IndependentBaseball.net

Here is a short video clip about the St. Paul Saints independent pro baseball tryout from last week:

• http://www.startribune.com/sports/92472054.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUr

Even St. Paul’s mayor took a few swings in the batting cage.  While a short clip, the reporter did cover that players may drive halfway across the country for a tryout.

Of interest to prospective players is George Tsamis’ comment about how teams are looking for players all throughout the year.  This confirms what virtually every manager has privately stated: there is a perpetual game of “musical chairs” when it comes to roster spots.

If you know anyone who wants to be informed of mid-season or late-season roster openings then please share this post with them or on your Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, or other lists.  At the bottom of this post (and on the sidebar), they can discover how to join databases which get sent to teams in every independent league throughout the season and post-season.

Resources for those involved with baseball at any level:

If you, or someone you know, is a youth baseball parent and frustrated with the experience then click here: Youth Baseball Parents

If you, or someone you, want guidance from actual independent minor league baseball executives on how to succeed in the independent minor leagues then click here: Independent Baseball Advice Interviews

If you simply want to find out about independent minor league baseball tryouts then click here: Independent Minor League Baseball Tryouts Notification List

If you, or someone you care about, want to improve the mental game of baseball then click here: Improving Your Baseball Mental Game

If you, or someone you know, need to improve your 60 yard dash time then click here: Click Here

Click this link if you, or someone you know, need baseball equipment which occasionally is on sale and/or offers free shipping (check the site for any such incentives):

Chad Parker and the Joliet Jackhammers will be having an evening tryout tomorrow, May 1, at 6:00 pm:

• http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3998846

What makes this slightly different is that many pro baseball tryouts are usually conducted in the mornings to early afternoons; and this tendency is usually to schedules for those running the tryouts and/or field availability, and the cost of lights.  Since most independent baseball games are played at night, this is more indicative of a player’s reaction timing with the lights on instead of pure daylight.

Leave your thoughts if you have attended previous pro baseball tryouts and if you would have preferred to try out at night instead of during the day.

Resources for those involved with baseball at any level:

If you, or someone you know, is a youth baseball parent and frustrated with the experience then click here: Youth Baseball Parents

If you, or someone you, want guidance from actual independent minor league baseball executives on how to succeed in the independent minor leagues then click here: Independent Baseball Advice Interviews

If you simply want to find out about independent minor league baseball tryouts then click here: Independent Minor League Baseball Tryouts Notification List

If you, or someone you care about, want to improve the mental game of baseball then click here: Improving Your Baseball Mental Game

If you, or someone you know, need to improve your 60 yard dash time then click here: Click Here

Click this link if you, or someone you know, need baseball equipment which occasionally is on sale and/or offers free shipping (check the site for any such incentives):

Here is an article about the combined-league independent baseball tryout which took place a few days ago in Arizona:

• http://www.examiner.com/x-3851-Chicago-Minor-League-Baseball-Examiner~y2010m4d13-Firstever-multileague-tryout-held-and-23-players-picked

It mentions that 23 players were signed to spring training contracts in multiple independent leagues.

If you want to be notified of future independent minor league baseball tryouts then be sure to visit the appropriate links on the sidebar of the IndependentBaseball.net website; and you can click the appropriate link in the text below this paragraph.

Here is a nice article about the first independent baseball tryouts in the state of Hawaii:

• http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100309/SPORTS07/3090354/Pro+aspirations+kept+alive+in+Maui+baseball

The tryouts were run by the new Maui team in the Golden League.

If you, or someone you know, are looking to get signed to an independent baseball team one day then here are three actions you can take today:

• Go to each team’s website and find the contact information for the team (click the Teams tab near the top of the page)
• Join the database to be informed of tryouts and developmental league opportunities.  To find out more go here:  Independent Baseball Tryouts Database
• Let actual independent baseball managers, media members, and other decision makers tell you exactly what you need to know in order to get signed and stay on an independent baseball team.  Find out more at:  Advice Before You Attend Your Next Pro Baseball Tryouts

Here is a good news story:  two players getting signed out of an open independent baseball pro tryout for the Frontier League’s Traverse City Beach Bums:  http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3965226.

If you know any players still in college (or recently out of college) who believe that they are good enough to make an independent baseball team, then let them know that there is an interview series which can help.  Eight experts in the independent baseball industry were interviewed and asked questions to help prospective players get signed and succeed in independent baseball.

Please forward them this blog post and tell them to go to How To Prepare For Independent Pro Baseball Tryouts or http://www.independentbaseballtryouts.net

Current college baseball players, college baseball coaches and family members, players recently released from Major League organizations, and others who want to have one more chance at pro baseball often contact this site (and other sites) looking for information on independent baseball tryouts.  They also ask about what it takes to make an independent baseball team.

A new interview series has come out which addresses virtually every question which prospective players and their coaches & families have about independent baseball.  Recorded interviews include those with independent baseball managers, coaches, directors of player development, general managers, and independent baseball media. 

The website is http://www.IndependentBaseballTryouts.net

Even though most of the questions we receive are about tryouts, and many of the searches in Google revolve around tryouts, all of the experts interviewed agree that most players are not prepared enough about the business and lifestyle changes of professional baseball.  These interviews help players learn what they need to know before attending an independent baseball league tryout or another pro minor league baseball open tryout.

If you run a baseball-related website, forum, blog, or other website (related to pro baseball or college baseball) then know that there is an affiliate program where you have an incentive to refer the interviews.  Use the contact e-mail on the http://www.IndependentBaseballTryouts.net website for more information. The process to become an affiliate is free to you if your state allows it.

Many prospective professional baseball players who have the talent to play in the independent leagues may not be aware of the various roster rules for each of the independent baseball leagues.   While many of these players may feel that they were “snubbed” or overlooked, sometimes the situation is just one of playing by the League’s rules.

Here are some of the roster rules for the 2010 independent professional baseball leagues:

• American Association:  http://americanassociationbaseball.com/league-rules.php
• Atlantic League:  http://atlanticleague.com/info-rules.php
• Can-Am League:  http://canamleague.com/rules.php
• Continental League:  teams have maximum salary cap, 25-man rosters
• Frontier League:  http://frontierleague.com/player_elig.php
• Golden League:  http://goldenbaseball.com/subcontent.aspx?SecID=598
• Northern League:  http://northernleague.com/league-rules.php
• United League:  Contact the teams for eligibility and roster rules — http://unitedleague.org/teams/

Should you have questions about these rules then contact each league office in order to gain clarification.  Be sure to read these rules before you attend an open tryout or private workout in order to make sure that you even qualify to tryout with a particular team or league.

Here is a quick video for those of you are (or know) prospective players who want to play professional baseball in the independent leagues. It covers what is sought by team and league officials during open tryouts: