Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Android Apps for Opening Day and Beyond
Today is Opening Day, and if you are anything like me you have been peeling off the sheets from your daily calendar in anticipation of this moment since the Giants toppled the Rangers in the World Series last October. The first pitches should be going out around 1:00PM EDT with a game featuring the boys in pinstripes versus the boys in tiger stripes and a matchup between some Nationals out of Washington and the native Braves of Atlanta. After that, it’s a long, grueling 162 game season so you might need a little bit of help following along. Here are just a few apps that should make tracking those box scores a bit easier.
Track the Games
You most likely can’t be there for each pitch of every game your favorite teams play, let alone the bounty of games played by other teams throughout the league every day. Thank goodness there is an app for that! There isn’t a finer choice than MLB.com At Bat for tracking the league and its happenings. Set your favorite team, catch up on the latest baseball news, get pitch-by-pitch information on game day. Heck, you can even check-in to the ballpark for some added social flare.
The real power of MLB.com At Bat, however, is fully realized in conjunction with an MLB.TV subscription. It can be pricey, but gives you access to live video streams of the day’s games on the go. Can’t beat that.
Other Ways to Track the Games: SportsTap, ScoreMobile, ESPN ScoreCenter
Get out to the Park
Android Market Link: StubHub
Say what you want about the team, but Orioles Park at Camden Yards is one of the finest facilities in baseball and I relish every opportunity I can to attend a game there. Your town, no doubt, has a beautiful ballpark awaiting your attendance as well, so why not get out and catch a game? Thankfully StubHub recently launched their ticket-finding app into the Android Market. Find the exact tickets in the exact seats for the exact price you want. Now all you need is a cool beer, a hot dog, and your score card.
Android Market Link: ESPN iScore
Wait, a score card? Keeping your own box score seems like a remnant of a distant age, but those who practice the ritual swear by its ability to increase your engagement and enjoyment of the game. Too bad you won’t need one anymore. Say hello to ESPN iScore, the app that lets you keep track of the game and tally up box scores without the need for the paper and pencil. It’s a bit pricey at $9.99 in the Android Market, but think of all the money you will save on notebooks and writing utensils!
Get into the Games
Android Market Link: Fantasy Guru 2011
You no doubt are already into the actual games, but when homers aren’t getting smacked out of the park and pitches aren’t whizzing past the plate you will need something to occupy yourself. How about a little fantasy baseball? The league you play in will determine the app you need, but most major fantasy leagues are covered. Fantasy Guru 2011 and others give you the ability to edit your rosters, trade off players, track standings and scores within your league and more. The RotoWire Fantasy News Center will keep you up-to-date with who’s hot and who’s not in the MLB.
Android Market Link: Baseball Superstars 2011
Fantasy sports not so much your thing? Have a go at Baseball Superstars 2011, an arcade-style pitch and hit game with RPG elements and full season modes. This fictional and cartoony title doesn’t contain any of the stars or teams we love, but its humorous approach should keep you entertained for hours. Well worth the $4.99 in the Android Market.
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So root, root, root for your home team, folks. The Great American Pastime is about to get under way. Just for kicks here are my predictions for the overall winners at the end of the season. Feel free to share your own and vote for your World Series pick in the poll below!
AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Chicago White Sox
AL West: Texas Rangers
Wildcard: New York Yankees
NL East: Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central: Cincinnati Reds
NL West: San Francisco Giants
Wildcard: Milwaukee Brewers
World Series: Phillies over Red Sox[polldaddy poll=4821954]