So you can't listen to baseball games online anymore unless you go through MLB.com.  And I'm fine with that - it's their product, and while I'd prefer they thought of internet servers as just really strong radio towers, I can deal with it.

 

They want you to pay $14.95 for a full year of MLB Audio.  Not commercial-free audio, mind you - you're paying $15 for the privilege of listening to damn commercials...but you also can pull in any broadcast, either team's station, from anywhere in the world.  So I'm fine with that.  Don't like it, but I can deal with it.

 

But when the fucking audio goes dead in the 3rd inning, right before the Reds rally, and when their phone number is nothing but a busy signal, and their online form is busted, won't take your comments...yeah, I'm basically despising them right now.

i'm cheap, i just go to the gamecast

the mlb.com office is inside the chelsea market building by me. from what i can tell the employees like to slouch around the market shops instead of work.

Are they hiring?

Are they hiring?

 

lol

Are they hiring?

 

grab me an application

lol!

 

it does sound like your kind of place to work pope. in their defense the market is very condusive to slacking and the nabe is to imbibation of the libations. etc. yeah, lots of etc. too. ie., buddha bar is opening in the building in a week or so, so expect another dive in quality on mlb.com, food tv network and oxygen channel when they all hang around after work and come in bleary-eyed the next day. heh.

 

http://www.buddhabarnyc.com/draft1.html

 

otoh, if you worked there this joint next door to the building is prob way more "pope-approved":

 

http://www.redrockwestsaloon.com/

 

seewhudahmean? at red rocks 2 pitchers of water+leather pants=neyeah baybee happy hour!

 

 

you know as long as there is a beer in my hand, i'm happy

did anyone see the lasorda mlb post-season ad for the tribe fans? they're pretty funny commercials:

 

 

2006 MLB Post-Season Ads w/Lasorda   

Press Release   

Friday, 29 September 2006 

2006 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL POSTSEASON AD CAMPAIGN TO STAR TOMMY LASORDA

 

One of Baseball’s Most Beloved Personalities is the Ambassador for October Baseball Lasorda Leads Fans Nationwide“To The TV!”

 

Tommy Lasorda, a legendary manager and one of baseball’s most charismatic personalities, will be the star of the 2006 Major League Baseball postseason advertising campaign that aims to ignite fans’ passion for the playoffs. The wry new campaign, which features three different television commercials, reminds fans that they can’t miss a moment of October baseball. The television spots, which debut on Friday, September 29, will run throughout the duration of the postseason and will be supplemented by print, radio, internet and mobile messaging.

 

Lasorda, who has given up his traditional cleats and cap for a more sophisticated October look, appears dapper throughout the campaign dressed in black tie. The three television spots each open with Lasorda stepping into extreme fan situations that

capture the “wanting to run and hide” feeling that every fan has experienced at one point or another. With perfectly delivered dry wit, Lasorda shares a “tough love” message with fans; like one who has climbed into a tree to hide once his team was eliminated from postseason play. In another spot he declares: “Real fans don’t hide in October. They celebrate it!”

 

Tommy’s “tough love” messages will appear throughout the postseason in creative ways including beverage coasters and electronic condolence cards that he hopes fans will use to help him spread the word: “It’s October! I live for this! You live for this! The World lives for this! To the TV!”

 

“Tommy Lasorda is one of the great ambassadors for the game of baseball,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. “Our goal is to make October baseball must-see television and Tommy is the perfect person to rouse the baseball fan within everyone. His love and passion for the sport is contagious.”

 

The 2006 postseason advertising campaign is being supported through numerous Major League Baseball assets. MLB.com will host “Tommy pages” where fans can get “tough love” advice from Tommy, send econdolence cards to fans whose teams have been eliminated from the 2006 postseason, and download free TV brackets. The Tommy print campaign will also be used to promote the MLB Authentic Collection. The radio spots, produced by Major League Baseball Productions, will run locally on Infinity radio stations. The television spots will be distributed to all of Major League Baseball’s international broadcast partners in English speaking countries.

 

The postseason advertising campaign, created by McCann Erickson, will be supported by an extensive television schedule, both in-game and out-of-game, including ESPN, FOX and Turner Sports. Print advertisement will include Sports Illustrated, USA Today and Baseball America. Radio spots will air in select major markets including XM Satellite Radio and ESPN Radio. Digital messages will be placed on MLB.com as well as a variety of sports, news and entertainment sites.

