People really don't understand how much of a problem this is in today's sports.
Reporters used to challenge managers, manages used to get mad at them because they didn't like to be asked the tough questions. It's all softballs now, nobody wants to upset a manager, heaven forbid.
Reporters think they have to be friendly now, they may not be wrong, they may have their privileges revoked by ownership, MLB and rights holders if they aren't soft as Charmin. Most people now are too young to know how f***ed up this is because it's how they've always known it. But I remember when reporters mattered.
They are a mouthpiece, there at the shovel the ******** for the organization.