MLB Network will air 12 Red Sox spring training games

MLB Network will air over 200 baseball games -- yes, actual games! -- this spring, according to an announcement from the network itself. They aren't real games, in the sense they count for naught, but spring training contests certainly beat photos of players stretching and taking batting practice.

The ones you will actually care about watching -- you know, the ones the Red Sox will be playing in -- make up an even dozen of the televised games. You can find the Sox on MLB Network at these dates and times.

Sat. 3/1, 8:00 pm: Red Sox @ Twins

Sun. 3/2, 1:00 pm: Orioles @ Red Sox (Live)

Mon. 3/10, 1:00 pm: Rays @ Red Sox (Live)

Thu. 3/13, 1:00 pm: Red Sox @ Twins (Live)

Sat. 3/15, 7:00 pm: Phillies @ Red Sox (Live)

Wed. 3/19, 7:00 am: Red Sox @ Yankees

Thu. 3/20, 4:00 am: Pirates @ Red Sox

Fri. 3/21, 1:00 pm: Red Sox @ Phillies (Live)

Sun. 3/23, 8:00 pm: Rays @ Red Sox

Mon 3/24, 11:00 pm: Red Sox @ Orioles

Wed. 3/26, 2:00 am: Red Sox @ Rays

Fri. 3/28, 1:00 pm: Red Sox @ Twins (Live)

Half of the 12 games will be broadcast live, with a couple of taped match-ups coming in the middle of the night, or, at least, before anyone is awake. It's a decent mix of clubs, though, as Sox fans who bother to watch will get to see some top prospects like the Twins' Miguel Sano (and possibly Byron Buxton, depending on their spring plans for him), 2013 playoff clubs like the Rays and Pirates, as well as some of the new faces on the Orioles and Phillies. In addition, none of these televised games are of the split-squad variety, which is decent news if you're itching for something that at least pretends to be real baseball, instead of games featuring players you won't think about again for months, or ever.