Getting to Know Kenta Maeda on the Tweet Seat

It was a busy day for the Dodgers and their newest import yesterday.  They held an afternoon press conference to introduce Kenta Maeda to the media and hosted an online #TweetSeat session with fans online.  As I am wont to do, below is a collection of some of his responses on twitter.

As you know, the Dodgers have done this numerous times over the past several years.  Go here to check out all of my past post on them.  Previous guest include Farhan Zaidi, Vin Scully and Corey Seager.

Since this #TweetSeat is a "get to know you" session fans naturally want to know who was his idol growing up:

(twitter link)

Masumi Kuwata was a right-handed pitcher with the Yomiuri Giants starting in 1986.  He played for 21 season, won the Sawamura Award (their Cy Young) in 1987 and the Central League MVP in 1994.  He had always wanted to play ball in America and finally fulfilled that dream in 2007 as a 39-year old rookie with the Pirates.  Unfortunately, he was not particularly effective; giving up 22 earned runs over 21 inning pitched out of the bullpen.  Kuwata is currently a coach at the University of Tokyo.

Check Out Dave Roberts on the Tweet Seat

In between the press conference, photo shoot and countless number of interviews Dave Roberts took to social media for just a moment to interact with fans.  Typically known as the #TweetSeat, check out what fans wanted to know and what he had to say below.

(Tweet Link)

(Tweet Link)

(Tweet Link)

Kiké Hernandez Answered Fans Questions on the Tweet Seat

Yesterday Kiké Hernandez jumped onto the tweet seat for sunglass manufacturer Kaenon and answered a bunch of fan questions.  Check out some of my favorite responses below.

BTW, there have been numerous "Tweet Seat" session over the past few years with either a player or someone from behind the scenes.  Go here to check out my past post about them.  Previous guest include Farhan Zaidi, Vin Scully and Corey Seager.

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Of course, it stars off with some banana talk.

@brianacabrera_ that spot is taken by @kenjeong and I don't think that'll ever change!

— KAENON (@Kaenon) October 8, 2015

Chatting with AGon on the Tweet Seat #AGonChat

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month Adrian Gonzalez sat behind the computer this afternoon to talk directly with fans on twitter. As you can imagine, he received hundreds of questions, but only had enough time to answer a few.  Check some of my favorite exchanges below.

BTW, the Dodgers have put together a "Tweet Seat" session with either a player or someone from behind the scenes numerous times over the past three years.  Go here to check out my past post about them.  Previous guest include Farhan Zaidi, Vin Scully and Corey Seager.

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Adrian Gonzalez started promptly by letting us know what his backup plan was had a career in Baseball not work out.   

My plan during high school was to attend college to be a mechanical engineer. https://t.co/J2Y8PrjVro

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 22, 2015

Have you ever wondered what's going through his head before a game.  His tweet below provides a small glimpse.

Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi went on the Tweet Seat Today

Inquiring minds want to know... everything.

We want to know who you are, what you will be doing and when should we expect a championship.  Will there be any more trades, signings of any more free agents or is a certain Cuban in our crosshairs?  Heck, there isn't much we don't want to know about our Dodgers, so when one of the front office honchos decides to stick his head out of the cave for a public grillin' you better take heed.

This afternoon Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi, a new hire for the club, decided to come out of the shadows and onto twitter for a "Tweet Seat" session with fans and I've got a collection of the best responses below. 

BTW, this was one of several "Tweet Seat" interactions the Dodgers have hosted over the past several years.  Past participants include Hyun-Jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Ricky Nolasco, Corey Seager and Vin Scully.  Check out all of my past post on these events here.

Now, on to Zaidi's twitter adventure.

First, he is asked to address the current bullpen situation by @luisace82 & @HLPresents:

.@luisace82 we're constantly looking for ways to upgrade the ML roster. I like our current bullpen, though.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 6, 2015

How Excited is Nolasco? So Excited He Answers Dodger Fans Tweets!

Not only was Ricky Nolasco elated at meeting up with his old Miami teammate last night (as evidenced by the above photo tweeted out by the @Dodgers), but he was so excited he took to twitter this morning to answer fan questions directly.  I guess you can say he participated in an informal "Tweet Seat" that I will call the "Ricky Cast" - in homage to Vin Scully's "Vin Cast" earlier this season.

Check out some of his responses below.

Ricky starts out easily enough.

Very!!  “@VeeLA_16: First game with your new teammates tonight! How excited are you?”
— ricky nolasco (@RNolasco47) July 8, 2013

Guess who else was excited?

