area code games?

Go to this web site... www.studentsportsbaseball.com.
You have to be nominated (by usually a scout, I believe) to even go to the tryouts. It is primarily for juniors... soon to be seniors (although sophomores are oftentimes at the tryouts). After the tryouts, a team is selected to represent the particular MLB team in Long Beach, CA in August. It is a great way to be noticed.

what r the dates for the area code games(august?). What kind of scout? when are the tryouts?

Off the web site I mentioned above... it has all the information that is available, including the process and dates of the actual games in August.

2006 Area Code Baseball Tryouts

TEXAS RANGERS
Tuesday, June 13 at Baylor University (Waco, TX)
Monday, June 26 at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Tuesday, June 27 at Mt. Hood Junior College (Portland, OR)
Wednesday, June 27 at Mt. Hood Junior College (Portland, OR)

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (MIDWEST)
Wednesday, June 14 at **** Roberts University (Tulsa, OK)
Monday, June 26 at North Central Community College (Chicago, IL *Tentative)
Wednesday, June 28 at Butler University (Indianapolis, IN)

thanks for the info mom,
It says on the website that u need to fill out an aplication. I am a litte bit confused with this. Does one attend the area codes by filling out the application or just getting noticed by some kind of scout? or both?

Goose, the Area code tryout is a chance to try and make the area code team that represents a certain area in the country by sponsership of a MLB team.
If you make the team than you go to Long Beach for the area code game's in august.
The tryout is great also usually filled with the best players in your area up to 150 players plus for a chance to play for that area code team. Lots of collages show up for the tryouts looking for local players to recruit.
In order to be invited to the tryout you need some talent and someone ie scout/ connected coach to recommend you.
just go to some local clinics and talk to the managers if they know about it and let them steer you in the right direction.
Good luck The EH

that sounds like a good idea EH, there is some info about there camps on the website I wonder if that is a good way to get recommended.

.

That's certainly what they want you to think...for you to go to camp...but Area Codes are BIG...80 to 100 scouts, recruiters and coaches at try outs...if you've got some talent and passion...do whatever it takes to get in..

44

I know this might sound like a dumb question, but do the Area Code tryouts come to the east coast? If so, I would appreciate being able to find the dates and locations. Thanx

tvyanks
they used to come to the east coast.it was the best exposure we got.it was only the tryout but a very good following by colleges that was 3 years ago.i think someone else runs it now. worth attending if you get the chance

Do you have to live in a specific region to try out for these teams? For example, could a California player try out for the Washington Nationals?

I can tell you that last year there were several kids who were on teams from outside their region. At the final tryout we attended in the Midwest (CWS), there were TX kids. I didn't understand this since they have there own area (Rangers). Maybe they play out of state or have been coached by scouts who can recommend them for a different team?
If you get a chance to tryout, DO IT! My son got lots of college contacts just from the tryouts. Mostly smaller D1 schools, but its well-attended by college coaches. When you get to Long Beach, he literally stepped up to pitch with well over 100 radar guns pointed at him. He was cool as a cucumber, but I was filming and the camera was shaking. I guess thats why he pitches and I do all the worrying. We each know our role!

The MLB team is just the sponsor sort of.
The nationals are having a tryout in the NW.
they set up tryouts all over the country.
You have to have some talent, and a recommendation to get invited. Great exsposure.

the chicago white sox have a tryout at kansas university as well. hope to see you there. actually not, cuz if less of you show up the better chance i have of making the team.

See. There it is. Politics, Politics, Politics.

Brent and others;

There is a history behind the Area Code Baseball Games and tryouts. In 1987, when I started the games, we only selected players from California. From Day 1, the players were selected by pro scouts and coached by pro scouts. They were the best high players we could locate. We did not charge a fee and for 19 years never did.

The major reason for the Area Code Games was to select players, who could compete with the best players in Japan, Korea and later Australia. The "World Cup". We achieved this goal, since 40% of the American players have made the Major Leagues roster.

The Goodwill Series events [1983-2006] and the teaching of the game by our professionals is now my mission.

However, I am happy that the Major League scouts/coaches continue to make the decisions on the players involved in the tryouts and the games. My final year with the AC games was 2004. Student Sports now owns the AC games.

There has been little "politics" over the years and of course, several future "high drafts" did not make an Area Code team.

Each year the Team coaches will communicate with each other in the effort to find the beat players.

"My greatest memory was the night Josh Beckett pitched in front of 330 pro scouts at Blair Field in Long Beach". Albert Pujois and Hank Blalock also played in the games in 1998.

Please call your favorite scout and request a call to the nearest AC coach for the tryout opportunity.

If you are "really good" contact Goodwill Series for the America/Japan Series
in June and September. We need 3 "mentally tough" pitchers and one left handed hitting outfielder.

Bob Williams

Brent:

Do you happen to know the dates of the tryout @ KU? I didn't see that one on the website.

i believe they are june 8...i'll confirm that for you later though. if i havent in a week or so, send me a PM.

I was talking to a father of a former Area Code Games participant and he said something about a tryout for the tryouts. Something like a fee of 25$ to go tryout and see if ur good enough to go to the real tryouts. This of course would go along with the recommendation from the scout and other stuff. Has any body heard about this tryout? And where and when it is?

I can't speak for the midwest, but there is no fee to tryout here in California. You must be invited via a scout's recommendation in order to tryout. A player's only cost is for travel, lodging and meals.

Yea, if their was a tryout to go to the tryouts if would have been in the midwest.

i know there are camps that they have to help kids get looked at to possibly get an invitation. you don't have to go to those if you get an invitation elsewhere though. and i dont know if they cost anything...

