Posted by Andrew Drennen, ESPNRISE.com Baseball

Looking back on the 2009 Area Code Baseball Games one interesting outcome actually came at the beginning of the week when the first three games all ended in ties. Call it timely hitting, faulty pitching or both, there were three ties. The second game on August 5, 2009 was one to remember. Two of the Chicago White Sox pitchers were dominant. Both Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley were lights out in that first game, and Bradley, a member of the 2011 class, looks to be one of the best arms in the nation.

The Cincinnati Reds Area Code Team turned in the best record of the week and for the second straight year it came down to the final day in determining the best team of the week. The Reds had a solid team this year and it may have been one of their best teams they have brought from the Four Corners. In an event such as Area Code, when there are no practices and such, it is hard for a group of players spread across a region to show up and play together. That is what the Reds did and they looked like a group of players that had been out there together before.

A couple more names that standout on the 2009 All Area Code Team are Josh Sale and Tony Wolters.

Sale is a two-time member of the Washington Nationals Area Code Team and he is a two time member of the All Area Code Team. Sale, hit two homers this year at Blair, which is no easy feat. It just sounded different when he hit the ball, in comparison to others there.

Tony Wolters was one of the best infielders at the Area Code Games. He got hit in the head early in the week, but still came back and finished the week strong. A couple of days later Wolters traveled down to Petco Park and played in the AFLAC All American Game.

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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.
 

There were two changes to the Yankees' Area Code Baseball Tryouts today.  The first change is that the tryout in New England is moving from Pawtucket to Waltham, Mass., at Bently College.  The second change is on June 22, the tryout is moving to the Diamond in Richmond, Va.  The tryout times will remain the same.

For more information on Area Code Baseball visit areacodebaseball.com.

Posted by Andrew Drennen

Kelly Dugan (Notre Dame; Sherman Oaks, Calif.): Dugan blasted two homers in an 8-6 win over Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.)

Jimmy Bosco (Jesuit) launched a homer over the centerfield wall in the 8-6 loss to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 

Ryan Arnold of Northview (Covina, Calif.) is headed off to UNLV.  He hit one out Monday against Mitty.  He has a strong arm and a good bat.  Interesting thing about that game is that it will be finished at 9am on Tuesday morning with the score tied at seven.

Matt Hobgood hit one out Monday against Casey Upperman of Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Norco (Calif.) fell 9-8.  Hobgood is scheduled to throw on Tuesday in their game against Aptos (Calif.). There is anticipation when he takes the mound against Aptos.  There should be many scouts in attendance for that game and wouldn't be surprised if there are scouts coming in from other areas.  

Scores from the day:

Mater Dei - 4 Aptos 3
Notre Dame (AZ) 9 - Norco 8
Esperanza 8 - Mamaroneck (NY) 7
Palm Beach Central (FL) 3 - Spanish Fork (UT) 1
Notre Dame (CA) 8 - Jesuit 6
El Dorado 9 - Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 7
El Toro 8 - De La Salle 6

Best matchup on Tuesday may be Notre Dame Prep (AZ) vs Mater Dei
Best matchup story may be De La Salle vs Don Bosco Prep.  The last time these two schools met in the 08-09 school year was on the football field and the boys from New Jersey came out on top.

Posted by Andrew Drennen

A new record has been set of 7.4 million high school athletes participating in high school sports, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.  The number of athletes playing baseball sits at just over 475,000 players.  Football was No. 1 with almost 1.2 million players. Baseball ranked No. 4 behind football, basketball and track.   Check the article out here.

By Area Code Baseball

This years Area Code Games produced a deep crop of premium high school talent. With well over 300 Major League Scouts in attendance throughout the week the scouts walked away with many players from around the country to follow into next spring. The games featured eight power packed teams that were run and organized in an excellent manner. The detail in which the games are run is truly a unique model.

The Texas Rangers in the final game defeated the last years defending Area Code Champions the Milwaukee Brewers Blue 4-2. The Rangers from top to bottom had a tremendous group of players which featured a 23 player roster. The Rangers had a balanced attack of offense and solid pitching. Shelby Miller a 6'3 195lb. righthander from Brownwwod High School and Todd Glaesmann an athletic 6'4 190lb.outfielder from Midway High School were standouts.

The games also unveiled many of the rising underclassman around the country. Bryce Harper a 2011 catcher from Las Vegas showed power at the plate well ahead of his years leaving many MLB Scouts in the stands to make comparisons to the Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer. Other notable underclassman at the Area Codes were Josh Sale a 2010 outfielder from Seattle WA displayed one of the best all around swings and hit for the cycle against the Chicago White Sox. Christian Lopes from Valencia High School a 2011 shortstop had solid performances the entire week. 

Name	Position	Year	Area Code Team
Camero Garfield	C	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Tommy Joseph	C	2009	Cincinnati Reds
Bryce Harper	C	2011	Cincinatti Reds
Geno Escalante	C	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Gray)
Clay Cederquist	1B	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Gray)
Colton Cain	1B	2009	Texas Rangers
David Nick	2B	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Matt Davidson	3B	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Eric Brady	SS	2009	Oakland A's
Steven Bruno	SS	2009	New York Yankees
Kenny Diekroeger	SS	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Gray)
Mike Trout	OF	2009	New Your Yankees
Demetrius McKelvie	OF	2009	Oakland A's
Joshua Sale	OF	2010	Washington Nationals
Jake Marisnick	OF	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Randal Grichuk	OF	2009	Texas Rangers
Todd Glaesmann	OF	2009	Texas Rangers
Trent Stevenson	RHP	2009	Cincinnati Reds
Tyler Skaggs	LHP	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Nicholas Berhel	RHP	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Gray)
Niko Spezial	LHP	2009	New York Yankees
Ian Krol	LHP	2009	Chicago White Sox
Chad James	LHP	2009	Chicago White Sox
Paul Strong	LHP	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Blue)
Shelby Miller	RHP	2009	Texas Rangers
Jonathan Meyer	Utility	2009	Milwaukee Brewers (Gray)

Posted by Andrew Drennen

NEW YORK, N.Y. It was a final workout for the Yankees Area Code Team. The trip to the Bronx not for evaluation, but to reward the players for their selection to the 2008 Area Code Baseball Games and represent the Northeast.

The East Coast has seen its fair share of ominous weather over the past couple of days, and because of the heavy rains in the morning the team could not scrimmage, something last year's team was able to do.

Yet, the players got to dress in one of the stadium's locker rooms and don the pin stripes that are so recognizable in baseball. Through the tunnels beneath the stadium the players walked where heroes of baseball's past once did.

"Amazing, stated Area Coder Jake Mayers of Mechanicsville, Va., "it's great to be under the same roof as DiMaggio, Ruth and all the great players.

Teammate Marcus Stroman (pictured), out of Medford, N.Y. agreed with Mayers.

"It's a historic ball park, he said. "I dreamed for the longest time to see Yankee Stadium.

Stroman also echoed Mayers in that it is a great place to be because of the history.

For all of these players, it was a chance of a lifetime, to play in a cathedral of sport and know all the great players who stepped out on the same field.

"This is definitely one of the best experiences of my life. I mean to just get the opportunity to be here and see what the Major Leaguers go through everyday is one of the best things I could do, Stroman added.

Fellow Yankee Area Coder, Mike Yastrzemski (Andover, Mass.) added, "It was a great place to visit, something I'll always will remember.

And with the rain, the players were still able to get a taste of Yankee Stadium, and they would be the last Area Code Team to do so.

Mayers summed it up perfectly, "Amazing.