By Andrew Knepper; ESPNRISE.com

The 2009 Area Code Tryouts for the Milwaukee Brewers kicked off on Wednesday, July 1 at Delta Community College in Stockton, California.  In attendance were 120 of the best prep players in the Northern part of the state, above the borderline of Fresno. The tryout lasted a grueling ten hours under one hundred degree temperatures, but in the end, the Brewers were able to gather some insight who may find themselves on the Brewers Gray roster for the 2009 Area Code Games in Long Beach this summer.

The first eye opening moment of the tryout was when P/1B Eric Jaffe stood in for his batting practice and launched several bombs to all sides of the field.  Jaffe, standing in at a solid 6-foot-3 220 pounds, out of Bishop O'Dowd High in Oakland made a statement with his raw power that had scouts talking about him the rest of the day.

Also showing good bats in the batting practice session was Alex Balog from Archbishop Mitty, Jake Rodriguez from Elk Grove, Tyler Kuresa from Oakmont High and Caleb Natov from hailing from the home of C.C. Sabathia, Vallejo High. 

In the infield drills, displaying good actions and strong arms were Joe Mello, James Roberts and Cody Zimmerman.  Mello had the smoothest actions of the threesome with Roberts having the best arm and Zimmerman having the strong bat. 

A player out of the Area Code Baseball Camp the day before, Javier Carrillo Jr. also displayed a great knack for fielding making some dazzling plays throughout the day.

The twenty-five outfielders that were in attendance had the best battle to make the midday cut due to their numbers and Joc Pederson out of Palo Alto displayed the right tools with great speed, a 6.7 60-Yard dash, an outstanding infield arm and a good gap power bat.  Also making the midday cut were DonAndre Clark, Scott Jarvis and OF/C Blake Grant-Parks.

Parks not only threw from the outfield, he also caught the entire day and had impressive pop times of 1.97, 2.00, and 2.06.  During the simulated game, Parks threw out one runner that had a good 2 strides left to reach the bag at second base.  This "wowed” all in attendance and to make things better for Parks, he is only a sophomore graduating in the year of 2011. 

Moving onto the pitchers, nobody topped the well-known AJ Vanegas, who came out of the gate throwing 90-92 with a solid slider that hovered around 79-81.  Other top velocities from the day included Braden Young (86-88) Cole Wells (88-89) Andrew Millner (88-89) Will Anderson (86-88) Robby Rowland (87-89) and Ben Griset (87-88)

The Milwaukee Brewers nest tryout will be held at Orange Coast College on July 7 and 8.  They will be looking to fill in the remaining spots for the two Californian teams that they hold. 

By Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

HOUSTON, Texas – It was the second of two Area Code Baseball tryouts this week for the Texas Rangers.  Smaller than the tryout up in Weatherford, the talent was just as strong, and the pitching may have been stronger.  It seems that every year it is the arms of the Lone Star State that stand out.

Like the first tryout there were two cuts made throughout the day, the first involving position players and the second involving the pitchers.  After the second cut, players were summoned back to Baseball USA for the simulated game, that traditionally ends the tryouts in Texas. 

There were a total of 14 righties that made the cut and two south paws.  Every right handed pitcher touched 90 and the two lefties were around 89, which made the game that much more competitive. The only problem, and it was a good problem, was that the coaching staff has some tough choices when it comes to the team, especially the pitching staff. 

Tyler Green out of Brazoswood (Texas) High School entered the tryout as a pitcher and second baseman.  It was on the mound where he shined, as he was up to 95 on the gun and competed all throughout the game.  He showed a good curveball and good feel for his change.

Another player who stood out was John Simms of College Park (The Woodlands, Texas) High School.  The 6-foot-3, 190 pound righty was between 89-92 on the gun, with a heavy sinking fastball.  He also showed a hard slurve pitch, too.

For pitcher Trevor Teykl out of Kempner (Texas) High School it was a great improvement from a year ago.  Last year, when the 6-foot-7, 215 pound righty attended the tryout he was around 83-86, but this year was much different.  He added more power behind his fastball and was 88-92 on the gun, during the game.

A couple of position players stood out as well. Kendrick Perkins, a 6-foot-3 outfielder from La Porte (Texas) High School was a good looking hitter at the plate.  He also posted a sub-seven 60 yard time with a 6.86. 

