. "I think it shows just how many people have become disillusioned with Tribune Co.’s tactics."

The Sun cutbacks are consistent with downsizings throughout Tribune Co.’s holdings, where first-quarter 2008 profits from its publishing operations were down 74 percent year-over-year.

Here’s the link

2 of the 3 reporters cut too the buyout voluntarily, according to The Examiner.com

The 11 editorial positions — four editorial assistants; four interns; and three reporters, two of whom had volunteered to be laid off — constitute the total newsroom layoffs.

Two inside and three classified advertising positions comprise Guild members laid off in advertising.

"This is a sad day," reacted Tanika White, the union’s unit co-chairwoman at The Sun. "Even though only nine members are leaving involuntarily," there are still 55 [newsroom] people who are leaving, and untold others in other departments. That means fewer people to do the kind of work that this community has come to expect from the Baltimore Sun."

..a newspaper already operating with a skeleton crew, is cutting more staff, going along with the Trib’s strangulation strategy for the newspaper business? I wish I could feel bad about this, but it’s simply impossible to given the product they’re putting out. With a prime example of that product being Roch.

when these layoffs/buyouts are supposed to take place?

At least it seems he can land in his feet somewhat on his own terms. I guess he’s seen enough of Sam Zell and company. The newspaper industry is on tough times, but Zell’s dumbing down, slash and burn, approach doesn’t provide any hope. I never understood how Zell was allowed to “buy” Tribune with the employee stock ownership plan money, which is what he used to finance over 90% of the purchase.

In other news (or actual news), the seemingly endless Tigers series is finally over and tonight it’s The Battle for the Cellar against the Toronto, um, somethings, oh yeah, Blue Jays. Didn’t we just play THEM in an endless series too?

Anyway, with Liz going for us, I’m confident that when the evening is over we will have risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of the cellar (if cellars have ashes). As long as we get 11 runs or something again. Piece o’ cake.

Meanwhile, at 7:05 on another channel the Yerks will be battling the Twins Without the Baggy Behind Them—not a very formidable opponent, the more so given that starting for the Greatest Franchise in the History of Porfessional Sports is you know who (if he’s sober enough to get to the mound) in another installment of Stoly Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sid.

If he gets, er, lit up and ruins the Yerks 7 game home winning streak, Sid may find himself in AA really soon—either the program or Binghampton. Maybe both would be the best idea.

Go O’s!

and the good folks up there deserve better than Sid! (Plus it’s a Mets farm)