MLB Productions, Shout! Factory Continue Their World Series Success With 2021 Collector’s Edition Presentation

Courtesy: MLB Productions/Shout! Factory

Major League Baseball’s 2022 Spring Training session is scheduled to launch Feb. 26, with all 30 of the league’s teams set to take the fields.  Of course, thanks to the league’s current lockout – the first since the 1994-1995 season – that date might get pushed back.  What’s more it may leave 29 of the league’s teams and their fans wondering when “next year” will happen.  There is at least one consolation prize of sorts courtesy of Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory.  It comes in the form of this year’s annual World Series presentation, The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition.  Scheduled for release Tuesday, the eight-disc set is another success for MLB Productions and Shout! Factory in the companies’ ongoing partnership.  That is due in no small part to its general presentation, which will be discussed shortly.  The bonus content that accompanies the collection adds to its appeal.  It will be examined a little later.  The set’s pricing rounds out its most important items and will be discussed later, too.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered, they make The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition a presentation that Atlanta Braves fans and baseball fans will enjoy as they wait for the start of the 2022 season.

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s forthcoming 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition Blu-ray package is a presentation that baseball fans (and especially Atlanta Braves) will find appealing.  That is due in part to its general presentation.  The general presentation is important because it compiles the entire six-game 2021 World Series along with the whole of Game Six of the National League Championship Series and the 2021 World Series documentary in one setting.  On the surface that might not seem overly important.  However, in the bigger picture, the inclusion of all of that content in one setting will save space and money for audiences.  In years past, the companies separated the World Series and its documentary, meaning audiences had to pay extra and find space on their DVD/BD racks for each.  Now with everything in one package, audiences no longer have to worry about that pricing (which will be addressed a little later) and finding space for the set and a separate documentary.  That makes this collection a win for the companies and for audiences alike.  To that end, MLB Productions and Shout! Factory are to be highly commended.  It is just one of the items that makes this collection successful.  The bonus content that accompanies the set adds to the collection’s appeal.

The inclusion of the 2021 World Series documentary is itself bonus content.  That is, again, because it marks the first time ever that Shout! Factory and MLB Productions have included the documentary with the World Series itself.  The documentary is certain to keep audiences engaged and entertained, this despite the lacking narration of rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges.  He did a much better job working on Jim Henson Company/Lifetime’s 2015 movie, Turkey Hollow.  The documentary follows the Braves’ unlikely run to the World Series title after reaching only 44 wins by the mid-season break.  The note of GM Alex Anthopoulos’ roster moves at that break deserved maybe a little more attention.  Though, the tribute that the team made to the legend himself, #44, Hank Aaron (who died in January) during and after the documentary is reason enough to watch.  Diehard Braves fans will appreciate the note from Manager Brian Snitker of how perhaps Aaron gave the team a little extra help during the season’s second half, noting how the team had 44 wins at the season break, and how the team had 44 runs through the World Series.  That Shout! Factory and MLB Productions ensured the tribute to the legendary baseball star made during the World Series was included in the documentary makes for even more appeal.  Between that and the in-depth story of how the team reached the proverbial mountaintop, the documentary offers audiences so much to appreciate, even if they are not Braves fans.  This is just one of the bonuses that makes the 202 World Series Collector’s Edition so enjoyable.  The trivia-filled booklet that accompanies the collection is its own enjoyable bonus.