Dex Kjerstad (2010) out of Canyon Randall (Amarillo, Texas) had a good day as well.  He showed well offensively and defensively and posted  60-yard time of 6.66, one of the fastest times at the tryout. 

Here are the top 60-yard times:

Keenan Cook | 2B | 2010 | College Park | 6.89
Ryan Kadala | 2B | 2011 | Alvin | 6.94
Brandon Mims | SS | 2010 | Newman Smith | 6.90
Spencer Davis | SS | 2010 | The Woodlands | 6.99
Drew Webber | SS | 2010 | Episcopal | 6.99
Trey Masek | OF | 2010 | Giddings | 6.89
Lukas Forsythe | OF | 2010 | Espicopal | 6.85
John Williamson | OF | 2011 | Lamar | 6.83
Kendrick Perkins | OF | 2010 | La Porte | 6.86
Andrew Blum | OF | 2010 | Plano West | 6.95
Sean Washington | OF | 2010 | Bellaire | 6.66
Dex Kjerstad | OF | 2010 | Canyon Randall | 6.66
Chuck Keeton | OF | 2011 | Cy Creek | 6.74
Carrington Byndom | OF | 2010 | Lufkin | 6.59
Jonathan Henderson | OF | 2011 | Leander | 6.77

The Rangers roster will be announced shortly on ESPNRISE,.com and areacodebaseball.com.
 

By Andrew Knepper; ESPNRISE.com

Today Area Code Baseball hosted a baseball clinic at Delta Community College in Stockton, California where the determination of sixty young aspiring athletes learned the true fundamentals of the game.  The coaching staff of the 2009 Milwaukee Brewers Area Code team instructed the players for four hours under the triple digit heat until the camp broke into five groups and played a simulated game. 

In the game, the best pitching repertoire came from Danny Hawes out of Simi Valley who averaged 84-86 on the gun with a 69 mph curve.  The best bat came from Connor Buss out of Clovis West High in Fresno, Calif.  He was the lone holder of the only in-game home run that hit the top of the fence in right center and jumped over to allow Buss to touch them all.  Below are the top recording in the 60-Yard dash, catcher Pop-times and the top pitching velocities for the day.

Top 60 times:

7.12 - Andrew Beard – Del Campo High – 2010 – OF
7.13 - Mark Hurley – San Benito High – 2010 – OF
7.19 - Austin Cairns – Whitney High – 2010 – 2B/SS
7.21 - Matt Urakami – Branham High – 2011 – SS/2B
7.22 - Beau Hashim – Liberty High – 2011 – OF
7.22 - Jonathan Nutter – Woodcreek High – 2011 – C
7.28 - Hunter Jorgensen – Heritage High – 2010 – P/OF
7.28 - Daniel Robertson – Pleasant Grove High – 2010 – OF

Top Pop-Times:

1.98 - Jonathan Nutter – Woodcreek High – 2011 – C
2.05 - Ross Hough – Liberty High – 2011- C/SS
2.05 - John Koretoff – Clovis West High – 2011 - C/SS

Top Velocities:

86 - Danny Hawes – Simi Valley – 2010 – P/1B
85 - Hunter Greenwood – Franklin High – 2010 – P/OF
82 - Matthew Blesio –Nevada Union – 2010 – 2B
81 - Matt Narahara – Castro Valley High – 2011 – P/1B
80 - Justin Smith – Woodcreek High – 2011 - P
80 - Ryan Cordell – Valley Christian – 2010 – P/Utility
79 - Connor Torres – Beyer High – 2012 – SS/C/P
79 - Alan Katz – Aragon High – 2012 - P
78 - Sam Anderson – Woodcreek High – 2011 - P/1B
78 - Brent Barstow – Amador Valley – 2010 – P/OF
 

By Hilary May; Special to ESPNRISE.com

Sam Wilson is a pitcher / outfielder out of El Dorado (Albuquerque, N.M.) High School. He recently made the cut and is on his way to Long Beach on the 2009 Cincinnati Reds Area Code Team.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could pick another sport to play, which would it be and why?

Sam Wilson: If I could play any other sport it would be Lacrosse because I have never gotten the opportunity to play it and it seems like a very competitive, fun game to play.

ESPNRISE.com: What do your pre-game rituals consist of?

