In the weeks before flying out to Toronto I subscribed to MLB via Amazon Fire TV, the basic (free) online option... the reasoning was to get the wife interested in baseball, or at least to try too, before we went to the Blu Jays/Yankees game in Toronto.

That plan worked to a degree because when we were in Toronto the apartment had, I assumed, a kodi box that gave access to every game/movie channel etc form all over the world... including every PPV channel that I pay a fortune for from here in the UK... aside from the legality of it (I was on holiday and had no inclination to start delving into the software so accepted it for what it was).

Anyways, short version... when we came home I got exactly, and still do get, the exact same offers you've mentioned on these forums for the online MLB streaming... I know this because the prices you've quoted are the same prices MLB have quoted me.

I was sorely tempted to take up those offers not least because I can stream them through my Amazon Fire TV (British Telecom have the TV rights in the UK and charge a bloody fortune for me to access them via my satellite TV provider [Sky TV] for a fraction of the cost.... what put me off, and with hindsight was likely a wise move, is the blacking out of games that goes on... afaikt it matters not where you are in the world... if a game is blacked out, that's it.

I can sort of understand that mentality for your domestic market but I'm at a complete loss to understand why ANY game should be blacked out for customers streaming outside of the US/Canada.

The other sad thing is that I subscribe to the MLB.TV streaming option for the Indians and still can't get the game. The package is only for the regular season.

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Not sure about international black outs Doddie. I THINK it may be along the same order as it is with DVDs. Accessibility is by international regions. Say that you buy a DVD in the U.S., which is 'region 1', it will not play in Scotland which is 'region 2'. I'm sure that you have installed a DVD burner and had to set a region code.

<edit>
I stand corrected on the access through MLB.com. I could not get the Sox/Astros in any form due to my only subscribing to the Indians. I just tried for the Indians game and seem to, at least, have radio. Here is what MLB says about the black out...

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Also the radio station streaming black out does not seem to apply to the Indians. Here are live feeds.

Tribe:
http://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WMVO

Yanks:
http://streamdb3web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WTLBAM

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Don't exactly know what to say. Well I WILL say that I doubt anyone is any longer second guessing Tito starting Bauer instead of Kluber. After all Bauer was 10-1 after the All-star break.

Chas... Even though it was absolutely not all his fault your Yanks need a better defensive catcher. I think that he contributed to the numerous wild pitches. If a pitcher's "out" pitch is down and out they just might be worried about throwing it to Sanchez(Sp).

I'm also not all that thrilled with the Tribe other than Bauer. They had opportunities to score a lot more runs. If I remember correctly the situations getting only 1 run out of 2 bases loaded and less than 2 outs is not acceptable.

Still the bottom line is that the Tribe is up in the series 1-0. 20th shutout of the year for the Tribe. 14 strikeouts. Yanks only get 3 hits.

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Sanchez does need improvement with his defense. Had a good offensive year.
Bauer did a great job as did the pen. Not looking forward to facing Kluber.

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

I could understand the MLB blacking out games in the UK that BT have paid broadcasting rights for, but there are many many games BT do not broadcast yet they were still blacked out.

Another annoyance, and a clear demonstration that the MLB know my location, is that all advertising is also blacked out... given how many advert breaks take place during an MLB game I'm sure you can understand how frustrating this can be, it felt at times like we were watching a turned off TV most of the time!
[I do miss the drug company ads from my time in the US/Canada... I never knew a human being could read out so much in such a short space of time when listing how many ways a drug could be fatal! ]

As for DVD players, in years past I used to spent time searching for a way to "unlock" the player so it was region 0 or 9... most supported this if you knew the command inputs but now that nearly all movies etc are available online I find it's a redundant necessity

When watching a game via mlb.tv the commercials are also blacked out here. Most commercials are also blacked out on streamed radio broadcasts.

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Interesting... horses for courses I guess but I do sometimes wonder how you put up with that sort of "broadcasting" on your side of the pond?

Actually, Doddie, we get so blasted with commercials on TV that I sort of find the lack of ads in streaming to be a bit refreshing. But then I'm one of those people that does not watch TV series shows until they hit Netflix so I can watch without ads.

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Hmmm, Mayhaps the 'naysayers' about starting Bauer instead of Kluber were right as Kluber was not at himself. Did the extra day off cause the worst outing of the year for Kluber? I don't know and I'm not going to even try to second guess Tito. Still Bauer is now able to come in as a reliever later in the series.

