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 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.

If you are, or know, a prospective professional baseball player then chances are that you will attend at least one open independent baseball tryout.  Here is a page with some videos on them which gives you information about what to do during and after a tryout:

http://www.squidoo.com/independent-baseball-tryouts

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:

Here is a quick video created from photos taken at the open independent baseball tryouts in Grand Prairie, TX today:

Thanks to the AirHogs for letting IndependentBaseball.net take the photos and video footage which may appear in a future post(s).

If you wish to join an independent baseball team, click the “Tryouts” tab near the top of the page to discover how you can be notified of upcoming tryouts and other playing opportunities.

While IndependentBaseball.net enjoys your feedback and comments on various topics relating to independent professional baseball, a warning must be issued.  Many teenagers have been leaving comments (not approved and, therefore, not displayed to the public) about wanting to find a team on which to play.

Out of respect for those of you who are still in high school or those of you who may have dropped out of high school please note the following:

• IndependentBaseball.net does NOT recommend that those with only high school experience, if you are under the age of 20-21, to pursue a career in independent professional baseball.  We cannot, in good faith, recommend any actions which might hinder your chances of jeopardizing your college athletic eligibility.
• Depending on the rules of your conference, you even may lose your eligibility by trying out for a professional independent baseball team.  IndependentBaseball.net is not up to date on the latest eligibility rules, so please understand that as a policy we recommend that you finish your eligibility before pursuing a pro career.  This request is moot, however, should you have played affiliated minor league baseball right out of high school and got released.  At that point your college baseball eligibility would be, in all likelihood, null and void so you then would be free to pursue a career in independent baseball.
• Remember that independent baseball teams are geared toward winning games today, not player development as is the emphasis in several affiliated minor league organizations.  At 17 or 18 years old you may not stand much of a chance against seasoned veterans, especially former Triple-A and Major League players against whom you would be playing.

Again, if you even remotely believe that you want to maintain your college baseball eligibility then please do not pursue a career in independent baseball.  With the high “turnover” rate (injuries and releases), even if you are 18 years old and managed to get signed to a professional contract, then you risk losing your eligibility should you be released during spring training or the first few weeks of the season.

As always, the independent baseball industry loves passionate and interested fans, and we encourage your pursuing a professional baseball career.  Nonetheless, we at IndependentBaseball.net want you to keep all of your options open, especially if maintaining your college eligibility improves your odds of being drafted as well as giving you a quality education which you may not have otherwise been able to obtain.

Thank you for your understanding on this issue.

This post offers three links to resources for involvement in independent professional baseball:

• Those who were once involved in independent baseball.  These are former players, coaches, announcers, league executives, staff members, umpires, and others
• Those who wish to join the industry

If you have independent baseball experience then you are welcome to join the free membership site for Independent Baseball Alumni.

If you want to become a player in the independent professional baseball leagues then you should start by going to Independent Baseball Tryouts.

If you want to find a job in independent professional baseball then click the link to go to the Jobs page