Sam Wilson: I have always tried to do very similar routines before games because I am a little superstitious about things. I always try to eat something before the game and warm up the same way.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could face one hitter/pitcher of any era, who would it be and why?

Sam Wilson: I would love to pitch against Babe Ruth because he is a legend in the game of baseball and it would be a great experience.

ESPNRISE.com: Why do you play the game of baseball?

Sam Wilson: I play the game of baseball because it is very competitive and every play makes a difference in the outcome of the game. Players need to always be aware of what is going on and the situations so when the challenge shows up, we know what to do with the ball. I love the focus that it takes to play.

ESPNRISE.com: Who are the key influences to your success in the game of baseball?

Sam Wilson: The key influences for me are my parents because they have always been very supportive of me in everything I choose to do. Another major influence in my baseball life is Ryan Brewer. He has been my pitching coach since I was very young and he has also given me the opportunity to play on his very competitive club baseball team. He has opened many doors for me and has taught me almost everything about the game.

ESPNRISE.com: Where do you see yourself in baseball in the future and what are you doing now to get there?

Sam Wilson: I have given a verbal commitment to UNM, so my plan is to attend school there and play baseball at the Division 1 level. Every day I try to do something to get better. I try to go down to the Albuquerque Baseball Academy every day to hit in the cages and get lessons. I keep reminding myself to give it my all every time I step on the field.

ESPNRISE.com: What are your plans for the summer?

Sam Wilson: This summer I am out of town multiple times for baseball. I play for the ABA and for my High School American Legion team so my schedule is filled with many games.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could hang out with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Sam Wilson: Nolan Ryan, because he has been a baseball player that I have looked up to my whole life. I love watching old videos of him pitching. He is a very strong competitor and it would be nice to talk to him and maybe get some tips.

ESPNRISE.com: What do you do when you are not playing baseball?

Sam Wilson: When I am not playing baseball, I like to go golfing, swim, hang out with my friends and family, and eat a lot.

ESPNRISE.com: Who is your favorite music artist?

Sam Wilson: I listen to all kinds of music so i have a favorite for every genre, but my absolute favorite would have to be....Taylor Swift.

ESPNRISE.com: If you had a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Sam Wilson: New York, so I could see the Yankees play. I have never been able to go, so someday I hope my dad and I could take a trip out there to see my favorite MLB team play.

ESPNRISE.com: Write something interesting about yourself that most people don't know.

Sam Wilson: Most people know pretty much everything about me because I am pretty open. One thing, that isn't very interesting, is that I have read Josh Hamilton's book, Beyond Belief, five times. When I am very bored I like to just sit back in a chair and read. I can't really read anything that doesn't have to do with something I am interested in, so I just kept re-reading his book.

Posted by Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

CalHiSports.com released its state player of the year in baseball.  The honor this year went to Tyler Matzek, pitcher from Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo, Calif.) High School. It was a tremendous run through the playoffs for the lefty and for the Cougars, as they won the CIFSS Div. I title over Edison of Huntington Beach.  Matzek did not start, but his solo shot in the 6th and his pitching in the seventh gave the Cougars the title.  For more on the state player of the year click here.

By Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

WEATHERFORD, Texas – It was the first of two tryouts for the Texas Rangers Area Code Team and this may be the largest gathering of players at the first tryout in recent memory. 

It was a full day for many of the players, with the tryout starting at 9am. 

The position players go in the morning, starting with the running of the 60, the defensive evaluations and then batting practice.  After the first cut of the day was made, the pitchers took their turn and were divided into two groups. 

The top 60 time of the day went to Anthony Bryant (2010), a 6-foot-3, 215 pound outfielder from Connally (Austin, Texas) High School.  He posted a 6.44 60-yard, which was by far the fastest at the camp.  In addition to playing on the baseball team, he also plays on the Cougars' football team. 

