The 2012 baseball season officially gets underway tomorrow. Whether you’ll be on the couch or in the bleachers, these apps—all free—are essential preparation for Opening Day.
MLB Pro ‘12
If I could download only one baseball app, MLB Pro ‘12 would probably be my current pick. It shows the latest scores, news, and standings for each team. And—sabermetricians take note—it’s stuffed with nearly every stat you’re likely to care about, from a player’s ERA to his annual paycheck. Considering how info-dense it is, MLB Pro ‘12 is also nicely designed. I enjoyed little touches like how the backdrop changes to show a team’s home stadium, for instance. Finally, the app makes good use of Windows Phone features, like the ability to pin favorite teams to Start so you can see their upcoming games. Download it.
Bloomberg Sports Draft Kit 2012
If you’re putting together your own fantasy league, you’ll want to add Draft Kit 2012 to your arsenal. The app has tons of customized rankings and player info, plus a special Draft Mode to help you keep track of remaining talent in real time. Another nice touch: It syncs directly with popular fantasy leagues from Yahoo!, CBS, and ESPN. Download it.
Since I do have room on my phone for more than one baseball app, I also recommend SportStream Baseball, which does a solid job of tracking nearly every key baseball-related news angle—injuries, free agent deals, roster changes, and more. It also provides handy access to photo and Twitter streams about each team. Download it.