How Did Area Code Tryouts Go?

BB's PR department is at work. Fritz, no need to fly his ship's flag that high here -- we all know he's a super player.

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You're exactly right! There are many, many people who get paid good money...kinda...to make sure the world is covered and the good ones are found. It will happen if it's in God's plan.

Old Pitcher, There are about 40% less scouts now than there were 10 years ago. Organizations have cut back because of Perfect Game and others offering a venue to see everyone at once.

I believe there are some exceptions to you statement. Players in or around metro areas will get seen. No doubt. Guys in rural areas may not because of the lesser amount of scouts. JMO

The reality is that most guys drafted have decisions made on them because of their HS senior season. That is when one needs to perform.

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Well Beavan threw 8 pitches and they said thats enough. Your Hired! clocked at 90-94.

I wonder if it was pre-determined that he would make the team?!

Generally how old are the kids that go to these Area Code games? How do you become an invitee? I know these are very remedial questions but I 'm not aware of how they work... Thanks

Old Pitcher, of course it was! He is the TOP PROSPECT on the PG LIST from Texas for 07.

He is a thrower with a bad arm action and no out pitch but he is big and strong and has arm strength. SOOOOOOO pro scouts hope that player development can teach him the rest!

Vance,

I was actually being facetious!! Of course he's gonna be on the team. He's a stud!

old pitcher...just send it!!!!

Vance- I do agree that Beaven's arm action is weird, but as a batter I feel that it makes it even more difficult to pick up. As for his out pitch, from what I heard in school ball Beaven struggled with his offspeed, but with his great coach/pitching coach with him, I full expect his slider to be back in form this summer. It truly is one of the nastiest pitches I've ever seen (obviously I may not have seen tons of top young prospects). Beaven also attains a competitive attitude rarely captured by most youth ballplayers I've played with and against.

Who is Beaven's pitching coach?

His summer coach-Linti Ingram

One of my coaches called me tonight and ask me to read this post. After reading everything let me give you my view of AC. We had 13 players invited to the tryout from the 17 year old team and 2 from the 16 year old team. Before they went I met with a few parents at the DBAT Academy. I told them that from my 2001 team I coached I now have 9 of my 11 pitchers pitching in the minors. Not ONE made the AC team. But that was ok!!!! So I told the parents don’t expect much but there will be a lot of college scouts there. Between 11am and 2pm I received calls from 7 college coaches as they sat in the stands watching the tryouts. They were asking me questions about each kid they liked. Each college asked about the same 4 kids and each coach had about 2 more of my kids they liked. Total of about 12 DBAT kids had colleges call me and ask about them. (Grades, makeup, financial situation, and sign ability) I also had the NC State coach call me today and ask if I could email him a roster and if I would please mark the kids that were invited to the AC games. Saying that if Gehrig (my son) gets invited in 2020 he will go. There is a difference in exposure and over exposure, but this type of exposure is good because it is our local scouts and colleges watching our kids. Now will I let Gehrig go to the Northeast for an All-star game our a Showcase? No, No No!!!! Will I fly him all over the country showcasing? NO!!! If I was to ask AC to do one thing it would be not to have the games during the AABC World Series. It is not fair to ask a kid to make a choice to either leave his team or go play in the games. My only wish is that the games are after the World Series. I realize most teams do not make it that far, but as a coach and the player to have to worry about is he nor isn’t he going if we make it is no fun. Parents other than getting on a good select summer team there are 3 events you should go to if your kid is lucking enough to get invited. Area Code TRYOUT, Aflac Game, Perfect Game Jupiter Florida.

KCR,

If Gage gets invited he will beat Gehrig up at AC.

Son was invited to AC tryout last year. He was unable to attend due to an injury, but I still went because I had a friend whose son was trying out and because I am a baseball junkie. I tried to compare my son's ability against the other outfielders that were trying out. I left their feeling that had my son been able to participate he would have had a good chance of making the team (I will never know). I told him to concentrate on getting healthy and get ready for your senior yr. Senior year arrived quickly and he started out pretty slow, things started to click then POP! ACL. Senior season lost to knee surgery. I asked myself if this would be how it ends. Answer: NOPE! June 7th rolled around and his name was called in the 26th rd. He will be attending college and if GOD is willing he will have a healthy and happy season.

Just remember, there is more than one way to get your son seen. We did it and it didn't cost us a penny.

What is getting over looked here is that the AREA CODE is based on RIGHT NOW. Meaning where a player is today. All of these kids have at least a WHOLE year to continue to get stronger and bigger. Some of the kids who have developed early and have mature bodies will show better than a kid who is weaker. Some of the weaker kids will bypass some kids selected. Some of the selected kids will go backwards. Happens every year. No one has a CRYSTAL BALL and we all know that.

What also needs to be mentioned here is that alot of kids do get a chance to play pro ball like KCR says. But most are college Senior signs that are drafted lower in the draft and for very little money. I wouldn't say that it's a negative towards Area Code if they didn't make the AC team in high school. They have simply matured physically over a 5 year period and had good college careers. Most become roster fillers for minor league teams. Which isn't all bad. Its a chance!

Thanks, Cade, for taking time to give us your experiences and insight.

......and "getting on a good select summer team" may be the bigger challenge !!

The question about Gehrig and Gage is not who will beat up who, but rather who will be the slowest.


