2014 MLB Thread

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by digamma

Nothing really novel about it. The Dodgers signed a television deal with a Time Warner outfit in the offseason called LA Sportsnet or something like that. Thus far Time Warner has been unable, unwilling or downright refused to reach agreement with the other cable providers. Time Waner only has about 30% of the LA market, and many areas can't get TWC at all. So, you're left with most people unable to see the games.

Considering how much Time Warner spent on the deal, they seem to be shooting themselves in the foot here.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by digamma

Nothing really novel about it. The Dodgers signed a television deal with a Time Warner outfit in the offseason called LA Sportsnet or something like that. Thus far Time Warner has been unable, unwilling or downright refused to reach agreement with the other cable providers. Time Waner only has about 30% of the LA market, and many areas can't get TWC at all. So, you're left with most people unable to see the games.

On the other providers side, the non-DirecTV providers seem to be willing to let DirecTV carry on the negotiations not necessarily on their behalf, but as the lion (or the lamb depending on the point of view) to make the first deal.

Frustrating for me as a dad with a kid getting into baseball and wanting to cheer for the hometown team.

The numbers never made sense. The Dodgers signed a "$7 billion" deal, but that relies on cable companies actually paying these exorbitant carriage fees - reportedly they're asking for more than $5 per subscriber. Considering ESPN costs $4.69 a subscriber, that was always extraordinarily ambitious - Dodgers $7 Billion TV Deal Based On Ambitious Assumptions - Forbes

These 15 and 20 year rights deals are insane. Who even knows what the television landscape will be 10 years from now.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by digamma

Nothing really novel about it. The Dodgers signed a television deal with a Time Warner outfit in the offseason called LA Sportsnet or something like that. Thus far Time Warner has been unable, unwilling or downright refused to reach agreement with the other cable providers. Time Waner only has about 30% of the LA market, and many areas can't get TWC at all. So, you're left with most people unable to see the games.

On the other providers side, the non-DirecTV providers seem to be willing to let DirecTV carry on the negotiations not necessarily on their behalf, but as the lion (or the lamb depending on the point of view) to make the first deal.

Frustrating for me as a dad with a kid getting into baseball and wanting to cheer for the hometown team.

There's another team in town, and you can watch them.

[sterlingice]

It's basically a bigger version of what Houston is going through with Comcast

SI

[Logan]

This is amazing.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by digamma

Frustrating for me as a dad with a kid getting into baseball and wanting to cheer for the hometown team.

I feel your pain. I have DirectTV and they are at war for 2 years now with the PAC 12 network, so I can't watch any Huskies games when they are on PAC 12. It was worse when I lived n Seattle 2 miles from the stadium and couldnt watch the games.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

There's another team in town, and you can watch them.

I want to watch baseball, not men's league softball.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by digamma

I want to watch baseball, not men's league softball.

[cartman]

Apparently the Oakland A's are Yu Darvish's kryptonite. He got roughed up by them yesterday, not making it out of the 4th inning.

His career ERA vs. the A's: 4.73
His career ERA vs. the rest: 1.14

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow. Salvador is Mr. Clutch. If there's guys on base late in a game, there's very few, if any, in baseball better than him.

[lungs]

Feels good to finally get a series win against the Cards.

6.5 games up at this point is hard for me to comprehend. Still a long season. The bullpen has just been unreal. WTF is with K Rod? His fastball is topping out at 91 MPH. But he's striking guys out and saving games in uncharacteristically easy fashion.

I think I can tack on a few wins to my 79 win prediction for the Crew before the season.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

The numbers never made sense. The Dodgers signed a "$7 billion" deal, but that relies on cable companies actually paying these exorbitant carriage fees - reportedly they're asking for more than $5 per subscriber. Considering ESPN costs $4.69 a subscriber, that was always extraordinarily ambitious - Dodgers $7 Billion TV Deal Based On Ambitious Assumptions - Forbes

These 15 and 20 year rights deals are insane. Who even knows what the television landscape will be 10 years from now.

Ah, but here's the rub - contractually, Time Warner is on the hook for that money whether or not they get the other carriers to ante up.

The Dodgers get their $7 billion either way. Time Warner's incentive to get DirecTV et al to get on board is so that they don't lose their fucking shirt in the process.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by digamma

I want to watch baseball, not men's league softball.

So when was the last time the Dodgers won the World Series? Oh yeah Mike Scioscia was their catcher and Kirk Gibson their star hitter. And that new band Guns N Roses was hot shit too.

[Easy Mac]

Alex Wood gave up more runs last night than he had in his first 5 starts combined.

