A Spoonie Review of MLB.tv

 

I became a baseball fan a few years before my endometriosis diagnosis. I’m very glad I became one, because the countless hours spent in bed or on the couch produce much boredom, and baseball provides excitement, passion and also something other than my health to talk to friends and family about. This season, as a pre-surgery gift, my father bought me a basic subscription to MLB.tv.

The basic subscription to MLB.tv includes the ability to watch almost every baseball game live. (blackout restrictions do apply) Games broadcasted can only be watched from the home team’s broadcast. Games are available in HD, and on a variety of devices (PC, Mac, iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Apple TV, PS3, and the Android phone, just to name a few). There are player trackers, in-game highlights and statistics, pitch-by-pitch displays and the option to watch the game hearing only the ballpark’s game sounds. Both home and away radio broadcasts are available to listen. Archived games are also available to watch.

The premium subscription includes all of the basic features, plus the ability to choose the home or away broadcast, in-game controls that allow you to pause and rewind live games, and the option to watch up to four games at once. Also, some blacked out games are available to watch about 90 minutes after the last out.

The PS3 app to watch MLB.tv does have some quality issues that are being worked on; games can appear choppy, the PS3can freeze or it can simply fail to connect to the server. This can become frustrating, not to mention patience-trying. However, on both my desktop and netbook, I have no such problems.

Not only have I been able to watch my favorite team regularly, I have also been able to listen to the famous Vin Scully call games, watch big name pitchers pitch and see important team match-ups. It is also fun watching games that I wouldn’t normally be exposed to on the national broadcasts. Being able to watch archived games is wonderful. I no longer have to stay up late screwing up my sleep schedule to watch a game or if I have doctor appointments during the day that happen to coincide with a game I can simply watch it later. Also, knowing that after a long day of appointments, pill popping or pain, I can always find a game to watch as a little pick-me-up.

The basic subscription to MLB.tv is $99.99 for a regular season or $19.99 per month. Premium subscription is $119.99 per year or $24.99 per month. A possible 163rd game would be blacked out and the post season is available for separate purchase during the post season.

MLB.tv is available in the US, US Territories, Canada (although all Blue Jays games are blacked out) and worldwide (where no black out restrictions apply).

Visit https://www.mlb.tv for more information, black out information, system requirements, and supported devices.

 

Article Written by Staff Writer, Sonja K. Peterson

 

Sonja is a cat mom with endometriosis and fibromyalgia. She also had a hysterectomy for adenomyosis. She blogs about her experiences at The Mud and the Lotus www.mudandlotus.com

©2024butyoudontlooksick.com

  • This was an interesting post. I really like baseball and I enjoy going to the games, but it is hard to plan for what to wear with the weather changing daily. When I can’t go to a game live I sometimes watch them on TV. Due to my CFS, and fibro it is also hard for me to stay awake for games!

  • Oooh, you are sooo LUCKY! I am a Rockies fan stuck in South Dakota, where I am expected to root for the Twins, sigh. The only time I get to see a Rockies game on TV right now is if they play Chicago on WGN or Atlanta on their superstation, or very rarely on ESPN. Unfortunately, MLB.tv is not in my budget right now, but it’s nice to get details on it so maybe I can sign up in the future.

    BTW, I know this is off topic, but I too have fibromyalgia and adenomyosis along with assorted other nonsense :0)

  • BD

    Wow how lucky you are to receive such a gift! I’ve actually been wanting that but for basketball or football. It’s so refreshing to see another (and others) woman sports fan. I think I watch twice as much as my husband LOL! I might just need to treat myself. Thanks for sharing your experience of the sports subscriptions, I’ve been toying around the idea but I may just do this.

  • Personally I’m a Braves fan. My cat, however, is a Cubs fan. When she was a kitten she always perked up if I had a Cubs game on, lol! She will curl up and sleep on me while I watch a game, no matter who’s playing.

    I used to collect baseball cards; I would always go after the cards of my favorite players (John Smoltz especially).

    Good to see so many Spoonie baseball fans!!

    @PghPolska: I just discovered that you can get the blacked out games a couple hours after the game is over, thanks for pointing that out!

    @Marilyn Winspear: my dad has been my number one supporter while I battle all these health problems. His help has been invaluable.

    Thank you everyone for the great feedback!

  • Linda

    My husband is a huge baseball fan. I love that you wrote about this because it’s not only applicable to us spoonies but also our caregivers. I don’t know about everyone, but I apparently need a LOT of sleep, which means hubby has a lot of time without me around. Netflix, Hulu, iTunes and artwork have been very helpful for him, and I’m sure he’d enjoy MLB.tv as well! 🙂

  • Sara

    I personally know Sonja IRL and I can assure you that she is not the type of person to take money to write about something-much less something she is passionate about such as baseball. What you are reading is nothing but her and her love for the game, I assure you.

  • mo

    Sonja, Baseball….YES! And sorry Nicole…I am a Cubs fan!
    With all the excitement with the Chicago Bulls and The Blackhawks, Chicago hasn’t been paying too much attention to baseball. But that will change soon!! GO CUBS!!
    mo

  • I so with you! I love baseball! I love that it’s on almost every night and something to look forward to. Just a couple hours of fun and for brief moments you can forget your aches; on decent days! As long as you’re not a Cubs fan we’re good. Go Cardinals!

  • PghPolska

    I’ve had MLB.tv for 3 years now and love it (Go Bucs)! If games are blacked out, you just have to wait about 1.5 hours after it’s over and you can still watch it. The NHL has one too. It’s a little more expensive, but still nice. It’s great for displaced fans like me.

    I also watch movies on archive.org. They’re public domain movies, but they’re free to watch and good if you like older movies. You can also download them. I have a few on my Zune and watch them while sitting in doctor’s offices. 🙂

  • Marilyn Winspear

    Thanks, Sonja, for posting about your experience with MLB. I also love to watch baseball, but have failed to become as attached to it as you. My fault entirely. I have no excuse except the one sentence that I finally recognized runs through my head, “What difference does it make?”

    As you can tell, depression has become an unwelcome companion during this last year – I was diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis Feb 2010 and have gone from being an active self-employed adult to 100% disabled and walking with a walker when I can walk. My therapist (only my 3rd meeting with him) asked me to track thoughts and questions/sentences that run thru my brain after or during happy or unhappy events/situations. That one popped up last night and I realized how often I ask myself that question.

    Your article on MLB and how it has filled those hours for you makes so much sense to me now. It does make a difference. I can do this. I can’t tell you thanks enough because your article really struck a positive note for me. And thanks to your Dad for being so sensitive to how hard it has been and is for you — and in turn those of us who have the daily pain and fatigue from such diseases.

    And Pamela, collecting the cards sounds like a really good project.

  • I am not and never have been a baseball fan, but for those who enjoy the game this was a fine review and one I found very suitable for butyoudontlooksick.

    As someone who’s sometimes housebound, I appreciate any reviews of premium TV services, book clubs, etc. before I put my money down.

  • Stephanie

    Actually this was a legitimate review written by one of our staff writers. There was absolutely no money given or received for this piece. Butyoudontlooksick has had no contact nor any affiliation with mlb.tv.

    Just wanted to clear up any confusion.

  • An obvious paid ad for MLB.tv. Very disappointing.

  • Good to know! Thank you and your dad!
    I love baseball and collect baseball cards as a quiet, time-consuming hobby. I rarely am able to ohysically go to a game and even staying awake for a televised game is a struggle.
    I have Sjoren’s Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, RSD, IBS, hypothyroidism, and had a hysterectomy due to Adenomyosis.
    (Go Tampa Bay Rays!)