Minoring in Twitter: Players mostly indifferent about current events
By dannywild2013
By Danny Wild / MiLB.com
It’s been my observation here that Minor Leaguers don’t react/comment on/seem to care about most of the larger news stories that make headlines today. Paris terror attacks? Nothing. ISIS threats? Not much. Bruce Jenner’s announcement? #StanleyCup playoffs? Rioting in Baltimore, which also impacted the Orioles? Very little response.
I realize they’re focused on baseball, as they should be, but maybe there’s a trend? On the other hand, perhaps these players are hesitant to inject their opinions into the hot-button issues of the day, aware of the sensitivities and smartly steering clear of any potential controversy.
Either way, here are the only tweets I could find from Minor Leaguers who weighed in on the week-long situation in Baltimore:
https://twitter.com/toddvs35/status/593501189192298496
https://twitter.com/toddvs35/status/593127844886220800
https://twitter.com/BCarhart22/status/592856134001778688
https://twitter.com/WadeWass_10/status/592832822651580416
https://twitter.com/JMincone/status/592795013588848640
That’s pretty much it. How about the Nepal earthquake that killed 6,100 and counting? Two thoughtful tweets:
https://twitter.com/GianSanity/status/591995663367405568
https://twitter.com/sadler_squared/status/592145671681105921
Oh, I know what will stoke their Twitter flames — independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders announced he’s running for president, providing a more progressive option to Hillary for Democratic voters! Minor Leaguers jumped on it:
Oh. Nothing. OK, so what were players tweeting about? Well, to be fair, there was one tweet about Bruce Jenner:
https://twitter.com/nevin_ashley/status/591806067694182400
This week in bus drama
We were discussing in the office this week the less glamorous realities of Minor League life — mostly the postgame meals and bus travel. Would a large investment from Major League teams in higher quality food and better travel options be money well spent? Would it make it more desirable for a player to sign with that organization? Would players perform better with better nutrition and sleep? Or do fast food, cold cut platters and unreliable buses incentivize a guy to play harder, train more seriously and push his way up to the Majors?
J.P. Arencibia is someone good to ask — the Rays’ catcher has spent most of his time since 2011 in the Majors with Toronto and Texas. Now he’s back in Triple-A and simply says, “play better”:
Speaking of better nutrition:
https://twitter.com/jlsofoly/status/593873985558978563
https://twitter.com/PatrickKinas/status/593857530889121792
https://twitter.com/DurhamBullsTurf/status/593880359407886337
https://twitter.com/jlsofoly/status/593875285260439552
https://twitter.com/masonkatz58/status/593263395769573376
https://twitter.com/ajalfor1/status/592694185838419972
https://twitter.com/Chris_OBrien22/status/592452802531749889
https://twitter.com/Mike_Soso/status/592154448664915970
https://twitter.com/toddvs35/status/591822310698516480
https://twitter.com/zackweiss32/status/591242203839799296
https://twitter.com/hjacobjohnson/status/593718486490222594
https://twitter.com/MjordanW9/status/593598327201075200
In other new, Mark Appel (you may recall his zoo adventures) has found more animals to photograph:
Also, he was a guest on the fourth episode of MiLB.com’s podcast The Show Before the Show. Check it out.
Been here before?
https://twitter.com/TaylorG1201/status/593858526004412416
https://twitter.com/obmikey/status/593852278089461761
Can anyone help?
https://twitter.com/MRLJHOES2U/status/593670031889698816
Some day, Parker:
https://twitter.com/PBrid91/status/593641514783404033
I don’t know what this means:
https://twitter.com/Michaelgettys3/status/593957834624204801
Dodgers lefty Rudy Owens has a lot of hair:
https://twitter.com/Rudy_Owens/status/593575607117615104
Jealous?
https://twitter.com/JTaillon19/status/593884774676221953
Especially when it comes to Chipotle?
https://twitter.com/TCUSuit31/status/593938806002176000
Ben Verlander anxiously waiting for an invite to his buddy’s postseason curling bracket challenge:
https://twitter.com/Verly32/status/593593238071672832
Are you ready for Mayweather-Pacquiao?
https://twitter.com/swilson_33/status/593577474073628672
On the screen at a baseball game? No big deal. Basketball? HOLY SMOKES
https://twitter.com/Livec1/status/593628243447525377
Hate sitting through the endless amount of cliched movie trailers when you go to the movies? Not Venn Biter:
https://twitter.com/Venn_Biter_23/status/593914304103129088
Venn is also reportedly about to grow a mullet:
https://twitter.com/Venn_Biter_23/status/593620056283709440
Corey Black’s Awkward Instagram Experience
https://twitter.com/CblackCHC/status/593571322128654336
https://twitter.com/CblackCHC/status/593571481013121024
Poor Cody, living in the past:
https://twitter.com/Decker6/status/593906220827709441
Here he is rocking a lot of red:
https://twitter.com/Decker6/status/593747147570319360
In case you were wondering:
https://twitter.com/RobbyRow_12/status/593810954338627584
Apparently Rays prospects’ karaoke skills deteriorate as they ascend the system (by the way, karaoke is a really strange word. So is “school” if you look at it long enough:
https://twitter.com/TaylorG1201/status/593902417747509249
What?
https://twitter.com/YaBoy77/status/593900018160939008
I guess we can call him “former Minor Leaguer” Jeremy Barfield now — he’s now in independent ball. Good luck, come back to us soon!
https://twitter.com/BarfontheField/status/593618196487245824
The old bubblegum-on-the-cap trick:
https://twitter.com/toddvs35/status/593850901539991553
Extra cheese:
https://twitter.com/JWPeezy4/status/593585135838171137
Extra… food:
https://twitter.com/aldridge32/status/593564040871354368
Tuesday was my birthday, but I’m not on Twitter, so I didn’t have to worry about a lack of tweets:
https://twitter.com/MichaelChavis11/status/593895932523053057
Wow, what a view!
https://twitter.com/nevin_ashley/status/593547139378126848
Chipotle Tweets of the Week
Our favorite Mexican grill announced earlier this week that they’re removing any GMO ingredients from their menu, which probably didn’t phase most Minor Leaguers, who will settle for PB&J or even just bread, worst case.
TVS clearly just fishing for a mention on this post:
https://twitter.com/toddvs35/status/592027395412070400
