Saturday, December 29, 2012

Dan Evans Named One of 50 Top Twitter Accounts by Baseball America

This appeared on Baseball America's website on December 27, 2012

Top 50 Baseball-Related Twitter Accounts




Follow me on Twitter


If you haven't noticed by now, we really love lists here at Baseball America. Mostly we rank tools and prospects, but we've also done rankings of the best baseball books and movies and there are frequent debates around the office about the best American rock bands or lunch spots around town.

With that in mind, here is a list of the 50 best Twitter accounts for baseball fans. A few of them are ranked because they frequently tweet breaking news, others provide insightful analysis and some are just funny and entertaining, but they're all worth following.

It should be noted that accounts for full-time staffers at Baseball America were not considered for the list, but make sure to follow us, as well. Our accounts are: @BaseballAmerica@willingo@johnmanuelba@jimcallisBA,@BenBadler@jjcoop36@eddymk@aaronfitt@conorglassey,@joshlev44@BAHighSchool & @jimshonerdBA.

Here is the list, in alphabetical order . . .


16. Dan Evans (@DanEvans108)

Evans offers a unique perspective as a former general manager and agent.

Sample Tweet: Adam Dunn has 202 strikeouts in 2012. By the time Joe DiMaggio fanned for the 202nd time in his career he had played in six World Series.



1. Sandy Alderson (@MetsGM)

The Mets general manager doesn't tweet often, but when he does, it's usually funny.

Sample Tweet: Can't decide on a Valentine's Day gift for my wife: Spa day or iHOP gift card?

2. Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson49)

Funny updates from the Athletics lefthander.

Sample Tweet: The water pressure that the showers have at Angel stadium might be able to chip paint off a car.

3. Collin Balester (@ballystar40)

It's like he was meant to be a lefthander with these off-the-wall observations.

Sample Tweet: Just saw 27 lizards,(New record) 1 smashed armadillo, 1 natty ice 24 ounce can, and 1 Virginia slims cigarette box. Pretty good morning walk

4. Baseball Factory (@BaseballFactory)

Scouting reports and videos from high school players around the country.

Sample Tweet: Here's video of George Springer from 2007 at the Cape Cod High School Classic: http://bit.ly/mw972D

Tweet Date: 6 Jun 11

5. Baseball Hall of Fame (@BaseballHall)

News and interesting trivia from the mecca in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Sample Tweet: Here's video of Harmon Killebrew's 1984 Induction Speech http://bit.ly/jfPFpz @Twins@Royals@MLB

6. Brandon Beachy (@Brandon_Beachy)

An entertaining peek into the life of the Braves righthander.

Sample Tweet: Something about a large man with a powerful mustache getting into a tiny two door car makes me smile

7. Dan Brooks (@brooksbaseball)

Interesting PITCHf/x analysis.

Sample Tweet: Brandon McCarthy gets more cutter heavy as the game goes on: cdn.brooksbaseball.net/player_cards/c…

8. Maury Brown (@BizballMaury)

Stay informed about the business side of baseball.

Sample Tweet: The Red Sox have seen 27 players make 34 trips to the DL this season.

9. Dave Cameron (@DCameronFG)

Opinions and analysis from the editor of FanGraphs and co-founder of USS Mariner

Sample Tweet: If Molina isn't the best defensive catcher of my lifetime, I don't know who is. Pudge was good. He wasn't this good.

10. Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco)

Hubristic entertainment from the six-time all-star with 462 career home runs.

Sample Tweet: Maybe my buddy pete rose and I will be in the same hall of fame class

11. College Splits (@collegesplits)

One-of-a-kind analysis on college baseball statistics.

Sample Tweet: New blog post: Batted ball tendencies of each college hitter. Much more on this coming for next season: collegesplits.com/blog/20120925-…

12. Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: A scout in Arizona today told me the #Reds are his big sleeper team for 2012. "They're going to be fun,'' he said.

13. Eric Cressey (@EricCressey)

Workout and nutrition tips from a performance coach to more than 100 pro players.

Sample Tweet: To the 80-82mph pitchers who just had a Pop Tart for breakfast this morning: remember Mass = Gas. Get back in the kitchen and eat real food.