They threw a party lol. “@ChiefGusBus:  what your parents say when they heard the news you where going to be a dodger?!”
— ricky nolasco (@RNolasco47) July 8, 2013

Then, he tells everyone a bit about where he grew up playing ball.  He's a product of Bud Bender Park in Rialto.

A Twitter Roundup of Vin Scully's "Vin Cast"

As I'm sure you recall, late last season Vin Scully first indicated that he knew, or at least heard about, twitter.  It was during an early August game against the Cubs when he took to the airwaves and diligently got AJ Ellis trending nationally.  If you don't remember that then watch the video here.

Well, this evening Vin Scully, in lieu of broadcasting the Dodgers/Yankees game in New York, took over the Dodgers twitter account, and he did not disappoint.  If you missed it, have no fear.  I decided to catalog the best of them below for you to enjoy below.  Check it out.

Hi everybody and a pleasant Wednesday evening to you, wherever you may be. -#VinScully
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2013

No game would be the same without his signature greeting.

I broadcast the Yankee/ Dodger World Series in '53, '55, '56, '63 and '81. No way I could have imagined tweeting a game. -#VinScully
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2013

The world sure is changing Vin, ain't it?

Ebbets Field is gone. Old Yankee Stadium is gone & I haven't been to the new one. New York is basically a city of memories for me #VinScully
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2013

It's Time For Dodger Baseball!

Dodgers Prospect Corey Seager on the Tweet Seat

With the first day of the Baseball players draft starting today, the Dodgers decided to have their 2012 1st Round pick, Corey Seager take a seat on the "Tweet Seat".

One year ago, Corey Seager was drafted by the #Dodgers. Today he steps into the Tweet Seat. Use #AskCorey: twitter.com/Dodgers/status…
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 6, 2013

Check out what he had to say below.

.@luv_nathallie Kind of between nervous and anxious. You start to kill time and wait. #AskCorey
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 6, 2013

How's this for some brotherly advice?

.@organicallyrude Kyle told me to enjoy the day, and make it as fun as possible. He watched from the dugout which was pretty cool. #AskCorey
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 6, 2013

Corey is a smart man.  He knows how to get on the good side of management.

Zack was in the Tweet Seat

I had meant to write about the "Tweet Seat" event the Dodgers held last week for Zack Greinke much earlier than today.  If you don't know, this is a kind of "ask me anything" exchange between a twitter user and a Dodger player.  Last week, following the Greinke press conference at Dodger Stadium they did a short #AskZack dialog on twitter, and I was happy to follow along.

(tweet link @Dodgers)

As you might know, the Dodgers had done the same thing for Hyun-Jin Ryu when they held his press conference the day before, and I wrote a post poking fun at some of the ridiculous questions asked then.  See that post here.

I figured following the Greinke "Tweet Seat" event would provide just as many laughs.  Instead, I was bored silly.  Maybe the fact that Ryu's name cast a wider net of goofballs since it's related to a popular video game character had something to do with it.

Anyway, I just didn't run into the same kind of idiocy in the Greinke Tweet Seat as I did in Ryu's.  So, instead, I thought I would share some of the answers Greinke gave to eager fans.  The complete thread is below.

There wasn't really much to learn except that he's an Orlando Magic fan (boo!), and his favorite Dodger is Sandy Koufax (yeah!).  On top of that, he list Adrian Gonzalez as the one player on the Dodgers roster he is most happy not to have to face again.  If you remember back, he said in the press conference that there were two Dodgers on the roster that he had no real plan on how to get out, but refused to name them.  Well, I think it's safe to say that Adrian is one of those Dodgers.

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Dumb Twitter Questions: Ryu on the Tweet Seat

Sometimes social media isn't a good thing.  As a prime example, check out some of the questions asked of Ryu during the Dodgers brief "Ask Me Anything" session on twitter yesterday.  Fans asked a question using the #AskRyu hashtag and Ryu would respond to some of them.

At first glance, it seemed like a great idea.  Have Ryu spend a little bit of time with the fans while not putting too pressure on him on his first day on the job.  Heck, it started out as a fun way to meet and greet a new face, but instead soon devolved into a "twitter-mess".  Check out what I mean below.

First, Ryu answered a question with the directness of a confident pitcher.

(twitter link)

Soon, the questions came in fast and furious.  Twitter was a flutter.  Fans from coast to coast, and from sea to sea jumped in.  And of course, the jokers came in to pounce.

(twitter link)

Yeah, I get it.  Tommy is fat, Magic is starting to get a little round, and Ryu is a portly man.  OK.  I get it.