I have come a long way in my appreciation of Twitter. I didn’t “get” the Twitters when it first arrived on the scene. I didn’t care what people were eating for lunch, or wearing to the gym. I still don’t. I started out derisive and dismissive, but two specific instances turned me around on the social media platform. The first was the Arab Spring, during which Twitter was an excellent way to gather news about what was going on in that part of the world.

But that’s a little heavy for this space. The other thing that changed my mind on Twitter was the parody account that opened up after the Bronx Zoo lost track of their cobra.

 

C’mon, that’s funny.  

Twitter has turned being part of a community of baseball fans into a truly interactive experience for me. I love hearing what other fans have to say, finding breaking news, getting different perspectives. Also, celebrating and commiserating with others. Sometimes it’s just comforting to see that other people care as much  as I do about the fate of a small ball knocked around by overpaid brutes. Here’s an exchange from the other night I really appreciated:


Without the gentle reminder to stop whining (and by the way, good luck with that – Scott tries to get me to stop every Monday night), I never would have taken a moment to appreciate the fact that pacing like a lunatic during a stressful inning is one of the things that makes baseball great. Thanks for the gut-check, @BaltimoreChrisG – keep ’em coming.

Sure, the Orioles Twitter landscape isn’t always pretty. Fandom is fueled by passion, and that passion often leads to flame wars. But that’s just human nature. We suck as much in person as we do online, I promise.

So I might not care what you opinion is on local politics, and I might not want to hear about your pet’s medical ailments, but bring on the Orioles talk. Make Twitter for the Birds. Bring people up, tear them down, express your love of Orioles baseball. And if I can get away with paraphrasing Mr. Oriole, Brooks Robinson: try not to think of them as followers; think of them as friends.

Go hashtag Orioles.

 

Am I doing it right?