This year is hardly the first that MLB Productions and Shout! Factory has featured a companion, trivia-filled booklet with its World Series collections.  It is no less appreciated, either.  Audiences learn so much extra about this year’s World Series through the noted information.  For instance, audiences learn that “through Game 2, teams scoring first in the 2021 postseason had won 26 of 33 games.  Interestingly enough, Atlanta scored first in Game 1 of this year’s Fall Classic, proving the stat even truer.  On another note, in Game 1, audiences learn through the trivia, the Astros’ loss in Game 1 made th team the first to lose five straight World Series home games since the Braves’ teams from 1996-1999.  That is just a small sampling of what audiences learn through the booklet’s trivia.  Viewers and fans also learn that Houston’s win in Game 5 made the team the first this year to defeat Atlanta at home in the 2021 postseason.  Between these bits of trivia and so much more that are spread throughout the collection, the companion booklet once again proves itself to be a solid bonus and then some.  Add the appeal of that item to the fact that audiences once again get audio options from Fox, both teams’ home radio broadcasters, and even in Spanish as yet another bonus, and no doubt is left that the bonus content featured in this collection strengthens the set’s appeal even more.  It is just one more way in which this latest World Series presentation proves so successful.  Keeping in mind the engagement and entertainment that the overall content ensures, it makes the set’s pricing appealing in its own right.

The average price point for The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is $47.08.  The price was reached by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Books-A-Million, and Shout! Factory.  In looking at the separate prices, Amazon offers the set at the least expensive price of $41.99.  Book-A-Million’s listing of 59.98 is the most expensive of the listings, far exceeding that average. Walmart’s listing of $46 even is just below the average and exceeds it when shipping and handling are added in to the mix.  Target lists the et at $43.49 while Best Buy lists the set at $42.99.  Shout! Factory lists the set at just above the average, at $47.98.  So while there are some more expensive listings, there is at least one relatively inexpensive listing through Amazon.  Again, considering all of the content featured in the collection, there is no denying that the noted least expensive listing of $41.99 through Amazon is worth paying by any diehard Braves and baseball fan.  When that listing and others just below the noted average are considered collectively with the set’s overall content, the whole makes The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition a presentation that any baseball collector and diehard Braves fan will appreciate.

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s forthcoming 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is another enjoyable offering from the companies through their ongoing partnership.  The set’s appeal comes in part through its general presentation.  The general presentation is important to the collection because it houses the entire 2021 World Series in one setting for the first time ever.  That includes the annual World Series documentary that MLB Production creates to accompany the World Series presentation.  The bonus content that accompanies the collection (including that documentary) adds to the set’s appeal.  That is because it will ensure audiences’ engagement and entertainment just as much as the general presentation.  The set’s pricing proves appealing for the most part, too.  That is because of the breadth and depth of the content featured in the set and its presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered, they make the collection another successful offering from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory, and one more of the best of this year’s family DVDs/BDs.

The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is scheduled for release Tuesday through MLB Productions and Shout! Factory. More information on the set is available online along with all of the latest Major League Baseball headlines at:

Website: https://www.mlb.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mlb

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like “it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, MLB Productions Hit It Out Of The Park Yet Again With 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition Box Set

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

The 2021 Major League Baseball season will start on time.  Unlike last year’s shortened season, this year will feature spring training in whole – starting Sunday, Feb. 28 – and the league’s entire 162-game schedule will kick off Apr. 1, with all 30 clubs hitting diamonds across the country.  While audiences still have more than a week left to wait for the start of the 2021 season, MLB Productions and Shout! Factory have just the thing for audiences to pass the time.  The companies partnered to release the 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition last week.  The eight-disc set’s release continues a long-running partnership between the companies and is just as enjoyable as the two sides’ previous full World Series box sets.  That is proven in part through the set’s very presentation.  This will be discussed shortly.  The bonus content that accompanies the set adds to the set’s appeal.  It will be discussed a little later.  The set’s companion booklet rounds out its most important items and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered, they make the 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition yet another great presentation for any baseball fan, especially if those fans Los Angeles Dodgers loyalists.