 

The new series of ads were developed under the Major League Baseball “I Live for This” campaign, which was introduced in September 2003. 

 

 

I thought the Indians commercial was pretty cool and pretty lenghty.  "They're in the cabinets"  LMAO!!!  I love the shot of someone opening and closing the cabinet real quick!  LOL

Also, the product placement in the Indians commercial was perfect!

 

http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/scripts/mediaplayer/mp_tpl.jsp?w_id=520139&w=/2006/open/commercial/lasorda_postseason_kitchen_fox_350.wmv&pid=mlb_potg&vid=1&mid=200609291688978&cid=mlb&fid=mlb_potg350&v=2&mType=w&urlstr=&murl=

 

I love it when Tommy says "hit it kid!"... LMAO!!!  That part kills me!

 

I love the Yankees-Red Sox commercial.  Although I am a year round Yankees hater!

http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/scripts/mediaplayer/mp_tpl.jsp?w_id=520138&w=/2006/open/commercial/lasorda_postseason_bathroom_espn_350.wmv&pid=gen_video&vid=1&mid=200609291688973&cid=mlb&fid=gen_video350&v=2&mType=w&urlstr=&murl=

 

 

On the eve of another season of interleague play, I heard an interesting discussion brought up on ESPN radio this morning. It seems there is an idea floating around the AL East clubs that AL Central teams can pump up their records and damage other AL teams chances of getting a wild card spot due to the lack of competition in the NL Central. Since we have a fair amount of fans from both divisions...do ya think this is a fair assesment? Or is this more of a Yankees/Red Sox fans whining about something for the 9 millionth time situation?

Sure, I would say that the NL Central is weak this year...but that is not the case every year, nor does the NL Central and AL Central face off every year.  Overall it sounds like whining, but its just the luck of the draw.  On top of that, I don't have much sympathy for teams that have $200 million or so payrolls.  Learn to win, instead of pay to win and that will ultimately solve their problems.

 

Teams in the NL/AL Central need every single break possible in order to try to break even with the Yankees and Red Sox of the world...its not the other way around!

i think NY/BOS believe they are entitled to the playoffs.

^ i can't wait to see the rocket blow up on the launch pad.

This poor guy, he fell for it hook, line, and sinker:

 

'Trade' to Japan leaves Kendrick in shock

Monday, Feb 18, 2008 1:36 am EST

 

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick was shocked to learn that he'd been traded to the Yomiuri Giants in Japan for a player named "Kobayashi Iwamura."

 

More below

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/-Trade-to-Japan-leaves-Kendrick-in-shock?urn=mlb%2C67246

My thing is, this is a prime example of people not reading information and just listening to their "counsel".  Hell anyone with a brain knows you cannot get traded to a non MLB entity!  I would have non something was wrong right away.

Thats hilarious. I can only imagine what was running through his mind at the time.

I'm surprised he didn't storm out of the room, throw a fit and call his agent about it. That's hilarious though. Great prank.

From the video, it seems like he's a pretty easy going guy and probably why he was targeted.

It amazes me how naive celebrities are. I bet their managers, agents and publicists are more like general life coaches.

It amazes me how naive celebrities are. I bet their managers, agents and publicists are more like general life coaches.

 

I could - but I wont - tell you some stories that would make your skin crawl.

i saw this on the today show this morning. hilarious.

It's about time for a Cy Young museum

Wednesday,  December 30, 2009 3:11 AM

By Mike Harden

 

He was a country boy who quit school in the sixth grade to help out on the family farm near Gilmore, in eastern Ohio. When he died in 1955, in nearby Newcomerstown, Denton True "Cy" Young had left a mark on professional baseball that will remain as long as the game is played.

 

"When Cy Young was playing baseball, he was just there for the game," said Elaine Mayenschein, of the Newcomerstown Historical Society. "There wasn't TV or even radio back then. He learned to pitch throwing green apples in the summertime and black walnuts in the fall."

 

The annual announcement of the Major League Baseball recipients of the award that bears his name likely has garnered Cy Young far more headlines in death than the entire body of his stunning accomplishments on the mound. He posted 511 career wins, 7,354 2/3 innings pitched, 815 starts and 749 complete games.