[sterlingice]

One of the things on my baseball bucket list is to go to a doubleheader. However, they almost never happen any more. Most doubleheaders now are day-night doubleheaders where you have to pay for 2 tickets and get out of the stadium for 3 hours inbetween.

Today, there's actually one in Baltimore between the Pirates and Orioles due to multiple rainouts. Man, if I were spending 7 hours at a ballpark, Camden would be near the tops of my list, too:

Pirates-Orioles rained out; will play DH Thursday - Yahoo Sports

SI

[Butter]

I went to several at old Riverfront Stadium. They were glorious.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

I went to several at old Riverfront Stadium. They were glorious.

They just don't exist any more

It's almost always a day-night doubleheader so they get 2 tickets worth of receipts even though attendance always seems bad at the day game

SI

[stevew]

I went to an Indians/Yankees one last year. The break in the middle is kind of weird. My big issue was the game was so freaking cold that I basically had to huddle in the center field indians hall of fame for warmth. Lots of people will leave after the first game.

I also went to a minor league double header a few weeks ago. 7 inning baseball is really weird.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

They just don't exist any more

It's almost always a day-night doubleheader so they get 2 tickets worth of receipts even though attendance always seems bad at the day game

SI

They used to call them "Twi-Night Doubleheaders" and they would start at 5:35. We would almost always go when one was on a Friday or Saturday.

[Bobble]

Jackie Bradley Jr.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Jackie Bradley Jr.

What happened? No one in Boston was watching that game tonight.

[Logan]

I'm doing some analysis on a MLB franchise deal at work right now so I'm looking over team financials...man, I always figured scouts made nothing but figured over time and with more of a focus on player development that might have changed. But no...they make shit.

[Ramzavail]

Logan - where do you work?

[cartman]

Never can tell what is going to happen in a baseball game. After giving up 29 runs and 50 hits to the Rockies over the past three games, the Rangers put up a 5 hit shutout tonight.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I signed up for a half season of NHL Gamecenter at New Year, so I am going to wait until the NHL playoffs for a deal on MLB.tv. I figure that there should be 50% discount deals around fathers day or the All Star game.

In the UK NHL Gamecenter and MLB.tv give us full coverage of the playoffs, and no MLB blackouts, and I just don't have time to make full use of both subscriptions at the same time!

Just got an email from MLB offering a 50% discount on the season because I watched a couple of free MLB.tv games of the day. 5 months plus playoffs for $57.49 is a great deal.

[Lathum]

OMG what a sick way to lose a perfect game

[mauchow]

Yep, terrible.. just terrible. C'mon.

Home scorekeeper was nice enough to credit with an error.

[cartman]

Gawd-dang-it.

At least Yu still has a chance at the no-hitter.

Full disclosure: the official scorer at the Rangers game tonight is the grandfather of my cousin's kids.

[Lathum]

pitch count getting up there

[Lathum]

ugh

[cartman]

Jesus Christ. The second time Yu has lost a no-hitter (and one perfect game) after 8 2/3rds

[cartman]

AAAAGHHHH!!!!! So frustrating as a Rangers fan. One strike away (twice) from a World Series title, and now the ace of the staff has come so close to two no-hitters and one perfect game!

[kingfc22]

Looking forward to seeing Puig get drilled in the ear hole his next at bat.

[stevew]

I was just thing we're super due for a no hitter.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Looking forward to seeing Puig get drilled in the ear hole his next at bat.

what he do

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

what he do

Showed emotion on the baseball field. This stuff is seriously getting stupid. He didn't sit there and admire it. He didn't even flip his bat all that much. You don't want a guy to show you up? DON'T GIVE UP A HOMERUN!

[Scoobz0202]

ah


how bout joey votto rowech!? sweet game

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by mauchow

Yep, terrible.. just terrible. C'mon.

Home scorekeeper was nice enough to credit with an error.

Should be an error every time according to the rule book. I am not sure at which point scorers decided that play should be a base hit 99 out of 100 times. The scoring on ground balls is equally as baffling sometimes. If a fielder screws up which leads to the runner getting on base he should get an error despite if the ball was hit too hard too soft or whatever the reason.

[mauchow]

I think it depends who the home team is tbh.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

ah


how bout joey votto rowech!? sweet game

I just keep hoping they can somehow play .500 long enough to get these guys back healthy. Could make a run in the second half.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Should be an error every time according to the rule book. I am not sure at which point scorers decided that play should be a base hit 99 out of 100 times. The scoring on ground balls is equally as baffling sometimes. If a fielder screws up which leads to the runner getting on base he should get an error despite if the ball was hit too hard too soft or whatever the reason.

