Well that's a ripoff

Last winter I spent many cold Edmonton nights watching old baseball games courtesy of my MLB.tv subscription.

Today I tried to re-create the experience, and received a horrific shock. It didn't work. Searching through my in-box I came across this email:

date: Nov 19, 2006 10:41
subject: Important Subscription Announcement from MLB.com
mailed-by: acc4.mlb.com

Dear Subscriber,

Your 2006 Subscription has come to an end, but that does
not mean that baseball is over!

With your Offseason Package Subscription you will get the following for $14.95:
* Spring Training
- EXCLUSIVE LIVE Video and LIVE Audio from over 100 games

* Japan All-Star Series
- All games available on Demand

* Winter Meetings
- Exclusive LIVE coverage
- Free Agency News and Trades
- exclusive content from GM Meetings

* Arizona Fall League
- LIVE Audio of select games and LIVE Video of the
AFL Championship Game

* Unlimited Access to the 2006 regular and postseason:
MLB.TV and MLB.com Gameday Audio Archives

* Mobile Team Alerts - Coming soon!
- text message updates delivered to your phone covering
breaking news, trades, free agent signings, Winter
Meetings, and more. Please note: Separate registration
required. A U.S. mobile phone capable of two-way text
messaging is required to access this service. Standard
messaging rates may apply to all text messages ? check
with your carrier. You will receive an email that will
contain instructions on how to complete your registration
in order to activate this mobile service.

* Plus - take 10% off your next MLB.com Shop Purchase
- Discount does not apply to taxes, shipping or handling.
Offer expires 12/31/06 ? see MLB.com Confirmation e-Mail
for Code. Limit one (1) use per customer. May not be
combined with any other offer.

Yes, use existing credit card >>
(link)

Yes, enter a new credit card >>
(link)

No thank you >>
(link)

Off-Season Package expires 4/1/2007

If you have any questions about your subscription please contact
us at customerservice@website.mlb.com or call 866-800-1275.

Sincerely,

MLB.com

Don't go anywhere, because we've got LIVE baseball all year long.


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(c) 2006 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.

Yeah, I have a question. When I plopped down the cash for a new season of MLB.tv, did this change in the policy get mentioned? I sure don't remember seeing it. Seems a little bit underhanded, doesn't it?

Bastards. I wanted to spend the winter watching baseball, not spending another $20 to get to watch the games I already used to watch.

As another aside, does MLB really believe that getting to watch 2006 archived games (so no 2005 archived games under this package?) over the winter is really the same value as having a 1-month subscription to MLB.tv during the regular season where you have archived games AND can watch out-of-market games live? I mean seriously!