Ranking the Top Must-Follow Writers, Players and Analysts on Twitter

With more than a half billion users accessing it's content, Twitter has become one of the most popular methods for professional athletes and public figures of all kinds to voice their opinion and interact with fans.

For MLB fans, Twitter allows us the opportunity to have up to the minute updates on our favorite teams and players, whether it's a signing, trade, retirement or just about anything else.

Some players are more entertaining than others and some analysts are more active than others, but at any rate, here are some people you should consider following if you aren't already.

20. Dave St. Peter

Twitter Handle: @TwinsPrez

When you're at the helm of a front office for a professional sports organization you're always in the meat grinder, facing criticism for anything your team does or doesn't do.

For Minnesota Twins president Dave St. Peter, he uses Twitter as a platform for interaction with the fans, responding to most fan questions, comments or concerns.

19. Brian Wilson

Twitter Handle: @BrianWilson38

Brian Wilson isn't by any means the most active of players when it comes to using Twitter, but the pictures and random quotes he tweets are just as unique as the man himself.

If he doesn't end up finding a job soon, he just might be tweeting more with all the free time he'll have.

18. Adam Jones

Twitter Handle: @SimplyAJ10

Much like many other athletes and public figures that find their way on Twitter, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones finds it necessary to tweet virtually every part of his life, whether he's boarding a plane or grabbing some food.

If you can get past the frequency of the tweets, Jones does have plenty interesting to say and is one of the best when it comes to recognizing followers who cling to anything he says or posts.

17. FanGraphs Baseball

Twitter Handle: @FanGraphs

As one of the best sources for baseball information, FanGraphs takes a very unique look at statistics in the game today.

Using all sorts of sabermetrics and different methods of analysis, FanGraphs tweets a plethora of interesting content pertaining to your favorite team, player or even stadium.

16. Hawk Harrelson

Twitter Handle: @NotHawk

If only the views expressed on this Twitter page really represented Hawk Harrelson.

This is just another example of a sports celebrity's mock page, and while the tweets may be irreverent at times, they're plenty hilarious.

"

LA RUSSA IS GOING TO ATTEND SOXFEST WHICH MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE NO ALCOHOL LEFT FOR YOU.

— Hawk Harrelson (@NotHawk) December 26, 2012"

15. David Price

Twitter Handle: @DAVIDprice14

Between all of the downtime involved in the travel associated with being a major leaguer and the long offseason layover, there's plenty of time for tweeting, and David Price is no exception.

As we see with plenty of our favorite figures, Price uses some of that free time to pose broad questions to fans, whether it's who they're rooting for in the Super Bowl, or what their name was in high school Spanish class.

14. Aaron Gleeman

Twitter Handle: @AaronGleeman

Aaron Gleeman is a well known blogger in the baseball world, who has since moved from the private scene to a position as one of the lead baseball writers for HardballTalk.com.

Gleeman tweets about all things sports and has a unique and sometimes self deprecating perspective that can lead to anything from touting his podcasts to his admiration of beer (or any alcohol for that matter).

13. Giancarlo Stanton

Twitter Handle: @Giancarlo818 

Giancarlo Stanton may have already been a popular figure in the Twitter world, but his following reached a new level this offseason when he very publicly voiced his displeasure over the Marlins' decision to blow up the roster that was compiled just a year earlier.

12. Baseball Reference

Twitter Handle: @baseball_ref

FanGraphs may be the most essential resource for any baseball fan or writer looking to analyze data, but Baseball Reference is the bible when it comes to statistics pertaining to any aspect of the game you could possibly want.

Their constant anecdotes about historical aspects of the game will appeal to any fan interested in knowing about America's pastime, and the reminders about how many days are left until opening day always add to the anticipation of a new season.

11. Jay Jaffe

Twitter Handle: @Jay_Jaffe 

SI.com baseball writer Jay Jaffe may tweet just as much about his love for dark beers as he does about baseball, but he always has an interesting perspective on the game and is worth the follow—and how about that mustache.

Sarcasm is oftentimes hard to convey in a tweet, but Jaffe doesn't seem to have that problem.

"

Danny Valencia hit .188/.199/.299 last year. Clearly he was using PEDs

— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) February 6, 2013"

10. MLB Trade Rumors

Twitter Handle: @mlbtraderumors

With a lineup of great baseball writers led by Tim Dierkes, MLBtraderumors.com has all the information you could possibly need to know when it comes to breaking baseball news.

