3 Ways to Consume Baseball in a Time When We Have None

[Matthew Taylor]

It has now been four days since the rapid spread of COVID-19 forced Major League Baseball to end spring training and delay the start of the regular season. While a necessary decision, the absence of the game has been undoubtedly challenging for baseball fans everywhere.Here are three ways to consume baseball in a time when we have none:

 

1. Game replays on YouTube

 

Nothing quite beats the sights and sounds of baseball. Having spring training suspended and the start of the baseball season delayed means having to wait even longer to watch the game we all love. Thankfully, technology allows fans the ability to watch game replays and take in the sights and sounds of baseball by watching games from seasons past.

 

The best way to watch game replays is on YouTube where thousands of games are available to stream in full. Some of the best YouTube channels that offer these baseball games are the official MLB channel, MLB Vault and Classic Twins.

 

Here are some games you can watch in full on YouTube right now:

 

1991 World Series, Game 7: Braves @ Twins

 

2002 ALDS, Game 5: Twins @ Athletics

 

2009 AL Central Tie Breaker: Tigers @ Twins

 

2. MLB The Show 20

 

Watching game replays are great, but many Twins fans are excited to see what the 2020 Minnesota Twins are going to look like. Josh Donaldson and Kenta Maeda’s debuts have now been delayed, and fans are left to wait to see how those additions will add to an already great team. One way to get a feel for how the 2020 Minnesota Twins team will look is by playing MLB The Show 20, which was released on Friday to those who pre-ordered and will be widely released on Tuesday, March 17, exclusively on Playstation 4.

 

Here are the overall rankings for the Minnesota Twins' projected 26-man roster:

 

Download attachment: Screen Shot 2020-03-15 at 4.37.31 PM.png

 

If you don’t own a Playstation 4, or if playing video games aren’t quite your thing, MLB the Show 20 is being streamed live on Twitch for anyone to watch. If you have never used Twitch before, it is a streaming platform where any gamer can stream their video games and any user can watch those streams. Another avenue for baseball fans to watch baseball, and see the new Nike uniforms, new rosters, and even minor league players, which were just added to the game for the first time.

 

3. Participate in conversation online

 

Finally, a third way to consume baseball during this time is by participating in conversation online. We are lucky to be living in a time where there are so many online baseball outlets and so many platforms to be able to participate in online discussion during this baseball hiatus. There are so many great places to read about baseball and converse about it, but here are some excellent options that I would encourage you check out:

• Twins Daily (of course): You won’t find a Minnesota Twins website with more content posted and more discussion than Twins Daily. Every day on the front page there are consistently 3-5 new articles posted (even during the baseball hiatus), in the blog section, you can read articles that other baseball writers from across the internet have posted, or even start your own blog. Finally, in the forum section, you will see all kinds of daily discussion going on about the Minnesota Twins, baseball, or any other sport. Right now in the forums there is a discussion going on where members are recommending their favorite baseball books to consume during our time without baseball.
• Reddit: If you have never been on Reddit before, it is a social aggregation and discussion website with “subreddits” that are catered to specific interests. For baseball, some of my favorite subreddits are r/baseball, r/minnesotatwins, r/baseballcards, and r/sabermetrics.
• Facebook: On Facebook you can find different groups that are extremely active in discussing the Minnesota Twins. Some of the more active Minnesota Twins Facebook groups are “Minnesota Twins!” and “Minnesota Twins Territory”. Request to join these groups and participate in the always-ongoing conversation.
• Written content: There are so many great websites now to read (and comment) about baseball and the Minnesota Twins. Some of my favorites are: The Athletic, Fangraphs, Baseball Prospectus, and Baseball America.

How will you be filling the void left by the baseball hiatus? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

 

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[jgfellows]

I’m watching the 91 series.  I’m really impressed as to how well the video plays almost 30 years later.  

[David HK]

I taped Ken Burns' Baseball series long ago.  The turned my VHS copies into Dvd.  It's not the greatest pixel-wise, but so much of that stuff is old photos and film anyway, I just pretend it's from the old days.

 

About time to crank up Inning 1 again!

[Wookiee of the Year]

Some friends and I are kicking off a Deadball: Baseball with Dice league. It's at least a way to pass the time.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Last night on yutube I watched the Twins and Seattle from a game in 1978. Gary Serum, who I honestly don't remember pitched a very good game for the Twins at the old Met.

[ashbury]

Looking forward to Out Of The Park 21 public beta being released Tuesday. My internet time could plummet!