2010 MLB Baseball thread..

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Given that Baseballs revenues are at an all time high, attendance is at an all time high...I don't think anything is costing Baseball dearly right now. If a team like the Pirates could put a half ways decent product on the field, the revenue sharing cheque they get thanks to the Yankees would be more than enough to keep them profitable.

It will be a slow kill, but MLB will continue to lose fans and the almighty dollar to the NFL if they dont do more for league parity. Just my oppinion! you see the crowds in Toronto lately - yikes! I am for at least having small market divisions so the fans of the Royals,Blue Jays et al. have some hope for the playoffs.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Given that Baseballs revenues are at an all time high, attendance is at an all time high...I don't think anything is costing Baseball dearly right now. If a team like the Pirates could put a half ways decent product on the field, the revenue sharing cheque they get thanks to the Yankees would be more than enough to keep them profitable.

The Pirates, Nationals and Marlins are all terrible and all turn profits. Wins and losses are a part of it, but revenue sharing helps these guys out. It sucks that a team like the Marlins can have the lowest payroll and make money. Although my team is the Giants, I respect the Yankess because they try and win every year. They don't treat the game as a business, but as a chance to win the title each year. A lot of people say the Yankees bought their championships. Every team buys their teams, but some just spend more.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

It will be a slow kill, but MLB will continue to lose fans and the almighty dollar to the NFL if they dont do more for league parity. Just my oppinion! you see the crowds in Toronto lately - yikes! I am for at least having small market divisions so the fans of the Royals,Blue Jays et al. have some hope for the playoffs.

At one time the Toronto Blue Jays were a powerhouse in the AL. Big new stadium filled to capacity every day. Can you blame the current state of the franchise on teams like the Yankees? Or does it have something to do with ownership? Didn't the owners buy the Sky Dome for pennies on the dollar?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

The Pirates, Nationals and Marlins are all terrible and all turn profits. Wins and losses are a part of it, but revenue sharing helps these guys out. It sucks that a team like the Marlins can have the lowest payroll and make money. Although my team is the Giants, I respect the Yankess because they try and win every year. They don't treat the game as a business, but as a chance to win the title each year. A lot of people say the Yankees bought their championships. Every team buys their teams, but some just spend more.

And yet the Yankees are the best run business in the MLB.

Even with all the money they spend they still manage to turn a tidy profit each year.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Azure

And yet the Yankees are the best run business in the MLB.

Even with all the money they spend they still manage to turn a tidy profit each year.

It's true. People love cheering for a winner. If you put a quality product on the field, people will cheer for it, buy merchandise, fill the stadium, buy beer and hotdogs and bring their friends. The Jays haven't been good for a while, which is why the stadium hasn't been full. Without a salary cap in MLB, there is no excuse for not spending. You don't have issues of fitting a player under the cap or not being able to sign two people. It may cost teams money in the first year to sign some free agents, but once you start winning, you become profitable.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

It will be a slow kill, but MLB will continue to lose fans and the almighty dollar to the NFL if they dont do more for league parity. Just my oppinion! you see the crowds in Toronto lately - yikes! I am for at least having small market divisions so the fans of the Royals,Blue Jays et al. have some hope for the playoffs.

I thought this for awhile as well, but the more I learn about MLB fans in the US, the more I understand that they actually like the disparity, it's part of its culture. Sure some in KC and other small markets may not tell you they agree but NY and Boston just kill everyone else in away attendance, parity has never been farther away and baseball keeps doing better and better.

The Commissioner gets ripped plenty in the media and popular opinion, but the MLB has done an incredible job building up it's league in the last 10 years. Ball parks have migrated away from multi use facilities into 5 star retro parks which is most of the charm of going to a ball game, MLBtv is an incredible offering and they have done a very good job with managing the PED issue in the last 2 years.

They'll never be on par with the NFL in terms of overall popularity ever again, but they are holding their own, and doing very well ... despite the fact that there is no parity.

[squiggs96]

I just realized MLB.tv is now available on the PS3 and I'm watching my first game on it now. I have been an mlb.tv subscriber for a while, but have always been unhappy with the quality. This year the NexDef function, which allows PVR control of the game, has not been working. Now that it is on the PS3 you don't need it, as the PS3 app has the PVR controls built in. I'm very impressed.

A nice part is now I don't have to hook up my laptop to the TV and lose the use of my laptop while watching the game. The quality and sound are both much better on PS3 hookup than the computer hookup.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I just realized MLB.tv is now available on the PS3 and I'm watching my first game on it now. I have been an mlb.tv subscriber for a while, but have always been unhappy with the quality. This year the NexDef function, which allows PVR control of the game, has not been working. Now that it is on the PS3 you don't need it, as the PS3 app has the PVR controls built in. I'm very impressed.

A nice part is now I don't have to hook up my laptop to the TV and lose the use of my laptop while watching the game. The quality and sound are both much better on PS3 hookup than the computer hookup.

I'm jealous. I have MLB TV, but no PS3. And you are being too kind on the critiques on mlb tv....

[RedHot25]

Weird story....