Their analysis of potential trades, signings, offseasons and prospects can help dissect anyone's confusion about what's going down at any given time in baseball.

9. C.J. Wilson

Twitter Handle: @str8edgeracer 

C.J. Wilson's take on baseball isn't often showcased on Twitter, but he certainly has his share of opinions.

He's an avid fan of auto racing, food and oddly enough, play-by-play analysis of his love for people watching.

"

Every single commercial flight is a great opportunity for a comedic situation. Developments slow this AM however...#houstonbacktoLAX

— C.J. Wilson (@str8edgeracer) February 1, 2013"

8. Ozzie Guillen

Twitter Handle: @OzzieGuillen

There isn't much to say here, I mean we're talking about Ozzie Guillen.

I can't say that I understand many of his tweets, but if there's one person whose perspective on anything would be worth glancing at—it's Ozzie.

7. Jon Heyman

Twitter Handle: @JonHeymanCBS

When it comes to getting insider information on anything from trades, signings, firings, retirements or just general speculation, few are as closely connected as CBSsports.com's Jon Heyman.

He's not shy to give his take on anything pertinent in the baseball world and with more than 200,000 followers he's got plenty of people listening to what he has to say.

6. Logan Morrison

Twitter Handle: @LoMoMarlins

Logan Morrisson utilizes Twitter more than most other MLB players in the game today, and the self diagnosed "twittaholic" has input on anything from last week's Puppy Bowl, to anything he can possibly post a pitcure of.

One of his most notorious moments on Twitter came last summer when he received plenty of criticism for tweeting a picture of a mom breastfeeding her child at Nordstrom.

Needless to say—the picture has been taken down.

5. Keith Law

Twitter Handle: @keithlaw

Yes, Keith Law is one of ESPNs most in-depth baseball writers, but you may not know it looking at his Twitter page.

He's the biggest foodie of all baseball analysts out there, and when he's not publishing his list of MLBs top 100 prospects he's posting pictures of virtually everything he ever eats or makes.

4. Old Hoss Radbourn

Twitter Handle: @OldHossRadbourn 

It's hard to go wrong when you've got a player who has been dead for over 115 years tweeting from beyond the grave, so if you're not already, you should definitely give Old Hoss Radbourn a follow.

The constant randomness of the tweets are always funny, and his criticism of anything in the sports world probably actually resembles exactly what many of us are already thinking.

"

Behold ye the End of Days. MT @wsj: Who is the more influential NY athlete, @timtebow or Derek Jeter? Vote in @wsj's #NYindex

— Old Hoss Radbourn (@OldHossRadbourn) January 31, 2013"

3. Ken Rosenthal

Twitter Handle: @Ken_Rosenthal

Anyone who can rock a bowtie like Ken Rosenthal does deserves a certain element of respect, but the Foxsports.com baseball analyst is good for so much more.

He's a well connected figure in front offices all over the league and seems to be one of the first to break any big story, so if you're looking for speculation on all things MLB that more often than not turns out to be accurate, Rosenthal is your guy.

2. Buster Olney

Twitter Handle: @Buster_ESPN

As I mentioned earlier, Jon Heyman and his more than 200,000 followers represent one of the strongest followings among the major baseball writers in the game today.

Buster Olney takes things to a new level with his nearly 700,000 followers, and whether it's his insiders perspective on anything that could be going on today in the baseball world, or his random tweets from the most obscure angles of the sport, he's always got something to say.

1. Brandon McCarthy

Twitter Handle: @BMcCarthy32 

With just over 100,000 followers on Twitter, there are really a lot of people missing out on one of the funniest players in baseball.

Brandon McCarthy doesn't often tweet about baseball, but what he does come up with always makes me chuckle when I search my timeline.

I'll leave you with a few of his many tweets posted during Sunday's Super Bowl:

"

Felt like my 49ers excitement and Ray Lewis hatred was hitting an afternoon lull, so I chugged a cup of coffee & burnt my tongue #FOOTBALL

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) February 3, 2013"

"

That convinced me, I'm buying a farmer first thing tomorrow.

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) February 4, 2013"

"

Culliver is so anti-gay that he refuses to even stay close to a man in coverage

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) February 4, 2013"