I know they both will be able to hit.

No, the real question will be which one of the boys will be the best dressed in current DBAT fashions...Can I wear the orange today dad?

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What is getting over looked here is that the AREA CODE is based on RIGHT NOW. Meaning where a player is today. All of these kids have at least a WHOLE year to continue to get stronger and bigger. Some of the kids who have developed early and have mature bodies will show better than a kid who is weaker. Some of the weaker kids will bypass some kids selected. Some of the selected kids will go backwards. Happens every year. No one has a CRYSTAL BALL and we all know that.

What also needs to be mentioned here is that alot of kids do get a chance to play pro ball like KCR says. But most are college Senior signs that are drafted lower in the draft and for very little money. I wouldn't say that it's a negative towards Area Code if they didn't make the AC team in high school. They have simply matured physically over a 5 year period and had good college careers. Most become roster fillers for minor league teams. Which isn't all bad. Its a chance!

Vance,

Question........would you rather have a kid that throws 90mph and can't hit the side of a barn, or a kid that hits his spots, throws 3 pitches for strikes consistantly and only throws 87-88mph?

Just curious is all!

old pitcher. I'll take the kid who throws 87-88 and hits his spots after his SENIOR YEAR in COLLEGE. Send him out for a few thousand dollars and see how he fairs. Every once in a while one of them makes it. I think its important to remember that PRO HITTERS will make a pitcher throw his fastball and if the fastball isn't good enough to beat them then they look for the off speed stuff and wear out the fastball. There is no substitute for velocity and speed. So pro ball takes the best arms and they try real hard to teach them how to hit spots, SOMEWHAT!

I may not even like the kid who throws 90. I'll bet you there were many kids in the USA this year who threw 90 or better and did not get drafted. It boils down to projection of the body and over all ceiling of the player. Throwing 90 just gets more looks, doesn't mean that he is a prospect.

The bottom line is this. Pro ball wants guys who pitch DOWN to 90 MPH and NOT UP TO 90 MPH. Thats why Kersahw went so high and Drabek to. HS kids who pitch down to 90 MPH.

Please accept this as non condensending and with any sarcasim. I have no tone with my typing and am pointed and just answering the question.

Vance,

I did not take your comments as condescending and I hope you didn't take the question that way. I was just curious what you're thoughts were since you seem to know ALOT about this great game! I appreciate your input on this site.

I'm just a dad who is interested in the game and wanting to learn all I can about these things.

I do have a small background in the game, but definitely not to the extent you do.

Thank you sir, and have a Happy Father's Day!

I too want to make a comment about Vance34. I don't know who he is or anything about his specific background. And I have disagreed, from time to time, with the manner of his responses....not that all of us are careful to eliminate sarcasm. But I have found his posts to be informative, knowledgeable, and his comments usually fall in line with others here that I consider to be baseball "experts".

Sorry Vance34 for referring to you in the third person. I do appreciate your contributions here.

Happy Father's Day, Dads -- especially the new ones!

I'll continue to improve with my sarcasim. Thanks

Well, don't make it so we won't recognize you!

ok thats a deal!

Vance,

Would you be so kind as to enlighten us on your background. You definitely seem to know an awful lot about the game and the behind the scene stuff not alot of us know. What is your background? I am very interested in knowing!!

Thank you for your time!

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Vance,

Would you be so kind as to enlighten us on your background. You definitely seem to know an awful lot about the game and the behind the scene stuff not alot of us know. What is your background? I am very interested in knowing!!

Thank you for your time!

I've been told that Vance34 lives in the Carrollton area and has been known to cheer for the green and gold on occasion.

What say you Vance?

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I've been told that Vance34 lives in the Carrollton area and has been known to cheer for the green and gold on occasion.

What say you Vance?

Is he their top recruiter as well?!

Never been to Carrollton. Don't pull for the green and gold. Just been in baseball and professional sports my entire adult life, for the most part.

Must be some other Vance34 then. By the way we play at Kelly Field tonight. Stop by and say hi....

Man, that would be a long drive! PM to you both old pitcher and Dbat.

I believe Vance gets the wealth of his baseball knowledge while working in the program booth during AC events.

He secretly wires all 200 scouts to gain confidential info. while collecting participants info. at the gate.


Somehow, the word "skills" has had radio interferance. Goes something like this..........

Scout: (1 of 200 )

Roger Will-Call, we got a unknown player on the bump showing serious skills. 90 mph plus. 5 skillfully thrown pitches. We are going to use our scouting skills to invite this skillfull player to the skills competition game.

Breaker, Breaker, do you copy on this 9-0?

Roger that?"

Vance:

"Roger that, (interferance).............................. You can get your skills evaluation card right over there by talent table."

Good one Ken, I liked that!

Area Code cost 500 to tryout?



GOTCHA!

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Originally posted by Vance34:
Good one Ken, I liked that!

Area Code cost 500 to tryout?



GOTCHA!

My bad, that was a PG event. Message fixed.

nobody hit it out? how far were the fences? was it a college or major sized? How far down the lines and center? Curious to see.

Adam, the event was at the Baylor Bears field. There wer no HR"sin Batting Practice and only one in the game.

AND... keep in mind that it is all wood bats.

Who all from the DFW area made the cut at Baylor? Does anybody know?