2012 MLB Thread (Cabrera Gets Triple Crown, first since Yaz 1967)
 

HAPPY PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT DAY!

Spring is almost here and I just renewed my MLB Audio subscription for another year

(well, except Seattle and Oakland)

SI

Seems like there was a pretty even split between today and yesterday for report days. Except Seattle who showed up last week apparently.

One of the most hopeful days of the year for me.

Love baseball. Fuck winter.

Seattle and Oakland showed up last week because they have the opening series in Japan a week early

I was going off of the "official" calendar- you know, like MLK's birthday (Observed) :)
MLB Important Dates | MLB.com: Schedule

SI

Let's go Cardinals!!!

Oh, and for the record, MLB is kindof a pain to deal with on their site with regards to payment.

MLB Audio signs you up to auto-renew next year unless you "cancel your subscription". You still get to listen all year, even if you cancel- but it makes it sound like "the only way you can opt out for automatic renewal is if you cancel".

Second, they save your credit card profile without your permission and there's no way to delete it that I can tell.

What a pain: is this the interwebs circa 2003?

SI

Re MLB network. Good luck finding anynkindbofbhelp from a human.

Oh yeah, they're a bunch of Mofo's. I don't like having to send an email and pray that it's not renewed. I do like the iPhone app since I can just buy it when I want.

I remember a few years back there was an option to opt out of the auto renewal, it's a shame that has gone.

I see that they have a paypal option. I think that is what I will use this season.

Paypal is going to be my way to go next season unless they somehow can tie that in for renewal (stupid)

SI

We're a little OT already but I wonder how much automatic renewals cost consumers every year for products they don't even want. How far can this go? I bet in a few years they'll be a standard part of new car purchase agreements. 5 years later they show up with a new car and a $15,000 bill.

I just got my notification that I would be renewed on the 28th and when I went to the page it said I had no subscriptions so there was nothing to cancel. I think the same thing happened last year and I just let it go and I ended up getting charged when it came time to renew, didn't use it once. This year I smartened up and emailed them. I'm pretty sure I've had it for 2 or 3 years now where I didn't want or use it. Ultimately it's the users fault but they sure don't make it easy for you.

Ok, all the other leagues can relax now - baseball is back!

Love the start of spring training. It's not only the start of baseball for me, but the start of spring. Spring and early summer are pretty much my favorite times of the year.

I am also hopeful that the Rangers' recent success and the Angels' uber offseason will lead to a little more heightened coverage from the Eastern Sports Programming Network this year, especially when they're playing each other. I know we'll still get snowed by Boston-New York, but it would be neat to see them give similar treatment to a Texas-Anaheim series.

I'm debating switching to MLBTV from Extra Innings Direct TV this year. How good are the HD feeds? Can I stream games onto my IPAD? I have a PS3 and ROKU box for my other two TVs.

So.. I'm not seeing a monthly subscription? Do I have to purchase an annual subscription? I've had it the past couple of years, but I don't know how much I'll be using it this year...

I swear the past couple years I've paid monthly.

Hooray!! Baseball is almost upon us!!

Don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure you can on an iPad. I use my PS3 for tv, and when I'm out and about I can watch on my Android phone. You need to purchase the At.Bat app for the 2012 season whenever that comes out, though.

Only thing I am unsure of is if it requires flash which is why it would work on my Android. I highly doubt they have it setup for Android, but not iOS, though. That would be stupid.

RE: Feed. I've always found it perfectly fine on my PS3. When using wifi on my phone it was fine as well. I'm excited about the 4G on my Android now as I should be good everywhere.

dola -

Products | MLB.com: Subscriptions

Well, I'm not sure if I'm lucky or what but I called Directv asking if they could lower the price of Extra Innings package down to something closer to MLBTV as I was considering the versatility of that over being locked to just DirectTV.

They offered 10 bucks off my bill for 6 months which put it in the ballpark. I hemmed and hawed a bit more and then the whopper of 20 bucks off my bill for 12 months. Essentially, they're paying me 30 bucks to get the baseball package this year. I'm still in disbelief. Of course, my first reaction was stupidly -- now I can have both.

I find that it has a slight look of being streamed. It's not 100% as good as TV, but it's probably 85-90%. I think you can get it onto your iPad too, but I'm not 100% sure. Also, you might actually be blacked out for the Reds if you live in a certain area though.

