Combine the excitement of the new season approaching with the new Flash-based media player being trialled and there is plenty of reason to look forward to watching some live baseball on MLB.com.  Here’s a guide to the games that you can watch over the next five days (all times listed in GMT). 

The WBC games are providing some excellent baseball and we are now getting to the sharp end of the tournament.  These are the games where you are likely to use the impressive new media player.  As for Spring Training, we will now be seeing the expected regular season starters playing more innings as the minor leaguers head to their own camps and some of the WBC players rejoin their teams.

Monday 16 – There’s one early Spring Training game: the Cardinals against the Tigers at 17.05.  Later on, it’s the Rays against the Pirates (23.05).  Venezuela and Puerto Rico meet in the WBC at five past midnight, with the winner booking their place in the semi-finals.  At three in the morning, Cuba and Mexico battle to stay in the tournament.

Tuesday 17 – Red Sox fans can see their team in action at 17.05 as they face the Twins.  Pirates fans (I’m sure there are a few in Britain) can see their team for the second day in a row in their game against the Yankees.  First pitch is scheduled for 23.15.  Then there are two WBC games.  The earlier of the two sees the U.S. in the last chance saloon yet again at 23.05.  The game from Pool A at 3.00 will result in another team sealing their semi-final spot.

Wednesday 18 – There are four Spring Training games being broadcast on MLB.tv today.  We start with the battle of the birds as the Orioles face the Cardinals from 17.05.  You can take the ‘exhibition’ tag off the game that begins five minutes later: the rivalry between the Braves and the Mets doesn’t go away just because it’s Spring Training.  The Marlins-Nationals NL East rivalry has not taken on such epic proportions just yet, but there should be some good young players to watch in any case.  That game begins at 23.05, with the Mariners versus the Royals at 01.05.  Once again, there will also be two WBC games at 23.00 and three in the morning.

Thursday 19 – Thursday brings us six games on MLB.tv.  The two early games see the Rays take on the Cardinals at 17.05 and the Astros facing the Mets at 17.10.  At 23.05 it’s the Red Sox versus the Reds and the Tigers versus the Braves.  Ten minutes later and the Blue Jays will be looking to inflict a Spring Training defeat on the Yankees.  Finally, the Padres face the Mariners at 02.05.  In the WBC, the final semi-final spot will be decided from Pool A with first pitch set for 01.00.

Friday 20 – There are no WBC games today and by the looks of it there are no Spring Training games on MLB.tv either.