another reason to enjoy MLB network more than BBTN
by cubfan1982 on Apr 22, 2009 12:11 AM CDT
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PrintNot sure if anyone else is watching both MLB Tonight on the MLBN and BBTN on ESPN, but I have to say MLB is much more entertaining and educational than BBTN. I also enjoyed seeing Mitch Williams and HR today.
Case in point: during the coverage of the Cubs-Reds game tonight, both broadcasts showed the cat running around the field. What did MLB Tonight show? They cut to Brenly's comments on WGN about remembering a game at the Kingdome and something similar happening. Then they even showed the clip from that game in 1984!
What do our friends at BBTN show? 1969 and the black cat with Santo. Then they immediately show the foul ball that Soriano chased near the Bartman seats, and of course cut to a certain clip of the 2003 NLCS.. ugh. Who really wants to see these lame stereotypical Cubs highlights that aren't relevant? They're almost worse than Joe Buck and FOX. Almost.
Unrelated tidbit: Vasgersian (sp?) mentioned that Harden's 26K's in 15 innings is the most to start a season since the turn of the century.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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There's absolutely no reason to watch BBTN anymore
MLB Network has far surpassed ESPN in terms of coverage and analysis of baseball games. BBTN is a joke compared to what they are doing at MLB Network.
"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko
by DTJchris on Apr 22, 2009 12:19 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
God Bless MLB Network
for not going that route even though it would’ve been so easy to. I hate ESPN and Fox for those very reason. What is sad is that were a joke because of stupid stuff like that.
Someday we'll go all the way.
by Cubbinstrongsince86 on Apr 22, 2009 7:29 AM CDT up reply actions
I only watch it
because Uverse still doesn’t have MLB Network.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions
+ 1
Bud Selig thinks Puerto Rico is a foreign country and the MLB network isn’t available here. And I get tired of watching it on my computer via Slingbox.
I saw BBTN last night and I knew before I did that they would show the 1969 black cat and the Bartman non-play. They’re so predictable.
by Fraggin Judge on Apr 22, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions
The booing and chanting after that foul ball was ridiculous.
That ball wasn’t even close to possibly being caught. People have to let that go.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Soriano catching the ball is not the point
I am not one to think that some fan interfering with a play is the one reason the Cubs could lose a game. The point is when a ball is in play DON’T TOUCH IT! This happens a few time a year, Soriano probably wasn’t going to make that catch but maybe he would have made an incredible play. Or in a different game a player may be able to make a more routine catch but a fan will interfere. That fan should be ejected from the game for interfering with a ball in play.
It wasn't in play, though.
It looked like it was in the stands when he caught it.
+1
That’s what I thought as well. It landed in the stands and there was NO WAY Soriano could have caught it.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Agreed...
I’m pretty sure it was in the stands, and Soriano had no chance of catching it even if it had been in play.
by SouthernCub on Apr 22, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions
it was
in the front row, pretty close to the Bartman seat. It was just a bad image.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions
Happened in the Mets-Brewers game on Sunday, too
Should be an automatic ejection
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions
A fan going for a ball shouldn't be this big of an issue
Ball in stands = fair game for fans, IMHO.
Because when it comes to sports, we die harder than Bruce Willis.
by halfblindcubbiegirl on Apr 22, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Probably.
The booing each time Baker poked his head out of the dugout was also ridiculous. It’s becoming like a Miller Park crowd ("You used to be here — ‘Boo!’ ")
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions
They booed Jerry Hairston, Jr., too.
The heartless bastids.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
Boy, wait until Corey Provus gets back . . . .
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Drag him from the booth!
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
Run, Andy Masur! Run!
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions
I miss Cory
Judd is awful.
Because when it comes to sports, we die harder than Bruce Willis.
by halfblindcubbiegirl on Apr 22, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, I'm trying to get used to him...
…but it’s not easy. He has that hyper, high-pitched way of talking, which is more than a little jarring, and he doesn’t do a very good job with home run calls.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
He keeps trying to go out of his way to get Ron involved
which is annoying. Just let Ron add what he wants, when he wants.