14. Cody Decker (@Decker6)

The minor league baseball equivalent of Zach Galifianakis.

Sample Tweet: How do you know chicken isn't actually tuna of the land?....

15. John Dewan (@FieldingBible)

Unique insight from the author of the Fielding Bible.

Sample Tweet: Adam Jones: one of the worst CFers in baseball on deep hit balls (20 fewer plays than an average center fielder on deep hit balls in 2012)

17. Peter Gammons (@pgammo)

It's easy to laugh off Gammons' accidental jibberish tweets because he's one of the all-time greats.

Sample Tweet: #hbtif Craig Breslow throws to Ryan Lavarnway, it will be the first Yale battery since the 19th century

18. Kevin Gausman (@KevinGausman)

The Orioles' 2012 first-rounder has a plus-plus sense of humor to go with his frontline stuff.

Sample Tweet: I've gotta be the best grocery bag carrier ever!! #BagsOnBags#LongArmsSwag....... Get the door though lol

19. Doug Glanville (@dougglanville)

Offers a unique perspective as one of the smartest players to play the game.

Sample Tweet: Understanding Alex Rodriguez and the harsh cycle of life in baseball. Story. @Yankees#Yankees#MLBm.espn.go.com/mlb/story?stor…

20. Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman)

Entertaining analysis from NBCSports writer and Twins blogger.

Sample Tweet: Mike Trout is the first player with 10 WAR since Barry Bonds in 2004 and on pace for the most WAR since 1967: bit.ly/RDIZ6T

21. Dirk Hayhurst (@thegarfoose)

Former pitcher, Baseball America diarist and New York Times bestseller.

Sample Tweet: Farrell made me uncomfortable. I felt like I was in the principle's office every time I had to speak with him. An animated statue.

22. Tim Kurkjian (@Kurkjian_ESPN)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: A's coach Mike Gallego teaches focus to his infielders by having them count each bounce of each ground ball hit to them.

23. Joe Maddon (@RaysJoeMaddon)

Great tweets from one of the most intelligent, funny and media-savvy managers.

Sample Tweet: Our rookie hazing took a different twist tonight at Fenway. It was tremendous. A James Shields production. pic.twitter.com/jXh0WkCp

24. Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32)

One of the most entertaining player profiles around…his better half is pretty great, too!

Sample Tweet: WELL IF BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL ISNT THE BEST TIME TO ASK ABOUT A THREESOME THEN IM FRESH OUT OF IDEAS

25. Matt Meyers (@mtmeyers)

Smart and funny analysis from former BA editor, now with ESPN.

Sample Tweet: Pretty amazing that Dylan Bundy is pitching meaningful MLB innings this September and Stephen Strasburg is not.

26. Bill Mitchell (@billazbbphotog)

Very few people attend more instructional league games than Bill.

Sample Tweet: Javier Baez hits a 440 foot bomb to CF on his 1st AFL AB. Wow! #Cubs

27. MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR)

Feel-good tweets from MLB's official public relations team.

Sample Tweet: Curtis Granderson now has 40 HR in consecutive seasons. Only other @Yankees to do so were Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle & Giambi.

28. MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay)

Pretty self-explanatory, isn't it?

Sample Tweet: A.J. Burnett's 16 wins are the most for the @Pirates since John Smiley had 20 and Zane Smith had 16 in 1991.

29. MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors)

Follow them on Twitter, so you don't have to refresh their site every 10 minutes!

Sample Tweet: Red Sox To Sign Shane Victorino bit.ly/TMWZxn#mlb

30. Jon Paul Morosi (@jonmorosi)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: Asked Adam Jones to name his favorite CF to watch. His answer today was the same as it was last year: Austin Jackson. "He's smooth."

31. Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: Red Sox poised to shatter record for DL postings. Most in last 25 years: 2008 Nats, 30; '04 Rangers, 29, '12 Boston, 27, tied with 4 others.

32. Josh Orenstein (@joshorensteinTM)

Unprecedented analysis from TrackMan Baseball employee.

