ESPN Presents MLB Double-Header In Today’s WNB Broadcast

Posted on July 20, 2016 by philspicks

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has a very special edition of its Wednesday Night Baseball presented by Hankook Tire today.

Today on the network’s weekly Wednesday night MLB broadcast, ESPN will carry not one but two games in a special double-header schedule. First up on the day is the closer between the Mets and Cubs in their three-game series. Coverage is expected to begin at 2pm ET. The second game on the schedule will see the Red Sox host the Giants in the closer of their two-game series beginning at 7pm ET.

ESPN’s coverage of the Mets-Cubs series is the second game this week that the network has carried. It also carried coverage of the second game in the teams’ series Tuesday night. That game saw the Mets tie up the series at one game a piece. So the series’ winner will be determined tonight live on ESPN. Kyle Hendricks (8 – 6) is slated to get the start tonight for the Cubs. Meanwhile Bartolo Colon (8 – 4) will get the start for the Mets. Hendricks’ last time on the mound was July 15^th against the Rangers. The Cubs won that game 6 – 0 with Hendricks being credited with the win. He kept the Rangers bats silent over six innings, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks. He didn’t allow any runs, earned runs, or even home runs, and had 3 strike outs.

Colon’s last time on the mound was July 15^th against Philadelphia. He led the Mets to a 5 – 3 win over the Phillies in that game, pitching a total of 5.2 innings. Even with the win he still had a little bit of a rough time, allowing all three of the Phillies’ runs on 4 hits. He also allowed 2 walks and had 4 strike outs. The rest of the Mets bullpen picked up the slack with only team-mate Hansel Robles allowing a hit throughout the remainder of the game. He and the rest of the Mets’ bullpen kept the Phillies’ bats silent throughout the rest of the game. By comparison Philadelphia’s Jeremy Hellickson had an even more difficult go of it in the game, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits over 6 innings. He allowed 4 earned runs and 2 home runs along the way, too and had 5 strike outs.

Going by the numbers the Cubs still have the advantage in the series. But coming off of last night’s win the Mets have some momentum and motivation for another win. At the same time, the Cubs will be playing hard, too as they will look to keep from losing two straight. So today’s game gives audiences and teams plenty to anticipate. Karl Ravech will once again have the call for this afternoon’s series finale between the Mets and Cubs. He will be joined in the booth by analyst Dallas Braden and reporter Tim Kurkjian. The game will be blacked out in both the New York and Chicago market.

In the second game of the day, the Red Sox and Giants finish off their two-game series tonight at 7pm on ESPN. Drew Pomeranz (8 – 7) will get the start for Boston in tonight’s game. Matt Cain (1 – 5) will take the mound for San Francisco. Cain hasn’t pitched for the Giants in more than a month. The 31 year-old’s last time taking the mound for the Giants was way back on June 13^th. He pitched 3.2 innings in the game, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits over that span. He walked 5, allowed 3 earned runs, and had 3 strike outs.

Only a few weeks have passed since Pomeranz last started. That was back on July 7^th before he was traded from the Padres to the Red Sox. He threw 7 innings in that game, and kept the Dodgers’ bats largely silent over that time allowing only 2 hits and picking up 6 strike outs along the way. That lowered his ERA to 2.47.

Looking at the bigger picture for tonight’s game on ESPN, the numbers favor Boston for the win. The Red Sox are 31 – 20 at home so far this season and defeated the Giants in the first game of the teams’ series last night, blanking the Giants 4 – 0. The Giants meanwhile are in the midst of a 4-game skid and are 5 – 5 in their last ten games versus Boston’s 8 – 2 record in their last ten games. Coverage of tonight’s game between the Red Sox and Giants begins at 7pm ET on ESPN. The game will be blacked out in the San Francisco market. John Sciambi will have the call for tonight’s game. He will be joined in the booth by Doug Glanville and Pedro Gomez for additional commentary. Following the game, Adnan Virk and John Kruk will have a full re-cap of the game and all of the action around the league on Baseball Tonight. That will be at 10pm.

More information on today’s double header schedule is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

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

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBTN

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.

Cubs And Mets Meet In Series’ Rubber Match Tonight On ESPN

Posted on July 19, 2016 by philspicks

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has released its Major League Baseball broadcast schedule for this week. And it is a very busy one now that the race for the post season is on. It all begins tonight on ESPN as the Mets take on the Cubs in Chicago.