 

Full column at:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/30/MIKE30_ART_12-30-09_B1_HQG57D3.html?sid=101

McGwire opens up about steroid admission

 

There is life on the other side of a steroid admission by Mark McGwire, and a more restful one it should be. A 20-year gestation of a lie for McGwire finally ended, and what's important is that it ended by his own choice. McGwire so badly wanted to make good on his dream to be a hitting coach -- and I can't tell you how many times at the peak of his playing days he told me that is what he wished to do -- that he admitted the bulk of his playing career was built with the help of steroids.

 

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/01/11/verducci.mcgwire.steroids/index.html?cnn=yes#ixzz0cPPLGmNu

Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription

:strong:        :strong:

 

I am absolutely SHOCKED! 

Not surprised.

Just another reason why I wont watch baseball. But nothing shocking here.

How is it that all of the current and ex players who have admitted to steroid use or have tested positive still allowed to be associated with and play in MLB, yet Pete Rose is still banned from the game?

Can we move this to the "Duh" forum?

 

I have no problem with the players that used steroids over the last 40 years.  Athletes sacrifice their bodies for sport all the time in many ways, why signal out steroids?

 

McGwire is still hall-of-famer in my mind.

I really loved Bob Knight's reaction to the news on ESPN the other day when he compared steroids to Gatorade, as both are performance enhancing substances. 

 

It is just unfortunate that steroids have cast such a large shadow over professional sports.  Hopefully we will see steroids taken as seriously in baseball as they are in other sports or else I think that people will look at the last X number of years with a giant helping of salt.

Just another reason why I wont watch baseball.

 

Compare the size of players today in any sport to those 40 years ago. It's not just baseball and most athletes probably started doing it early in high school where the use is obviously going to be undetected later on. Think about how much is at stake when young athletes are trying to get a full scholarship to their universities of choice.

Jesus, Chris ... you've turned into the cyber-tabloid of UO.

 

Anyway ... I'll still watch baseball and love baseball. There are amazing athletes that still play the game and play the game clean.

 

Does McGwire still belong in the HOF? Maybe ... Does Pete Rose? Absolutely.

 

Rose holds records that NO-ONE will ever, ever, ever, ever, ever beat and 99.9% of all MLB players will never come close to ... and he did it with passion and the right way.

 

Rose holds the record for the most records. lol

 

 

Career Records

*All-time Major League record for most career hits - 4,256

All-time Major League record for most games played - 3,562

 

All-time Major League record for most at bats - 14,053

 

All-time Major League record for most singles - 3,315

 

All-time Major League record for most total bases by a switch hitter - 5,752

 

All-time Major League record for most seasons of 200 or more hits - 10

 

All-time Major League record for most consecutive seasons of 100 or more hits - 23

 

All-time Major League record for most seasons of 600 or more at bats - 17

 

All-time Major League record for most seasons of 150 or more games - 17

 

All-time Major League record for most seasons of 100 or more games - 23

 

Only player in Major League history to play more than 500 games at five different positions

 

1st Base - 939

2nd Base - 628

3rd Base - 634

Left Field - 671

Right Field - 595

 

Major League record for playing most winning games - 1,972

 

All-time National League record for most years played - 24

 

All-time National League record for most consecutive years played - 24

 

All-time National League record for most career runs - 2,165

 

All-time National League record for most career doubles - 746

 

All-time National League record for most games 5 or more hits - 10

 

Modern National League record for longest consecutive game hitting streak - 44 (June 14 - July 31, 1978)

 

Modern National League record for most consecutive game hitting streaks of 20 or more games - 7

 

 

 

... so it's questionable to sports-media world that McGwire should be in the HOF? ... but it's set in stone, that Rose should never be allowed to be in the HOF??? Gotcha.

 

Jesus, Chris ... you've turned into the cyber-tabloid of UO.

 

Says the Extra twit on this forum.

 

And they should create a special "Steroid" wing at the Baseball Hall of Fame to let Sosa, McGwire, and Bonds in (+ many others).

I think they're all on steroids. Most athletes in every sport. We need a Steroid Hall of Fame.

Btw I heard Spartans ate bull testicles to increase their testosterone. Can any historians verify this fact? Performance enhancing drugs may be much older than we think.

I think they're all on steroids. Most athletes in every sport. We need a Steroid Hall of Fame.

