Today brings great joy for anyone who shares a love for baseball: It’s Opening Day.
Major League Baseball officially kicked off the 2014 campaign on Monday, marking yet another season of America’s favorite pastime.
Given the vast amount of information and data involved in the sport, there are a bevy of baseball-related mobile apps that might be useful as you crack open a box of Cracker Jack and sip on a cool beer. Here are a few:
MLB official apps (iOS, Android, Windows, Kindle, Blackberry)
Ever since I interned for MLB.com a few years ago, I realized what a good job the MLB does of merging its content with the latest technological offerings. It comes as no surprise, then, that the league has some robust mobile apps which both help fans stay updated with the latest action and also improve their experience at the ballpark.
The MLB At-Bat app is a must-have for any diehard baseball fans out there. It’s packed with live game updates, news, video replays, stats and standings. You can also see how the MLB handles its new instant replay rule with access to plays that result in video reviews. Those who pay $20 per year or $3 per month can listen to live audio and watch live video of certain games (MLB.TV Premium subscribers receive these features for free).
Then there’s the MLB At the Ballpark app, which is built for those attending games and features mobile check-ins, social media, offers, rewards and other exclusive content. This season, Apple device owners can check-in and receive special deals automatically with iBeacon technology at select ballparks. This app is available for iOS and Android.
No Hitter Alerts (iOS)
This is an extremely simple app, but useful for those interested in witnessing a no-hitter. No Hitter Alerts does exactly what you think: Alerts users when pitchers are on the verge of throwing a perfect game or no-hitter. You can customize exactly when push notifications should be sent, and each alert tells you how to watch or listen to the game.
IdealSeat (iOS)
Catching a foul ball is a coveted experience at the ballpark and one Seattle startup wants to help you increase your chances of going home with an official MLB baseball. IdealSeat collects location data from foul balls and crunching all that information into a stadium heat map. The end result is a souped-up seating chart that shows fans the best place to bring home a nice souvenir. GeekWire tested out IdealSeat in July at Safeco Field, but still came away empty-handed.
GameChanger (iOS)
For those that like to keep score at the ballpark or want an easy way to manage stats for your son or daughter’s team, GameChanger is a nice option. The app lets you keep score, edit rosters and even provides live updates for those that pay for a subscription. GameChanger also puts together stat packages and other analysis after each game.
RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Assistant (iOS)
For those serious about fantasy baseball, RotoWire’s $9.99 app might be worth the money. Up-to-date news, scores, stats and advice is available with the app, which also gives users the ability to import their leagues and rosters from ESPN, Yahoo and CBS.
Hungry Fan (iOS)
Every MLB ballpark has its share of delicious food, and now there’s an app that tells you where to find it. Hungry Fan lets you filter by food type and has data on several stadiums and arenas around the U.S. and Canada.
R.B.I. Baseball ’14
First released on the Nintendo Entertainment System nearly three decades ago, R.B.I. Baseball is arguably one of the greatest baseball games ever created. Major League Baseball Advanced Media has revived the franchise and will release the game in April for old, new and mobile devices.
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