All totaled there were 22 players to run a sub –seven 60. They are listed in no particular order:

Madison Carter | Catcher | 2010 | Sherman HS | 6.67
Corey Knebel | First Base | 2010 | Bastrop HS | 6.84
Tommy Avers | Second Base | 2010 | Southlake Carroll HS | 6.83
William Russ | Third Base | 2010 | Evangel Christian | 6.98
Dalton Vannatta | Shortstop | 2010 | Clifton HS | 6.89
Carlton Bailey | Shortstop | 2010 | Texas HS | 6.78
Christian Summers | Shortstop | 2010 | Central HS | 6.76
Riley Good | Shortstop | 2010 | Godley | 6.99
Cory Raley | Shortstop | 2012 | Uvlade | 6.87
Jordan Allen | Outfield | 2010 | Joshua | 6.94
Andre Wheeler | Outfield | 2010 | Anderson | 6.95
Blake Parker | Outfield | 2010 | Plano West | 6.95
Max Farmer | Outfield | 2010 | Lorena | 6.95
Brandon Lewis | Outfield | 2010 | Arlington | 6.67
Andrew Holmes | Outfield | 2010 | Euless Trinity | 6.92
Anthony Bryant | Outfield | 2010 | Connally (Austin) | 6.44
Matt Walker | Outfield | 2010 | Robinson HS | 6.79
Blair Dickey | Outfield | 2010 | Amarillo HS | 6.69
Travis Brewster | Outfield | 2010 | John Horn HS | 6.72
Trevor Simms | Outfield | 2011 | Liberty Christian | 6.92
Jordan Jolly | Outfield | 2010 | Elkins HS | 6.70
Jace Statum | Outfield | 2010 | Orangefield | 6.72

Bryant, the who posted the fastest time at the camp may have been the best overall athlete at the tryout.  At the plate he showed some raw power, as evident by the five that left the yard, including the one mentioned earlier that traveled over the scoreboard. 

Another player who showed well on Monday was Christian Summers, a 6-foot-3, 190 pound senior to be out of Central (San Angelo, Texas) High School. He had one of the fastest times at the tryout when he posted a 6.76 60-yard.  Summers has a tall lean build and good actions at the shortstop position.  At the plate he showed a good swing.  He has a lot of upside. 

Catcher Jacob Felts (2010) was one of the top catchers at the tryout.  He had one of the best pop times, with a 1.92. Only one of three catchers to go sub-two.  Behind the plate he showed a good arm and a quick release.  At the plate he has a short compact swing and centers the ball well. 

Another player, who showed exceptional hustle on Monday was outfielder Travis Brewster.  The senior to be, at John Horn (Mesquite, Texas) High School, posted a sub-seven 60 time with a 6.72.  

"I think I ran a pretty good sixty,” said Brewster at the end of the tryout. "I made some good throws to third.

He had a good arm from the outfield and he said he is always looking for ways to improve.  Brewster went 110% on every play.  One play stood out in the simulated game, when he reached on groundball to short.  Where most people would have dawdled down to first, he went all out and beat the throw.  That was how he treated the entire day. 

The Rangers have one more tryout and that is June 30 in Houston.

by Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

The Texas Rangers Area Code Baseball Tryouts get under way in Weatherford, Texas on Monday, June 22.  It will be the first of two tryouts in the Lone Star State, with the second tryout coming in Houston on June 30, at Baseball USA.
One of the players who will be at the tryout, in Weatherford, is Austin Kubitza.  The 6-foot-5, 185 pound righty also plays first base and said he will tryout at both positions.  The standout from Colleyville Heritage won four games in 2009 and looks to have a strong tryout this year.

"I just think it is a great way to be seen by a lot of college and pro scouts,” Kubitza remarked.  "It's an easy thing to do, just go there do your thing and there is a lot of people there watching.”

For the Colleyville Heritage standout this is the second time he was invited to tryout.  In 2008, Kubitza was invited, but fell short and with another shot at a final roster spot he feels more prepared and ready to go.

"Last year I was really nervous.  I was probably one of the few sophomores there,” he added, "I will know what it's going to be like and I will be more comfortable.” 

Last year there were over 250 players at the tryout for one spot on a final roster that included 24 players.  The 2008 team was led by Randal Grichuk, Todd Glaesmann, Colton Cain and Shelby Miller. 

Off of last year's roster there were  three Rangers taken in the first round: (Shelby Miller; No. 19; St. Louis, Randal Grichuk; No. 24; Los Angeles Angels, Slade Heathcott; No. 29; New York Yankees). 

Last year, the tryout at Weatherford was loaded in pitching talent, Heathcott and Miller both attended Weatherford.  Randal Grichuk also attended the tryout and was one of the top outfielders there. 

The Rangers look to have another strong team in Long Beach this summer and it starts on Monday. 
 

