MLB 2011 Part 1

[joecct]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I live in Iowa. On any given day, up to 6 games will be blacked out (Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Brewers, Royals, Cardinals), even though at most 2 of those will be available locally on basic cable without any special tiers or sports packs. So MLB package would allow me to watch the Red Sox and Yankees, but not the teams I care about which aren't on national television. So thanks for advocating a worthless option.

Which is why MLB has to revisit its blackout policy. I personally like the NFL's 75 miles from the stadium policy.

What frosts me on MLB (and I have Extra Innings) is the replays are blacked out, but are available from the internet MLB.TV. So, pray tell, why should I buy Extra Innings?

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Which is why MLB has to revisit its blackout policy. I personally like the NFL's 75 miles from the stadium policy.

What frosts me on MLB (and I have Extra Innings) is the replays are blacked out, but are available from the internet MLB.TV. So, pray tell, why should I buy Extra Innings?

You shouldn't, MLB Extra Innings sucks...

 

[Kepler]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I think Fox has ruined the game more, but ESPN has done it's share as well.

Fox is specifically awful for baseball. ESPN is a sort of generalized awful for all of sports, life, and Existence.

Fox is a sharp kick in the face. ESPN is slow, agonizing asphyxiation.

 

[unofan]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Fox is specifically awful for baseball. ESPN is a sort of generalized awful for all of sports, life, and Existence.

Fox is a sharp kick in the face. ESPN is slow, agonizing asphyxiation.

I hate ESPN's baseball coverage as a whole for precisely one reason - the "up the nose/butt" camera shot. Whoever produces ESPN baseball games is overly in love with the close-up. So much so that they send their camera guys onto the field for pitching changes and home run trots to get that specific shot.

When a pitcher leaves a 2-1 game with one out in the eighth after striking out 15 - the best shot to use is the pitcher walking towards the dugout with the crowd in full view giving him the standing 'O', not one where I can count the number of nose hairs or *** stains.

Now I used to hate ESPN baseball for inflicting Joe Morgan on us; thankfully that one's been rectified.

 

[MattS]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Now I used to hate ESPN baseball for inflicting Joe Morgan on us; thankfully that one's been rectified.

I still think I need therapy after years of listening to Joe "I was part of the Big Red Machine" Morgan.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I used to watch the nationally televised games just because I love the game, now I don't even bother turning it on, ESPN has completely ruined it.

Yes, this.

 

[The Rube]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I'll watch if there's nothing else on, or if it's a big game, but that's about it. Usually it's just background filler that I somewhat pay attention to, while I do other things. It doesn't matter who it is. Yes, I cheer for the Twins, and kinda the Cubs, but games are just filled with so much deadtime and baseball isn't exactly fast-paced to begin with...

 

[Biddco]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Someone's bitter about something....

Sad thing is Yanks and Sox gets people to watch. I'll admit I used to love watching the Rivalry... eight years ago. now my interest, like my interest in the Twins this season, is fading.

 

[Kepler]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Sad thing is Yanks and Sox gets people to watch. I'll admit I used to love watching the Rivalry... eight years ago.

Same here. Not only did they kill it with overexposure to the point that we're all sick of both teams, the teams and fan bases have also become identical in character now. It's like picking between shades of eggshell white for your bathroom grout -- same shit, who cares?

 

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I just watch MLB Network for games that aren't postseason. They do a good job coverage wise. Plus, Michaels and Costas on Friday is nice to listen to.

 

[Biddco]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Same here. Not only did they kill it with overexposure to the point that we're all sick of both teams, the teams and fan bases have also become identical in character now. It's like picking between shades of eggshell white for your bathroom grout -- same shit, who cares?

So true about them being similar. I still like the Red Sox because of rooting for them in 2003 and 2004 when the Twins were done.

We all talk about how we are sick of it, yet the Yanks-Sox Sunday Night Baseball had the highest ratings in four or five years for them. Sigh.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

So true about them being similar. I still like the Red Sox because of rooting for them in 2003 and 2004 when the Twins were done.

