Category: Media

Some quick observations on MLB.TV Mosaic

I got a chance to download, install and use MLB.TV’s new version of Mosaic. I’ve been hearing a lot about this from MLB with all its new features so I’ve been looking forward to using it. Now I’ve used this new version for about 2 hours now so I’m only going to give you a … Continue reading “Some quick observations on MLB.TV Mosaic”

mosaic

I got a chance to download, install and use MLB.TV’s new version of Mosaic. I’ve been hearing a lot about this from MLB with all its new features so I’ve been looking forward to using it. Now I’ve used this new version for about 2 hours now so I’m only going to give you a quick first impression.

First, the user interface is much improved. I like the list of games at the top. From left to right, they are color coded: red are games that have ended, gold are games that are occurring, and blue are games that haven’t started.

Mosaic has a variety of views you can choose by clicking an icon. Gone is the “Screen 1” and “Screen 2”. If you want a certain game, you just click and drag it down to whatever window you want.

Interesting, it kept my players from my Player Tracker from last year. That’s nice, actually. It was a chore entering them in if I remember correctly. Hopefully, there won’t be a time lag like last year.

There are commercials now. I don’t mind them so much but last year I got a kick out of hearing the broadcasters talk somewhat freely into the mike (I’m not exactly sure they knew folks were listening… “Ok, Bonds is coming up. Let’s get this out of the way” I remember hearing).

Video is MUCH better. Of course, depending on your computer and video card, your mileage may vary.

Clicking is a bit touchy. If you’re going from one program to another like I do, just be careful you don’t click on an icon you don’t want to.

Anyway, I think the new version of Mosaic is a definite improvement but like I said, I’ve only used it for short period.

If anyone else has comments or issues, please chime in.

Followup: One thing I forgot to mention… MLB.TV threw in their BaseballChannel.TV as an extra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TSN issues have been archived at Paper of Record

Paper of Record claims to have the largest searchable archive of historical newspapers. Fortunately for us baseball fans, one of those newspapers is The Sporting News. Let the searching commence! Paper of Record seems to have issues of TSN dating back to 1886. Here’s a screen cap from a 1905 issue: Needless to say, there … Continue reading “TSN issues have been archived at Paper of Record”

Paper of Record claims to have the largest searchable archive of historical newspapers. Fortunately for us baseball fans, one of those newspapers is The Sporting News.

Let the searching commence!

Paper of Record seems to have issues of TSN dating back to 1886. Here’s a screen cap from a 1905 issue:

laj

Needless to say, there is a plethora of sports information at your fingertips. A caveat: you will need to go through a painless registration process before you can embark on your historical journey.

Hat tip to CLuke who pointed this out to me.

I signed up for MLB.TV

I signed up for MLB.TV today. I got the Premium package which costs a pretty penny. If you just want the basic MLB.TV package, it costs the same as last year but this year, they’re not throwing in Mosaic with that. My sense is that they were beta-testing it last year and now that it’s … Continue reading “I signed up for MLB.TV”

MLB Mosaic

I signed up for MLB.TV today. I got the Premium package which costs a pretty penny. If you just want the basic MLB.TV package, it costs the same as last year but this year, they’re not throwing in Mosaic with that. My sense is that they were beta-testing it last year and now that it’s ready for prime time, you need to get the Premium package and pay the primo bucks.

Here is the MLB.TV’s comparison chart.

Aside from Mosiac (which will be available April 2), the Premium package promises to deliver higher bandwidth and therefore better video.

Stay tuned. I’ll be reviewing any highlights (or problems) with MLB.TV and Mosaic.

MLB.TV’s entry page

Looking past ARod and Jeter

You and I as baseball fans have patiently waited through winter where there has been relatively little actual baseball news. Sure, there was the winter meetings, the winter leagues and of course the hot stove leagues. But no real action on the ball field since the 2006 postseason. You and I and the media put … Continue reading “Looking past ARod and Jeter”

You and I as baseball fans have patiently waited through winter where there has been relatively little actual baseball news. Sure, there was the winter meetings, the winter leagues and of course the hot stove leagues. But no real action on the ball field since the 2006 postseason. You and I and the media put up with it.

But now, when spring training is about to start, when players are beginning to report, when there is actual news to report, what does the sports media decide to focus their attention on? They take a innocent comment taken from Alex Rodriguez about his relationship with a teammate, twist its meaning, and throw it back in his face.

I would like to say the sports media should take a good look at itself but let’s face it, they do it for a reason. For the same reason, we get to see 24/7 coverage of Anna Nicole Smith on regular news channels when we have major issues in this country. People buy it.

And people wonder why I don’t watch ESPN.

One Yankee person who IS spending a little time beyond the ARod/Jeter debacle is Cliff Corcoran from Bronx Banter. He sums up the players who are reporting for physicals for the Yankees’ spring camp. I couldn’t help noticing one name on that list. Chris Basak.

basak

Infielder Chris Basak is a University of Illinois alum. He played for Itch Jones’ squad in 1999-2000. That was when I started watching the Illini and I vaguely remember Basak playing. He stroked .393 in 1999 and .329 in 2000.

Good luck, Chris. And stay away from the media if you can help it.

