This Week in Baseball 4/5 - 4/12

[Bored]

Enough waiting, the first pitch of the season is about 24 hours away. The new season brings an extra national game a week for those of use who get MLB Network as they'll have Thursday Night Baseball. It appears unlike their television partners, MLB wants variety in their telecasts as their first 8 games feature 16 different teams. There will still be local blackouts like with ESPN and TBS but there will be an alternate game with an RSN feed in their place.

Also once again this year MLB Extra Innings will be free for all the first week of the season.

Baseball! Live! In COLOR!

SUNDAY
Braves (Derek Lowe) at Phillies (Brett Myers), 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN2

MONDAY
Mets (Johan Santana) at Reds (Aaron Harang), 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, ESPN
Rays (James Shields) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett), 2:00 PM/11:00 AM, ESPN2
Yankees (C.C. Sabathia) at Orioles (Jeremy Guthrie), 4:00/1:00 PM, ESPN
Cubs (Carlos Zambrano) at Astros (Roy Oswalt), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN2
Athletics (Dallas Braden) at Angels (Joe Saunders), 9:00/6:00 PM, ESPN

WEDNESDAY
Rays (Scott Kazmir) at Red Sox (Jon Lester), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN2

THURSDAY
Brewers (Manny Parra) at Giants (Matt Cain), 7:00/4:00 PM, MLBN

SATURDAY
Red Sox at Angels, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Astros at Cardinals, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Twins at White Sox, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 8:00/5:00 PM, MLBN

SUNDAY, April 12th
Mets at Marlins, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, TBS
Cubs at Brewers, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

[Smues]

I really wish we got the MLB network up here, but still thank god it's finally baseball season.

 

[devo]

So, are the Thursday night MLB Network games going to blacked out on MLB.tv?

 

[Dandy]

It's supposed to be in the 40s and raining with a chance of snow in Cincy.

 

[alkeiper]

It's supposed to be in the 40s and raining with a chance of snow in Cincy.

Que complaining about early season in 3...2...1...

I'm going to an exhibition in Reading PA on Tuesday, high temperature 43 degrees. And you know what? I'd rather sit in the cold and watch baseball than sit in a warm house and do nothing. It's been six damn months since I've been to a ballpark.

 

[Smues]

It's supposed to be in the 40s and raining with a chance of snow in Cincy.

So if it snows which umpire dies?

 

[Bored]

So, are the Thursday night MLB Network games going to blacked out on MLB.tv?

I would assume they won't be, outside "local" markets of course.

 

[Dandy]

No complaining from me on the season schedule. I had tickets to opening day in Cincy, but I have no vacation days until I have been at my job for one full year. Ms. Dandy is in Cincinnati right now, and I bet the game will be PPD. I just hate to see the crappy weather on Opening Day, as it is one of the days I most look forward to each year.

 

[Bored]

I'll be going to the A's Opening Night on Friday against the Mariners, first one I've been to since 2002. I wanted to make sure I saw at least one game with Matt Holliday in an A's uniform.

 

[Czech]

Nobody's complaining about an early season. It's starting late. However, northern teams should be on the road for as much of April as possible so as to avoid a chance of snow, and the far southern teams like the Rangers and Marlins can avoid the dog days by coming up here. Common sense. That the Cubs played a plurality of their home games in April and May was a disservice to fans that deserve better.

 

[Dandy]

The Reds will most assuredly always open at home due to tradition. They used to have the first game of the year every year before MLB started the current setup for marketing purposes. What you said makes sense due to the weather, Czech, but I doubt it will happen soon due to old traditions.

 

[alkeiper]

Yeah, the Reds opening the season at home is an old tradition due to Cincinnati being the first professional baseball team.

 

[Dandy]

I probably won't get to watch any baseball until Monday evening, sadly. We do not have a TV at work, and all I will be able to do is follow along on Gamecast or something similar. 'Tis a shame.

 

[Czech]

The Reds will most assuredly always open at home due to tradition. They used to have the first game of the year every year before MLB started the current setup for marketing purposes. What you said makes sense due to the weather, Czech, but I doubt it will happen soon due to old traditions.