The 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition continues a long trend of successful home releases from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory that goes back many years.  It  has  much to offer audiences regardless of team loyalty,  beginning with its very presentation.  Audiences get here, the whole of the six-game 2020 World Series from its first pitch to its last right from the original broadcasts on FOX.  As with the existing World Series sets from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory, the commercials are gone, shortening the presentation to a point.  Adding to appeal, audiences have multiple listening options.  Fans can listen separately to the FOX broadcast team’s audio throughout the series, as well as from the Dodgers’ own radio affiliate and in Spanish for those audiences, too.  There are some audiences out there who, regardless of team affiliation, have open said over the years that they prefer their teams’ radio broadcasts the TV broadcast coverage.  So once again, that will certainly add to the enjoyment since each broadcast is its own presentation.  Going back to the very presentation of the game, maybe there were those who might have been unable to watch the World Series for one reason or another.  Now those viewers and everyone else can enjoy the game at their own pace, even being able to pause the game when they need to maybe go use the restroom or get a snack.  No doubt, this will appeal greatly to a wide range of audiences.  It will certainly allow viewers to enjoy the annual Fall Classic at their own pace as they count the days to the start of the 2021 season.  It is just one part of what makes the set so enjoyable.  The bonus content that comes with the full world series set will appeal even more.

The bonus content in question comes in the form of the Dodgers’ key wins in Game 3 of the National League Divisional Series and Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.  The Dodgers routed the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the NLDS to move on to the NLCS to face the Atlanta Braves.  The Dodgers would then defeat the Braves in seven, with that deciding game being close at 4-3 the final.  Audiences are reminded that the Padres and Dodgers had an intense rivalry taking place last season.  That included some moments of heightened emotions during the regular season and the NLDS.  Audiences will see some of those contentious emotions in the Game 3 broadcast, too.  Staying on that topic, that rivalry looks to resume this season, as both teams have been very active in bolstering their rosters during the offseason.  To that end, audiences will likely see more tension between the two sides this year.  On the other side, with the NLCS, the battle between the Braves and Dodgers was obviously hard-fought, going right down to the last inning of the series’ last game.  Audiences will thrill at every at bat and every pitch and catch in this fateful game.  Honestly, real fans (again regardless of team loyalty) will watch those two games before the world series, to really get the full effect and appreciation for the Dodgers’ road to the championship.  When they are considered along with the set’s full World Series presentation, the overall experience that audiences get is fully immersive, engaging, and entertaining.  While the primary and secondary content featured in the 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition goes a long way toward making the set so enjoyable, it collectively is just a portion of what audiences will appreciate about the presentation.  The companion booklet that comes with the collection puts the final touch to the collection’s presentation.

This year is hardly the first that a World Series set from Shout! Factory and MLB Productions has ever included a companion booklet.  Building on that, the booklet featured with this set is just as important to the collection as those featured with the companies’ existing World Series collections.  Audiences get lots of trivia and information that relates to each game within the series that maybe the broadcast teams missed.  For instance, audiences learn thanks to the booklet’s information, Clayton Kershaw passed Justin Verlander for the most strikeouts ever in the post season during Game 5 of the World Series.  There is even a little bit of background information on the NLDS and NLCS games here.  Viewers learn through the companion booklet, that  Los Angeles’ Game 7 win over Atlanta in the NLCS made the team the fourth MLB team to come back from 2-0 and 3-1 separations to win a best of seven series.  That speaks to the team’s never-say-die attitude last season.  It was that attitude (and of course a bad call by Tampa Bay’s manager in Game 6 to change pitchers) that ultimately led the Dodgers to last season’s title.  Yet another interesting fact revealed in the companion booklet is that in Game 1 of the World Series, is that in that game, Mookie Betts became the first player since Babe Ruth to be walked and to steal two bases in the same inning of a World Series game.  That shows talent and respect/fear that the opposing team had for him.  That is a big statement.  When this tidbit is considered along with the other items noted here and so much more information, no doubt is left that the companion booklet that comes with the 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition is just as important to the engagement and entertainment of the set as the rest of the set’s content.  All things considered, the set becomes another must have for any MLB fan.

Shout! Factory and MLB Productions’ presentation of the 2020 World Series Collector’s Edition is a presentation that baseball fans and Los Angeles Dodgers fans alike will welcome into their homes.  Whether watched ahead of the start of the 2021 MLB season, during or even after, this collection does everything right.  Its presentation presents audiences with the full 2020 World Series to watch at their own pace and with three separate listening options.  The pivotal NLDS Game 3 and NLCS Game 7 as bonus content adds even more enjoyment to the presentation.  The games help to show how hard this Dodgers club fought to get to the pennant in 2020.  The companion booklet that comes with the set once again adds its own layer of enjoyment to the whole.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the set.  All things considered, they make this presentation yet another impressive offering from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory that any baseball fan will appreciate.  It is available now.

