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Where to Watch and Get Live World Series Updates Online

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:36:20 PDT

It's day three of the baseball World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers duking it out for the championship title. If you can't get to a TV, sports bar, or radio to follow the game live, there are three online solutions to keep you updated on every play.

MLB.tv - Due to broadcasting licensing rights, it can be difficult (or near impossible) to watch a high-quality livestream of the games online. US and Canada customers that pay $20 for a MLB.tv Postseason subscription can listen to live audio of the game, or wait 90 minutes after the game's end to watch the full archive. Lucky international subscribers actually get to stream the game live with audio and the option to stream on multiple mobile devices.
MLB.com At Bat ($1) - This app is available for nearly every mobile platform including iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, even HP's webOS tablet. Though it doesn't include a live video, At Bat does offer real-time pitch-by-pitch updates on the game, video highlights, and text sports news.
ESPN Radio ($3) - Android, iOS, and BlackBerry users can purchase ESPN's mobile radio app to listen live to commentary and play-by-plays on the series.

Lil Community: A Phillies-Themed Baby Shower

Lil Community — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:15:56 PDT

It's raining baby showers around here! We've asked readers to share their showers and sprinkles with us in our Baby Showers Tips and Pics group. Here are some pictures of a baseball-themed shower for two big Philadelphia Phillies fans from LoveRoars.

My little sister is due with her first little one in a few months (a boy!) and requested a very large (65+ people) and very casual shower. She's very down-to-earth and requested "real" food like Tomato Pie/Pizza and Soft Pretzels and no games/girly stuff for her special day. She and the father are HUGE Philadelphia Phillies fans (the nursery theme is "Vintage Phillies" and is in cream/burgundy), so we thought a Phillies themed shower would provide the casual atmosphere that she wanted while still making it personal.

She knew the date of the shower, so the theme was the big surprise. Here she is as she walked in (top left) and saw everything! We had balloon centerpieces weighted in buckets of peanuts (right, and detail in lower left) and a "Souvenirs" table (which was actually a covered hot tub!) for the gifts (bottom center).

I photoshopped a recent photo of the parents-to-be into a photo of the Jumbotron and had it hanging on a gate as people walked in (top right). I made logo cupcake toppers for the cupcakes and topped the cupcake stand with cut outs of the mom-to-be and dad-to-be playing baseball when they were little (middle). I had "Team Photos" printed of each side's immediate family and hung them in the tents (bottom left). On the right you see the favors - Cracker Jacks in (Homemade) Logo Koozies displayed in our red wagon with a different Jumbotron photo thanking everyone for coming to the party.

Check out the rest of the adorable shower here and share your own - you could win our latest contest! We're giving away a grand prize Serena & Lily nursery worth over $3,500 - including a Bratt Decor Crib and $1,000 in Oilily clothing. Five first-prize winners will walk away with a $25 Serena & Lily Gift Card, a $25 Oilily Gift Card, and a Serena & Lily Nursery Style book! How does it work? Click here to enter, and hurry! The giveaway ends on June 28!

Roundup: Let's Play Ball!

Elka Karl — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Baseball games have been a constant at our house this year, from attending home Giants games to watching them on TV and listening to them on the radio. If your household has a similar preoccupation, celebrate your love for the game by adding some vintage baseball poster art to your walls.

My current favorite is the darling Saturday Evening Post cover (middle row, middle poster) from Aug. 10, 1940. Painted by Douglass. Contact the Julia Santen Gallery for pricing information.

Head to eBay to pick up this Signed Newark Eagles vs. NY Cubans Poster ($274). This replica game-day poster has been signed by 51 players. The poster itself was produced on cardboard as an advertisement and comes with a detailed letter of authenticity.

For something a little more whimsical, you can pick up Rabid Charlie Racater of the Detroit Wolverines ($13, top right). According to the artist, "During his day, Charlie Racater was one of the more popular players in the National League, despite his unfortunate nickname. He played second base for the Wolverines from 1883-89."

To shop the other posters, just click on each image!