We all talk about how we are sick of it, yet the Yanks-Sox Sunday Night Baseball had the highest ratings in four or five years for them. Sigh.

I honestly don't mind the Yankees vs Red Sox game being aired on sunday. That is a no-brainer for ESPN. What does annoy me is that New York or Boston was featured on ESPN (Whatever)night Baseball 5 straight times with the middle game being Yanks-Sox. Like I said...there were other great games to show on at least the 2 wednesday nights.

 

[MattS]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Sad thing is Yanks and Sox gets people to watch. I'll admit I used to love watching the Rivalry... eight years ago. now my interest, like my interest in the Twins this season, is fading.

I totally agree here. I am a Yanks fan but I can't stand all of the coverage this rivalry gets by ESPN. Enough already. At this point I will start to really care if/when they play each other in the playoffs. Thanks to the wild card the games last week were pretty much meaningless. Don't get me wrong I still want the Yanks to kick the Sux a.s.s but with the overexposure it just doesn't have the meaning it use to.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

You know that the rivalry is over-played by ESPN when even the Sox and Yankees fans are sick of it.

 

[Scarlet]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

I'm so over Red Sox-Yankees. I won't go to those games any more. That said, given the fact that the teams were tied for the lead in the division and are/were the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the majors I can see why they were on TV all weekend. If the teams were in, like 3rd and 4th place in the division with only one of them with a legit chance at the post season and ESPN chose to televise that game and continue to harp on the rivalry, then the compaints would have more merit. I totally believe that ESPN would show this game regardless of where the teams were in the standings.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Same here. Not only did they kill it with overexposure to the point that we're all sick of both teams, the teams and fan bases have also become identical in character now. It's like picking between shades of eggshell white for your bathroom grout -- same shit, who cares?

Personally, I think the Red Sox are worse. Especially the "fans" who root for them that don't live in Boston and aren't Bostonian expats. They like to pretend like they aren't the Yankees. The Yankees are unabashedly spending money. "Trying to keep your free agent? We're offering him a buck fifty for every dollar you can afford. Screw off." I can respect that far more than "Woe is me... The Yankees are in our division. Woe is me."

 

[Kepler]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Personally, I think the Red Sox are worse. Especially the "fans" who root for them that don't live in Boston and aren't Bostonian expats. They like to pretend like they aren't the Yankees. The Yankees are unabashedly spending money. "Trying to keep your free agent? We're offering him a buck fifty for every dollar you can afford. Screw off." I can respect that far more than "Woe is me... The Yankees are in our division. Woe is me."

You're never going to get an argument from me that Boston fans aren't insufferable whining jackholes, but Yankee fans are pretty silly in this case as well. Point taken that the Doris Kearns Goodwin weepy-eyed Sawx Nation martyr act is tired and empty. At least Patriots fans are up front about caring only about winning, and have no delusions about somehow being admirable or authentic.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

You're never going to get an argument from me that Boston fans aren't insufferable whining jackholes, but Yankee fans are pretty silly in this case as well. Point taken that the Doris Kearns Goodwin weepy-eyed Sawx Nation martyr act is tired and empty. At least Patriots fans are up front about caring only about winning, and have no delusions about somehow being admirable or authentic.

Agreed. It takes a special kind of jackhole to spend $160 million and still play the martyr.

 

[bronconick]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Some article I read pointed out that the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry isn't interesting anymore because pretty much everyone on both teams that matters has rings and postseason success. First, there were 80 years of "the hard luck Red Sox who just can't get past the Yankees." Then, they break through in 2004 and 2007, but the Yankees spent something like $2 billion in payroll from 2000-2008 and have nothing to show for it, and it became the yearly A-Rod choke/curse/whatever storyline in the postseason. They blow another $400 million in one offseason and win themselves in 2009.

So there's no story to tell anymore. And Americans love stories. Now it's just two teams with near-endless payrolls clubbing baby seals for most of a season before having another meetup in mid-October.

 

[First Time Long Time]

Re: MLB 2011 Part 1

Zambrano is done as a Cub, even if he does come back.
You don't walk out on your team like that.