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

Website: https://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

More information on the sets is available online along with all of the latest Major League Baseball headlines at:

Website: https://www.mlb.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mlb

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like “it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, MLB Prouctions “Score” Again With ‘2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers’

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

The first tow months of each new year are the most important of all for baseball fans.  That is because it is during those months that news starts arriving about Major League Baseball’s spring training and regular season schedules.  The league’s spring training was cancelled I 2020 and its regular season start delayed until July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Now that news is finally coming out about the hopefully soon distribution of a vaccine to fight the virus, anticipation is likely building even more over what will happen with Major League Baseball’s 2021 season.  With any luck, fans and teams alike will get a full season with no asterisks (unlike this recently ended season).  Until then, fans will get to relive the 2020 World Series in part thank to Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory.  The companies have partnered once again to release a look back at MLB’s annual fall classic, this time in the form of 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers.  The two-disc set, which features the program on DVD and Blu-ray separately, is a presentation that will appeal equally to Dodgers fans and baseball fans in general.  That is due in no small part to the documentary’s primary feature, which is narrated by legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully.  This will be discussed shortly.  The bonus (secondary content) that accompanies the program builds on the appeal created through the retrospective’s primary content and makes the overall presentation that much more entertaining and engaging.  It will be discussed a little later.  The whole of that primary and secondary content collectively makes the set’s average price point important to address in its own way, too.  It will also be discussed later.  When it is considered along with the set’s overall content, the whole of this presentation proves itself such that it will keep baseball fans across the board entertained, regardless of whether MLB’s 2021 season starts on time (which hopefully it will).

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s annual World Series retrospective presentation, this year focusing on the 2020 World Series, is a work that is certain to appeal to baseball fans, regardless of team affiliation and loyalty.  That is proven in no small part to the documentary’s primary feature.  The production, narrated by legendary Dodgers voice Vin Scully, takes audiences through the back and forth six-game battle between the Dodgers and Rays.  Adding to Scully’s narration — which shows zero bias toward the Dodgers at any point (audiences will appreciate this aspect of Scully’s work very much) — was commentary from members of the Rays and Dodgers, recalling thoughts and emotions on both sides of the ball as the series progressed.  From the momentous “battle of the bats” in the series’ fourth game, to the controversial decision by Tampa Bay Manager Kevin Cash to pull pitcher Blake Snell in the sixth inning of Game Six, to the impact of Mookie Betts for Los Angeles throughout the series, and more, audiences are presented a rich picture of the action throughout the series thanks to that first hand insight and narration.  The cinematography that pairs with Scully’s narration adds to the experience. 

Media access to the World Series was limited on and off the field due to COVID-19 restrictions, but despite that, enough footage was captured that audiences still managed to see firsthand, the highs and lows for each team.  Even with restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the cameras were still fully able to capture all of the on- and off-field action.  The editing of that footage helped tell the series’ story.  Audiences will watch in awe as certain pitches make their way past the batters and as the fielding units make their way to the walls, making seemingly impossible leaps to catch the balls.  Even seeing the looks on the players’ faces throughout the course of the series adds to the impact of the cinematography.  The editing of that footage into the presentation shown here works with Scully’s narration to make the program’s pacing solid from start to end.  According to information on the program’s case, its run time is 90 minutes.  That run time passes by with ease thanks to everything noted here collectively.  The result is a primary presentation that ensures this retrospective will keep audiences watching time and again as they count down to the start of the 2021 season.