 

Yeah, cycling has a huge doping problem.  I don't want to hear any Lance Armstrong smack though.  I am sure the French want to catch him BAD and they have not.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special.  Hell he's been lying for years.  Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special.  Hell he's been lying for years.  Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I'd agree with that.  And I think a McGwire backlash is beginning now that people are examining his interview answers.  Such as Big Mac's assertion that he only took steroids "to get healthy".  And that the steroid use never helped him hit more home runs. 

 

Also, I thought the Bobby Knight comment comparing steroids to Gatorade because they are both "performance enhancers" was 10 times too cute.  I've never heard of athletes being harmed due to Gatorade abuse.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special.  Hell he's been lying for years.  Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I'd agree with that.  And I think a McGwire backlash is beginning now that people are examining his interview answers.  Such as Big Mac's assertion that he only took steroids "to get healthy".  And that the steroid use never helped him hit more home runs. 

 

Also, I thought the Bobby Knight comment comparing steroids to Gatorade because they are both "performance enhancers" was 10 times too cute.  I've never heard of athletes being harmed due to Gatorade abuse.

 

Oh and do not get me started on the crocodile tears!

I think they're all on steroids. Most athletes in every sport. We need a Steroid Hall of Fame.

 

Yeah, cycling has a huge doping problem. I don't want to hear any Lance Armstrong smack though. I am sure the French want to catch him BAD and they have not.

 

You can only come up positive for whatever is tested. That goes for any chemical. Lance Armstrong is rich enough to have his own steroid synthesized.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special. Hell he's been lying for years. Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I thought about this the other day and I think the big difference here is that Barry Bonds was still playing when he went through his steroid saga.  McGwire's been out of the league for years.  People saw the "face of steroids" (Bonds) on the field almost every day and it upset them!  Not to mention Bonds holds the single season HR record and was continuing to move up the ladder in career HR totals in spite of the steroid allegations.  Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special. Hell he's been lying for years. Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I thought about this the other day and I think the big difference here is that Barry Bonds was still playing when he went through his steroid saga. McGwire's been out of the league for years. People saw the "face of steroids" (Bonds) on the field almost every day and it upset them! Not to mention Bonds holds the single season HR record and was continuing to move up the ladder in career HR totals in spite of the steroid allegations. Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

 

Nobody is buying into what he is saying, plus the timing of it raises questions to me. How much of McGuire admitting to steroids have to deal with his coaching? I see it as him saying "I've admitted what I did, now leave me alone and let me coach"

Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

 

Yeah but McGuire was too. They were all scared sh!tless. They had to testify in front of Congress.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special.  Hell he's been lying for years.  Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I thought about this the other day and I think the big difference here is that Barry Bonds was still playing when he went through his steroid saga.  McGwire's been out of the league for years.  People saw the "face of steroids" (Bonds) on the field almost every day and it upset them!  Not to mention Bonds holds the single season HR record and was continuing to move up the ladder in career HR totals in spite of the steroid allegations.  Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

 

Part of that is BS.

 

Most average professional athletes are bad with the media, which is why only a few select can get into broadcast after their careers end.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special.  Hell he's been lying for years.  Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

I thought about this the other day and I think the big difference here is that Barry Bonds was still playing when he went through his steroid saga.  McGwire's been out of the league for years.  People saw the "face of steroids" (Bonds) on the field almost every day and it upset them!  Not to mention Bonds holds the single season HR record and was continuing to move up the ladder in career HR totals in spite of the steroid allegations.  Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

 

Nobody is buying into what he is saying, plus the timing of it raises questions to me. How much of McGuire admitting to steroids have to deal with his coaching? I see it as him saying "I've admitted what I did, now leave me alone and let me coach"

I have a strong feeling that part of his employment contract has a morality clause in it.  Meaning he had to come clean in order to be hired, so the ball club that hired him wouldn't take any heat.

 

Oh, and Bond's was horrible with the press... that didn't help.

 

Yeah but McGuire was too. They were all scared sh!tless. They had to testify in front of Congress.

 

He want immunity, remember? He did testify but "did not want to talk about the past" .  Just look at the testimony.

why is everyone acting like this moron is so special. Hell he's been lying for years. Treat him the same way yall treat Barry Bonds!

 

Bonds was embroiled in steroid controversy right smack in the season he beat Hank Aaron's all time home run record, one of the most storied records in baseball. And he's a prick. But the first is why the spotlight was shined (shone? Shinned? 'Ach, laddie, quit shinnin' tha light on me so I kinna see!') on him so brightly.