Let me see if I can help.
Our tryout progression for the Midwest CWS went like this:
KU in early June
**** Roberts (Tulsa) in late June
Area Code Games the first week of August
Everything is free, even the CA tournament, but you pay to get yourself there and for your own hotel.

The tryout at ORU is your final tryout. There are 3 locations that are this level (ORU, Chicago, IN) and you must be invited to progress to one of these. I'm only familiar with the KU/ORU progression.
You find out about the lowest level tryout from the scout who recommends you. Don't get worked up about getting invited right now. A lot of the organization happens right before the event. We went two different years and never knew more than a week in advance that we were invited. Almost missed it last year!

As a pitcher, expect very little from the tryouts. At KU each pitcher threw about 16 pitches in the bullpen. Then you get an email if you advance to the next level. At ORU pitchers sit around all day (bring food and water, the concessions weren't open) and then they only throw about 12-15 pitches off the mound. THIS IS A TRYOUT, NOT A SHOWCASE! Our first year we arrived at 9am and weren't done till 6:30pm. Last year we arrived at 10am and were done around 3pm. It depends on where you are in line. Some people were disappointed by this short event (your 90 seconds of fame), but the scouts know what they are looking for. We felt it was worth the trip and got college recruiting just off this. In fact, one pro scout who called recently said he saw my son in Tulsa and didn't even go to Long Beach.
Be patient...it all falls into place.

Just a note on this tryout...
Its really hard to make the team. My son went as an incoming JR two years ago. NO ONE from the whole KC metro made the team and there were some strong players. This past summer (incoming SR) he made the team and was the only one from the KC area. In fact, only two kids from the whole state of KS made the team that traveled to CA and he was the only pitcher.
We feel very grateful and blessed to have had this opportunity and know that it opened many, many doors. When we got home from the tournament, our answering machine was literally FULL! He ended up hearing from 13 teams from the top 25 final college polls, with 11 of them making solid scholarship offers. In all, he heard from over 30 D1 schools. All this from 2 innings of pitching on an August day in sunny CA!
And for any cynics out there, we had no connections or inside help. I know some kids do, I witnessed it. But if you're qualified they don't pass you up. For pitching, velocity really mattered. I saw many really good pitchers who didn't break 85mph and they didn't make the cut. Fair or not, that was reality. There were about 140 kids just at ORU and around 75 of them were pitchers only.
I think a total of about 16-18 pitchers made the team from the three combined tryouts in Tulsa, Chicago and IN.

Just attending the tryouts is an honor and can result in good exposure. Very few players are even invited.

Thank u KC, that was the most helpful post I have ever read. Is it possible for a player to go as a pitcher and postion player, to either the tryouts or the CA games?

Yes, you can be a pitcher and position player at the tryout and make the team.
My son had previously been LHP/RF/1st. He tried out for P/OF the first year and only P the second. It was a personal decision to focus on his best skill, which we felt was his future in baseball. He still does it all in HS, but no way he'd ever see the OF or 1st in college.
In looking back at the nine players from Tulsa who made the team, here's the breakdown:
Pitcher only - 2 (both LHP)
Catcher only - 1
P/IF - 1
P/C - 1
P/OF - 1
OF - 3
My numbers may not be exactly right. I'm going off my notes from almost a year ago, and they may not have been perfect even when they were fresh in my aging brain.

KC- just out of curiousity who's your son? i'm wondering if i've played against him.

Brent, you have a pm.

Brent, who is ur son? U can send me a pm

Consultant or anybody in the know :

What does Area Code offer in NC area??

Does Area Code offer much here in FLA ???

Shep Cares

Shep, now that Student Sports has taken over owndership of the Area Code Games, you might be best served to contact them directly. You can find the contact information on their website at Student Sports Baseball.

What Area Code did in Cali. for the Brewers area code team tryout out last year, was to have a tryout the day before the actual tryout. anybody could sign up for that I believe thru Student sports. Then if you look promising they invite you to the tryout the next day. Its a great way to get noticed.
Area code is suppose do be for the Juniors before your senior year.
It would be great for a sophmore to go to the tryout before the tryout. If possible for training.

KC, who is ur son? U can send me a pm.

Shepster

Is there much involvement of North Carolina and the rest of the east at the Area Code Games, or is the east left to the East Coast Pro Showcase in Wilmington?

Newcomer, you have a private message.

CentralIL,
Go to Student sports baseball website on Rivals .com
they will have all the info

KCbaseball, Did ur son send an application to get a tryout for the area code games or did a scout just see him and call him in for the area code games? Or Both? I am a little bit confused on how u are chosen to go to the tryouts once a pro scout has seen u on account of there being so many kids.

EH

Sorry, wasn't really looking for detailed information on the AC Games. Have an overall general understanding of the program, but wondered if the AC Games included the east coast since the East Coast Pro Showcase is similar and only covers the eastern half of the country.

My brother is a scout, and though he attends the ECPS each year for his team, he's not involved in putting together one of the six teams. His son actually was picked for the ECPS last summer and did very well. Lots of attention. Ultimately signed with Georgia.

quote:

KCbaseball, Did ur son send an application to get a tryout for the area code games or did a scout just see him and call him in for the area code games? Or Both?

He did both. Fill out the form first, get the scout to recommend you second. This way the AC coach has your paperwork in hand when the scout calls. We had a pitching instructor who was also an area scout for the CWS.

For my son, it was a scout for Rangers who initiated the process.

CentralIL

Really can't answer your Area Code question about East Coast but can say from my brief exploration that the East Coast Showcase put on by the scouts has got territorial rights, so to speak. Some would say, EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO DOMAIN Seriously!!!

Don't think anyone dare challenges those powers.

Shep's Humble Opinion