The primary presentation featured in 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers is undeniably important in its own way to the whole of this program.  As important as it is to the retrospective’s whole, it is just one aspect worth examining in the presentation.  The bonus content that accompanies the set’s primary content adds its own share of entertainment and engagement for audiences.  The whole of that content opens with the “How The yGot There” featurette.  Clocking in at approximately five minutes (give or take a few seconds here and there) this featurette chronicles the Dodgers season-long run to its first MLB title in 32 years.  One of the biggest highlights of the featurette is the team’s acquisition of star Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox during the off-season.  His addition to the team clearly made a big difference, as this featurette shows.  Just as interesting to see in this presentation is the tension between the Dodgers and their rivals, the San Diego Padres as the season progressed.  Obviously there was no love lost between the two teams, as the documentary shows.  The brief, but still rich presentation culminates with the final out in the sixth game of the World Series.

The “Clinching Moments” and “Season Highlights” that accompany the bigger look back take audiences back through some of the biggest moments of the season and post season for the Dodgers, including one game in particular that saw Betts go yard three teams.  Other notable highlights are big moments from Betts’ teammates, such as Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Clayton Kershaw.  Everything is rounded out by the Game Six post game interviews with the Dodgers’ players.  The interviews, conducted by on-air staff with MLB Network and Fox Sports, show an interesting picture of calm from the team members.  One would think that after a drought of 32 years without a championship, the team members would be jubilant and excited even in the interviews.  Given, they were clearly upbeat, the control in their presentation is something to behold, considering everything going on around them.  One of the most interesting questions that came up (multiple times) was the thoughts of the Dodgers; team members about that controversial move by the Rays’ manager to pull Snell.  It shows the clear impact that Snell had in the series.  Betts’ response to the question is telling in itself.  He took the high road and refused to let the announcers try to pull him into the controversy, which is a wonderful show of his professionalism.  The interviews in whole are a great accent to the bonus content that opens with the “How They Got There” featurette, showing that the sequencing of the bonus content is just as important as the content itself.  It helps to enrich the story of the 2020 World Series even more.  When this content and its sequencing is considered along with the set’s primary content, the whole of the set’s content gives audiences plenty to appreciate.

Considering the breadth and depth of the content featured in 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers, the double-disc set’s average price point prove to be its own positive worth noting.  The average price point, using listings at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, and Major League Baseball’s online store, is $21.70.  The set is not listed through Target or Books-A-Million.  The documentary’s standalone DVD presentation is listed through Target at $14.99.  Speaking of the DVD, its average price point comes to $18.31.  That price is obtained by adding in the aforementioned retailers’ listings along with that noted listing at Target.  Amazon and Target offer the lowest DVD listing at $14.99 while MLB’s listing of $24.99 is the most expensive.  Its listing of $29.99 is also the most expensive of the Blu-ray/DVD combo set price listings while Best Buy’s listing of $19.99 is in fact the best buy in this case.  Considering that the Blu-ray/DVD set’s average price point barely tops the $20 mark and that the standalone DVD set’s price point comes in at just below the $20 mark, that in itself is motivation for baseball fans.  Neither price will break any fan’s budget, and that together with the noted content makes the prices even more positive.  Given, the singular price listings  are somewhat expensive at some retailers, but the least expensive listings are below $15 (DVD) and below $20 (Blu-ray/DVD).  That overall affordability is undeniably another positive to this presentation.  When it is considered along with the retrospective’s overall content, the whole of the presentation leaves zero doubt as to its value for the most devoted baseball fans.  It is a presentation that will keep viewers entertained and engaged as they wait for news on the start of the 2021 MLB season, especially when it is considered along with the forthcoming full, six-game World Series set that is due for release in February.

Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory’s 2020 World Series retrospective 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers is a welcome presentation for Dodgers fans and baseball fans alike as they wait anxiously for news about the 2021 MLB season.  That is proven in no small part through its primary feature, which chronicles in depth, all six games of this year’s World Series.  The narration by legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and the first hand accounts from team members on both sides of the ball does so much to entertain and engage audiences.  The cinematography and editing that pairs with the overall story adds to the presentation’s positive impact.  The average price points for the documentary’s Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and its standalone DVD presentation prove to be their own positive as do their least expensive singular listings.  They are prices that will not break any viewer’s budget.  Add in the amount of content in the overall presentation and that content’s depth, and those least expensive listings become even more positive.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the documentary.  All things considered, 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers proves itself a great way for Dodgers fans and baseball fans alike to pass the time until Major League Baseball (hopefully) returns in March for its 2021 season.

