It's been a long, hard winter in Seattle. But the crack of the baseball bat is around the corner. And just in time for Major League Baseball's opening day, Seattle mobile application developer Zumobi is introducing a new iPhone app that allows users to track stats, receive in-game updates and peruse player profiles for their fantasy baseball teams.

The free application was built in partnership with The Sporting News, which is providing exclusive news and content for the app. (Disclaimer: The Sporting News is owned by American City Business Journals, publisher of TechFlash.)

The app also includes a new mobile advertising technology from Zumobi called "BrandFrame," which allows advertisers to insert marketing messages directly into the app. There's plenty of competition for baseball fans on the iPhone, with MLB.com offering its "At Bat 2009" app for $9.99. (It also offers a free version.) LiveSportz also offers a free iPhone app that tracks baseball scores and other information.

This isn't the first time that Zumobi -- a Microsoft spin-out -- has brought its iPhone development skills to a traditional business. It unveiled an "American Idol" application last month in partnership with Fox, FreeMantle Media and others, as well as a ski report app in partnership witih REI last December.