Sample Tweet: #Angels Randal Grichuk, a former #ArizonaWildcats commit, hit a HR 109 mph, 4.7 hang time, max height of 74'. Went 445 ft. #AFL12#TrackMan

33. Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan)

Breaking news and analysis from Yahoo! Sports columnist.

Sample Tweet: Adrian Gonzalez is in the midst of a 23-game, 97-AB homerless streak. Since his first Dodgers AB, a HR, he is slugging .351.

34. Brandon Phillips (@DatDudeBP)

A look into the life of the all-star second baseman.

Sample Tweet: Well... It's time for #BPGiveaway! This is a new game called #DatDudeHunt! I will tweet the address #FIRSTcomeFIRSTserve! Stay tuned!

35. Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro)

Good insight on the Diamondbacks and their prospects.

Sample Tweet: Archie Bradley's line: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. Fastball 93-96 mph. Curve 79-81. One change-up at 84. #instructs

36. David Price (@DAVIDprice14)

One of the most fan-friendly players in the game.

Sample Tweet: Yes send me a picture of it RT @BigWillieL: @DAVIDprice14 in Lids.... Should I get a Rays hat?

37. Old Hoss Radbourn (@OldHossRadbourn)

A hilarious, satirical account from the Hall of Fame 19th-century hurler.

Sample Tweet: In my day we used to mock the runty fellows of the Protractor Society and their new-fangled stats like Runs Batted In and Batting Average.

38. Reddit Baseball (@baseballreddit)

Links that are posted to the baseball subreddit on Reddit.com.

Sample Tweet: If you thought Matt Holliday's slide was bad, watch Joe Morgan break up a double play in the '... bit.ly/Wha07Q#baseball#reddit

39. Craig Robinson (@FlipFlopFlying)

Fun infographics from a talented artist.

Sample Tweet: My new infographic thingy, From A.J. Burnett to Z.H. Taylor: Players who use two-initial names. flipflopflyin.com/flipflopflybal…

40. Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: Yes, Oswalt allowed a grand slam to top #Royals prospect Wil Myers last night, but scouts said he threw well, up to 94 MPH. #Rangers

41. Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell)

Not all tweets are about baseball, but has a unique perspective on the marketing and business side of the game.

Sample Tweet: MLB's Web site now selling Miguel Cabrera Triple Crown Dirt: $39.99 twitpic.com/b0tk1e

42. Greg Rybarczyk (@hittracker)

All kinds of facts about home runs in the big leagues.

Sample Tweet: Between April, 2006 and this morning, there had only been 26 homers over the CF wall at Comerica Park. Miguel Cabrera did it twice tonight.

43. Eric Sondheimer (@latsondheimer)

No newspaper reporter covers high school baseball better than how Sondheimer covers SoCal.

Sample Tweet: Baseball: UCLA loses pitcher Felipe Perez to Diamondbacks latimesblogs.latimes.com/varsitytimesin… via @latimessports

44. Alex Speier (@alexspeier)

The beat writer for WEEI.com has a very good grasp on Red Sox minor leaguers.

Sample Tweet: #redsox intl scouting dir Eddie Romero and Pacific Rim scouting coord Jon Deeble met w/Japanese HS phenom Shohei Otani weei.com/sports/boston/…

45. Steve Springer (@qualityatbats)

Hitting tips from the Blue Jays motivational coach.

Sample Tweet: Good Mechanics r good to have but thinking about them to much will bring peralisis by analysis-hitting is-slow feet-fast hands-quiet head-

46. Jayson Stark (@jaysonst)

Breaking news and analysis from one of the game's best reporters.

Sample Tweet: Last time team from Washington clinched a spot in the postseason the manager matchup was Joe Cronin vs. Rogers Hornsby. So it's been a while

47. STATS LLC (@STATS_MLB)

Interesting statistics and information

Sample Tweet: Granderson is the fifth #Yankees outfielder to hit at least 42 home runs, joining Maris, Ruth, Mantle and DiMaggio. #RedSox#MLB

48. Tom Tango (@tangotiger)

One of the most well-respected sabrmetricians.

