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Giants and Braves fans will tell you otherwise, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a real shame we didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the 163 and 164 \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcplay-in\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 games that looked on the cards heading into the final day of the MLB regular season.\u00c2\u00a0 For all the news about managerial and Front Office changes, the last two days have seemed eerily quiet without any games being played after such a frenetic climax to the season.<\/p>\n
But actual baseball is now back with us and what the schedule lacks in terms of the sheer number of games is more than made up for by the increase in tension, drama and excitement that only the playoffs can bring.<\/p>\n
Postseason games are typically played in the evening to fill the ballparks and to capture a decent TV audience, but thankfully for us the schedulers have decided to play the first two games of the Rangers-Rays series in the day time (some would say that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s because Tropicana Field wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be full whenever they played the games, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll leave such thoughts to the Rays\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 own playing roster).<\/p>\n
That means we can catch some live playoff action during the British evening over the rest of the working week.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
All times are in BST.<\/p>\n
18.37. Texas at Tampa Bay (Cliff Lee – David Price) 19.37. Texas at Tampa Bay (C.J. Wilson – Matt Garza) 23.07. Cincinnati at Philadelphia (Bronson Arroyo – Roy Oswalt) ———————————————<\/p>\n A Cliff Lee-David Price encounter looks a thrilling way to start, while Roy Halladay\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s postseason debut against the Reds will begin at approximately ten past ten this evening UK time.\u00c2\u00a0 I doubt Dusty Baker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s men will be expecting Doc to be shot with nerves.<\/p>\n Carl Pavano will be equally determined to put in a strong showing against his former team for the Twins on Thursday, with that game starting at approximately ten past eleven.\u00c2\u00a0 Yankees manager Joe Girardi has gone for experience (Pettitte) over youth (Phil Hughes), although both have been less than convincing of late.\u00c2\u00a0 Game Two of the Reds-Phillies series will start at ten past eleven on Friday night, with Roy Oswalt and Bronson Arroyo set to make their first postseason appearances since 2005.<\/p>\n Following the games<\/strong><\/p>\n ESPN America will be broadcasting all of the above games live.\u00c2\u00a0 As ‘International’ fans, all games are also available for us to watch live on MLB.com via the MLB.TV subscription.\u00c2\u00a0 Note that the postseason games\u00c2\u00a0should\u00c2\u00a0be\u00c2\u00a0included in the standard 2010 season subscription, so there’s\u00c2\u00a0need to buy the separate Postseason subscription if you’re already a subscriber.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n If not, you can sign up for all the games for $20 (approximately \u00c2\u00a312.60) and there’s also a package available to buy the postseason package alongside the NFL Game Pass subscription (basically the NFL.com equivalent of MLB.TV). Details can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n22.07. Cincinnati at Philadelphia (Edinson Volquez – Roy Halladay)
\n01.37 a.m. NY Yankees at Minnesota (CC Sabathia – Francisco Liriano) <\/em><\/p>\nThursday 7 October<\/h3>\n
\n23.07. NY Yankees at Minnesota (Andy Pettitte – Carl Pavano)
\n02.37. a.m. Atlanta at San Francisco (Derek Lowe – Tim Lincecum)<\/em><\/p>\nFriday 8 October<\/h3>\n
\n02.37. a.m. Atlanta at San Francisco (Tommy Hanson – Matt Cain) <\/em><\/p>\n