I Follow: Dan Shulman
Editor’s Note: “I Follow” is all about ESPN employees on Twitter: what they Tweet, whom they follow and how you can interact socially with anyone and everyone.
Today we follow ESPN Sunday Night Baseball play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman.
Dan has just completed his first season at the helm of Sunday Night Baseball after contributing to ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball since 1995 in various roles, including stints on Wednesday Night Baseball (2002-2007) and Monday Night Baseball (2008-2010).
He is currently contributing to ESPN Radio’s exclusive national coverage of the MLB postseason – calling the American League Championship Series with Sunday Night colleague Orel Hershiser.
The two will then reform the entire Sunday Night Baseball team with Bobby Valentine to call the World Series.
Dan was kind enough to take time out of his busy postseason schedule to chat with ESPN Front Row about Twitter, TV vs. Radio, and his favorite Sunday Night Baseball memory this season.
Twitter handle: @DShulman_ESPN
ESPN job: MLB, NCAA Men’s Basketball play-by-play commentator
Followers: 10,168
Following: 122
*as of 10/10/11
FR: How was your first year as Sunday Night Baseball play-by-play commentator?
Shulman: I loved it. Orel and Bobby are great to work with and we’re so lucky to have a fantastic crew with us. It makes the job even more enjoyable. I can’t wait to get started in 2012!
FR: It was a memorable season for Sunday Night Baseball. Do you have any favorite moments?
Shulman: I think the 16-inning game on July 17 between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays was my favorite game of the season. The Red Sox won 1-0. I wasn’t sure it was ever going to end!
FR: You’re heavily involved in our MLB postseason radio coverage. What are the key adjustments you have to make when calling a game for radio as opposed to TV?
Shulman: The biggest adjustment is just making sure we remember to keep our stories short and to make sure we don’t miss any pitches. The pictures do a lot of the work on TV, but on radio, we have to constantly stay on top of the score, the inning, base runners and the pitch count.
FR: Do you enjoy providing commentary for any particular team or athlete the best?
Shulman: I don’t have any individual athlete or team that I like best, but I do have my favorite places to call a game. The two best locations for me are Wrigley Field in Chicago and Allen Field House at the University of Kansas. The atmosphere in both of those locations is incredible.
FR: How has Twitter changed your job as a play-by-play commentator?
Shulman: It’s changed my job in two ways. The first is that I go to Twitter for information and breaking news. It’s one-stop shopping for the latest news. The second is that I now tweet in-between innings, before games and anytime something interesting happens.
FR: Why do you use Twitter?
Shulman: For one, I enjoy it. It keeps me connected to sports fans. I think Twitter keeps you even more focused on the event you’re watching.
FR: Who is your favorite person to follow on Twitter?
Shulman: ESPN MLB reporter Buster Olney. No one is more dialed in on baseball.
FR: Which baseball team’s fans are the most responsive to your tweets?
Shulman: I would say Blue Jays fans are the most responsive. They know I’m from Toronto.
FR: Who was your favorite player growing up?
Shulman: Being from Toronto, I have to go hockey and say my favorite athlete growing up was Darryl Sittler. He was the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the late 1970’s.
