Morning links: Feeling blacked out

>>> If FSN Pittsburgh, the Pirates' rights-holder that makes up the TV schedule well before the season starts, thinks so little of the team's chances to be competitive that it schedules so few games for September, what should anyone else think?<<<

If the Pirates were playing for anything, they would add games. Too much competition in September -- college and pro football, first-run network programming. FSN is struggling with $$$ too. They're not going to commit to games that very few are going to watch.

I don't know how many have been reading the Lynchburg game stories that DK is linking us to each night, but the Lynchburg News-Advance's writer, Chris Lang, does a SUPER job with game coverage.

They're not showing anything meaningful during the week though...nothing.  It's mostly recap stuff, or re-runs ofther shows, especially these late games.  

Dejan can't get the special top secret non-blacked out MLB.tv feeds?  I know a few media types who get the hookup there.

Morning Links Part 2

Play By Play

scores.espn.go.com/.../playbyplay

Pirates vs Dodgers Game Preview

www.cbssports.com/.../MLB_20090915_PIT@LA

DODGERS: First of seven against woeful Pirates goes L.A.'s way

www.sbsun.com/.../ci_13338835

THE OFFICIALLY UNOFFICIAL PBC BLOGS AND MLB LINKS: Part 1

WhyGavs--Were we wrong about Nyjer Morgan?

whygavs.com/.../were-we-wrong-about-nyjer-morgan.html

Why Gavs--Way out West

whygavs.com/.../way-out-west.html

Sandlot Swashbucklers--Hillcats Take Game 1 In Carolina League Championship Series

mvn.com/.../hillcats-take-game-1-in-carolina-league-championship-series.html

Sandlot Swashbucklers--Team USA 2-Hits Netherlands Antilles; Smoak Homers Twice

mvn.com/.../team-usa-2-hits-netherlands-antilles-smoak-homers-twice.html

Hyzdu Headquarters--Second Base Outlook

hyzduhq.blogspot.com/.../second-base-outlook.html

Hyzdu Headquarters--A Difference in Philosophies

hyzduhq.blogspot.com/.../difference-in-philosophies.html

The Green Weenie--Pirates Can't Dodge Bullet

oldbucs.blogspot.com/.../bucs-cant-dodge-bullet.html

THE OFFICIALLY UNOFFICIAL PBC BLOGS AND MLB LINKS: Part 2

PBC Homepage--First win eludes Pirates' McCutchen

pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/.../article.jsp

PBC Home Page--Back spasms hinder Young's return to LA

pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/.../article.jsp

PBC Home Page-Bus's Instructional League Set to Begin

pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/.../article.jsp

Rumbunter-Pirates Prospect Kyle McPherson Interview

rumbunter.com/.../pirates-prospect-kyle-mcpherson-interview

MLB Transactions

www.cbssports.com/.../transactions

Bucco Fans-Interview with Rudy Owens

www.buccofans.com/.../interview-with-rudy-owens.html

Bucco Fans-Interview with Tony Sanchez

www.buccofans.com/.../interview-with-tony-sanchez.html

Bucco Fans--Hillcats take game one of the Carolina League Championship Series

www.buccofans.com/.../hillcats-take-game-one-of-carolina.html

North Side Notch--Carolina League Playoffs: Hillcats take game 1

www.northsidenotch.com/.../carolina-league-playoffs-hillcats-take.html

Dejan, imagine how the out of towners feel.  Without Sportsbeat I get no Pirates, Steelers or Penguins news.

MLB Extra Innings had the game on in HD last night/this morning; the FSPrimeticket feed with Vin Scully.  

DK ask Bautista about his trip to the beach with Pedro Martinez and what happened when Pedro answered Denny's cell phone.  Its amazing that I have followed this team for so long, read as much as I can about the team, follow them as a ST holder and yet still learn so much about the Buccos from listening to Vin Scully.  It was a treat to watch the game.  We'll see if we get the MLB network feed tonight.  When the Bucs were on MLB network against Colorado one Saturday this summer, we were blacked out (even though we are not in that market obviously since I get Bucco games on EI)).  So now that the blackout is lifted, maybe we'll get that game tonight.  Not counting on it, but we'll see.  If not the game is on tomorrow afternoon.

Its 2010 schedule day!!!!!  

Go Bucs!

@FF

The Brewers did that several times over the past two seasons when they were competing for a playoff spot.  FSNWisconsin added several games each season in September.  Then again, FSN Wisconsin now shows just about every Brewer game including weekday afternoon games which they rarely did before.  Winning does change a lot.

Have a great day everyone!

something else I just thought about as I was taking my morning run....the Bucs/Dodgers game that is sold out next Saturday was added to the FSN schedule.  It was not scheduled originally.  This could still be a makeup of some of the Pens playoffs games that pre-empted Bucco games in the spring as it seems there were far more games pre-empted than were actually rescheduled/added.  Next Saturday's game was just added within the last month nonetheless.

The Pirates told us that Hinske would be an upgrade over Mientkiewicz , a player who provided positive leadership and hard nosed play. Obviously, the FO miscalculated on Hinske and traded the disgruntled vet. The team took a big step backwards this year due to other miscalculations. Moss, Karstens, Morton and Hart have all disappointed and with Doumit's recurring problems as well as the sharp decline in Young's hitting , it adds up to serious concerns about the competence and cohesion of the development plan. It's looking like another exercise in futility.

So much of baseball - like any performing activity - is mental/emotional.  It is very hard to perform up to one's capacity when one's head/heart is not fully engaged in it.  The prolonged losing, the continual small home crowds, the constant cynicism and nay-saying simply add up over time.  

I know that the players may want to be "going all-out" every day.  I pity the poor boogers!  If they read even half of what I read in these blogs daily - why would they even want to come to the park?  The cloud of hopelessness just spreads and spreads - and we are partly responsible for it.

From I read here - today alone - one would think that not a single playerwe have is any good, that we cannot ever attract anyone who is, that our management team is inferior, that our ownership consortium is nefarious and that anyone who roots for the Pirates is genetically damaged.

Sheesh!

Forget all of that for a minute - and, when our team comes home to play - let's all go out and see them:  this is Major League Baseball in the finest park in the land.  Let's just take our families out to the Game and have Fun!

I havent been able to watch a game in days! It's frustrating, esp. since I subscribe to MLB Extra Innings package. All the  games are blacked out due to MLB policy.

I guess I understand if its a home game, but when on the road and the RSN is not carrying the game...thats maddening...I oftern resort to watching / listening to the game on the MLB MIX channel, where you can watch 10 games at once...it's OK if thats the only choice..

MLB really needs to fix this whole regional thing...it's 2009..my wife is a Mets fan (I know) and it's easier for her to follow them, than me to watch the Pirates

I tuned into KDKA-TV late on Sunday night for the News.  And, unless I missed it when I got a beer during the commercial after the Weather segment, I didn't see any mention of the Pirates.  Is that possible?  Then I stayed around for the "...Sports Showdown", and gave up after it seemed apparent that the Steelers and Peneguins were of more general interest.  I was also out of beer...!

DK,

It is tough finding TV coverage in September, especially since the cancellation of Sportsbeat. FSN is committed to high school football on Thursdays. (not usually a problem with so many off days on Thursday). Saturdays FSN has college commitments to Big 12 and Pac 10 football, The Question is, can they get out of those? And Sundays once football season starts they just more Big 12 and Northeast conference football and forget that baseball season is still going on.  Maybe your contacts at FSN can tell you if they could pass on some of these things if the Pirates were to play meaningful games in September or October.