New service turning athletes into tweet-talkers

What’s the fastest way to keep up with your favorite athlete? Twitter, of course.

Early Sunday morning, Lance Armstrong sent out a message on the popular service detailing a startling revelation. “Whoa!! They just came to my room and said our truck was broken into and someone stole my time trial bike,” wrote Armstrong, who’s competing in the Tour of California this week.

A half-hour later, the seven-time Tour de France winner posted a picture of the black and yellow bike, valued at nearly $10,000, and offered a reward.

Armstrong isn’t the only one. Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal sent out a tweet after the NBA All-Star game Sunday: “Kobe is the best, he told me to take the trophy hm for my sons, class act, thanks bro.”

Presumably the Diesel was referring to the All-Star MVP award he and his former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant shared.

Swimmer Michael Phelps also maintains a Twitter account. There are no mentions of marijuana.

Trivia time

Kicker Jeff Reed of the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers was cited for criminal mischief and disorderly conduct after allegedly throwing a tantrum in a public restroom Saturday in Pennsylvania. What NFL position has the most arrests and citations since 2000?

Impostors

Cal State Fullerton baseball players apparently carry some serious weight in Orange County.

According to a statement on the university’s website and a report in the student newspaper, two men have been conning residents of Fullerton, Brea, La Habra and Placentia by posing as Titans baseball players.

The men allegedly went door-to-door soliciting magazine subscriptions, saying it was part of team fundraising for a trip to Hawaii and for a children’s hospital.

However, the university said the team isn’t scheduled to travel to the islands and doesn’t solicit donations in that manner.

Police estimate the con artists received between $50 and $100 per person and possibly took in thousands of dollars per day.

Trivia answer

According to a database compiled by the San Diego Union-Tribune, NFL wide receivers have accrued the most arrests and citations since 2000, with cornerbacks second.

And finally

Byung-Hyun Kim, a former major league pitcher, was dropped from South Korea’s World Baseball Classic squad, the Korea Times reported.

Kim, a free agent who reportedly has been training in Los Angeles but returned home after injuring his ankle, was excluded from his country’s roster because he lost his passport.

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james.wagner@latimes.com