My son just received an Area Codes Tryout Invite -

Its a very good thing. You have every right to be excited!

Matt Hyde is a good friend who is an outstanding young scout. He actually was an assistant for Joe Walsh at Harvard before going to work for the Yankees. This is a big deal. Do not miss this opportunity. Congratulations.

Congratulations Peninsula and to your son! We will also tryout for the Reds next month. RR23JR is a 2012 but he'll give it his best shot. This will be his 1st tryout. You never know who is watching. Good for you that you can thank Mr. Hyde. I still have to figure out who to thank since the letter was directly from Area Code HQ. Good Luck to Peninsula Jr! Is he 2011 or 2012?

RR23

Thank you everyone! Ryanrod23, my son is a 2011. Good luck to your son as well!
I told my son the same- go out & do your best & that's all that matters.

My son has very conservative views about his skills. He reads here with me often but did not seem to grasp the concept of it being ' a big deal' as PGStaff mentioned.


Last night all he said was- 'I have to get out & practice....' (which he does every day anyway)

Peninsula,

That is awesome for your son. You have every right to be excited and your son should feel proud. From what I have garnered from this site even going to the tryout gets you some great exposure and it is free!!

God knows I'd love for my kid to get invited someday. Hope Matt Hyde visits NH once and a while..lmao!!

Congrats again to your son and to Ryanrod23's son as well. Heck congrats to any HSBBW parents who's son get invited to an Area Code tryout!!!

same here, son is a 2011. Supposed to be at Syracuse in a couple weeks; last years AC team looked pretty darn good...

Biggest bummer is that he had a knee on knee collision last weekend - rest ice and compression for the next few days, and now wait for the test results. hopefully not an acl tear. May miss his first big tourney at Cobb end of June as well. Talk about one dissapointed kid, when he was little ice cream fixed everything, I'm afraid to ask will perk him up now.

It is only meaningless if you didn't get invited or aren't going. Congrats....and enjoy.

liner, I'm sorry to hear about your son's injury. I have heard many success stories (here, mostly!) about players who have gone on to succeed after injuries. Good luck to you & your son!

I can't tell you all what this means for our family. We were so concerned about affording showcases for him. We have 5 children to put through college & run our own small business, which isn't easy in the current economy.

My son needs all the exposure he can get & where we live, generally, no one is watching!

Congratulations Peninsula and Ryanrad23 on your son's invites. Last year my son called his scout coach(Chuck Fick) to see if he could get him a tryout and he made it happen. When my son went he had no expectations because he was squeezed in at last minute. I was in Mexico working and not at the tryout, so another parent from high school team called me with updates. She called me so excited, insisting that CELTSON was going to make it because he threw lights out. He did make the team, and called it one of the best baseball experiences he ever had. So what I'm saying to your boys is go out and just play their game, you never know what will happen even when people tell you that the team is already picked. Be sure to attend the MLB event with your family in Long Beach(if you make team), lots of info for parents/players. Enjoy the tryouts, because the exposure of the tryouts is huge. Good luck!

CELTDAD, thank you for the advice. What a great story about CELTSON! Does this mean parents are allowed to be at the try out? We are viewing this purely as a chance for college exposure, & are thrilled for the opportunity.

I have watched my son for many years now, training in his cage during the rain, argued with him when it was below freezing outside to come in...when everybody else has gone home after a game or practice, it's always my son who lingers behind to swing away, just a few more times....last night, he received a reward for his efforts.

It brings tears to my eyes (I am a mom) to realize that he is a small step closer to the dream he holds so close to his heart. I'm sure everyone here knows what its like to watch your child, from a very young age, chase that dream!

It is exhilerating but also very nerve racking. I have said before, I sometimes wish he had chosen a less stressful 'hobby', like collecting stamps...

Yes you can watch the tryouts(quietly), on the west coast tryouts that was the case. You don't want anyone to think that the player has a crazy parent. I cant speak for what happens elsewhere as far as parents attendance. Also for anyone who makes a team, plan on traveling to watch your kid. The players at area codes are many of the future great players. Big number of college and pro scouts at tryouts and games. Good luck!
P.S. Collecting stamps is a waste of time.

CELTDAD

Collecting stamps can be very relaxing and the collection can be quite valuable at days end---itis certainly not a waster of time

Celtdad;

Did you know that Chuck Fick was in the movie "Mr. Baseball"

When we conducted the California AC tryouts, I told all the parents that Chuck was an actor and he had several famous lines.

Derek Lee's father Leon was also in the movie.

My favorite movie. I watch every time before I depart to Japan.

Bob Williams

Peninsula -
Congrats on your son's invite - this is great news!

I sent you a PM


Cheers!

TRhit I was referring to in comparison to spending time in your child's youth athletics. If you ever get to the LA area, my cousin has a large 50 year collection you can bid on. I'm sure he would sell them to you gladly. Mr. Williams I did know that and he is quite a colorful guy, I enjoy his company quite a bit. By the way Mr. Williams, my son was invited to go to China when he was 10 from CSUN camp. Unfortunately at the time We didn't have the money, then it was changes to australia due to SARS. I believe I might have meet you back then, and like to thank you for what you do for youth baseball.

Our son got recruited by his coach after being seen at the AC tryout. Definitely make the tryouts, and if your son is a blue chipper go to the AC games if you get selected.

They just posted the SoCal dates on the Area Code website. July 6,7,15th. I understand that they will break down SoCal area's by dates. I suspect invites will be sent out in the next two weeks.

BTW it will they will be held at Westmont College in Santa Barabara, who has a beautiful new field. (and home to the D-Ray's Connie Mack team)

Congrats to Westmont for getting the tryouts.

Let’s hope the beneficiaries (pro teams and Colleges) of these tryouts are footing the bill and not the tryout attendees (you parents) that are being hi-jacked for more unnecessary money.

Every position at all Colleges and pro teams are easily filled every year and any shift in decision to fill them only displaces another player, nothing gained, something lost.

It was better when Bob ran it; the players were already on follow lists that the scouts had to earn.
It would be better run if the MLB scouting bureau picked the teams.

the great thing is that the tryouts are free. That is a rarety these days - especially when many travel teams are operated for profit. From my end its nothing but a positive thing - win/win/win. There are a ton of desreving kids that fly under the radar every year, eliminating this opportunity would end up costing parents and kids much more $.