By Hilary May; Special to ESPNRISE.com

Danny Diekroger is going into his senior year at Menlo School, in California. The middle infielder is off the Milwaukee Brewers Area Code Team tryout in July. In 2009 he hit .400, with two homers and 33 RBI.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could pick another sport to play, which would it be and why?

Danny Diekroger: Well, I also play football at Menlo (quarterback) so I guess that counts. Football is great. There is something special about the team aspect that you can't get in other sports.

ESPNRISE.com: What do your pre-game rituals consist of?

Danny Diekroger: I don't really have any special pre-game rituals other than things that prepare me for the game. I guess one thing is that I'm always paranoid about is getting my swing ready. My biggest fear is going into a game without having hit pre-game, anything from whiffles to soft toss to pepper, anything to get my bat going.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could face one hitter/pitcher of any era, who would it be and why?

Danny Diekroger: Roger Clemens. I like facing fast pitching, and getting a hit off him would just be sweet.

ESPNRISE.com: Why do you play the game of baseball?

Danny Diekroger: I really started playing because, in a household of three boys, what else are we supposed to do in the backyard? All of my life I've played and I haven't really questioned why. It's just fun.

ESPNRISE.com: Who are the key influences to your success in the game of baseball?

Danny Diekroger: My older brother, Kenny, has been a huge influence on my baseball career. Since we're only a year apart, we've played together a ton, and he has always set high standards for me to follow. Though we've had our fair share of fights, I've always looked up to him. (He has a scholarship to go to Stanford, and just got drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round).

ESPNRISE.com: Where do you see yourself in baseball in the future and what are you doing now to get there?

Danny Diekroger: I want to play in the pros. I think there would be nothing better than doing something I love every day, and getting paid to do it. Right now I'm playing every day, working to get better in all aspects of my game.

ESPNRISE.com: What are your plans for the summer?

Danny Diekroger: On top of all the summer football practices, I am playing with a summer team and doing various camps and showcases.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could hang out with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Danny Diekroger: If I could hang out with one person it would be Jesus. The dude can walk on water.

ESPNRISE.com: What do you do when you are not playing baseball?

Danny Diekroger: When I'm not playing baseball I'm playing football. Food, sleep, and hanging out with friends all fit in there somewhere.

ESPNRISE.com: Who is your favorite music artist?

Danny Diekroger: I can't say I have a favorite artist, because I like all kinds of music. Usually, during football season I get into more hip-hop type music, but when baseball comes around I'm all about classic rock.

ESPNRISE.com: If you had a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Danny Diekroger: I would go to the island in the TV show "Lost". That place is insane, and if you don't watch Lost, I suggest you start.

ESPNRISE.com: Write something interesting about yourself that most people don't know.

Danny Diekroger: I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit of a closet nerd. I especially like math and science, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Poste by Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

CalHiSports.com named Serra of San Mateo's Pete Jensen as the California State Coach of the Year.  His team won the CCS title in walk off fashion, and Jensen will step down this year.  Jensen also ends his high school coaching career as one of the winningest coaches in Northern California history.  For more on this click here. 

By Hilary May; Special to ESPNRISE.com

Kurt Jahnke is a pitcher/infielder out of Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) High School.  In 2009 he hit .308 at the plate and on the mound posted a 6-2 record with a 2.51 ERA.  His Sabercats' team went 19-13 on the year and made it to the first round of the playoffs, where they fell to Cienega.  

	Courtesy of Jahnke Family
	If Jahnke could go anywhere it would be to Australia.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could pick another sport to play, which would it be and why?

Kurt Jahnke: Hockey, because it's really run to play and the action never stops.

ESPNRISE.com: What do your pre-game rituals consist of?

Kurt Jahnke: I don't have any.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could face one hitter/pitcher of any era, who would it be and why?

Kurt Jahnke: Bob Gibson, because he was one of the most intimidating pitchers ever.

ESPNRISE.com: Why do you play the game of baseball?

Kurt Jahnke: I love going out to the field and not worrying about anything except baseball.

ESPNRISE.com: Who are the key influences to your success in the game of baseball?

Kurt Jahnke: The great players I've observed in the past as well as my teammates.

ESPNRISE.com: Where do you see yourself in baseball in the future and what are you doing to get there?

