Review of MLB At Bat for iPhone
by haymister on Jul 10, 2008 10:40 PM EDT
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PrintWith the launch of the iphone App Store and the ability for 3rd party developers to write software for Apple's iPhone, MLB has introduced a $4.95 application designed particularly for the iPhone.
Features:
The main screen has the top 2/3 dedicated to todays scoreboard. The bottom 1/3 shows the game of your choice.
Scoreboard
The scoreboard area shows:
- each game
- the score
- the inning
- and has a video icon to a link to a separate page of the application that has highlight clips for the selected game
Game Details
The game detail shows:
- The line score
- A graphic representation of the field with any baserunners shown in by making the bases red.
- Current count.
- Current pitcher with record and ERA.
- Current batter with the current games hits and at bats and season batting average.
- A clickable image of a globe which opens mobile safari and the current play-by-play view of the game
Video Highlights
The video highlight screen shows:
- a thumbnail of the video
- short description
- the length
- the time
- a status indicator about whether you have viewed the video or not
Clicking on the video rotates the image and shows a high quality clips with the widescreen.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- You can watch high quality video highlights away from the computer. Fast on wi-fi, don't know about 3g but imagine it will be pretty fine.
- Videos are difficult to dive in to and watch a few in a row. Considering they don't autoplay in sequence, you have to keep flipping the phone to widescreen and back if you want to click through videos
- It has less than the mlb mobile site in every area other than the ability to watch the clips.
I spent my $4.95 and perhaps it was worth it, but I don't really so using the app unless they improve it. You can't tell a pitcher's pitch count, you can't see who is in the lineup, you can't read a preview of tomorrow's game or a summary of yesterday's game. It's just a dressed up way to watch video clips when you're not at a full computer. Perhaps they'll add more functionality, but for now it's nothing to get too excited about.
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I’ve been trying it out as well & the video quality is pretty awesome (and updated very fast). But I do wish they had more detail in the box scores. You can click on the little globe icon in the bottom right corner to be taken to the MLB Mobile website for the game where there’s a lot more pitch-by-pitch detail about what’s going on, but since that data’s out there, why not include a detail view in the app itself? I imagine it’s a work in progress, though, since MLB seems to be pretty active with their internet stuff.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
The video quality is pretty great.
I agree if they could give the pitch by pitch view within in the app…..on a screen you can just drag over to that would be quite nice.
I think if they if they let me watch the videos in sequence without having to re-rotate the phone, that would be a big improvement.
They say the app store is good at auto-notifying on updates and since mlb had a pay perhaps they’ll reinvest that money in some changes.
besides the video, of course, the game tracking seems to be on par, if not way worse than my FoxSports Mobile Pro which was something like 9.99 for unlimited, permanent use for my crappy phone that I bought 6 years ago. Wake me up when they get a real accessible and affordable internet based phone that I can watch mlb.tv on… until then, I’ll let the others pay the price for the growing pains.
Best app I’ve found so far is simply called “Baseball,” and it’s free. It’s a basic Baseball-Reference for the iPhone—and it downloads to the phone, so no internet connection is needed to use it. Stats from 1891 to 2007. The basic interface is just a list of every singe team ever to play (never even heard of the Cleveland Infants, and their player manager Patsy Tabeau), and it’s got historical logos for a lot of them. Or you can search by player name.
Mostly just the basic stats, and doesn’t update live, but seems like a great tool for argument settling, especially if you’re at the ballpark.
Il faut d'abord durer.
Completely OT, but the Cleveland Infants, who played only one season in 1890, did feature one very notable player, Pete Browning. The Gladiator had a lifetime average of .345 and was the first player to purchase a custom-made bat from Hillerich & Bradsby. The wiki article on Browning contains this gem:
While the inferior equipment of the time is somewhat of a mitigating factor, Browning’s playing record presented various evidence against any hidden defensive prowess. So did his unusual habit of playing the infield while standing on one leg, which he claimed to have adopted in order to avoid collisions with other players; however, some sources have noted that his probable rationale was to gain an advantage against baserunners he could not hear by aiming one leg toward them, and that he continued to do so in the outfield because he couldn’t hear his teammates on either side.
sneaky
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Tomorrow, a few hundred people will look at the “149 new” next to this thread and wonder what the hell happened.
Nice jump, good slide, and technically beat the pitch out throw.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Should actually use Kazmir as a pinch runner at this point.
I really don’t see them using him out of the bullpen.
That’d really piss off the Rays ;)
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Kazmir gets the Wang treatment at the all-star game. The Rays would completely fall apart (even though they are already heading that direction)
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Cue twenty Joel Skinner at the Allstar game jokes.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:23 AM EDT reply actions
4. brick counts as three.
I don’t think I’m playing this right.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions
If you’re Selig when do you call it?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think it will either, I’m just curious. Do you let it go to the 14? the 15th?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
How funny would that be.