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Announces Broadcast Schedule For Upcoming MLB Games

Courtesy: ESPN

The Cubs and Brewers will go under the lights Sunday night live on ESPN.

The National League Central foes, who are one, two in the division, will close out their three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.  Milwaukee blanked Chicago 7-0 in the series’ opener Friday.  The teams face off in the series’ second game Saturday afternoon at 2:20 p.m.

Jon Lester (3-2) is scheduled to start for Chicago in Sunday’s game.  His last time on the mound was May 7 against Miami.  Lester allowed two runs on eight hits over the course of six innings in that game, and struck out six batters.

Jhoulys Chacin (3-3) is scheduled to get the start for Milwaukee in Sunday’s game.  His last time on the mound was May 6 against Washington.  He allowed two runs, two walks, two earned runs and three hits over five innings in the game,despite the Brewers’ 5-3 win over the Nats.  Chacin also allowed one home run during his time on the mound.

Milwaukee has proven better at home than on the road so far this year, going 16-8 at home and 8-8 on the road.  However, the Brewers are in the midst of a seven-game win streak.  The Cubs meanwhile, 13-6 at home and 9-8 on the road so far this season and comes into Saturday’s game on the heels of their Friday loss to the Brewers.  The loss comes after the Cubs took three of four against Miami this week.

Sunday’s ESPN Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell broadcast launches at 7 p.m. Matt Vasgersian will anchor the broadcast.  He will be joined in the booth by analysts Jessica Mendoza and Alex Rodriguez for additional commentary.  Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton will have the call on ESPN Radio.

Sunday night’s game will also be available in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and online via the ESPN app.  It will be preceded at 6 p.m. by ESPN’s MLB pre-game broadcast of Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown presented by Chevrolet.  Karl Ravech will anchor the broadcast.  He will be joined by analysts Mark Teixera and Tim Kurkjian for additional commentary.

Milwaukee will have no time to rest following Sunday’s match.  The Brewers will be back in action at home on ESPN Monday night on the network’s weekly Monday Night Baseball presented by USAA.  Monday’s game is the opener in a four-game series against the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.  The starting pitchers for Monday’s game have not been announced.

Karl Ravech will anchor Monday night’s broadcast.  He will be joined in the booth by analysts David Ross Tim Kurkjian for additional commentary.

ESPN’s MLB coverage coverage continues Wednesday with Wednesday Night Baseball presented by Hankook Tire as the Braves and Cardinals face off in the second game of a three-game cross-conference.  At this time, Michael Wacha (3-0) is the only pitcher formally announced for the game. 

Wacha is scheduled to start for St. Louis in that game.  His last time on the mound was Thursday against the Cardinals NL foes, the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Cardinals routed the Pirates 17-4 in that game, with Wacha taking the win. 

Wacha allowed four runs, one walk, one home run and four earned runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings in the game. He also struck out two batters.

The starting pitcher for the Braves was not noted at the time of this release.

Coverage of Wednesday’s game is scheduled to start at 7:20 p.m. Jon Sciambi and David Ross will have the call for the game.

More information on ESPN’s upcoming MLB broadcasts is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espn

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

 

ESPN Heads To The Big Apple This Week For Sunday Night Baseball Broadcast

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s weekly baseball broadcast of Sunday Night Baseball heads back to the Big Apple this weekend as the Yankees take on the Mets in the third of a three-game series between the teams this weekend.