Kurt Jahnke: Play college and professional baseball. By working hard everyday on hitting, running, pitching, and on being a teammate.

ESPNRISE.com: What are your plans for the summer?

Kurt Jahnke: Play summer club ball, take a summer class and get ahead in school.

ESPNRISE.com: If you could hang out with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Kurt Jahnke: Chris Farley. He was hilarious.

ESPNRISE.com: What do you do when you are not playing baseball?

Kurt Jahnke: Relax and hang out with friends.

ESPNRISE.com: Who is your favorite music artist?

Kurt Jahnke: Chronic Future.

ESPNRISE.com: If you had a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Kurt Jahnke: Australia, seems like a cool place to go.

ESPNRISE.com: What is something interesting about yourself that most people woudn't know?

Kurt Jahnke: I really like history, particularly Word War II.

Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

The New York Yankees' Area Code Baseball Tryouts will get under way, starting on Wednesday, June 17 at the home of the Washington Wildthings in Washington, Penn.  This is the first of five total tryouts in which a roster will be built to represent the Northeast at the 2009 Area Code Baseball Games this August. 

	Courtesy of Aviles Family
	Aviles looks to earn a trip to Long Beach

Last year's Yankees Area Code Team roster featured some of the best players in the Northeast led by three players who made the All-Area Code Team.  Mike Trout (drafted No. 25, Angels) was the highest player on the Yankees team taken in this year's MLB Draft. 

One of the players who will be at the Area Code Tryouts this year in the Northeast is Robbie Aviles out of Suffern, N.Y.  Last year, he attended the tryout and made the final roster, but was unable to attend.

This year he is looking forward to the tryout and hopefully a shot at getting to Long Beach. 

"I attended [the tryouts] last year,” Aviles stated, "and I couldn't get out to California.”

"It was an awesome experience,” he added. An experience that included a trip last year to Yankee Stadium, last July.  The entire Yankee Area Code Team roster was invited for a tour of the ballpark, something that Aviles and his teammates experienced. 

When players attend the tryout for the first time, there is usually a heightened sense of anxiety and nerves because of the opportunity the lies before all players.  For Aviles there were some nerves, but going into the tryout this year he seems to be more relaxed. 

"I went with one of my teammates form high school last year and we were both very nervous,” he remarked.  "We knew we were playing in front of scouts and college scouts.” 

"I think after going through it the first time, I should be more relaxed and perform better,” he said.  He will attend the tryout at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. 

A player attending the tryout for the first time is Cito Culver, a utility player out of Rochester, N.Y.  At Irondequit, Culver hit .437.

"First I thought it was an honor. Growing up the Yankees have always been my favorite team. It was a shock,” said Cito Culver, who is attending the tryout in Allentown, Penn.  For Culver it is his first time attending an Area Code Tryout. 

"I really don't know what it is going to be like, cause I have never been invited to this before,” remarked Culver, who is in the same boat as Aviles was last year. 

Right now Aviles and Culver have not yet made their decisions about school. Culver said his front runner, though, is LSU.

Both will get a shot for a roster spot.
 

Andrew Knepper; ESPNRISE.com

The final of the three Cincinnati Reds Area Code tryouts was almost stopped due to some eerie weather that brought rain, thunder and even some funnel clouds to Regis University.  The state of Colorado produced a fair amount of players for the Area Code Games, but this year the talent was far superior in the Rockies than in the desert.  In a tryout that was loaded in catchers and pitchers, the Reds seem to be set in completing their roster for this year's tournament in August.

The first bright spot of the tryout was when lone Hawaiian in Denver, Christian Carmichael, stepped up to the plate for his batting practice.  He displayed a smooth, potent swing with raw power. Behind the dish he threw a 1.89 pop time and showed a great deal of quiet confidence and great feel.

Another out of state athlete hailing from Farmington, N.M., was Jake McCasland, a pitcher/first baseman, who showed well on the mound.  Hitting 87-89 with his heater, 73-71 with this curve and 75-76 with his change, Jake made an impression on every scout in attendance with his consistency and his ability to throw all pitches for strikes.

Yet another out of state player, Trey Nielsen, from Holladay, Utah, had an impressive day in the field and at the plate.  With natural actions playing third, his defensive work during batting practice caught the attention of every person paying attention.  It is rather difficult to get noticed when all the attention is focused on the hitter during batting practice, but Nielsen displayed his own show.  This 6-foot-1, 195 pound gamer just fit the bill. 

