The mini-video highlights are the slickest feature, though. Click one and the live game audio mutes as a mini-window pops out to play the highlight. If you like, you can even swap their respective placements, so the live action moves to the smaller window.

Even if you just opt for the , the streaming experience is very reliable, as you still get home and away feeds while the free MLB Gameday interface provides real-time updates and stats.

One new Easter egg this year: As you load either the MLB.TV or Gameday Audio pop-up window, the semi-obscured background will be that of the stadium hosting the game you’re loading. It comes up dark and looks as if you’re peering through a dirty screen door, but any fan loading a San Francisco Giants home game will see a wide-angle view of their beloved AT&T Park.

Apple TV’s is the same as last year’s. Just sign up for MLB.TV Premium and then log in with your MLB.com account info. From there, the clean Apple TV menu offers access to the day’s full slate of games, updated standings, and video recaps of completed games. It even offers up who the current pitcher and hitter is in each game before you click to watch. The costs $99, and there are cheaper streaming options out there with MLB functionality, like the . The Apple TV remote also remains a clunky and frustrating way to navigate the menus as well as toggle through video. Still, the menu interface is laid out smartly, and the options are fairly extensive for a sub-$100 video streamer. You can also pull up the new clickable linescore feature by pressing down on the remote D-pad during a game, and Apple TV’s iTunes Store integration offers easy access to purchase bundled video packages of historic MLB games straight from the MLB menu.