Because when it comes to sports, we die harder than Bruce Willis.
by halfblindcubbiegirl on Apr 22, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh yeah, I've noticed that, too.
He’s always peppering Ron with questions. One of these days Ron is going to get tired of it and tell him to shut up.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
His play-by-play is a bit like Monty's
“Fly ball . . . . .
. . .
. . . Caught."
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions
by the guy.
in the middle.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Dissapointing
I’d heard that more and more fans were doing this, but it was blantant last night. BB made the comment that the Cubs fans seem to be booing anyone who ever wore the uniform that they encounter on another team — his tone implied how stupid he thought it was. I hope this kind of mindless crowd response changes. Not saying you have to like former players, but booing is a little ridiculous.
"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"
by StevenABQ on Apr 22, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I sure hope the crowd cheers Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood when they return.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
DeRo definitely.
Here’s hoping Woody doesn’t even get in the game.
remember
Sammy Jankis
by neverAcquiesce on Apr 23, 2009 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions
Granted, you were there and I wasn't
but I took the booing as a joke. Like they, as Cub fans, were poking fun at themselves. I mean, in the span of a few minutes you had a cat run on the field and a ball in the front row of the left field foul line stands.
Yes, the cat wasn’t black. Yes, the ball wasn’t exactly in the same spot. Yes, Soriano had absolutely no chance on the ball. But it was an odd occurance to see two similar instances happen in such quick succession.
Like I said, I think the booing was an attempt at levity and if I was the guy who caught that ball I wouldn’t have thought for a moment they were actually booing me.
remember
Sammy Jankis
by neverAcquiesce on Apr 23, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Precisely.
I think with distance and time comes the ability to laugh at ourselves, and honestly, I lol’d when Bob Brenly made his “If a goat runs out on the field, I’m heading home” comment.
I think everybody needs to lighten up with all the hand-wringing over people bringing up past events. It happened. We all know it happened. We can’t escape it. Just freaking laugh about it. Have some fun, and then these things lose their power.
"I'll never forget how I felt last October." ~Kosuke Fukudome
Agreed about MLB BBTN no doubt
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Agreed
To me MLB Network is aimed at the real baseball fan. BBTN is more for the casual fan hence the focus on entertainment, NYY, Red Sox and the Cubs 100 year drought.
Yup...
The networks are shooting for the marginal fan. For a long time, they’ve know they can get the die-hards without trying, so they started catering to the casual fan with the gimmicky stuff.
Perhaps the MLB network will steal enough of the die-hard fans that ESPN will realize the need to shape up. Or, if not, hopefully the MLB network will not follow the path of ESPN coverage.
I wish that were the
case for me. Unfortunately Dish hasn’t picked up the MLBN. I can only stand watching BBTN for about two minutes.
Karl Ravich makes me want to break my TV.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Therein lies the rub...
I am spoiled with my digital cable provider having picked up MLBN. As long as ESPN has the monopoly for a large portion of the audience, you’ll keep seeing the same crappy coverage.
by SouthernCub on Apr 22, 2009 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions
My only option
is to switch to DirecTV…but they STILL haven’t picked up WGN in HD. So my conundrum is: switch to Direct for MLBN and lose WGN HD, or stay with Dish and go w/o MLBN??
I think I’ll stay with Dish. HD is too good to give up.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
What are the chances the MLB Network makes it to basic cable?
Until then I’m stuck with BBTN, unfortunately.
I'm in the same boat
not looking to upgrade my cable anytime soon so I’ll just have to stick it out. Last night BBTN had Fernando Vina hitting off a tee, saying something like – hitting off a tee is how I became a great hitter. He had a couple of good years for the Cards but let’s not get crazy here, great hitter.
by montanacubby on Apr 22, 2009 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions
LOL!
The two minutes of BBTN I did watch, was when Vina was hitting off the tee.
I about spit up my Busch Light when he referred to himself as a “great hitter”, and basically compared himself to ManRam who is just one of the greatest RH hitters of all-time.
Laughable.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Vina
the career .282 hitter with a .728 OPS. Sorry, Vina, but you are no Tony Gwinn.
"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko
oops, Gwynn
"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko
At least he let the ball hit him when he leaned into 'em
Not like Mr. Biggio and his elbow armor . . .