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=320359
The Seattle Mariners released veteran outfielder Eric Byrnes on Sunday night, two days after a late-game gaffe and then bizarre exit from the clubhouse on a bicycle.

...

On Friday night, he inexplicably pulled his bat back on a botched suicide squeeze in extra innings of a scoreless game. Ichiro Suzuki was tagged out on the play.


Texas manager Ron Washington was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Jim Wolf that there should have been a strike called on Byrnes on the botched squeeze play. Washington just "could not fathom" that Byrnes pulled the bat back.


Asked if he'd ever seen that in his 39 years of professional baseball, Washington said Friday night: "No, never have. That's why I couldn't believe when Jim told me that Eric pulled back on it. Ichiro's flying down the line, Eric squares the bunt -- how can you pull a bat back? But he did."


To top it off, Byrnes froze at a fastball right down the middle for strike three, squandering Seattle's chance to make Cliff Lee's debut with the

Mariners a winning one.


Byrnes, who was living nearby in downtown Seattle, bolted out the front door of the clubhouse riding his beach cruiser bicycle mere minutes after the game ended. He made a right turn down a tunnel and then made a 90-degree left turn around approaching Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik before he could make eye contact.


Zduriencik glanced up, then kept walking to the clubhouse that had every Mariners player but Byrnes in it.


In the visiting clubhouse, a handful of Rangers cracked up at a television replay of Byrnes' gaffe. The Rangers were still talking about the play Sunday.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

I'm jealous. I have MLB TV, but no PS3. And you are being too kind on the critiques on mlb tv....

Yup. mlb.tv normally blows, but when you live in Canada, don't like the Blue Jays and don't have a satellite dish, you are pretty much forced to pay for mlb.tv if you want to watch your team. I was hoping Shaw would get Extra Innings, but no dice. The thing that aggravated me the most on mlb.tv was when I was watching the game on delay, the internet connection would freeze and it would jump to the live feed which was in the late innings. Effffffffff youuuuuuuuuuu mlb.

Either way, the new platform is awesome. I watched two games yesterday and it's as clear as a regular cable TV feed. I only bought my PS3 at Christmas, but if I didn't have one, it might have pushed me over the edge to making the purchase. I recommend it.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Yup. mlb.tv normally blows, but when you live in Canada, don't like the Blue Jays and don't have a satellite dish, you are pretty much forced to pay for mlb.tv if you want to watch your team. I was hoping Shaw would get Extra Innings, but no dice. The thing that aggravated me the most on mlb.tv was when I was watching the game on delay, the internet connection would freeze and it would jump to the live feed which was in the late innings. Effffffffff youuuuuuuuuuu mlb.

Either way, the new platform is awesome. I watched two games yesterday and it's as clear as a regular cable TV feed. I only bought my PS3 at Christmas, but if I didn't have one, it might have pushed me over the edge to making the purchase. I recommend it.

what's so bad about it? I think its great and light years ahead of other leagues offerings.

[dustyanddaflames]

Just ordered the extra innings, anyone know how to use the player tracker feature? Thanks and sorry to ball up the mlb thread with a question.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

what's so bad about it? I think its great and light years ahead of other leagues offerings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB.com#MLB.tv

MLB.com and MLB.TV have been criticized for providing poor and disingenuous customer service. According to the Better Business Bureau:
"Consumers report to the BBB their subscriptions are automatically renewed with Major League Baseball even though they have canceled their plans within the specified cancellation period. Complaints also allege that the services purchased do not work, and consumers report being unable reach a customer service representative to correct these issues or obtain a refund.
Based on BBB files, this business has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau, because there is a pattern of complaints, and the business has not corrected the underlying reason for the complaints."[6]
In 2009, opening week games were not available as archives, and users reported limited High Definition service available. [7]

http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_b...-terrible.html
MLB.TV Failing Big Time On Opening Day, Website Down, Video Quality Terrible

As a fan of MLB.TV, it really pains me to have to write this, but MLB completely failed by not having a service that works on opening day.

And aside from the website being down for hours or now directing me to a "narrowband" version of the website, video streams on the iPad using the MLB iPad app look really bad. Video is extremely choppy and that's even if I can get the stream at all. Most times I get errors of "we are having technical difficulties processing your request" and even short video highlights don't work.

For a company like MLBAM, who leads the industry with some of the finest quality video and user-experience, when it is working, not having everything function properly on opening day is really unacceptable and is going to create a lot of really upset fans and video subscription customers. MLB has been offering a video based service for more than half a dozen years now and having this big of an issue on opening day really gives them a black eye.

lso interesting to note is that MLB.TV on the Roku, which worked last year, will not be working until "mid-April" this year, which came to light from an email Roku sent to customers earlier today.