Thank goodness that the Tribe FINALLY scored some runs with the bases loaded. Thank you Lindor.

I can't take all this! Extra innings... LOL! Not sure who I want to win this game. A few days ago I was talking to a friend in Ohio and predicted the Tribe to win this series in 5 games. Of course I want the Tribe to win all games but I sort of do not want a sweep as I don't like all the days off. This is typed before the game is over. Going to the bottom of the 10th...

Hmmm, a photographer touches a ball. The replay went the Tribe's way but is this interference? If it is interference would it depend on which team the photographer was with as to how the ruling would go?

On to the 11th... Advantage Astros/Sox as both the Tribe and Yanks are using a lot of pitchers.

LOL! Going to the bottom of the 11th but I have a question... Why do they make such a big deal about a 'walk off' win. I mean if the home team is tied or behind going into the bottom of the 9th the only way they can win is with a walk off. Also it is impossible for the visiting team to win on a walk off as the home team will always get to bat last.

Let's go to the 12th inning... Tribe is down to one relief pitcher still in the pen, Salazar(sp)...

I SO MUCH wish this game would have been on TV! Absolutely must have been/is a GREAT game to watch! I THINK that I can watch it later but that is not the same and I probably won't.

And then there is inning 13. Going to the bottom of the 13th inning. I don't care what happens. This has to be one of the best playoff games ever played!

Jackson steals 2nd; only his 4th stolen base of the year! Yan Gomes walk off hit! Tribe leads the series 2-0. What can one say? Tribe down 8-3 and come back to win 9-8 in 13 innings...

This is one of those games where I wish there could be a tie. Awesome performance by both teams.

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You can thank Giradi for that one Jay. He has to ask for a replay on the "hit" batter.

I can't say as I could not actually see the play. This is going to be one of the rare cases where I watch the re-broadcast even though I know the result. Even just listening to the radio broadcast it has to be in the top 20, if not top 10, best playoff games ever.

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Awesome job by the Yanks' pitching! Does not often happen that the Tribe gets shut out. Good job Yanks and congrats Chas.

Wait... Top of the 9th and something is happening... Two on and one out.... Two out... OK! Go back to the first line of this post. Excellent job by the yanks' pitching. Actually by the pitching on both sides.

Good game!

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Great game. Pitching was terrific on both sides. Girardi was booed big time.
He deserved it. Major blunder. On to the next game.

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

LOL! Talk about a major blunder. Second inning goes from Bauer throwing 10 pitches and the Yanks going 1-2-3 to a 4 run lead so far with Bauer out of the game. Line drive to third should have been caught; he just missed the thing.

Long way to go.

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Back to Cleveland we go...

Can't expect to win a game when you give up 6 unearned runs. Has to be one of the worst games the Tribe has played all season defensively.

Congrats to the Yanks and Chas.

Sad to say that I have to give a bit of an advantage to the Yanks in game 5. Throughout the season the Tribe was much better on the road than at home and game 4 took the Tribe much deeper into their bullpen than did the Yanks.

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Down to one game. Should be very interesting. As for pitching,all hands on deck. Both teams.
Odds favor Cleveland. Home field, better record and the chance of losing three in a row.
Next flight hopefully is to Houston not New York. We'll see

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Thank You

Hey Chas... I trust that you DO realize that, if the Yanks win tonight, I'm going to have to ban you from the forums...

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Sigh, good job Yanks! How does the Tribe's pitching strike out 16 and lose? OK, Yank's pitching was not far behind.

Interesting and good series. To be honest, if not for a bad call as to a Cleveland batter getting hit by a pitch, the Yanks may have won the series in 4 games.

I'm still amazed. How does the best defensive team in baseball commit 7 errors in 2 games? Oh well, good season Tribe! That is why they play the games.

I guess that you get to stay on the forums Chas...

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

Baseball You never know. Thanks for letting me stay.Now you can concentrate on the Browns

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

It's OK Chas... So the Yanks are down 0-1... They were down 0-2 against the Tribe and still won.

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You're right. Yanks pitched well. Astros pitched better.

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To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

Has to be an error on the catcher on Astro's winning run! Good enough throw and plenty of time. Another Bronx cheer to Yanks catching.

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