Batter Up: A Baseball-Themed Baby Shower For a Lil Slugger-to-Be

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 06:16:41 PDT

Hey batter, batter, swiiiing, batter! Who says a baby shower must be filled with pastels and frills. When Annika Lawrence learned her sister-in-law was expecting a baby boy, the graphic designer and Cakes Likes a Party blogger knew exactly how to plan the party. Using the daddy-to-be's childhood love of baseball as a theme, she and her mother created backyard ballpark barbecue to fete the pregnant couple. Complete with AstroTurf table cloths, a batting helmet sundae bar, and a seventh-inning stretch before dessert, the shower was a fun change of pace from traditional baby themes. Keep reading to see all the details.

Source: Cakes Likes a Party

Beware of the Ballpark Beer Scam

Katie Sweeney — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:02:15 PDT

Last Thursday, stadiums across the country opened their doors and baseball season started. With it comes the arrival of America's favorite pastime, game-day eats, and the ballpark beer scam.

What is the beer scam? It's the stadium's way to make a quick buck on beer-guzzling fans. Many places offer three sizes of draft beer: small ($6), regular ($8), and large ($10). However, the ounces are not listed, and the average concession stand worker doesn't know how much beer they hold.

After watching a video that clearly shows the small and regular sizes are almost identical - with the only difference being the shape of the glass - I decided to investigate and figure out what exactly is the distinction between these beer sizes. To find out, read more.

Watch MLB Games Streaming Free on iOS Devices All April

Kristen Hawley — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:00:48 PDT

In honor of Major League Baseball's opening day (today! Go Giants!), Volvo has unlocked the paywall on streaming live games onto all iOS devices. For the entire month of April, all streaming MLB games will be free to view on MLB.tv.

Of course, to view the streaming content you'll have to be subjected to some Volvo ads, but for baseball fans it seems a small price to pay. It also guarantees a lot of eyes on your ads, which is something that may become more popular as more and more high-profile paywalls are announced.

Sadly, it's not completely free - to access the streaming content you need to pony up for the official MLB At Bat iPhone or iPad app, which is $15. Android users can get in on the action, too - you'll be able to watch one free app per day.

How to Watch Sports Without a TV

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:35:08 PDT

Sports season is never over. Now that the hijinks of the Super Bowl are beginning to fade away into recent memory, we have basketball and Spring training to look forward to. This year, you won't even need a TV to watch your favorite sporting events thanks to some new and innovative live streams and apps. Check out a few of them below!

Basketball
CBS will be streaming the March Madness NCAA tournaments for free this year through its NCAA March Madness On Demand iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch app over WiFi and 3G. Every game will be broadcast live through the app, so you won't miss a single shot.

Find out how you can watch live baseball online after the jump.

Do Your Pets Have Sporty Spirit?

Morgan Ashley Parker — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:45:09 PDT

Now my dog - not even sporting any orange and black! - was called a good-luck charm as we passed by a crowded bar last week, and who knows what we'll see on the streets of San Francisco for Game 2 of the 2010 World Series tonight. Lucky for this pup, Halloween is right nearby, so that sporty ensemble can double as a costume in a pinch. Do your pets have any sports garb that they wear any time of year, or do they stick to baseball-themed dog toys instead?

Is a Red Thong the Secret to the Giants' Baseball Success?

Annie Scudder — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:30:59 PDT

Underneath his uniform, Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff has a secret weapon: his wife's thong. Dubbed the "rally thong," Huff has been wearing the red piece of lingerie since Aug. 30 as a good luck charm. Since then, the Giants have been on a roll, winning game one of the World Series last night.

Huff decided to wear the thong when the Giants needed a miracle (i.e. needed to win 20 of their last 30 games to make the playoffs). After putting the thong on in the locker room he said: "Boys, this is going to get us to 20-10." The company behind the thong also sees a winning opportunity. They've sent the slugger boxes filled with more thongs to distribute.

Huff is a good spokesperson too, explaining that "over time, it's actually gotten pretty comfortable." But the more important question is: does it get washed after every game?

Are You Going to Watch the World Series?

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:15:37 PDT

Batter up! Tonight marks the first game of the World Series, when the San Francisco Giants will face off against the Texas Rangers. Even if you can't root, root, root for the home team because yours is no longer in the running, it's still the most exciting time of year for a baseball fan. When the first pitch is thrown out this evening, TVs will be lit up across the country to see how the two opponents fare against each other. I'll be watching, jamming it into my busy Halloween episode viewing schedule.

Whether you're a big fan of the game or not, it's still a good excuse to have a sports viewing party with some ballpark-themed snacks. Will you be watching the World Series?