 

Steroids weren't so widely recognized when McGuire and Sosa 'saved' baseball with their single season competition. In retrospect, this has put an extremely sour taste in my mouth about the whole sport. It wouldn't surprise me if every hall of fame caliber player in the last two decades ultimately came out and said they took them. The sport has zero credibility with me any more.

And this is why baseball is pretty much unwatchable.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5366254&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

 

Source: Lee-to-Yanks deal nearly done

By Buster Olney

ESPN The Magazine

 

 

A trade that would send Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee to the Yankees was "just about done" on Friday morning, according to an executive involved in the trade talks.

 

The Mariners have been pushing hard to complete the trade, but as of Friday morning there was no agreement in place, sources said, and it was possible another team could have stepped in to make a more aggressive bid....

 

 

 

^Jumped the gun on this one.

 

M's trade Lee to Rangers for Smoak, prospects

Sporting News staff reports

Friday, Jul. 9, 2010 - 5:47 p.m. ET

 

Mariners ace Cliff Lee is headed to the Rangers in a six-player trade, the New York Post reports.  Seattle will send Lee to Texas along with reliever Mark Lowe.  The Mariners will receive first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor leaguers in return.

 

Lee was on the brink of being traded to the Yankees on Thursday night but the deal fell through Friday.

 

MORE: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/article/2010-07-09/ms-trade-lee-rangers-for-smoak-prospects

Meh. Buster Olney jumped the gun... I just pulled the trigger.  :)

 

He'll be in pinstripes next year.

... all depends on what they're offering ... sucks anyway ...

 

At least according to Jocketty ... Reds were one of the three finalist - along with Yanks & Rangers.

 

Time is now for the Reds

 

The Reds took a mighty swing at Cliff Lee, and missed. Lee went to the Texas Rangers, who have a nice team but no money. The Reds have a nice team and a little money. They’re still prepared to spend it, if the deal is right. The problem is, the Reds’ starting pitching is already better than anyone else rumored to be available. No team is swapping its future for Ted Lilly or Dan Haren.

 

Lee was really the only fish in the sea. At least the Cardinals didn’t get him.

 

The good news is, Walt Jocketty is well known for his curiosity this time of year. More often than not, it has served him well. The GM had a proposal for Bob Castellini, aka The Big Man, for acquiring Lee. Safe to say, he’ll have others.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100709/COL03/307090086/Doc-Time-is-now-for-Reds

MLB Attendance Watch: Tough Times In Toronto And Cleveland

by Jim McLennan • Aug 10, 2010 5:01 PM EDT

 

A couple of weeks into the baseball season, I wrote a piece on early attendance trends, which at that point indicated a loss of about 700,000 fans on the season. Turns out that was an under-estimate. With the better part of two months left to go, numbers are already down by almost that much, compared to 2009 - projected forward for the rest of the season, another million fans will be lost from the ballpark in 2010.

 

What's more disturbing is that this comes on the heels of the five million decrease from 2008 to 2009. Obviously, the economy plays a factor, but it's the first time there have been consecutive drops of more than a million since 1950-52. over which time the annual crowds dropped from 17.2 to 14 million. As before, however, the overall number conceals a wide variation among teams.

 

Some of that is to be expected - the Mets got the "new field boost" last season. But the Indians have simply been hemorrhaging fans over the past few seasons. The per-game number is more than ten thousand down on when they went to the playoffs in 2007, and is on pace to be the lowest for Cleveland since 1992, before they moved into Jacobs/Progressive Field. The Blue Jays are worse off still - the last time they averaged less than twenty thousand per game was 1982.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2010/8/10/1616203/baseball-attendance-toronto-cleveland

 

This is a huge blow to the Washington Nationals.  And not great for MLB either.  The phenom was a great story this summer.  Now he's out for the rest of this season, maybe all of next season, and no guarantee of a 100% recovery.  Maybe he can do it, he's still young.

 

Tommy John surgery likely for Strasburg

 

Stephen Strasburg has a torn elbow ligament and will likely have Tommy John surgery, bringing the pitcher's promising rookie season to an abrupt end.  Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Friday an MRI on the right elbow revealed a ''significant tear.''  Strasburg will travel to the West Coast for a second opinion, but Rizzo anticipates the 22-year-old right-hander will need the operation that requires 12 to 18 months of rehabilitation.

 

Full article: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Strasburg-expected-to-need-tommy-john-surgery-082710