I am also just now remembering that back in January I broke the news on how Swarmcast, the company who's technology powered MLB.com's Next-Def Plugin, laid off half their staff and was down to ten people. When the news came out I asked MLB if that meant they were no longer going to use the Swarmcast technology for the 2010 season, but I never heard back. I wonder if some of today's problems are due to MLB using some new technology for the first time?

http://www.fenwaywest.com/2010-archi...for-mlbtv.html

If baseball is life, then MLB.TV has been anything but a lifesaver to me. I recently moved away from Boston, but found solace in the idea that I could still be with the Red Sox day in and day out with the (hefty) purchase of an MLB.TV subscription. Solace has turned into uncontainable frustration (I havent broken anything yet, but it’s been touch and go). I splashed out on the premium subscription, but have not been able to see any games using the MLB.TV video player. Lately, I’ve been running MLB’s feed through a different player/client, but with it I am unable to reap the “MLB.TV premium” benefit of being able to watch several games at once- I also cant experience the regular benefits of MLB.TV, such as fantasy player tracking, the in-game twitter feed, the box score, etc. The G-Rated version of my current state is that I am VERY ticked off. I spent $100+ for THIS? Unfortunately, the alternatives are few and far between (and even more pricey). MLB.TV has made beautiful promises, has taken my money, and has yet to deliver. Wouldn’t you feel robbed, too?

Check out all the issues in the official support forum...
http://mlb.mlb.com/help/supportforum...3-8496e917b6b2

http://boardsus.playstation.com/t5/P...s/m-p/45603377

http://boardsus.playstation.com/t5/P.../td-p/45571504

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r240...ems-with-MLBtv

Should I go on ?

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

http://www.fenwaywest.com/2010-archi...for-mlbtv.html

If baseball is life, then MLB.TV has been anything but a lifesaver to me. I recently moved away from Boston, but found solace in the idea that I could still be with the Red Sox day in and day out with the (hefty) purchase of an MLB.TV subscription. Solace has turned into uncontainable frustration (I havent broken anything yet, but it’s been touch and go). I splashed out on the premium subscription, but have not been able to see any games using the MLB.TV video player. Lately, I’ve been running MLB’s feed through a different player/client, but with it I am unable to reap the “MLB.TV premium” benefit of being able to watch several games at once- I also cant experience the regular benefits of MLB.TV, such as fantasy player tracking, the in-game twitter feed, the box score, etc. The G-Rated version of my current state is that I am VERY ticked off. I spent $100+ for THIS? Unfortunately, the alternatives are few and far between (and even more pricey). MLB.TV has made beautiful promises, has taken my money, and has yet to deliver. Wouldn’t you feel robbed, too?

Check out all the issues in the official support forum...
http://mlb.mlb.com/help/supportforum...3-8496e917b6b2

http://boardsus.playstation.com/t5/P...s/m-p/45603377

http://boardsus.playstation.com/t5/P.../td-p/45571504

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r240...ems-with-MLBtv

Should I go on ?

hmm ok, always has worked fine for me, once in awhile is a little choppy but most of the time it comes thru in HD quality. You can get 4 games up on a big tv every night at the same time ... turns a 25 min run on the treadmill to 45 without even noticing. And this year I picked up atbat, that that works flawlessly as well.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

hmm ok, always has worked fine for me, once in awhile is a little choppy but most of the time it comes thru in HD quality. You can get 4 games up on a big tv every night at the same time ... turns a 25 min run on the treadmill to 45 without even noticing. And this year I picked up atbat, that that works flawlessly as well.

I have it as well, and you are right, the HD quality is usually ok - now, after working out many of the kinks for a fair bit of time after opening day. I think one of the biggest issues for a lot of people is the use of NextDef for the PVR functions...doesn't work, re-install, re-install, enable, crash the browser, etc. NextDef is a bit of a pain to say the least. I think another big issue also concerns blackouts. We are lucky that we only get the Jays blacked out (I wiould love to watch them live, but I am a big enough ball fan that I am ok watching any random game); some people in the States appear, depending on where they live, to get 3-4 teams blacked out, or have a team(s) blacked out in locations that are a bit difficult (e.g. Hawaii) to get to a game. Add to that the 3 games that get blacked out by Fox on Saturdays for everyone in the US, and I think the Sunday night game as well, and I think a lot of people aren't fans.

[rubecube]

And Mental Milton is at it again.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5166152

[604flames]

Originally Posted by rubecube

And Mental Milton is at it again.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5166152

I'd like to think they could pin the current 2 win in 11 game streak on Milton, but it's not his fault.

Thank goodness they got rid of Byrnes though.

[dustyanddaflames]

Man I feel for Milton, guy has the tools but the toolbox came without a lock. Good on him for asking for help, and recognizing that there are issues that need to be addressed.

[fundmark19]

Rays off to an amazing start hope they can keep going!

[nickerjones]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

Weird story....

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=320359
The Seattle Mariners released veteran outfielder Eric Byrnes on Sunday night, two days after a late-game gaffe and then bizarre exit from the clubhouse on a bicycle.

...

[I][SIZE=2]On Friday night, he inexplicably pulled his bat back on a botched suicide squeeze in extra innings of a scoreless game. Ichiro Suzuki was tagged out on the play.
]

Oh yeah !! Well Screw Baseball.. He is still getting like 10million to play.................SOFTBALL ....
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big...urn=mlb,239148
Aeneas , I know we talked about getting me up there to be a ringer for your team.. I am only asking 1 /10 of this guys salary!!