I actually don’t mind the “it counts” thing — only the dumbheaded marketing of it — but it would be hilarious if they declared a tie.
I imagine there would be a coinflip for WS homefield at some point.
Well, with Cook still going, and Webb and perhaps available, can’t the NL keep going? Would Francona have to forfeit?
Did they ever elaborate beyond “flu like symptoms”?
by ganatz on Jul 16, 2008 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes. I think I would.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Also – The umpires blew both calls there, right? I mean, I’m pretty sure there was no tag on Kinsler and that Martin’s tag was late
every team has an Uggla
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=13689
UFC guy Rampage Jackson went bonkers. How much prison time?
K…works
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions
francona not taking any chances that soria gets out of that. get sherril in there to end this once and for all.
Brian Barton moment for me (if you don’t know what that means, research my old posts)
Dear Mr. Sabean, I hear you have a reputation of being stupid. Want to deal Lincecum or Cain? You can pick THREE of these 4 players for either: Borowski, Dellucci, Blake, Byrd.
Let’s say every starter goes 2 Innings and every reliever goes 1. That would give 16 Innings, 18 if you count Kazmir.
There’s really no reason why Halladay goes one inning with 9 pitches, or Saunders one with 12. FWIW, Cliff only made 2, he could have easily gone another inning.
If Bud is really serious about avoiding this kind of trouble, that’s what he’s got to tell the managers to do, right? Something like 2 innings or 30 pitches?
Wow interesting things come up when you google Victor Martinez.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:40 AM EDT reply actions
I really wouldn’t mind a Male Body Builder Filter as well. I could have done without seeing those pics.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Some teasing of runs if fun. This many is a little ridiculous :p
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Selig introduces sudden death.
Out outfielder, one pitcher, and one infielder. One at-bat trade offs. The runner who makes it to the furthest base, if accomplished, wins.
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A soccer-approach solution to Selig’s problem.
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions
How about managers in a dunk tank. 3 pitches.
by ganatz on Jul 16, 2008 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions
how about an applause-o-meter?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions
These pitchers are too good…we’d be here all day.
Unless Selig just forces Uggla to do it for the NL.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Can’t believe Grady didn’t dive for that.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:50 AM EDT reply actions
So, Joe Buck had a Ryan Ludwick story stashed just in case we hit the 13th inning?
Fix.
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Well … I mean … this is just stupid.
Lee and Halladay could have gone six innings rather than three. That would have made it almost impossible to get to Kazmir.
Pulling K-Rod after one out didn’t help either.
You would think they’d have figured it out after 2002 — re-establish the old-school All-Star mentality — no, you will not be getting into the game necessarily if you’re not totally awesome. I mean, my God, they’ve got a roster of 32, how do you run out?
I remember Jim Frey running out of players in the 1981 game at the Stadium and actually having a pitcher bat with runners on base.
Yeah the K-Rod thing was the most ridiculous of the night.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
They can suggest Michael Young winning this game for the fifth time.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions
they’ll ultimately just end up talking more about the history of the stadium.
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Future solution: each team brings two reserve starters that can only be used after a 10th inning.
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I do dig the competitiveness.
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
On the plus side, it’s Wednesday at this point, so Kazmir was probably going to throw a bullpen session in another 10-15 hours anyway.
Get a better TV signal. ;)
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
From the CBS Glog:
“I think Dan Uggla should be replaced by a 7 year old girl from the stands”
--
2008: let the hate flow through you.
You know, if I’m Francona, I’m still leaving Sherrill in there. Only 18 pitches. Can’t expect Kazmir to be any good on one day of rest.
Or bum rush the mound and hope that Marmol is so distracted he leaves one in the middle of plate for Quentin.
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Ditto what Buck just said…the music is starting to get to me.
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Anyone think Fringe will be good? I love LOST, J.J. Abrams is a part of it, and I’ve seen the previews more times than I can count…
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The Dark Knight is the only focus of my entertainment time this month.
--
2008: let the hate flow through you.
by vbc3 on Jul 16, 2008 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Rec that.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions
it’ll probably come down to whether or not you like Joshua Jackson. he’s probably going to be a major character.
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions
I want to see Matthew Abadabon.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions
what the hell this game is still going on?
by Gradyforpresident on Jul 16, 2008 1:07 AM EDT reply actions
Dodgers just found out Saito is out until at least September. Perhaps they have interest in Betancourt/Blake/Carroll now, not that I’m all about trading Raffy. But still…
who would we be interested in getting from the Dodgers?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions
if we were to acquire laroche, would that be the deathnail for marte?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
It might be the deathknell. Or perhaps just holocene slaughter.