Moving onto the home body of Colorado, one person needed no introduction when he stepped on the mound.  Kevin Gausman out of Grandview High School has been on scout's radars for a couple of years now.  Trying out last year as an underclassman, Gausman had a good chance of making the team, but knowing he had another year to go, he had to wait. On the mound, he was clocked at 90-92 with his fastball, 67 with his curve, and 76 with a change, he made the impression everyone that he was "electric”. 

Below are players who made a strong contribution to attend this year's game in August under the Californian sun.

Tito Nava – With one of the best performances of the day, Nava threw all three of his pitches for strikes and sat at 88-90 with his fastball with an average curve.  His change is what got every hitter off balance, clocking in at 75mph and had great sink working off of his fastball.  The most impressive part of Nava's game his he creates such quality velocities with a frame of 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds. 

Adam Duke – The little brother or Brock Duke, who tried out for the Reds team last year, looks to be a little further advanced at this stage than his brother was.  Sitting at 89-91 with the fastball, 73-74 with his breaking ball, Adam repeated his delivery consistently and made one of the strongest cases to make the team.

Matt Wollenzin – A well-built catcher out of Green Mountain High School displayed raw power and good times behind the dish.

Aaron Berk – This 6-foot-3, 205 pound catcher absolutely hit the leather off of the ball in batting practice.

Marco Gonzales – being athletic, Marco ran well and hit 85-86 consistently with his fastball and a good change at 74-75.

Underclassman who impressed:

Greg Bird – Being an underclassman, you would never know it by looking at him.  Weighing in at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Greg is the perfect build for behind the plate.  He hit for great power and threw well in the pop times with a 2.03.

Austin Darby – Austin is a smooth swinging lefty with good power potential that we are looking forward to see moving in on the years.

With the Reds tryouts now officially over, the final rosters for this years games should be release within the next two weeks, check back soon to see who made it.
 

Andrew Knepper; ESPNRISE.com

ARIZONA -- The Cincinnati Reds Area Code Tryouts continued on Saturday at Chandler-Gilbert community college in Arizona and with the temperatures steaming at a hundred degrees, the hotbed for the four corners was ready to work.  Last year the Reds team consisted of Arizona draft picks Tommy Joseph, Jake Barrett, Trent Stevenson, Matt Helm, and Thomas Lemke and today we are in search for next year's crop.
 
With the usual professional workout, the 60 yard dash kicked off the tryout and it consists of all eighty scouts at the end with their stop watches and all position players running their tails off to get that sub-seven number.  The player who ran their way to the under the "Line” speed number were:

Drew McKeever – Sahuaro High School, Arizona (6.90)
Michael Benjamin – Basha High School, Arizona (6.94)
Jake MacWilliam – Arcadia High School, Arizona (6.97)
DW Warner – Desert Ridge High School, Arizona (6.98)
Chaz Contreras – McClintock High School, Arizona (6.87)
Christian Muscarello – Catalina Foothills High School, Arizona(6.97)
Hunter Zwart – Mingus High School, Arizona (6.84)
Michael Howard – Prescott High School, Arizona (6.74)
Joey Rocha – Mountain Point High School, Arizona (6.81)
Sam Wilson – El Dorado High School, New Mexico (6.82)
Trever Allen (6.84)
CJ Rodriguez (6.77)

Next it was the outfielders chance to display their prized arms:  below are the top arms at the tryout.

Michael Howard – Prescott High School, Arizona
Sam Wilson – El Dorado High School, New Mexico
Jacob Doyle – Deer Valley High School, Arizona

The infielders were next: Below are the top fielders in this crop:

James Farris – 1B, Highland High School, Arizona
Jake MacWilliams – 2B/SS, Arcadia High School, Arizona
Darian Ramage – SS, Deer Valley High School, Arizona (2011 Graduate)
Alex Real – SS, Pinnacle High School, Arizona, (2011 Graduate)
Jackie Samora – SS, Apollo High School, Arizona

The next drill was the Catchers Pop Times (the duration from when the pitch hits the catcher's glove to when the middle infielder catches it at the second base bag).  Below are the recorded best pop times of the day:

Jason Parks (2.00)
Tanner Murphy (2.06)
Nathaniel Causey (2.00)
Kevin Cron (2.12)
TC Mack (2.02)
Shaun Chase (2.00)

More to come on this tryout this week.
 

