Pitchers and Catchers are set to report over the next few days and MLB is getting its 2012 App ready

Baseball fans will be happy to hear that Major League Baseball is again bringing the MLB at Bat app back to the App Store so they can enjoy every game throughout the season on their iOS device. In previous years, the MLB at Bat app on the App Store made available audio of the games and in-game statistics. A premium package could open video for all games. This year, MLB is changing the way they bring you games.

Luckily for this season, MLB confirmed with EverythingiCafe that MLB at Bat ’12 would be available for free on the App Store for both the iPhone and iPad— as long as you pay for the one time subscription. The app will stream both audio and video and bring in-game stats.

MLB at Bat ’12 will be available Feb. 29 for free. However, if you want to use the app, you will have to pay a once-a-year $119 subscription as a returning customer or $125 as a new customer. Those who subscribe can view 150 Spring Training games and all 2,430 regular season games, though some are subject black outs. You can now sign up for the MLB.TV season on the MLB website. The first game will stream March 3.

What does it mean when a game is blacked out? Well, that is when a team is playing in a local viewing area or they are playing out-of-town. Blacked out games are available in the MLB at Bat archives just 90 minutes after the game finishes, but MLB at Bat does have special streaming agreements with certain areas that are frustrating for viewers whose local teams must obey the terms.

Last year, each app for MLB at Bat cost $14.99 along with a $100 subscription which makes this year’s a little more expensive. If you plan to get both the iPhone and iPad app, this year’s plan is cheaper by $5 for new customers and $10 for existing customers.

MLB games can also stream from an Apple TV with the $124.99-a-year premium plan. NBA also has streaming capability on the Apple TV with a $40 iOS app so you can watch all the games, including post-game wrap-ups.

For any baseball fan, this is definitely a much-needed app. Its ability to bring in-game stats and video to almost any platform (including Android, BlackBerry, and web) is worth the price tag.

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