OK, so we're all aware now of the times for the ALDS games. I think I'm not the only who works a job with regular hours (M-F 8-5/9-6). I'm lucky enough to have a fairly flexible company and plenty of vacation time left, so I'm just taking half days off to catch the games live from my house. However, I think there has to be at least a few of the readers here, and millions of kids who have zero chance to watch or even listen to the game. What does everyone think?

Kids are the biggest issue. Playoff baseball can turn kids into lifelong fans, and scheduling the games during school hours effectively bars kids from 2 fanbases from watching the games life. Previously, TBS and Fox would have either the AL or NL, so games could be doubled up, but since TBS has acquired all the games, they won't schedule overlapping games.

Sofa king we tarred it.

I will be able to watch the first 6 or 7 innings Wednesday, but will miss the beginning (funeral, unfortunately) and end (work) of Thursday's game, hoping to catch innings 3-7 or thereabouts. Saturday I'll likely miss the first half or so of the game.

If the Rangers advance and have evening games, I'll actually miss more innings since I work until 8 or 9 Monday-Wednesday.

I think it's absolutely outrageous and damaging to baseball but unfortunately money is on the line and the MLB, like any good company, likes its money a lot more than its customers. I have spent probably 400 to 500 hours watching games this year and to be basically told, "Oh you wanna watch your team in the playoffs? Shoulda been born in New York!" makes me want to wish really terrible things on everyone involved in making this decision. More importantly, it decreases the chances I will invest as much time on next season knowing that I will be screwed over if it conveniences the might Yankees in the least. Is MLB making a nice tidy profit a good thing? Absolutely. Is it worth it if it makes a segment of your customer base furious and possibly hurts future profits? Absolutely not, but his is America, F consequences right?

What would be great is to find a way for tbs to have a 0 rating for the games. But that would mean punishing us for thier screw up. I am tempted to pay for mlb online so i dont have to watch tbs.

Well, if we get a Rangers/Reds World Series, it will likely schedule it between 2-6am between slap chop and natural male enhancement infomercials.

I'm getting postseason.tv. There's no way that I'll watch those games on TBS. Assholes.

I'm a college student and lifelong Rangers fan. While one of my classes conflicts with the Thursday game, I'm doing everything I can to watch these baseball games (even if that means staying up an extra couple of hours later doing homework!) I just hope that others like me are willing to do the same. I certainly think that the most diehard of fans will, and even for the everyday college student, an opportunity to watch sports and NOT do homework is something that should never be passed up.

Also, I go to school in Minnesota, so of course I'm going to take every opportunity to watch a Rangers game, even if there are only 3 other Rangers fans on my whole campus to watch a game with!

Times perfect for me i get out of school at 12:40 and go in to work at 5 so it fits perfectly in my schedual

MLB does this every year, this should not be a shock to anybody. I know it's been a while since the Rangers were in the playoffs, but there is always a day game during the playoffs. This series will no doubt have less interest nationally than any other series, and it's not even close. Everyone should have seen this coming from a mile away weeks ago when it was obvious the Rangers were to play NYY or TB. It would be stupid business for TBS to put NYY on at lunch time and give TB and TEX a prime time game.

Well I'll be recording the game on DVR to watch when I get home and thus won't be watching the NYY/MIN game so TBS gets 0 rating from me on that game.
No point in watching a game I could care less about. Much rather sit at home and watch my Rangers (replay) than NYY playoff game.

All this does is keep east coast journalists happy so they don't have to stay up late watching games. Stupid.

I think the only fair way to have dealt with this issue, since parity is supposed to be the watchword of MLB, should have been to split 1 night game between each series and 1 day game. that would have at least given each team's fans the opportunity to see at least one of the two games in primetime. Oh wait, we are up against the evil empire that is the NYY....that explains everything. I guess MLB thinks the Yanks are the only game in town....they are losing so many potential fans, especially young fans to revitalize the game. I had asked ahead and am taking vacation half days so I can watch at home. I really wish it was on any other station than TBS tho, I don't care for their baseball broadcasts.

I work nights so I'll be able to watch the games. I'd rather they be in the evening simply because the Rangers do better in night games.

"MLB does this every year, this should not be a shock to anybody."

This is not entirely true, WSGJ. As I pointed out above, the broadcast rights for the NLDS and ALDS were previously sold to separate networks, so there was no problem overlapping the broadcast times. That's not to say that they'd all be at the same time, but it wouldn't be a nooner on a weekday.

Do I have class on Thursday 30 minutes after the game starts? Yes.

Am I skipping it? Of course. I've had perfect attendance all quarter and I'm willing to F it up so I can watch postseason baseball for once in my life. I'd expect any other die-hard Rangers fan to do the same.

FWIW, I teach a college class Wednesday starting at 1:10 and going to 2:35. I will watch until 1:09 and then hurry to watch the end of the game. Thursday my classes are all AM, so I can watch the whole thing. Saturday I will be able to watch most of the game. Sunday I have tix.

Speaking of that, does anyone know when MLB will set Sunday's game time? I need as much warning as possible since the wife and I have to drive 3 hrs each way to get to The Ballpark.

I know the Sunday game is an "if necessary" game. But surely they set it no later than Thursday night, right?

It's a noon game, Spanky.

Spanky: I think the game four time is something like 12:05 on Sunday. I'm not positive, but I think that's the start time.

Thanks.