Anatomy of a Major League Baseball tryout

"Ohhh. Let me see that." / 2007-03-12

I sit in one of the least inspiring places to write: 24B, a couple miles above what is likely Georgia and about half way back home to Detroit on NW 429. Doug Thomsen to my left, I'll request confirmation on some of the details when necessary. Being the "34 on the ACT reading" guy that he is he's also serving as "word advisor".

Additional thank-yous go out to Trisha Sorenson for the photography work and Lary for the in-tryout pitching tips.

"Did everyone sign in?"

My half of the journey starts this morning around 6.30a. For some reason I'm awake and it's pretty clear I won't be falling back asleep. By 8:15a both Doug and I have consumed the universal pre-tryout meal: eggs and toast. Our bags are packed - we drive to Lakeland.

We first note that we are out of place in that we carry no baseball bag of any sort. Cleats and gloves in hand we waltz ourselves past Joker Marchant to a nearby practice field where registration has begun early. It's about five to nine - and "it's either pitcher or outfield, not both". We sign waivers, tell them how we throw and bat, indicate we're not married, and work out way on to thevaf field.

There's no shortage of people wanting to make an impression on the scouts. Two hundred plus of all shapes and sizes ranging in age from 18 up to what seems about 40 - some with big league experience - have showed up. We finalize our outfits and for the first time in a while are back in baseball pants, high socks and cleats. Some people are jogging and stretching. We start our own routine.

Time passes, we joke with someone stretching about trying out for the Lions and having to prep soon for the Pistons. About an hour after we arrived some balls are being tossed and a bag holding Officials is cracked open - Doug and I toss down the left field line. I throw it over his head once. This is foreshadowing, keep note.

"Cirlce up"

Around 10a one of the scouting leaders huddles us up and gives the spiel - pitchers are to line up this way, outfielders over here, catchers go warm up over there. Sixty-seven odd pitchers have shown up to this tryout; there are twenty-two catchers.

The pitchers are spoken to. Those with any type of big league experience are to be going first regardless of their assigned number - they deserve that respect of the game, or something. It made sense - and it would make the rest of the kids (us included) take this seriously (or scare the hell out of us). It was found no one was under contract - one of the pitchers was released from the Cubs yesterday. Results from the shindig will be posted on the web by our assigned tryout numbers - not unlike this page from 2005. We stood around for another fifteen minutes while the bullpen was setup on a nearby field.

A short walk and were back in a group - the scouting is to go down in a very organized fashion. First: three numbers will be called, and these pitchers warm up on three side by side mounds (on the left side of the pen). After five to ten minutes of throwing (this would vary greatly), they would slide on over to three more mounds to their right where you were to "throw your best stuff" for the scouts and their guns.

It would take another forty minutes or so before were going to have our look. By this time we've spotted Trisha Sorenson who has promised our mothers to take some photos - our reunion with the Sorensons was very well timed. Former all-star Lary Sorenson has also come out to watch.

We throw to the right of the pen and in the outfield on which some Tigers are practicing. I conclude our short warm up with a toss over Doug's head and over the fence behind him. Fortunately no one seems to see this and we didn't quite need to be warm yet. We stretch for a while and check out some of the pitchers' stuff. Most are intimidating. Mark Sorenson and the MSU baseball team walk by - they'll be playing again at the stadium this evening and are starting a practice. Mother Mark: "Don't get hurt".

"Ohhh. Let me see that."

The ball we've been using is discovered to have a very small cut in it - Lary is quick to help Doug raise it up a bit and show us how to throw the ultimate cutter with a scuffed ball. Like a wise sensei he shows us the finer points of ball doctoring. This leads into some other tips and some fine "back in the day" stories.

"Hey, I'm Todd"

Response: "I know. My mother is a huge fan." Todd Jones is watching from the left side of the line of mounds. Lary talks to him, he comes over and chats with Trisha, and Doug and I are introduced. A photo is taken. A nice guy - but big leaguers watching is going to psyche me out even more than former big leageurs watching. And to make things worse some of the Tigers have come over to check things out.

We throw lightly to get the kinks out of our motions. By the time I'm throwing for the scouts all of the mechanics will be thrown out the window in favor or raw speed. Lary notes that power is going to be more impressive than accuracy - this is good news for me. Doug throws some forks and will look to counter his not-awesome fastball with a Steve Sparks-like baffler.

"One thirty one, one thirty two, one thirty three"

Holy shit. Fortunately I'm positioned in the middle of the pen (the right side of the three practice mounds) and anything I throw wild to the right or to the left isn't going to hurt anyone. Unfortunately the fence is only about 8 feet high - which is going to haunt me very shortly. I position myself on the grass in front of the mound and six-seam a couple sissy throws in - mechanics are gone: I need not embarass myself in front of the good kids.

Once I've gained confidence in my junk three-quarters release point I decide it's time to begin the whip process. I'm on the mound - whip one is coming up... Right over the fence! The catcher is confused - this hasn't happened yet. No one has thrown the ball clean over the fence. The kid who was released from the Cubs throws me a ball - he probably felt bad for me.

"Oh you see dat? He did it again!"

Alright so the first whip wasn't so good. I move off the mound and back on to the grass. The next throw I would say clocks in at about fifty - and it's caught. Good sign. Let's try that whip again.

Shit. Right over the fence. Actually that was more my response to the first one - the second one was kind of funny. One of the Spanish speaking athletes couldn't believe it (see quote above). Then I somehow get semi-serious and throw a few that are caught. Mercilessly it's time to move over to the guns. I'm about as ready as I'm going to be. Doug is called up to the practice mounds.

Todd Jones is near. People are watching. The gentlmen to my right is about forty and is screaming in pain on each pitch. It's really weird. The whip starts working - I throw six or seven fastballs before the dude running the tryout starts saying to move to our secondary pitches. I indicate like a big leaguer that a curve is coming (same as recieving communion with a downward motion). Curveball one: way left. Curveball two: in the dirt. Curveball three: maybe in the strike zone. I move back to my fastball. The whip is going okay - the catcher is catching most of my tosses. The guy to my right is still giving birth on every pitch. I'm relaxed.

And we finish up. The leader wants four more pitches and for us to end with the fastball. I throw a couple of curves, one of which is in the dirt, and a couple of fastballs. My arm has had about enough and I feel decent about my speeds. I walk over to the catcher, and thank him for putting up with my throws. He seems relieved to be done with me - but indicates that he had a good time.

Doug Thomsen is now under my watch. And Todd Jones is standing about five feet behind. Doug didn't know he was there until he left. Doug starts his catcher off with some fastballs. And then he threw a bunch of forks: "yeah, a lot". And they were working - "as good as they had been since high school". And need I remind any readers about Doug's ten inning complete game? The scouts "seemed pleased" with the movement. He finished up with some fastballs and was relatively pumped and pleased afterwards.

We go over to the Sorensons - hugs and handshakes around. She lets us know that she "got great pictures" and should expect to see them in a week or so. We talk to a couple other pitchers, one who is taking a tour of all of the big league tryouts; say some goodbyes; nod to each other; and head back to the car.

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