The Mets take on the Cubs live tonight on ESPN in Chicago in the second game of a three-game series between the National League opponents. Coverage begins at 7pm ET. Jake Arrieta (12 – 4) is scheduled to get the start for Chicago in tonight’s interdivisional match. Arrieta has had a little more than a week off since his last time on the mound. That was July 8^th against Pittsburgh. That game was not an easy one for the 30-year old. He threw 6 innings, allowing a total of 6 runs on 9 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 walk, and 2 home runs, striking out only 6 of 28 batters along the way.

On the other side of the ball Noah Syndergaard is slated to get the start for the Mets in tonight’s game. He has had roughly the same amount of time as Arrieta to rest up for tonight’s game. His last time on the mound was July 8^th when the Mets took on the Washington Nationals. The Nats won that game 3 – 1 with Syndergaard taking the loss for the Mets. He allowed 3 runs on 4 hits over 4.2 innings. He also allowed 3 earned runs, 3 walks, 1 home run and struck out 5 of 19 batters. Even with those numbers in consideration he still fared somewhat better than Arrieta during his last outing. In the bigger picture the Cubs took the win in the series’ opener Monday night 5 – 1. And Chicago’s 29 -15 home record far outweighs the Mets’ 23 – 23 road record. At the same time both teams are 4 – 6 in their last ten games. So New York can’t be completely counted out tonight or Wednesday.

Karl Ravech will have the call for tonight’s NL matchup between the Cubs and Mets. He will be joined in the booth by analysts Dallas Braden and Eduardo Perez for additional commentary. As an additional note, while the game will be broadcast on television on ESPN, it will be blacked out both in the New York and Chicago market. More information on tonight’s game is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

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

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBTN

Cubs, Mets Open 3-Game Series Tonight On ESPN

Posted on July 18, 2016 by philspicks

Courtesy: ESPN

Tonight on ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball presented by USAA the Mets and Cubs face off in an interdivisional matchup.

The NL Central-leading Cubs continue their home-stand tonight when the team opens a three-game series against the Mets (NL East) on ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball presented by USAA. The game is the opener in a three-game series between the teams. John Lester (9 – 4) is expected to get the start for the Cubs while Steven Matz (7 – 5) is slated to get the start for the Mets. Lester’s last time on the mound was more than a week ago on July 9^th against Pittsburgh. The Pirates won that game in dominating fashion doubling up on the Cubs 12 – 6. Lester threw three innings in the game, allowing 5 runs on 4 hits, 5 earned runs, 3 walks, and 2 home runs. He struck out only 2 of 16 batters that he faced. Teammate Adam Warren, who was credited with the loss, didn’t fare much better. Warren only threw 2 innings but allowed 7 more runs on 5 hits in that short time along with 7 earned runs, 3 walks, and 2 home runs. He struck out only 2 of 14 batters.

Steven Matz’s last time on the mound was roughly a week ago against the Nationals on July 10^th. The Nats won that game 3 – 2. Matz took the loss in the game. He threw 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits along the way along with 3 earned runs, 4 walks, and 1 home run, striking out 5 of 29 batters faced.

Even with both pitchers numbers in consideration either team could win this game and series. Chicago is 28 – 15 at home so far on the season while New York is 23 – 22 on the road so far this season. However, the Cubs are 4- 6 in their last ten games and the Mets 5 – 5 in their last 10 games. The Mets come into tonight’s game with some momentum, having picked up a 5 – 0 win against Philadelphia Sunday afternoon. The Cubs come into tonight’s series opener licking its wounds after falling 4 – 1 against the Rangers on Sunday. So each team will have its own motivation for a win tonight when the National League foes go under the lights.

Karl Ravech will have the call for the game tonight on ESPN. He will be joined in the booth by analysts Dallas Braden and Eduardo Perez. As an additional note the game will be blacked out in the Chicago market. Coverage of the game is expected to begin at 7pm ET in all other markets. More information on tonight’s game is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

Website: http://espn.go.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBTN

Live At Shea Stadium Another Candidate For This Year’s List Of Best New Live DVDs and Blu-rays