Posted by Andrew Drennen; ESPNRISE.com

So what do you do if you are an umpire with an unruly crowd?

Most of the time you would try and tune them out.  But, what happens if they cross the line, then what do you do?

Well if you umpire, Don Briggs you eject the crowd.  Yes, he ejected the crowd.

Andrew Knepper; ESPNRISE.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- The 2009 Area Code Baseball Tryouts started this weekend at Cashman Field, Home of the Toronto Blue Jays AAA ball clubs the Area 51's.  The Cincinnati Reds hosted 45 top recruits to tryout for the Area Code Games in Long Beach Calif., this coming August.  There were some returning faces from last year's tryouts which showed confident strides due to their previous experiences.  Brett Harrison, Derek Dunaway and Marquise Hall showed improvement from last years performance and look to be becoming fine ball players.
 
Taking in the top 60 yard dashes were Drew Robinson (6.81) Bobby Stahel (6.96) and Jeremy Ioane (7.00).  The running surface was uncharacteristically shaggy for Cashman Field and with the wind gusting into the players faces the slow overall times was directly affected.
 
With the outfield arms not bringing too much noise to the show, the infield work brought about an emerging player from the Island of Oahu.  Chace Numata from Pearl City (Honolulu, Hawaii) High School showed a good glove with a strong arm. 

The strength of Chace's arm drew strong curiosity to how he would fare behind the dish, and with never playing catcher before; he threw pop times of 1.97, 2.09, 2.06 and 2.03.  It was easy to see that his footwork was off, but never throwing from home to second this was impressive.  Listing in at 6-foot-0 and 165 pounds, Chace is currently playing shortstop, but down the line it looks like catcher might be a perfect fit.
 
Joining Chace in the catching drills was Jordan Stewart out of Foothill (Henderson, Nevada) High School, who tossed the best times of the day with a 1.87 and 1.93.  Not only were his pop times impressive and accurate, his bat was just was strong.
 
Moving on to batting practice with the wind howling in form right field, nothing left the yard until the second to last group batted and Cameron Harper belted three no doubters to left field.  His smooth approach and power stroke got attention of the fifty plus scouts in attendance.
 
Also showing good bats during batting practice were Marquise Hall, Jordan Stewart, Brett Harrison, Drew Robinson and Patrick Gallagher.
 
Once the simulated game began the first pitcher of the day, Eric Holdren, retired all five batters he faced with an 87-88 MPH fast ball and a good breaking ball. 
 
Players Below are a few player who made a good showing in Las Vegas.
 
Patrick Gallagher, a 6-foot-2 225 pound first baseman out of Reno showed good raw power in batting practice and also mashing an impressive opposite filed homerun in the simulated game.
 
Drew Robinson, a 2B/OF out of Silverado (Las Vegas, Nevada) High School displayed a good arm in the outfield drills and took home the best 60 yard dash with a 6.81.
 
Jake Hager, an underclassman at the tryout, a 2011 graduate, showed good overall tools and soft hands at the plate.  Look for him to possibly make some noise next year at the tryout.
 
Kavin Keyes, a switch-hitting middle infielder from Sandy, Utah, showcased good plate discipline, a good arm in the infield drills and an overall polished game.  He too is a 2011 graduate.
 
Brett Harrison, another 2011 graduate and two time Area Code tryout attendee, showed once again why the underclassman keeps receiving an invitation to tryout.  He squared up on every plate appearance during the simulated game.
 
Zack Hartman, a shortstop from Arbor View (Las Vegas, Nevada) High School displayed at strong arm in the infield drills and good fielding ability with crushing a few in the simulated game.
 
Cameron Harper had the best batting practice out of any player in attendance showing good raw power coming from his 6-foot-1 190 pound frame.
 
Buddy Bordon, the 6-foot-2 righty from Las Vegas showed one of the better repitoires of the day with a 88 MPH fastball and a good 72 MPH breaking ball.
 
The tryouts are moving on the Chandler Arizona and Denver Colorado as the Cincinnati Reds and Area Code Baseball look to compile the best player out of the four corners and Hawaii.