I know the Reds always open at home and I like that. There's a parade and everything. That said, the Cubs and Twins, maybe a few others, should probably start with extended road swings to maximize the nice summer weather. Like I said. Common sense.

Cubs aren't airing the first game of the year on WGN-TV. That's odd. Screw 'em.

 

[geniusMoment]

I just got opening day tickets from a friend for FREE due to the weather. They've adjusted the forcast for cincy with a high of 39, but it will drop all morning into the afternoon. Gametime temp is upper 20s with about an inch of snow, but it's baseball! Windchill right on the river is supposed to be around 10 F. Nice.


Johan Santana you're not in whatever warm country you're from anymore.


By the way average high temp in cincy this time of year is 63, we're only gonna be about 30 below that on Monday, it's going to be 70 Sunday and it's been in the 60s for the better part of the past month. God bless mother nature for scoring me free tickets

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Boston is expecting rain Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I believe so I'll be curious if the opening day game at 2 PM gets delayed for a brief while.

 

[still fly]

My school district is on Spring Break this week, so extended-viewing Dodger baseball is in store.

 

[geniusMoment]

Carlos Z wants the cubs to get a new park:

Standing in the plush visitors' clubhouse of Yankee Stadium, Carlos Zambrano made a plea for Chicago to replace Wrigley Field.

"You come into a ballpark like this and you see great things," the Cubs ace told The Associated Press on Saturday before his team's 10-1 exhibition loss at the sparkling ballpark in the Bronx.

"You wish that Chicago'd build a new stadium for the Cubs," he said.

 

[jimmy no nose]

The Rays finally settled the 5th starter spot by trading Jason Hammel to the Rockies. For a while it seemed like everyone thought they were going to move Niemann.

In a semi-surprising move the Cubs released Chad Gaudin. He'll probably wind up on a roster somewhere pretty soon though.

 

[Cheech]

Gaudin should go back to Oakland. They could use another starter and he had a fair amount of success when he was there.

 

[Precious Roy]

Carlos Z wants the cubs to get a new park:

Standing in the plush visitors' clubhouse of Yankee Stadium, Carlos Zambrano made a plea for Chicago to replace Wrigley Field.

"You come into a ballpark like this and you see great things," the Cubs ace told The Associated Press on Saturday before his team's 10-1 exhibition loss at the sparkling ballpark in the Bronx.

"You wish that Chicago'd build a new stadium for the Cubs," he said.

Wow....

 

[Czech]

Never gonna happen. They'll just keep renovating it piece by piece. Nobody cares what Carlos Zambrano thinks, anyway.

Releasing Gaudin was probably kind of stupid. I thought the Rockies were interested in him. Guess not.

White Sox are at home tomorrow and most likely getting snowed out. Hawk Harrelson had a conspiracy theory last year that the Sox always had bad weather and the Cubs didn't. Not making this up.

 

[KingPK]

Looks like Rays/SAWX is getting rained out tomorrow as well.

So that's why they wait a week to open games at Fenway.

 

[Mik]

I'll probably end up watching more baseball this year then the last few. The MLB network is outstanding. I love it.

 

[alkeiper]

From what I gather the Cubs had to choose between keeping two of Angel Guzman, Gaudin, and Rule V pick David Patton.

 

[Mik]

Nice to see Dave Winfield in Baseball Tonight. And what the hell? They just said John Kruk is an emmy nominee? Now they'll never come to their senses and get rid of him.

 

[Smues]

BASEBALL! It's opening night so I don't think adding Steve Philips to the ESPN team will phase me much, but it's going to wear on me throughout the season I fear.

 

[Smues]

And we're off! Normally to start a season I would post the MC Hammer Braves video, but I've got something better now (worse) to start off the season with.

Sammy Stephens at Turner Field

 

[Just Burny]

I just missed the HR because a noise from outside my window which, (if it's heavenly possible with all thats holy in the world) I guess came from a cat, but sounded like a woman being stabbed to death caused me to check it out.

 

[Smues]

Maybe it was the ball landing on someone and killing them. That thing was crushed.