Posted on June 24, 2015 by philspicks

The Who Live at Shea Stadium 1982 Box Art

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment

In 2014, the legendary rock band The Who marked a major milestone as it reached its fiftieth anniversary. In honor of the anniversary, the veteran British band has been making its way around the world, sharing its decades of music with generations of fans. While it is currently in the midst of that tour, not every city has been or will be lucky enough to see the band as it shares its timeless tunes with the masses. Thankfully for the people at Eagle Rock Entertainment, the leader in live recordings, audiences have been treated with one of The Who’s most classic concerts in the form of Live at Shea Stadium 1982. Live at Shea Stadium 1982 is a pivotal point in The Who’s career as it would be the last time that the band would be joined by Kenney Jones on drums. It would also mark the last time that the band would perform live until 1989. That is a span of some seven years. In the music world, seven years is an eternity. Until now, this concert had never been released in its entirety on one platform. Being the first time ever that the concert–the second of The Who’s shows from its 2-night stand at Shea Stadium in October, 1982–it is a wonderful debut. It proves itself so impressive primarily through its set list. The main set list featured in this concert runs twenty-five songs and just over two hours. The songs included in that list solidly represent the band’s career up to that point. The quartet’s performance of said songs is just as enjoyable as the songs themselves. Considering that it would be the last time that the band would perform live for a span of seven years, the band definitely went out on a high note albeit temporarily. Last but not least to note is the concert’s collective production values. Being that the concert contained in Live at Shea Stadium was originally recorded nearly thirty-three years ago, the footage has stood the test of time quite well. Even more impressive is the work of those that resurrected its footage and re-mastered it for its presentation here. Thanks to the work of those individuals, the concert maintains the look that it boasted in its original recording yet boasts a sound that is just as clear as any show recorded today. The combination of all three noted elements shows clearly why Live at Shea Stadium 1982 is a great replacement for those that won’t get to see The Who on its current tour. It shows just as clearly why this recording is one more of the year’s best new live DVD and Blu-ray recordings.

Live at Shea Stadium 1982 is a defining moment for The Who. It marked the last time that audiences would get to see the band live for another seven years after its completion. It would also be the last time that the band’s then drummer Kenney Jones would perform with the band. And until now, it has never been released in its entirety on one platform. Considering this and the fact that the band’s current tour may be the last for the band, it becomes an even more important recording for fans of The Who to own. It shows itself to be such a lasting concert for audiences first and foremost through its extensive set list. The set list presented here runs twenty-five songs deep and just over two hours long. That is not even counting the five performances included as bonuses. Added to the main set list, they push the overall run time of the recording to a little more than two hours and twenty-five minutes. That’s a lot of music to say the least. And that’s a lot of live for fans that won’t get to see the band on its current tour. On a related note, the songs that make up the show’s set list represent a relatively healthy cross-section of the band’s section up to that point. It reaches all the way back to the band’s third studio release, 1967’s The Who Sell Out and even includes hits such as ‘Pinball Wizard,’ from the band’s hugely popular 1969 album Tommy, ‘Baba O’Reily’ and ‘Behind Blue Eyes,’ both from 1971’s Who’s Next as well as ‘I’m One,’ ‘The Punk and the Godfather,’ ‘5:15,’ and ‘Drowned’ all from another of the band’s biggest releases of all time, 1973’s Quadrophenia among so many other major hits. For all of the importance of the noted hits, their sequencing is just as important to the enjoyment of the show. The first five songs offer up a solid, driving energy that is soon followed up by a slightly more reserved vibe in ‘It’s Hard.’ That is followed up by the ‘Sledgehammer’-esque vibe of ‘Eminence Front’ before the band really pulls back on ‘Behind Blue Eyes,’ another of its biggest hits. That is just the first six of the show’s twenty-five song set. The remainder of the show’s songs exhibit just as much balance right up to the show’s finale. That balance of energy and drive from one song to the next coupled with the show’s overall set list shows clearly why as with any live show, the set list in whole is central to its enjoyment and overall success.

