Friday, April 06, 2012

With the remaining teams taking the field today, the Major League Baseball season is officially underway. This season, Twitter can be your all-access pass to everything happening during games, off the field, and at the front office.

We’ve put together a lineup of great baseball-related accounts. Whether you’re part of The Brew Crew or you bleed Dodger blue, you’ll find your team on Twitter; every major league team is now tweeting. You’ll also find the accounts of players, general managers, sportswriters, and fellow fans. Check out some of the All Stars who have recently joined:

San Francisco Giants ace pitcher Tim Lincecum readies himself to take the mound to open their season today:

Even though he’s starting the season on the DL, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard can’t wait to cheer on his team:

You now have the chance to connect with players like never before. Imagine if tweeting could get you a trip to hang out with your favorite player at a spring training game — that’s exactly what Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips did for two lucky fans. Or you could help Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp with a vital part of his in-game strategy.

Twitter can also offer you a glimpse into team life off the field. Jason Motte, relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, lets us know what the players really talk about off the field:

Even though baseball is often called “the national pastime”, it does have a wide international audience, and Twitter helps connect fans all over the world to the game. For example, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, originally from the Dominican Republic, is one of several players who hosts Twitter Q&As with fans in both English and Spanish:

You’ll also find several General Managers from each league on Twitter, giving you insights into how their team is shaping up and what happens in the front office throughout the season. Sandy Alderson from the New York Mets let fans know which prospects might soon have a future in the big leagues, while Jeff Luhnow, General Manager of the Houston Astros, shared a scouting report in photo form:

Twitter has also become an instrumental tool in the press box, where baseball reporters post about everything from trade rumors to last-minute roster moves to real-time in-game analysis. Elsewhere in the stadium, Twitter is even making its way onto the Jumbotron: if you head to Target Field for a Minnesota Twins game, check out the “Tweet Board”, which displays Tweets from fans during the game.

To make sure you don’t miss any of these moments, check out our MLB Twitter list, and follow @TwitterSports. Be one of the first to enjoy Twitter as it takes you out to the ballgame.

Posted by @ at 9:37 AM