Dan Shulman will anchor Sunday’s broadcast. He will be joined in the booth by analysts Curt Schilling and John Kruk, and reporter Buster Olney. Audiences that won’t be near a TV during the game can also catch it on their local ESPN Radio station and online via WatchESPN. Jon Sciambi will have the call for ESPN Radio. He will be joined by Chris Singleton. It will also be available in Spanish on ESPN Deportes for all of ESPN’s Spanish-speaking audiences. Sunday night’s televised broadcast will be preceded by its weekly early pre-game show Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown presented by Chevrolet at 7pm ET. Karl Ravech will anchor Sunday night’s broadcast. He will be joined by analyst Aaron Boone and ESPN MLB Insider Tim Kurkjian. Nicole Briscoe, the newest addition to ESPN’s MLB broadcast team, will also be on hand with coverage during Baseball Tonight. Audiences can also catch game two of the teams’ series this weekend on ESPN Radio. Jon Sciambi will have the call for that game, too. He will be joined by Chris Singleton for that game, too.

Before Sunday night’s broadcast, fans will also be treated to a pair of games featuring the Washington Nationals. The ‘Nats currently sit third in the NL East, four games back from the Mets, who currently lead the division at 10 – 3. Washington has gone 5 – 5 in its last ten games and has performed slightly better at home than on the road going 4 – 3 at home and 2 – 4 on the road. Speaking of that record, the first of Washington’s games on ESPN this week will see the Nats at home against the NL Central leading Cardinals Wednesday night. The Nats’ second game on ESPN this week will see the team on the road against Atlanta next Monday, April 27th at 7pm ET. Jon Sciambi will have the call for Wednesday night’s game. He will be joined by analysts Rick Sutcliffe and Doug Glanville for the game. Next Monday night’s game will be the network’s game of the week on Monday Night Baseball presented by USAA. It will be called by Dave O’Brien. He will be joined Aaron Boone and Mark Mulder for the broadcast on ESPN. And for those not near a TV, the game will also be available online via WatchESPN. The complete broadcast schedule for this week and next week’s games is noted below complete with broadcast times and platforms.

Date Time (ET) Show / Commentators Network (s)
Wed, Apr 22 7 p.m.    St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals    Jon Sciambi, Rick Sutcliffe, Doug Glanville ESPN, WatchESPN
Sat, Apr 25 3 p.m.     New York Mets at New York Yankees–Jon Sciambi, Chris Singleton ESPN Radio
Sun, Apr 26 7 p.m.    Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown Presented by Chevrolet—Karl Ravech, Aaron Boone, Tim Kurkjian ESPN, WatchESPN
8 p.m. New York Mets at New York Yankees Presented by Taco Bell–Dan Shulman, Curt Schilling, John Kruk, Buster Olney ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, WatchESPN
Mon, Apr 27 7 p.m. Monday Night Baseball presented by USAA: Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves–Dave O’Brien, Aaron Boone, Mark Mulder ESPN, WatchESPN

Fans can get all of the latest MLB news and coverage from ESPN online every day at:

Website: http://espn.go.com/mlb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Networks Announce Changes For 2014 MLB Season

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN kicks off its 25th season covering Major League Baseball today. In celebration of the anniversary, ESPN has announced a number of changes and additions to its coverage. The very first of those changes and additions is a rebranding of its flagship program, Sunday Night Baseball. Sunday Night Baseball has been rebranded as Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown. The name change has been implemented in order to better coincide with ESPN’s weekly national game of the week. Karl Ravech will continue to anchor the broadcast. And MLB Hall of Famer/analyst Barry Larkin will join Ravech for most episodes.

The rebranding of Sunday Night Baseball is just the tip of the iceberg for the changes being made to ESPN’s MLB coverage in its 25th season. Along with the rebranding of the network’s flagship show, several episodes of Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown will be broadcast live on-site from key locations near select games throughout the season. The live broadcasts will allow fans to show their pride live on television and viewers to get a taste of the live Baseball Tonight atmosphere. It all begins opening night from PetCo Park in San Diego at 6:30pm.

The new live, on-site broadcasts of Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown are the cornerstone of ESPN’s re-branded broadcasts for its 25th season of coverage. Along with the new live, on-site broadcasts, viewers will also see some new faces on this year’s telecasts. ESPN added new commentators for its telecasts during the offseason. Veteran manager Eric Wedge has been added to the Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown roster as has former perfect game pitcher Dallas Braden. Braden will join ESPN’s weekly broadcast as an analyst. Wedge will contribute regularly to the show, too.