Live at Shea Stadium 1982’s set list and its overall arrangement give audiences plenty to like about the recording. The balance of energy and drive from one song to the mix coupled with an equally solid mix of the band’s hits up to that point will keep audiences’ attention from beginning to end. Much the same can be said of the band’s stage performance throughout the course of the two-hour plus concert. Front man Roger Daltry shows time and again why he is one of the greatest front men in rock’s modern history with his balance of charisma and energy from one song to the next and even in-between as audiences will see for themselves. When the crowd gets too close to the stage, Daltry very calmly and politely asks the audience to back up and make room. Even having to do this more than once he never loses his cool. As minor as it seems, it goes a long way toward showing the type of person that he is. It is truly impressive to see such demeanor. That demeanor coupled with his minimal yet still energetic performance is a clear example of why the band’s performance in this show is so impotrant to its enjoyment and success. Daltry’s band mates John Entwhistle, Pete Townshend, and Kelley Jones each provide their own entertainment throughout the show. Guitarist Pete Townshend’s classic airplane playing is there. Jones’ drumming generates its own energy throughout each song. Even Entwhistle’s own unassuming demeanor as he provides the songs’ low end is entertaining in its own right. Whether in the concert’s biggest moments or its more reserved moments, none of the band members really seem to exert that much energy, rather letting the music exert most of the energy for them. That energy translates perfectly to the audience and will translate just as well to home viewers. In turn, it will lead audiences to appreciate the band members’ talents both as musicians and song writers. That appreciation reveals in one more way why Live at Shea Stadium 1982 is such an enjoyable and successful new recording from one of rock’s greatest acts.

The set list that makes up the body of Live at Shea Stadium 1982 and the band’s performance of said songs do plenty to show why this concert is so enjoyable. They are only two parts of the presentation that makes it whole. The concert’s collective production values round out the ways in which it proves itself so enjoyable. Considering the fact that the concert was originally recorded some thirty-two years ago, it can be said that the footage has stood the test of time rather well. Of course the work of those charged with re-mastering the concert’s audio and video is just as much to credit for how well it looks and sounds. It maintains the look that it boasted in its original standard def recording. Even with that look it is clear that it has been cleaned up and brought back to life. Through it all the fact that it still maintains that look is deserving of praise. It shows the high quality results of the painstaking efforts of those individuals charged with handling the footage. The same can be said in regards to the concert’s audio mix. It is obvious that just as much work was put into remastering the concert’s audio. That is because it sounds clearer than most concerts recorded so long ago. Thanks to the work done on both ends, the band’s performance and the show’s set list both become that much more enjoyable. In conjunction with the work of those that resurrected and re-worked the footage, all three elements show together just why Live at Shea Stadium 1982 is another entirely enjoyable and successful from one of rock’s biggest bands and why it is also one of this year’s best new live DVD and Blu-ray recordings.

Live at Shea Stadium 1982 shows in plenty of ways to be another entirely enjoyable and successful recordings from a group that is one of rock’s biggest and most respected acts. It shows just as much why it is one of the year’s best new live DVDs and Blu-rays. It is available now in a variety of formats both in stores and online. More information on this and other titles from Eagle Rock Entertainment is available online now at:

Website: http://www.eagle-rock.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EagleRockNews

More information on The Who’s current tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: http://www.thewho.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheWho

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://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.

Eagle Rock Entertainment Celebrating The Who’s 50th Anniversary With New Archived Concert Recording

Posted on April 30, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment

Legendary British rock band The Who is currently making its way across America on the North American leg of its new “The Who Hits 50! Worldwide Tour.” The tour is in support of its latest hits collection, which goes by the same name. That compilation was released late last year. Now as The Who makes its way across America (and later Europe and other nations), Eagle Rock has announced that it will release a new, archived live recording from The Who this summer for all of the band’s fans.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release The Who Live at Shea Stadium 1982 on Tuesday, June 30th. The concert will be available on DVD, SD Blu-ray and digital formats. It was originally recorded on October 13th, 1982 at Shea Stadium. It was the second of the band’s concerts recorded during its two-night stand at Shea Stadium and featured the lineup of Roger Daltry, Pete Townshend, John Entwhistle, and Kenney Jones. The tour from which this concert was pulled–its 1982 North American Tour–was the last on which Jones would sit behind the kit for the band. Once the tour ended, The Who would not tour again until 1989. The show’s set list includes some of its biggest hits at the time including: ‘Pinball Wizard,’ ‘We Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ ‘My Generation,’ ‘Substitute,’ ‘Who Are You,’ ‘I Can’t Explain,’ ‘See Me Feel Me,’ ‘Baba O’Riley,’ and a number of others. The concert’s complete set list is noted below:

TRACK LISTING

1) Substitute

2) I Can’t Explain

3) Dangerous

4) Sister Disco

5) The Quiet One

6) It’s Hard

7) Eminence Front

8) Behind Blue Eyes

9) Baba O’Riley

10) I’m One

11) The Punk And The Godfather

12) Drowned

13) Tattoo

14) Cry If You Want

15) Who Are You

16) Pinball Wizard

17) See Me Feel Me

18) Love Reign O’er Me

19) Long Live Rock

20) Won’t Get Fooled Again

21) Young Man Blues

22) Naked Eye

23) I Saw Her Standing There

24) Summertime Blues

25) Twist And Shout

Audiences can get a glimpse of the concert now by clicking on the picture below. It will take fans to YouTube where audiences will get to see the band’s performance of ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ from the concert.

