What do publications normally want?

I just started taking pictures again 1 month ago and my reward is
sharing them with others.

I have had two, basketball action, publiched in local newpapers, one a
daily with 35K readership and the other a weekly with 2K readership.

The two that were published were finished, photoshope cropped and
exposure adjusted slightly. In talking to one of the "Pros" I was under
the impression the publisher was wanting the uncropped/unedited image.
But that seems just opposite from my limited experience. I have sent
better pictures (still requiring cropping and "enhancements) and they
have not been used. The pictures are 8megapixel in size and passing 20
raw pictures takes a ;little time. Maybe I should've done the cropping
and only sent them one or two at the most?

Keep im mind we are only doing it for the fun, and publishing is just a
scorecard for me. After all taking pictures for a month certainly is
not make one a graduate apprentice. Suchs we haven even got past our
probation peroid yet.

What has been your experience?

Thanks,
BobSam