Not on a ball that no one touches.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Not on a ball that no one touches.

Not true at all. This is where modern baseball has totally changed things against the rulebook. The rulebook states if the fielder can get the ball with an ordinary effort and doesn't, it should be considered an error.

[frnk55]

So I'm watching the Mets game at the moment and they show a dog that can detect when someones blood sugar drops to a danger point. The dog will alert the family when this happens.
Fucking amazing. This blows me away.

[stevew]

It's probably just a ruse to be able to get that dog on an airplane and into a mcdonalds.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by frnk55

So I'm watching the Mets game at the moment and they show a dog that can detect when someones blood sugar drops to a danger point. The dog will alert the family when this happens.
Fucking amazing. This blows me away.

Infinately more interesting then an actual Mets game

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by rowech

Showed emotion on the baseball field. This stuff is seriously getting stupid. He didn't sit there and admire it. He didn't even flip his bat all that much. You don't want a guy to show you up? DON'T GIVE UP A HOMERUN!

The situation in question:

3-0 Giants in the 6th and Puig hit a home run, flipped his bat (by Puig standards it was a pretty tame bat flip, especially because it was a mammoth shot), then began a quite slow trot around the basepaths. Bumgarner, fed up as he rounded third, came off the mound and started jawing at him, probably to hurry up and get his ass off the field. Posey also had some words for Puig. Mattingly was not happy about this, came out of the dugout and started hollering at Bumgarner, Posey, the plate umpire and even the crew chief. Mattingly kept chirping, even after he went back to the dugout, and was eventually tossed later in the inning for arguing balls and strikes.

After the game, Bumgarner was asked about the incident with Puig, and specifically what he said to him. His response, perfectly deadpan: "I was just congratulating him. That was a really good swing. I don't know why everybody got so mad." When asked what Puig said back, he again deadpanned "I don't know, I don't speak Spanish."

I think the situation was perfectly fine all around. Puig was Puig, and when you're down 3-0 that's not a good time to showboat (which he was clearly doing...a bat flip when you're still down 2 runs late in the game?). Bumgarner hollered at him, so did Posey, and that's all. It ends there. I think Bumgarner's comments were hilarious in the post game.

[JPhillips]

With Bruce and Mesoraco out the Reds are really light on bats. Today they started 5 fielders with a sub .300 obp.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

With Bruce and Mesoraco out the Reds are really light on bats. Today they started 5 fielders with a sub .300 obp.

Welcome to Atlanta ... when they're healthy.

Uggla .248
B.Upton .281
Gattis .284
Simmons .291
Heyward .302
Johnson .304

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

The situation in question:

3-0 Giants in the 6th and Puig hit a home run, flipped his bat (by Puig standards it was a pretty tame bat flip, especially because it was a mammoth shot), then began a quite slow trot around the basepaths. Bumgarner, fed up as he rounded third, came off the mound and started jawing at him, probably to hurry up and get his ass off the field. Posey also had some words for Puig. Mattingly was not happy about this, came out of the dugout and started hollering at Bumgarner, Posey, the plate umpire and even the crew chief. Mattingly kept chirping, even after he went back to the dugout, and was eventually tossed later in the inning for arguing balls and strikes.

After the game, Bumgarner was asked about the incident with Puig, and specifically what he said to him. His response, perfectly deadpan: "I was just congratulating him. That was a really good swing. I don't know why everybody got so mad." When asked what Puig said back, he again deadpanned "I don't know, I don't speak Spanish."

I think the situation was perfectly fine all around. Puig was Puig, and when you're down 3-0 that's not a good time to showboat (which he was clearly doing...a bat flip when you're still down 2 runs late in the game?). Bumgarner hollered at him, so did Posey, and that's all. It ends there. I think Bumgarner's comments were hilarious in the post game.

Hmm, I don't think the 6th is all that late in the game. More the middle. Maybe semantics. As for the bat flip, you even said it was pretty tame by Puig's standards. So this is no different really.

Not saying Puig is a saint or nothing but this seems a pretty mild thing to get all upset about. I didn't see it, though, just going off of your description.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Hmm, I don't think the 6th is all that late in the game. More the middle. Maybe semantics. As for the bat flip, you even said it was pretty tame by Puig's standards. So this is no different really.

Not saying Puig is a saint or nothing but this seems a pretty mild thing to get all upset about. I didn't see it, though, just going off of your description.

Here's the incident. It really starts when Puig totally puts the bat down and takes a strike without even bothering to call time. Then hits it out. Then Baumgarner expresses himself from there.