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment

More information on this and other titles from Eagle Rock Entertainment is available online now at:

Website: http://www.eagle-rock.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EagleRockNews

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

Posted on April 21, 2015 by philspicks

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

Yankees Fans And Baseball Fans Alike Will Enjoy MLB Productions’ Latest Release

Posted on September 21, 2014 by philspicks

Courtesy: Lionsgate/MLB Productions/A&E/A&E Home Video

The New York Yankees are in the waning days of the team’s 2014 season. And along with the end of that season is the end of an era as Yankees great Derek Jeter is set to close out his Major League Baseball career, too. While this season has not exactly proven to be everything that Yankees loyalists had hoped for MLB Productions has given Yankees nation reason to look back after this season’s end and still have plenty to smile about thanks to the recent release of Baseball’s Greatest Games: New York Yankees® Postseason Heroics. This latest release continues a long-held tradition of excellence from Major League Baseball Productions as is evidenced throughout all four games contained in this set. The inclusion of four full games is central to the enjoyment of the presentation. That each game celebrates Jeter’s various accomplishments makes things even sweeter for fans. As with previous MLB Productions releases, audiences are given the option to start at the top or bottom of any of the games’ innings. They are not forced to sit through the whole game or even fast forward through to their key moments. It adds even more enjoyment to the overall presentation. And last but not least of all worth noting in this set is the collective video and audio mix in each episode. MLB productions includes a disclaimer before the game, noting that there may be some discrepancies at given points. But those discrepancies are few and far between. If anything, seeing the games as they were originally broadcast adds to a certain sense of nostalgia among viewers, whether or not they be Yankees loyalists. Each factor noted by itself is important to the whole in its own right. All three together make Baseball’s Greatest Games: New York Yankees® Postseason Heroics another welcome addition to the library of any Yankees loyalist and any true-blooded MLB fan Yankees loyalist or not.

Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics is a welcome addition to the library of any Yankees loyalist and any true-blooded MLB fan Yankees loyalist or not. It is especially welcome being that New York’s season hasn’t exactly lived up to the hopes and expectations of the team or its fans. Luckily for fans, this four-disc set features four past Yankees games on which fans can look back and smile after the season’s end. The first of the games is Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS in which the Yankees faced off against the Baltimore Orioles. The second game takes fans forward four years to Game 4 of the 2000 World Series. The Yankees faced off against the Mets that year. The key moment of this game was Jeter’s leadoff home run against the Mets. The third game takes audiences another year forward to Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS. That year, the Yankees faced off against Oakland. After taking down Oakland, the Yankees moved on in 2001 to the World Series, in which the team took on Arizona for the championship. MLB Productions features Game 4 of that year’s World Series as the set’s closing game. As with the set’s other games, Jeter’s accomplishments are highlighted here, too. Of course it doesn’t focus solely on his achievements. Rather, the entire game is presented from the first pitch to the last. The commercials have been cleanly cut, again displaying that commitment to quality from MLB Productions. Simply put, with each game, audiences get the full game experience sans the commercial limitations. They can pause the game at any point that they choose so as to use the bathroom, get a couple cold ones, or anything else. All things considered here, it all proves just why the inclusion of the games and their inclusion in full at that is the central point of the set’s success.

The inclusion of four important recent Yankees games is central to the success of Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics is central to the success of the set. Their inclusion in full and the fact that they are meant to highlight the accomplishments of the soon-to-be-retired Yankee great Derek Jeter makes it even more of a solid center to the set. Adding to the set’s success is the fact that once again, audiences are able to choose the inning at which they start each game. To be even more precise, audiences can choose whether they start at the top of an inning within a given game or at the top of said inning. So rather than be forced to sit through the whole game or fast forward through so much baseball, audiences can pick precisely where the game starts. So if viewers have to stop for any reason, they can just pop in the DVD, pick the inning (and its top or bottom) and go from there. If fast forwarding is still necessary, it won’t have to be but so much as a result of this inclusion. This is a standard that those at MLB Productions have maintained for years. So it is wonderful to see this standard maintained even here. It serves to make the set’s overall presentation even more enjoyable and a success.