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Apr 22, 2009 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions
I'll give a shout-out to MLB Network, too.
So far, I’m lovin’ it. Being able to flip over during commercial breaks during Cubs games and see what else is going on around the leagues is nothing short of baseball heaven. I’ll still occasionally check ESPN to see if Baseball Tonight is on, but it’s an all but an afterthought at this point.
I also like the dynamic of Matt Vasgersian as straight man to Mitch Williams’ goofball, with Harold Reynolds kinda mediating between them. And though I was fairly critical of Dan Plesac when he was on CSN, he seems to have settled in nicely on MLB Network. There’s no denying the guy’s natural enthusiasm for the game.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
is that where he's gone?
he’s not going to be able to be on the Cubs Big Blue Train at the impartial MLB Network…
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Yep, Plesac's gone nationwide...
…and the Big Blue Train, thankfully, has been taken to the coachhouse.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
aw.
I liked the big blue train.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions
It was so cheesy...I just couldn't take it after a while.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
I think he's not gonna wear the hat, but
he speaks very highly of the Cubs. And he seems excited about the team (albeit not as much as when he was on Comcast).
One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.
Plesac seems much better on a national network than he was on CSN.
And Vasgersian is pretty good in this role.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Comcast MLB Network Chicago
When are they goin to launch an HD version of this channel? Their website says 410, 233 (HD). But 233 is the Speed channel (HD) and 410 is MLBN in SD for me. What gives?
"Blagojevich's telephone log shows several calls to members of the team, including manager Lou Piniella, coach Larry Rothschild and John McDonough," -The Chicago Tribune 4/31/09
MLB HD
In our area (Wood dale) it’s already offered as part of the Sports Tier. SD MLB Network is part of a more basic package, I guess.
I have a sports package
gonna have to call them tonight.
"Blagojevich's telephone log shows several calls to members of the team, including manager Lou Piniella, coach Larry Rothschild and John McDonough," -The Chicago Tribune 3/31/09
by TheRamZamDLEE on Apr 22, 2009 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Strange
233 for me is MLB in HD, I’m also on Comcast in Chicago.
by WittyUserName on Apr 22, 2009 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Yep.
I have MLBN HD on channel 233 in Chicago.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
suddenly
TheRamZamDLEE realizes that he’s been scammed by the Circuit City salesman…
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions
He probably shouldn't be at Circuit City in the first place.
Didn’t they go bankrupt?
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
indeed they did
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Apr 22, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions
Winning will change EVERYTHING
I was upset as well about the ‘69 and Bartman references on BBTN (I don’t have MLB network. . . yet) but it seems to me the only thing that will STOP these references will be to have a winning team that reaches and CONQUERS the World Series.
Until then, these are some of the most colorful images that the Cubs have burned into the US’s psyche, and will be constantly paraded ad infinitum.
another great thing
While I enjoy the NFL during their season, I really appreciate MLB for not having football highlights in April (it helps that it is the MLB network, not a sports network obviously). That’s something that kills me about BBTN…ESPN feels the need to bombard us casual football fans who are diehard baseball fans with in-show updates about non-news items from the NFL. It’s very nice having football free baseball highlights.
Loving MLB Network.
Especially on night’s when I don’t get the Cubs game. And if I don’t feel like watching anything else on a particular night it’s a great background show to have while doing things around the house. I’ve practiced guitar with it on more than once this season.
remember
Sammy Jankis
by neverAcquiesce on Apr 23, 2009 10:26 AM CDT reply actions
I know this sounds strange...
But it seems MLB Net is almost commercial-free, save for a few As Seen On TV widgets and gadets being sold. (Outside of PBP telecasts, that is — that’s where the bulk of their commercials are) Most of their breaks during regular programming are filled with promos for other MLB shows.
This venture must be drowning in red ink right now. It’s a bad time to start a network.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Apr 23, 2009 7:23 PM CDT reply actions
Agreed.
I think MLB is using it as a loss-leader for now, a promotional tool for some of its other things. Based on our approval of what they’re doing, it’s working.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
That's good point, sadly enough.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
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