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| Last Updated ( Friday, 20 August 2010 15:22 ) |
Tuesday, 07 September 2010
AREA CODE GAMES
- Date: August 5 - 10, 2010
- Location: Long Beach, Calif.
- Who Can Attend: In order to attend the Area Code Baseball Games & Area Code Baseball Tryouts, players must be invited.
When this year's eight Area Code teams -- with rosters that include players from around the nation -- take the field in Long Beach, Calif., in August it will mark the 24th year of the Area Code Games. What started out in 1985 as medium regional event in Lodi, Calif., has grown into one of the highest regarded high school talent tournaments in the country.
The founder of the Area Code Games was Bob Williams. The Northern California native collaborated with the Northern California Major League Scouts to put together the best high school underclassman players from geographical areas based on telephone area codes. The premise was to have the top players compete against each other using wood bats and dress in the respective Area Code Teams Major League uniform. This has changed, with the players wearing Area Code Baseball uniforms and the hats of their respective MLB teams.
This process has proven to be a winning formula for high school talent identification and evaluation. The Area Code Games have produced more than 300 major league players -- a statistic that continues to grow.
The main ingredient of Area Code's success is the player selection process. In an era of high school showcases across the country that charge players a substantial fee to play in the event regardless of ability, the Area Code players, conversely, are not charged to play in the games or even to try out. In fact, all tryouts are by invitation only and in the majority of cases, players have to be nominated by a major league scout to be considered for an invitation.
With these stringent requirements to participate in the Area Code Games the level of talent that is assembled each year is staggering. Every major league team is represented at the event, with some teams having as many as 12 scouts from their organization in attendance. In addition, college coaches are allowed to attend the games.
The uniqueness of the Area Code Games separates from anything that is available to the premier high school player. In 2002 Student Sports Inc., the foremost authority in national high school sports, acquired Area Code Baseball. In the years that Student Sports has owned the Area Code Games, the percentage of Area Code players selected in the MLB Draft have reached new peaks.
In July 2008, ESPN took over the Area Code Games.
THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR AREA CODES 
The selection process for the Area Code Baseball Games should not overwhelm anyone. The process begins with an invitation to a tryout and invitations are sent based upon recommendations made to those MLB scouts in charge of one of the eight teams. The process to make it on an Area Code Baseball roster is difficult, but it is a rewarding experience. There are approximately 3,000 invitations mailed out each year, and a total of approximately 200 players are selected.
For the 2010 Area Code Baseball Games, the MLB teams putting the Area Code Baseball teams together are the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees.
There are three events that fall under the Area Code Baseball umbrella.
Pre-Area Code Tryout – Red Wing, Minnesota - - - JUNE 18th, 2010
The Chicago White Sox have a Pre-Area Code tryout to identify the top players in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.
This year, The Pre-Area Code tryouts will be at the Athletic Field “The Ath” in Red Wing, Minnesota. Considered one of the top venues in the state, Red Wing has played host to several amateur state tournament as well as high school regional and play-off games. They also served as the host to the 2009 Pre-Area Code Tryouts.
Players must have a scout invite to attend the tryout in Red Wing. The Midwest Baseball Showcase being held at the Metrodome on June 15th, 2010 and is an event where players will be scouted and receive invites for the Pre-Area Code event in Red Wing.
You can sign up for the Midwest Baseball Showcase on www.minnesotabaseballacademy.com
The Area Code Baseball Tryouts – Elgin Community College, Illinois - - - June 28th/29th A player must be invited to a tryout. An invitation to a tryout is based on recommendations from scouts. Depending on the numbers at the tryouts, players may be cut during the day. The rosters are usually announced a couple of weeks after the final team tryout. Rosters vary in size between 25-30 players per team. Like the Area Code Baseball Games, the Area Code Baseball Tryouts are free to the players. The only costs involved are those incurred in traveling to the tryout.
Area Code Baseball Games: A spot on any of the teams is based on the performance of the athlete at an Area Code Tryout. The scouts conducting the tryouts will assess the player and be the sole decision makers for the roster. The team selection is made after each of the final tryouts. The 2009 Area Code Baseball Games will be held August 5-10 at Blair Field in Long Beach, California. Each team will play five games over the six days. Tryout dates and locations will be announced over the coming months on the Area Code Baseball Page.
Past Minnesota Baseball Academy and Blizzard members who have attended Area Codes are:
Brad Hand (Florida Marlins), Jake Esch (Georgia Tech), Loe Loftus (Vanderbilt), Pat Kelly (current Blizzard member) and Ryan Reese (current Blizzard member)
Blair Field sits is located at 4700 Deukmejian Dr. in Long Beach, Calif The stadium is located in Recreation Park and is one of the few semi-professional baseball facilities in California. Built in 1958 the stadium has hosted a slew of events. Currently, Blair Field serves as the home for the Long Beach State 49er baseball team as well as the Long Beach Armada, a member of the Golden Baseball League.
Directions to Blair Field 
FROM LAX:
I-105 E toward Norwalk
Merge onto I-405 S toward Long Beach
Exit on S Lakewood BlvdEnter roundabout and exit onto Pacific Coast Hwy S
Turn Right on Ximeno
Left on 10th Street
FROM LONG BEACH AIRPORT:
Start South on Lakewood Blvd Enter roundabout and exit onto Pacific Coast Hwy S Turn Right on Ximeno Left on 10th Street
FROM ORANGE COUNTY/JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT:
Merge onto I-405 N Exit on S Lakewood Blvd Enter roundabout and exit onto Pacific Coast Hwy S Turn Right on Ximeno Left on 10th Street