Free Andy Marte!
by woodsmeister on Jul 16, 2008 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions
grady’s gonna walk this shit off right? finally?
by Gradyforpresident on Jul 16, 2008 1:10 AM EDT reply actions
Does McCarver understand that it doesn’t matter how many innings a guy pitches but how many pitches he throws that’s important?
not sure if we talked about it above, but mccarver also said that ryan ludwick took a long journey through the minor leagues that included stops with eight teams.
of course, he didn’t mean it in the normal way that you talk about a guy. ludwick hasn’t been with 8 organizations in his career. but, to inform us of a more useless fact, mccarver counted the actual teams across all the levels he’s been on, regardless of organization.
in that regard, grady sizemore was on 6 teams in his minor league career. what a trooper.
Ok, I just went an counted. He did count just “teams” he’s been on across all levels and organizations. 5 organizations. 8 “teams” in the minors.
Nice catch dude. I thought when I heard it last night “That seems high”
by NickFantana on Jul 16, 2008 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Boy, at this point, an MVP is hard to pick. I guess the default now is to whoever ends the damn thing…
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there’s still time for weglarz to win it.
by xrickx on Jul 16, 2008 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
z
It’s a shame this game didn’t end in 11 or 12 innings. It would have been one of the best ever. Now it’s like a good movie that just won’t end.
probably just one of E’s many personalities.
by Brick. on Jul 16, 2008 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Permission to throw in a cheap plug? Points to sig
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At this hour you could be advertising a porno website and I’m not sure anyone would bat an eyelash. Actually I’m not entirely sure what it means to bat an eyelash. Sounds painful.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Here’s a solution, can we at least start by mandating that pitchers have to pitch at least one inning?
Why not mandate that the first two pitchers have to go six innings total? That totally changes the math.
Aaagh. I walk a two-mile circuit every night. I usually head out sometime between 12-1, depending on when I last ate something. I’ve been delaying tonight’s walk for this silly game, and I realize now that I could have done this walk like 3 times over since midnight and I still wouldn’t have missed a freaking thing.
--
2008: let the hate flow through you.
Hell is this thing still going
One day I'll get over to watch the Tribe play
by new zealand tribe fan on Jul 16, 2008 1:29 AM EDT reply actions
So, my understanding is …
1. Kazmir only allowed to throw 16 more pitches.
2. No pitchers or position players left on the AL bench or bullpen.
3. Therefore, a position player will be pitching and Kazmir will play the field.
Is that about right? J.D. Drew is pitching, Kazmir going to RF?
Where’s Paul LoDuca when you need him?
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Or tell him that Pujols is coming up next.
Fingers crossed, but breathing normally
by Chief WaDrew on Jul 16, 2008 1:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Haha he so didn’t. You actually made me go back and watch it again.
by supermarioelia on Jul 16, 2008 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions
hahahahahahaha…
i feel crazy after all that…loony…
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Michael Young doesn’t get the MVP for THAT, will he? :-/
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
i hope not.
Dear Mr. Sabean, I hear you have a reputation of being stupid. Want to deal Lincecum or Cain? You can pick THREE of these 4 players for either: Borowski, Dellucci, Blake, Byrd.
Give the car to Uggla for the hell of it.
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, not a bad idea…we kept ripping on him before he came in…
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions
You’ve gotta be kidding me…they go to commercial AGAIN? Ok FOX, you’re not trying to retain prime time viewers anymore…
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
Agreed…the car giveaway concept is too funny for these sporting event MVPs and even American Idol finalists…
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Look, I understand that Jeanne is just doing her job, and it’s someone else who decides to put her in that job.
Having said that, she really should be shot.
They should just put Terry Bradshaw there instead and have him say “now that’s funny!” to anything Kennedy says. It’d be an upgrade.
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Pretty choppy for an All-Star game.
WPA: Lee .101 (Sherrill led at .460), Grady -.120 (Drew led at .583).
Uggla ate it. -.634.
Steel Nick
Yikes!
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by Chris Pokorny on Jul 16, 2008 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Reading this thread the day after, I feel like the game only seemed boring at the time because it was so damn late. Looking back at the play-by-play it was action-packed baseball, just no real offense. How often do you see that many plays at the plate in an extra innings game to keep it going?
It’s just an awfully long game when you don’t have a strong rooting interest. We have such disdain for a number of AL teams and their players at this point. By the 10th inning, there were 20 players left and only one of them was Grady.
Yeah, I found myself calculating lineup positions and spinning scenarios – I want Guillen to get on base, but not drive that runner in… The almost-walkoff-homer that turned into a walkoff-opportunity-not-meant-to-be for Grady was as exciting as it got in the late innings. That, plus rooting against people.
This is a good point. I went from one side to the other so many times, and my two extremes were:
GO NL when Rivera had the chance to blow THE LAST ASG IN YS
GO AL when Grady/Longora were up
and a third:
WELCOME TO THE BIGS when Clifton made a bunch of NL hitters look foolish.
Dear Mr. Sabean, I hear you have a reputation of being stupid. Want to deal Lincecum or Cain? You can pick THREE of these 4 players for either: Borowski, Dellucci, Blake, Byrd.
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