 

MLB.com low on creativity lately

I’m sensing a cookie-cutter mentality with the way the teams under the MLB.com umbrella are choosing the topics (and even headlines) for their websites. For example, on February 7 the two headlines read: Pujols leads way in fantasy rankings and Soriano is Cubs’ top fantasy standout Now, in today’s headlines, it’s the same kind of … Continue reading “MLB.com low on creativity lately”

I’m sensing a cookie-cutter mentality with the way the teams under the MLB.com umbrella are choosing the topics (and even headlines) for their websites. For example, on February 7 the two headlines read:

Pujols leads way in fantasy rankings

and

Soriano is Cubs’ top fantasy standout

Now, in today’s headlines, it’s the same kind of thing.

There’s no questioning Oswalt’s role (the linked headline reads: Oswalt unquestioned leader of Astros staff)

and

Carp undisputed leader of Cards corps

Can we be more original, guys??

Big League Baseball Report does Pat Hughes

Cub fans may want to take a listen to Big League Baseball Report’s latest show. They interview Cubs’ radio man Pat Hughes. He is always interesting to listen to. Also, Hughes is plugging his latest effort, Baseball Voices which is a CD collection which commemorates some of the best broadcasters in the business. Cub fans … Continue reading “Big League Baseball Report does Pat Hughes”

Cub fans may want to take a listen to Big League Baseball Report’s latest show. They interview Cubs’ radio man Pat Hughes. He is always interesting to listen to. Also, Hughes is plugging his latest effort, Baseball Voices which is a CD collection which commemorates some of the best broadcasters in the business.

Cub fans should also check out A Cub Fan’s Obsession by Phil Zuber, one half of the BLBR team (Joe Aiello is the other half). It’s a relatively new site and chock full of true blue info on the Cubbies.

What goes on in the mind of a HOF voter?

It’s beyond me. I just listened to an interview on MLB Radio’s Under the Lights with MLB.com reporter Jim Street who has made up his mind who he will vote for in the Hall of Fame vote. He shared his ballot during his interview. It’s not often a radio guest frustrates me twice on separate … Continue reading “What goes on in the mind of a HOF voter?”

It’s beyond me.

I just listened to an interview on MLB Radio’s Under the Lights with MLB.com reporter Jim Street who has made up his mind who he will vote for in the Hall of Fame vote. He shared his ballot during his interview. It’s not often a radio guest frustrates me twice on separate issues but Street managed to do so.

Street tells us that he has voted for Garvey in the past and has voted for him again this year. One reason he claims is because of “his character” and what he did “off the field”. Fine. He’s a fan of Mr, Paternity Suit.

Then he’s asked about Jim Rice. Well, he says Rice “wasn’t the most cooperative” with the media and he wasn’t the most personable.

So he likes Steve Garvey’s off the field character despite the adultery and paternity suit but because Rice wasn’t nicey-nice with the media and was moody in general, he’s going to hold that against him. Forget the fact that there were racial tensions in Boston at the time and maybe Rice was just a moody kind of guy.

Then he goes on to talk about Mark McGwire. He’s not going to vote for Big Mac.

But don’t get the idea that he’s skipping Mac because of steroid issue. No, Street thinks based on McGwire’s stats alone he doesn’t belong. He insists he’s a one-dimensional player. Street even goes as far as to bring up the fact that McGwire only has 12 career stolen bases. Please.

According to Street, “this isn’t a homerun derby”.

I’m looking at Mark McGwire’s entry in Baseball Reference and his Appearances on Leaderboards section is a page and half long. And they’re not ALL related to homeruns.

Sportswriters, if you have a problem with McGwire’s alleged issue with steroids, be honest with it. But don’t justify it by saying that you wouldn’t vote for him anyway because “he only won one Gold Glove.” (another Jim Street gem)

Here’s the Under the Lights interview with Jim Street, MLB.com reporter (the interview is toward the end of the show)

KC’s got a believer

Somebody finally has something good to say about the Gil Meche deal. USA Today’s Jorge Ortiz actually puts the KC deal on his Top Five Best Signings list. Says Ortiz: This one’s a hunch. It certainly runs counter to conventional thinking to give Meche, who has never thrown 190 innings in a season, $55 million. … Continue reading “KC’s got a believer”

Somebody finally has something good to say about the Gil Meche deal. USA Today’s Jorge Ortiz actually puts the KC deal on his Top Five Best Signings list.

Says Ortiz:

This one’s a hunch. It certainly runs counter to conventional thinking to give Meche, who has never thrown 190 innings in a season, $55 million. But so does the notion of the Royals making such a dramatic move, and that’s the point. They were going to have to overpay to get anybody to come to Kansas City, and by signing a desirable pitcher in his prime, new GM Dayton Moore has sent a message: The Royals are open for business and finally willing to compete.

I’m not convinced. I agree that KC was sending a message. They also needed to spend a bit more to get players to come to the Royals. I just think that for $55 million they could have gotten a bit more than Gil Meche. Even in this season’s market.

Baseball Digest Daily’s Best Sites of 06

For the new year, Baseball Digest Daily has come out with their Top Web Sites of 2006. There aren’t a lot of surprises on this list as the usual suspects are included. Those of you who are looking for a good repository of baseball web sites on one page, check it out. That said, their … Continue reading “Baseball Digest Daily’s Best Sites of 06”

For the new year, Baseball Digest Daily has come out with their Top Web Sites of 2006. There aren’t a lot of surprises on this list as the usual suspects are included.

Those of you who are looking for a good repository of baseball web sites on one page, check it out.

That said, their tabletop gaming bias is showing in #14, though. Strat-O-Matic apparently rules at Baseball Digest.