Baseball

Baseball. I've watched a bit here and there but want to start following it properly. Does any one else watch/follow it? If so, where's good for information to learn and keep up to date, websites, forums etc? Also what's the best way of watching games online?

Get a subscription to Bt sport, they have Espn and show baseball throughout the season, the playoffs and the World Series.
You could also get a season pass to MLB online but I have no idea how much that would cost, if you just want to watch a couple of games here and there..
Websites, there's loads, whether it's something traditional like Espn or sports illustrated, or more contemporary like the ringer or bleacher report. Also depends whether you want match reports or player profiles, or more in depth discussions about teams/ events that have happened.

best way is to just watch as many games as you can and listen to the commentary, anything you don't understand or don't know google and you'll fill in the gaps pretty quickly..
You may want to choose a team and follow them will make it more personal, and mean you have a vested interest in learning more. Also means you'll have some place to travel to when you decide to go and watch a game in person...

ESPN's coverage was good although I've not seen it in a while.

MLB have a reputation for doing clever streaming stuff of their own content with reasonable paid for access.

See if you can find the Ken Burns documentary series if you get intetested in the history.

National League only. Fuck the DH rule.

Grew up playing/watching it. Happy to explain rules

Reddit normally has good stream info have managed to catch some mets games using that, I'm a although this season has not been great for the mets. Im a newbie to baseball but enjoyed the games I have watched.

See if you can find the Ken Burns documentary series if you get intetested in the history.

I heard about this, apparently it's about 20 hours long. Maybe one day.

It's very good. 20 hours is nothing ~ 2 series of something on TV.

If you have a xbox and are prepared to pay for it, they have the MLB app where you can stream the games.

If you want to get involved in playing, the London Mets play in finsbury park most weekends.

The Joe Posnanski/Michael Schurr podcast, (The Poscast), will initially seem incomprehensible.
Their love & enthusiasm for the game will keep you enthralled until the names invoked have some value to you.

#scenes at Cleveland with the Tribe currently on a 20-0 winning streak, tied the AL record & need one more to tie the major league record

They're playing again right now too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl--pRnWi1w

One thing I've been surprised out with baseball is the sheer number of games each team plays through the season.

Yeah, 162 games a season looks incredible compared to all other pro sports,
but as Michael Lewis states in Moneyball
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball
many baseball players barely break sweat during a game.

Sure the starting pitchers do do a lot of work, but they only start 32/33/34 games a season. Many players get injured, but what with being hit by the ball, (hand & wrist inuries are very common),
running into each other,
running into the walls of the stadia, (at least they are pretty much padded these days),
hitting the ball onto their own legs,
but in compensation,
during bad losses or blow out victories the 'stars' may well be substituted for the last innings.

Cal Ripken Jr's 2,632 consecutive games is in my opinion one of the most impressive records in all sport. Every game for close to 17 years.

Tribe win! 21 straight

They took that fairly easily too.

I didn't realise we had a thread on baseball, but then again it's quite new. I used to follow it quite a lot in the 90s, mainly because I liked the Atlanta pitching staff, especially Maddux.

I've looked at it a lot less for the last 20 years, largely because I was turned off by the Barry Bonds chemically-enhanced era, but I'd quite like to watch Game 7 now. On a not very in-depth Internet search, there doesn't seem to be anywhere in London that shows it, though. Does anyone know of a place? There's a sports bar in Southwark that's open until 4am, but it's not on their programme.

stadia

That's 'ballparks' for you. :)

I think the Sports Cafe in Leicester Square will be showing it. That ought to test your devotion.

Ha, the mere mention sounds bad. :) Having said that, the last time I went to a 'sports bar' that a mate of mine insisted on going to, I had a lovely time.

Anyone else up for it? I'm afraid I don't know any baseball fans elsewhere, or at least nobody of whom I know that they are. I realise it's a school night.

In the words of Derek 'Delboy' Trotter

"Sissy boys rounders"

Presumably you'd fearlessly step into the batter's box to face this then?
https://youtu.be/ngubly4hpHw

You should probably stick to the football thread where misery loves company.

I'd be down if it were the weekend, but televised baseball can be sleep-inducing at the best of times. The idea of staying up drinking from midnight to 4am does sound appealing though.

2 months in, I thought I had sneaked it past you!

That's a fastball and a half.

I just hadn't seen the thread. :)

No, for sure, I don't really expect anyone to want to go, so I probably won't. The timing is obviously extremely inconvenient.