MLB great and former manager Ozzie Guillen joined ESPN Deportes throughout the 2013 MLB season. His role has been expanded this season. Guillen will contribute both to ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s English-language platforms this season, including regular appearances on Baseball Tonight. Eduardo Perez returns to the broadcast side of the game after spending the past two seasons in the dugout. Perez will contribute largely to MLB broadcasts on ESPN Deportes. Both Guillen and Perez will join Manny Acta and Alex Cora in ESPN’s growing stable of bilingual MLB analysts.

As the 2014 MLB season progresses, audiences can stay tuned in to ESPN as the Worldwide Leader in Sports will televise special holiday games on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, as well as at least one Wild Card game, in addition to NY and all tie-breaker games. Making the deal even sweeter, ESPN will have rights to four Postseason Impact games in late September. This will allow ESPN to present the top games and storylines from around the league heading into the postseason. The schedule for ESPN’s special holiday broadcasts is provided below.

Holiday Date Time (ET) Game
Memorial Day Mon, May 26 1 p.m. Boston Red Sox at Atlanta Braves
4 p.m. New York Yankees at St. Louis Cardinals
Independence Day Fri, Jul 4 3 p.m. New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins
TBD TBD
Labor Day Mon, Sep 1 TBD TBD
TBD TBD

If the weekly Sunday night broadcast of MLB games isn’t enough for fans, ESPN will also offer audiences a special “seamheads” edition of Baseball Tonight every Thursday night at 10pm ET. ESPN MLB Insiders Tim Kurkjian, Buster Olney, and Jayson Stark will serve as the panel for the program. They will discuss all even more insight than is offered every Sunday night, including: advanced stats, ranking, and breaking news and rumors throughout the season. They will be joined occasionally by Keith Law and Grantland’s Jonah Keri.

ESPN is going to have expansive and in-depth coverage of MLB baseball this season, as is obvious by now. But it’s still not all that fans have to expect from the Worldwide Leader in Sports during the 2014 MLB season. ESPN will also present specially produced vignettes each week across its TV and internet platforms that celebrate each of the league’s teams. The first of those vignettes will air tonight, March 30th. It will focus on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The final touch to ESPN’s massive list of changes for this season of MBL coverage involves coverage on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes +. ESPN Deportes increases its broadcast schedule to more than eighty regular season games. That is sixty-five games more than in previous seasons. ESPN Deportes + will also include exclusive Spanish-language coverage of thirty regular season games.

More information on all of the latest on the ESPN family of networks’ MLB coverage is available online at http://espn.go.com/mlb. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Announces Two More Sunday Night Baseball Games

 

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has announced two more games to its current Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell schedule.  Network officials have announced that on Sunday, August 11^th, the Dodgers will host the Tampa Bay Rays.  And on Sunday, August 18^th, the most storied rivalry in baseball hits its latest round, when the Yankees head to Fenway to take on the Boston Red Sox. 

Each game’s broadcast begins at 8pm EST on ESPN.  Dan Shulman will host the broadcasts.  He will be joined by his broadcast team mates, analysts Orel Hershiser and John Kruk.  Reporter Buster Olney will provide commentary.  Games will be simulcast on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes with Jon Sciambi manning the mic for ESPN Radio.  He will be joined by analyst Chris Singleton.  The team of Ernesto Jerez, Luis Alfredo Alvarez, and Guillermo Celis will handle broadcast duties for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio.  Both games will also be available online via WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.

This week’s matchup on Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell sees the NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals on the road against the NL East leading Atlanta Braves.  And on August 4^th, the Braves will be on the road against the Phillies.

Each broadcast of Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell is preceded by Baseball Tonight on ESPN at 7pm EST.  For more information on upcoming games, stats, and more on fans’ favorite teams, go online to http://espn.go.com/mlb/. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.