Manfred, MLB Refuse To Comment On Deliberate Pulling Of Postseason From MLBTV

The four Division Series are set to begin on Tuesday. (All times ET.)

October 11
NLDS Game 1, Phillies at Atlanta, 1:00 PM
ALDS Game 1, Mariners at Astros 3:30 PM
ALDS Game 1, Guardians at Yankees 7:30 PM
NLDS Game 1, Padres at Dodgers 9:30 PM

October 12
NLDS Game 2, Phillies at Atlanta 4:30 PM
NLDS Game 2, Padres at Dodgers 8:30 PM

October 13
ALDS Game 2, Mariners at Astros 3:30 PM
ALDS Game 2, Guardians at Yankees 7:30 PM

October 14
NLDS Game 3, Dodgers at Padres
NLDS Game 3, Atlanta at Phillies

October 15
NLDS Game 4, Dodgers at Padres
NLDS Game 4, Atlanta at Phillies
ALDS Game 3, Astros at Mariners
ALDS Game 3, Yankees at Guardians

October 16
ALDS Game 4, Astros at Mariners
ALDS Game 4, Yankees at Guardians
NLDS Game 5, Padres at Dodgers
NLDS Game 5, Phillies at Atlanta

October 17
ALDS Game 5, Mariners at Astros
ALDS Game 5, Guardians at Yankees

If you want to watch the Phillies/Atlanta and the Mariners/Astros games in their entirety, you better hope that the NLDS game gets completed in 2:30 or quicker. Again, masterful work by MLB.

There still remains very little coverage of MLB's deliberate screwing over of its fans around the world.

Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue was not surprised at Rob Manfred's latest moronic decision:

Major League Baseball says it wants to promote the game internationally. . . . 

This is a good thing. Promoting baseball in other countries helps grow the sport and can create new fans all over the world.

MLB had promised international fans that if they paid for MLB.TV this year, that package would include the postseason.

Only now, it doesn't . . .

What has happened here [in the UK] is that MLB sold exclusive rights to postseason games in the UK to BT Sport, a cable/satellite channel there. This is typical MLB shortsightedness, taking immediate money up front, damn the consequences. . . .

[MLB] gave MLB.TV subscribers in the UK access to the Wild Card Series, but then told them to make "necessary adjustments" for future postseason games this year. . . .

[With this deal with BT Sport and streaming deals with Apple TV+ and Peacock] MLB has prioritized short-term gain over the long-term growth of the sport. Instead of honoring a deal they made with MLB.TV subscribers in the UK . . . they've made a lot of baseball fans there angry. . . .

Way to "grow the game," MLB and Rob Manfred.

Manfred has no reason to give a single shit about the long-term success of major league baseball, but  I would think some of the owners might care a little bit about Manfred's relentless drive to make as many fans as possible angry than hell and determined never to give MLB another penny. A few owners must care, right?

One of the comments at Cubbie Blue: "Every time you think MLB's Powers That Be can't do anything stupider, they find a way."

Quinn Allen, Clutch Points:

The Athletic tried to reach out to the commissioner's office to speak to someone about the matter, but they were just redirected to send an email. Even after that, no one still gave any reason for this bonkers move . . .

With the MLB trying to grow more on the global stage, this is an absolutely ridiculous thing to do to fans across the world. . . . 

Just flat-out wrong. It's certainly not going to make baseball more popular overseas in terms of getting more people to watch the sport. Quite ludicrous.

I would happily cancel my MLBTV subscription, but that would leave me with no option to watch any games (except for a handful of AppleTV+ games). Then again, I didn't watch much this season.

I honestly don't know what I will do for next season. Meanwhile, I have purchased a month of Sportsnet so I can watch the postseason. Eat shit, Manfred.