I know the Reds games would be blacked out but I would still get the broadcast for their games through regional Fox Sports.

When do the depressed or cranky pitchers report?

I've never been less excited for a season. A part of my refuses to root for the Mets until the Wilpons sell the team, but there's a piece of my soul that can't let go.

Counting down the days til the team is sold

+1

(wonder if a Visa gift card is usable for a subscription. I need the dulcet tones of Mssr Scully.)

+2000

What's wrong with the Seattle and Oakland audio of their games? :D

I seriously doubt it will ever apply to most products like this, but there has been legislation introduced/passed in a number of states over the past several years that places restrictions on company's auto-renewal shenanigans on "service contracts." It varies by state, but some of these laws are applicable to things like phone service and gym memberships.

Tampa Bay Rays Top 5 Questions this off-season.

1. Can Matt Moore give us 15 solid starts in his debut season?
2. Is Desmond Jennings ready to turn into a superstar?
3. Will Evan Longoria stop banging strippers and shooting AK-47's long enough to focus on baseball?
4. Does the Legend of Sam Fuld have more magic?
5. Will the $40M 'moneyball' Rays win more games against the Red Sox and Yankees...again!

If we answer YES to all of these questions, it will be another great season. It certainly won't be easy. Go Rays!

That just reminded me of how awesome Game 162 of last season was:
Joe Posnanski » Posts Baseball Night in America «

SI

*goosebumps*

Just as a follow up, every year I get charged the going rate for ESPN insider, even though it is free with an ESPN magazine subscription, which I'm pretty sure I still have for the next 3-4 years that I got for a ridiculously low price. Every year, I have to call ESPN and tell them to give me my money back because they auto-renew insider at full price instead of free. I've made this call 6-7 years in a row, and they fail to fix it.

I know I get Insider for free with the rag, but I refuse to give them credit card info since it is free.

Did Game 6 of the World Series really end that way?
***checks the box score again***
Damn it.

I guess hope does spring eternal. I have my tickets for the Rangers opening weekend.

Actually, I've documented my frustration with this in one of those "free insider" threads around here. Last time, the lady basically acknowledged it's an issue and made it sound like no one really cares enough to fix the system. It sounded like it was a well-known issue among the rank-and-file answering the phones, but that that there was nothing they could do about it - it was over their heads, and the higher-ups didn't really give a crap.

This is why it's hard to be a Reds fan.


Brett fucking Tomko

I called and cancelled my auto renewal for the Extra Innings Package as well. They didn't offer me anything, didn't really matter. I'll save the $100 and get the package on my ps3, computer, roku, and phone.

Any idea how many wins? I'd be curious since, say, Kevin Appier, who the most wins are for a Royals drafted starting pitcher. I'm almost certain the list might start with Greinke's 60 wins for the Royals (16 more for Milwaukee for a career total of 76).

Jeff Suppan is at 39 but not originally a Royal
Jose Rosado apparently is 37...
Luke Hochevar is at 30...

And that's the best I can find otherwise since the mid 90s. I mean of anyone anywhere. It's bleak

SI

28 years seems incredibly arbirtrary. Who is the Reds pitcher that they are excluding that falls just outside the 28 years?

Actually, I'm going to guess it's Tom Browning.

Jose Rijo?

SI

Tom Browning

yeah, and Browning would be the correct answer.

Yeah, but with a decent season(10 wins), Leake would take over the lead here.

Originally a Yankee. The Yankees really were a frickin mess in the 80s. I miss those days. Heck, I didn't even hate them then, because there was no reason to.

Would you believe Bobby Witt (142-157) who won more games than Tom Browning (123-90), both in the 1982 draft. Both also have more wins than Tomko (100-103).

BUT ... if baseball-reference.com is correct, then Paul Byrd (109-96) was drafted by the Reds in '88 and would qualify as well (assuming the wins are career rather than Reds-only)

It is arbitrary, but it was tweeted because Tomko just signed a minor league deal to return to the Reds.

Huh. They both threw a perfect game, too, while young.

I understand why it was tweeted, but it's an arbitrary number designed to make it look worse than it is. 25 years would have made more sense. The extra 3 years was added to get the maximum impact, despite at least 2 guys who were drafted 28 years and a day later who easily eclipse that number. It just kinda stood out as if it was a stat crafted for a purpose.