Sample Tweet: Broken bats: By Tangotiger What would happen if we made a rule that any broken bat swing is an automatic foul ba... bit.ly/Rhhd1c

49. This Date In Baseball (@ThisDateInBBall)

Facts and highlights on the anniversary of historic events.

Sample Tweet: 1973 #Angels fireballer Nolan Ryan establishes a major league record striking out 383 batters in a season. #MLBow.ly/i/XNCH

50. USA Baseball (@USABaseball)

The official account for the national governing body of amateur baseball in the United States.

Sample Tweet: MLB 20-game winner R.A. Dickey was on 1996 @USOlympic Team. A look back at USA Baseball unis including 1996. x.co/oK1i#uniwatch

Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Winter Meetings


This first appeared on the Baseball Prospectus website on December 3, 2012

December 3, 2012

108 Stitches

Pulling Back the Curtain on the Winter Meetings


Thousands of people within baseball have gathered here in Nashville for the annual Winter Meetings. It is the largest collection of baseball personnel in one spot every year, and the attendees are as diverse a group as you'll find, with 20 or more staff from every major-league organization present, along with key staff members from minor-league affiliates, hundreds of media, hundreds of baseball-related service providers, MLB rights-holders, and other personnel affiliated with the game from all over the world, along with a large group of individuals seeking employment in the sport.
The massive Opryland complex has hosted the meetings a few times before, and it can be a somewhat unmanageable destination for those whose personal GPS is not as accurate as most. The hotel actually provides an intricate map to those who inquire, and it comes in handy numerous times before the week is over. By the end of the week, everyone will know where the Delta, Magnolia, and Cascade buildings are located.
The public's main focus is on the 30 MLB organizations, and rightfully so, since the Winter Meetings are the last time most decision-makers gather in one place until the All-Star Game or the following World Series. I have attended each of the Winter Meetings for the last 30 years, and I find it to be a five-day whirlwind that is always exciting, unpredictable, and totally exhausting.
Each of the clubs has a suite, and a fun fact is that they are assigned by MLB in terms of general manager seniority. Most of the key staff members have nearby rooms in a kind of satellite-style setup. There is no such thing as a "typical" day, but that is part of the Winter Meetings intrigue. You are on the clock every minute of the day.
Clubs try to carry out their off-season game plans this time of the year. Most general managers assign clubs to their top personnel at the Meetings to see if there is a potential match between the two parties. Those individuals, mostly top front office and top advisors, mingle in the lobby, investigating whether Plan A, B, C, and D have any legs. The late Nick Kamzic, a great Angels scout who was a real character, once had business cards labeling him "Lobby Gladiator" to capture the tone. Representatives of free agents connect with top decision-makers to explore potential matches. Most teams like to gather their top staff a number of times throughout the day to exchange information, sharing what they have learned from their club contacts, but also to keep the GM and his top advisors aware of the ever-changing MLB landscape.
There are early morning organization meetings to evaluate potential moves, and if there is enough foundation for a meeting to take place between clubs someone will connect with another team and see if the two parties are available. Every form of communication is used. It might be the hotel phone, your cell, a text message, an e-mail, or simply bumping into someone in the hotel. People jokingly ask if it is a "home" or "road" game, and while you'd think that the senior GM would always host the meeting, sometimes a club just wants to get out of its room.
Every club and its GM has a unique way of doing business, and you would be astounded at the amount of information that teams carry in thick binders and iPads from meeting to meeting. You don't know what to expect, so you have to be prepared, and that database is what baseball operations staff has been working on for the last six to nine months. The GM will have a small group accompany him to each trade discussion, as the rest of the club's staff continues to work on their responsibilities. It is an incredible dose of spontaneity, and a fascinating experience. You get to see who is really talented, who has done their homework, and who really paid attention to your team over the previous season. The great personnel minds are evident in those settings. Clubs try to flush out whether there is some traction within those initial meetings and then follow up accordingly afterwards.
These are marathon, 15-to-18-hour days for most clubs, lasting well after midnight and sometimes deep into the night as they weigh their opportunities. It is a fun time to hear people voice their position and their philosophy as to why one opportunity is a better one than another. You have to know your staff; their decision-making style and personalities. Sometimes the quietest person carries the most weight.
