Home |
News |
Opinion |
Sports |
Features |
Columns & Blogs |
Photography |
Milestones |
Classifieds |
Special Sections |
Obituaries |
Archive |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
05/17/2006
None signed, but dreams live on60 players vie for spot with Bums
Traverse City Beach Bums manager Jeff Isom, center, and vice-president Jason Wuerfel, left, critique participants of Tuesday’s open tryouts. TRAVERSE CITY — For many of them, the dream lives on. It just won't happen in Traverse City. The Traverse City Beach Bums independent league baseball team held an open tryout Tuesday at Wuerfel Park, and nearly 60 former college and high school players showed up, some coming from as far away as Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nebraska and Iowa. Several had professional experience. Many were college standouts. But in the end, they all went home without a contract. "We'll keep information on three or four guys," said Bums manager Jeff Isom, whose team opens its inaugural season one week from today. "You never know. We may have an injury, then a spot will open up." The tryout began at 9 a.m. and continued past 5 p.m. After a morning session in which players were timed in the 60-yard dash and were evaluated on arm strength and hitting ability, the field of prospects was cut to 29 for a scrimmage against the 29 Beach Bums already in camp. The game was a one-sided affair in favor of the Bums, but it lasted 16 or 17 innings — "I lost track after awhile," Isom said — in order to give every pitcher at least one inning of work. The scrimmage was beneficial for both sides, Isom said. "Our guys got to play in a game situation and the prospects got a chance to show us what they've got," Isom said. "They've been to other tryouts, so they know they haven't been given the extensive look that we gave them today. "Some of them got five or six at-bats. We gave them a fair opportunity, and that's all you can ask for at a tryout." 
Traverse City Beach Bums manager Jeff Isom, foreground, addresses attendees of Tuesday morning's open tryouts. About 50 players showed off their skills in hopes of making the team. For the full story, scroll down to our Sports section. Isom was pleased with the way his current roster performed. Left fielder Mike Reese was impressive at the plate, slugging the first home run at Wuerfel Park — a shot that easily cleared the left field fence — and following with a double that bounced off the fence in straightaway center, 400 feet away. Shortstop Justin Holmes was a defensive standout, making a diving stop deep in the hole and gathering himself to nail the runner. And the pitching was solid — overpowering at times. "I told our players before the game, 'These guys travelled from afar to take your job. Be better than them,' " Isom said. "And I told the prospects, 'You can't just be as good as the guys we already have. You have to be better.' " In Isom's estimation, none of them were. But he was impressed just the same. "This is the sixth or seventh open tryout I've done, and by far this one had the most talent," Isom said. "There were some very good ballplayers out there, and the majority of them were from Michigan. I wasn't expecting the quality that we had here." That made it all the more difficult to deliver the bad news at the end of the day, Isom said. "We're one of the last tryouts (in professional baseball)," Isom said. "For some of them, this was their last go around." For others, it's only the beginning.
|
|
