Baseball is all about statistics: ERA, OPS, BABIP. So how about some Twitter stats from last night’s All Star Game? In total, there were over 1 million Tweets about the game, with a peak of 23,000 Tweets per minute for Mariano Rivera’s relief appearance.
Rivera, the night’s MVP, also came in first on Twitter, with 350,000 mentions during & following the game. Other players atop the standings were Matt Harvey (@MattHarvey33), Prince Fielder (@RealPFielder28), and Mike Trout (@Trouty20).
The #ASG may have taken place at Citi Field, but the Twitter was the best place to connect with the players.
In fact, the National League’s starting pitcher Matt Harvey (@MattHarvey33) even found Twitter to be a valuable source of news about the game:
So @MattHarvey33 says he found out he was starting the #ASG via @twitter. pic.twitter.com/e5YI4WaJxF
— MLB ( @MLB) July 15, 2013
Fortunately, Harvey didn’t have to deal to the Home Run Derby contestants. Here’s what he would have encountered, as seen directly from the bench:
Players from around the league tweeted their thoughts (and even some scouting reports) during the #HRDerby:
Remind me not to throw 60mph to bryce harper #HRDERBY #oppotacos
— C.J. Wilson ( @str8edgeracer) July 16, 2013
After watching Cespedes’ first rd in #HRDerby don’t feel so bad about wall scraping, 1st row walk-off HR he hit vs. us last year.
— AJ Ellis ( @AJEllis17) July 16, 2013
“Didn’t see that coming”- said no one who watches him take bp.
— Daniel Straily ( @danstraily67) July 16, 2013
Yoenis Cespedes (@ynscspds) took home the title both in the Derby and on Twitter: he was the most mentioned player with 200,000 Tweets, beating out second-place slugger Bryce Harper’s (@BHarper3407) 120,000 Tweets. Fittingly, Cespedes showed off his hardware in a Tweet:
Thanks for the belt @SimplyAJ10 #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/boffGCYzAK
— Yoenis Cespedes ( @ynscspds) July 16, 2013
After the #HRDerby, players turned their attention to preparing for the AL-vs-NL showdown in the #ASG. With Twitter and Vine, you get a peek into the pre-game rituals of big leaguers:
Fresh cut before game #ASG pic.twitter.com/iLSWxAdPs9
— Nelson Cruz ( @ncboomstick17) July 16, 2013
.@MLB National League manager Bruce Bochy giving the team a pep talk prior to the #ASG Here to WIN! @AllStarGame pic.twitter.com/70wzqKG2S6
— Mark Melancon ( @Mark_Melancon_) July 16, 2013
In-game color commentary was provided by those who know the game best: fellow players who didn’t quite make the cut to participate in the All Star Game.
Steal home Prince Fielder.
— Brett Anderson ( @BrettAnderson49) July 17, 2013
@ClaytonKersh22 nice quick inning!
— Nick Punto ( @Shredderpunto) July 17, 2013
Don’t hate me #Mets fans, but the entire #MarianoRivera inning was very cool! #Respect
— Justin Turner ( @redturn2) July 17, 2013
The post-game interview is a staple of sports broadcasts, but during the #ASG, you didn’t have to wait nine innings to hear directly from the players. @MLB used Vine to provide immediate access to the All Stars, many of whom also tweeted themselves from the clubhouse throughout the game.
What a day! Starting the ASG.. 3 up 3 down.. and don’t forget the orange cleats!
— Max Scherzer ( @Max_Scherzer) July 17, 2013
So much fun pitching in the #ASG in front of the home crowd. Felt great and was an absolute honor to start.
— Matt Harvey ( @MattHarvey33) July 17, 2013
Dangerous group of hitters there. I felt like I was going to throw 110. #ASG
— jose fernandez ( @josefernandez77) July 17, 2013
With Twitter and Vine, @MLB afforded fans exclusive access to all the action on and off the field. After @RobinsonCano was hit by a pitch and left the game — undoubtedly leaving many @Yankees fans on the edge of their seats — fans could get an update on his injury directly from him:
How do two players who are usually rivals get along when representing their league together? With equal parts support and taunting:
Although he may be a veteran All Star, we discovered that Joe Mauer is a rookie when it comes to Twitter, and got to witness his first Tweet:
Joe Mauer making his own type of Twitter history — never tweeted before: #ASG pic.twitter.com/FOGdKLokMP
— MLB ( @MLB) July 17, 2013
But sadly, not every player made the cut for the All Star teams. How’d they spend their time? Here’s a glimpse of how they’re spending the All Star break:
Lazy river here I come!!!!!!!!
— David Price ( @DAVIDprice14) July 16, 2013
Excited for the #ASG but even more excited for #Suits. Good tv night.
— Ian Desmond ( @IanDesmond20) July 16, 2013
It’s official- my girls catch bigger fish than dad!! pic.twitter.com/dBcMncmSdi
— Willie Bloomquist ( @williebloom) July 16, 2013
Sadly, for diehard fans, there’s one more off-day before the season picks back up. But have no fear: you can use @MLB’s list of players to prevent symptoms of baseball withdrawal.