There was a trade deadline after the Winter Meetings when I first started in baseball, and it really marked the end of the offseason. The club you came home with was likely the team you took to spring training. There was enormous pressure to get things done back then. But times have changed, the deadline is gone, and the game is better off as a result, as the constant tinkering keeps baseball in the news throughout the winter. Another alteration that has improved the Winter Meetings is having the tender date precede the session so clubs really know who comprises the free agent pool along with trade options.
As if there wasn't enough on the schedule, the GMs meet with their media every evening to update them, and it is a valuable session for both sides. Talented people on the club's beat know just about everything the team is trying to accomplish. They know your game plan and usually even know whom you have met with every day, including clubs and agents. There is some posturing from both sides, to be sure, but I found it to be an incredible element of the meetings through the years, as you hear what is going on and the overall tone from an independent party.
In addition, there is usually a dinner with the club's collection of affiliates, and each of the MLB managers has his own media session at some point in the main press area. You can now better understand why some of the top club people never get to the lobby during their stay. Room service becomes the norm, and snacks comprise the main food group. You just don't have time for a legit, sit-down meal. Dave Yoakum, one of the game's great scouts, once said near the end of a Winter Meetings that he just "wanted to use utensils!"
There are so many other things going on under the Opryland roof right now. There are two days of meetings among the game's medical staffs and trainers, sharing the latest concepts and discoveries. What an extraordinary experience it was for me to have the great Dr. Frank Jobe on-site anytime I had a medical question while I was the Dodgers' GM. Each of the leagues within Minor League Baseball also meet with their affiliates during the meetings, and that is one of the real perks for me, as I get to say hello to individuals whom I have gotten to know through the years from the minor leagues. There is an announcement for the Scout of the Year Award winners. The Hall of Fame announces its Veterans' Committee selections when applicable (like this year).
Finally, there are two great opportunities for people seeking to get into the sport, as Minor League Baseball hosts the Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities seminar while SMWW conducts its own session and brings people from the game to the potential candidates to share their own experiences. In fact, I spoke at the SMWW session Monday morning along with Pat Gillick, Stan Kasten, Jayson Stark, Maury Brown, and others.
But my favorite item are the Exhibits, a collection of products housed in a huge conference hall on display from the game's rights holders, along with baseball service providers from across the world and the latest innovations from entrepreneurs. It is a tremendous place to get away, take a break, and collect your thoughts, but also a place to explore cutting-edge technology and ideas.
I hired Logan White to be the Dodgers' Director of Scouting one year at the Winter Meetings and purposely used the venue to our advantage, as we had all the candidates there, plus had our top staff in place to interact with them. We did a lot of due diligence in the lobby that year in addition to making a couple of good trades.
Of course, whenever there are that many people gathered, there are always fun stories, too. It’s enjoyable to catch up with people within the game throughout the Meetings.
The Rule 5 Draft (on Thursday) marks the conclusion of the Meetings, as MLB clubs try to find the next Roberto ClementeBobby BonillaJohan Santana, or Joakim Soria. Staffs have spent a lot of time on every roster in baseball for the last few weeks, combing over the unprotected prospects and evaluating whether a player would be worth the risk as a major-league, Triple-A, or Double-A draft. It is the most fascinating aspect of the offseason, since it is all about trusting scouts and your staff.
Everyone scatters after the Rule 5 Draft, kicking off an amazing race to Nashville International Airport. One year, the Winter Meetings were held in Louisville, and my boss at the time, White Sox GM Ron Schueler, and I were driving back to Chicago. We found out there was a huge snowstorm between Louisville and the Windy City, but we thought that we would be okay. Ron and I decided we didn't need one more night in a hotel. I'm a native Midwesterner, and it was easily the most treacherous drive of my life.
We finally got to Ron's home after about eight hours of blinding snow and drifts.
Baseball Prospectus will have a number of staff here in Nashville to bring you the latest news and rumors from the Baseball Winter Meetings. I'm looking forward to another unpredictable series of events among the Poinsettias here in the Music City.
Dan Evans is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
Click here to see Dan's other articles. You can contact Dan by clicking here