MLB fans and Yankees fans alike will appreciate that those with MLB Productions took painstaking efforts to maintain the tradition of excellence established by the company with every one of its releases up to this point including this set. The games included in this set are presented in full. Audiences can once again choose the point at which they start giving games, whether the top or bottom of said inning(s). All of this taken into consideration, Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics proves to offer plenty of enjoyment for MLB fans regardless of their team loyalty. There is still one more aspect of this set that makes it a joy for audiences. That last aspect is the fact that the games in this set are presented exactly as they were seen in their original broadcast(s). Game 1 of the team’s 1996 ALCS matchup against the Orioles was originally broadcast on NBC while the other three games were each broadcast on FOX. MLB Productions’ people covered their bases, including a disclaimer noting the potential issues with the games’ video. But the reality is the video looks just fine. As a matter of fact, seeing the games as they looked in their original airings brings back a wonderful sense of nostalgia for fans. Considering that this season hasn’t lived to the hopes and expectations of the team and its fans, that sense of nostalgia is especially welcome for the members of the Yankees nation. Together with the aforementioned aspects of the set, the presentation of each game from its original broadcast rounds out Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics and makes it complete. It is one more reason that audiences, regardless of allegiance, will welcome this latest collection of games from MLB Productions and A&E Home Video.

MLB Productions and A&E Home Video have a long history together, releasing wonderful pieces of baseball’s history every year. Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics is one more wonderful piece of that history. The inclusion of four games in their entirety proves that right off the top. That audiences can once more choose where they start viewing each game makes it even more of an enjoyable experience. And the still quality video and audio mix of all four games rounds out the entire set. All things considered, Baseball’s Greatest Games: Yankees® Postseason Heroics proves to be its own home run for any Yankees loyalist and any true-blooded baseball fan in general. It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct from The Lionsgate online store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=31220&TitleParentId=9945. More information on this and other releases from Lionsgate and A&E Home Video is available online at:

Lionsgate

Website: http://www.lionsgate.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lionsgate
Twitter: http://twitter.com/linosgatemovies

A&E Home Video

Website: http://www.aetv.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AETV
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AEHomeEnt

MLB Productions

Website: http://mlbproductions.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mlbprod

ESPN Announces First Games For Network’s September Sunday Night Baseball Schedule

Posted on August 16, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN announced today three big games for its schedule of games in September on Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell. The first of that trio of games pits Marlon Byrd and the New York Mets against Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals in the nation’s capital on September 1^st. The National League showdown will air on ESPN2. The second of the games will air Sunday, September 8^th. That game will feature a matchup between the currently streaking NL West leading Dodgers—led by Yasiel Puig—and Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds. The third of the newly announced games features the latest round in one of the greatest rivalries in sports. The Yankees head to hostile ground to face off against their hated foes at Fenway Stadium on Sunday, September 15^thin an American League fight as the playoff races heat up.

All three games will be anchored by play-by-play veteran Dan Shulman. Shulman will be joined by analysts Orel Hershiser and John Kruk and reporter Buster Olney. All games will be simulcast on ESPN Radio affiliates nationwide. ESPN Radio broadcasts of Sunday Night Baseball games are anchored by Jon Sciambi. Sciambi will be joined by analyst Chris Singleton. Spanish-speaking audiences can also catch the games on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio with Ernesto Jerez, Luis Alfredo Alvarez, Guillermo Celis, and Ozzie Guillen. All broadcasts are also available online via WatchESPN.

Before September’s games, audiences will get to see the Yankees and Bosox go toe-to-toe yet again this weekend. The teams will face off this Sunday, August 18^th live from Fenway Park.

The current schedule of games on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell is listed below. Each game is preceded by the network’s pre-game show, Sunday Night Baseball at 7pm ET.

Upcoming Sunday Night Baseball schedule:

Date	Game
Aug. 18	New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Aug. 25	Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Dodgers
Sept. 1	New York Mets at Washington Nationals
Sept. 8	Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds
Sept. 15	New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

*An added note for viewers: ESPN’s final Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell broadcast will be Sunday, September 22^nd.

To keep up with the latest baseball on ESPN news, audiences can go online to http://espn.go.com/mlb or “Like” the ESPN Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ESPN. And to keep up with all of 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.

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