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Pacific Association Releases 2017 Tryout Information

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2017 PACIFIC ASSOCIATION TRYOUT DATES ANNOUNCED

League to host open tryouts April 8, 2017, at Pittsburg’s Winter Chevrolet Stadium

PITTSBURG, Calif. (February 14, 2017) – The Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs will host its annual tryout camp for all baseball players interested in playing at the professional level April 8, at Winters Chevrolet Stadium (formerly City Park #1) in Pittsburg, Calif. The camp will feature a half-day skills assessment followed by a round-robin scrimmage.

Representatives from each of the Pacific Association teams will evaluate the players, then conduct a draft after the tryout camp.

This tryout is for professional-level college seniors or players with prior professional experience looking to play pro baseball in Northern California.

Since 2014, these tryouts have resulted directly in more than 50 players signing professional contracts and over 30 players have moved up from the Pacific Association to higher affiliated and independent leagues.

During the 2016 season three Pacific Association players were acquired by Major League Baseball organizations (Max Beatty, Chicago White Sox, Santos Saldivar, Milwaukee Brewers and Tim Holmes, New York Yankees). A fourth Pacific Association Alum (Dylan Stoops, 2015) was signed by the San Diego Padres after a promotion to the Frontier League.

Since 2015, the Pacific Association has promoted more than 30 players to higher independent and affiliated ball clubs. The league has also garnered national recognition for its progressive and inclusive initiatives. The league has been highlighted on HBO’s Real Sports, chronicled in the New York Times Best Selling Book, The Only Rule Is It Has to Work, featured in the Wall Street Journal, received regular coverage from the MLB Network as well as many other national outlets.

Player registration fee is $125 in advance and $150 at the tryout. In the event of inclement weather the tryout will be continued Sunday April 9.

To register, or for more information go to diamondsproball.com or call 925-260-4764

Independent Ball

USPBL Unveils (Pre)Historic Fourth Team

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Indy Ball Island has been a proud supporter of the United Shore Professional Baseball League since their inception. After an amazing first season, the league has announced that there will now be a fourth team playing at Jimmy John’s Field for the 2017 season.

Rochester, Mich. – January 4, 2017 – The United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL), metro-Detroit’s first independent professional baseball league, founded by Rochester, MI- based General Sports and Entertainment, today announced the name of the league’s highly anticipated fourth team – the Westside Woolly Mammoths. Core team colors are dark and light blue with red accents.  Alternate uniforms will also bring in orange and animal print designs that harken back to “The Flintstones” – all independent league unique and trendsetting.

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“There have been numerous Mastodons found in Michigan over the last 100 years, and I always thought “Mastodons” had great potential as a sports team name. “Woolly Mammoth” was better, although one had not been discovered here,” said Andy Appleby, USPBL founder and commissioner. “Then, in 2015, a mammoth, complete with huge tusks, was unearthed on a farm in Chelsea, Michigan and our inspiration was complete. In addition to being distinctive, the “Woolly Mammoths” name also allows for a whole host of fun marketing and merchandising opportunities. We are absolutely thrilled with the results.”

The Westside Woolly Mammoths will play the 2017 season at the state-of-the-art Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, MI along with the USPBL’s three original teams – the Utica Unicorns, the Eastside Diamond Hoppers, and the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers.  Shane McCatty, who served as Assistant Manager of the league champion Utica Unicorns in 2016, will manage the Westside Woolly Mammoths.  The USPBL’s 2017 Season begins on May 11, 2017 and runs through September 10, 2017, with games being played every Thursday through Sunday – perfect for families.

The USPBL was designed as a developmental finishing school for players seeking to make it to the Majors, and the 2016 season was an unqualified success, as 9 USPBL players were picked up by Major League organizations during the league’s first year of operation.  Tens of thousands of fans attending games at Jimmy John’s Field during the league’s inaugural season witnessed exceptional professional baseball, as they experienced a first-class ballpark, high-level of customer service, and affordable pricing that made it easy for an outstanding family night out. The USPBL also became an important new community asset, with more than 500 charities leveraging the USPBL and Jimmy John’s Field for various fundraising endeavors in 2016.

About United Shore Professional Baseball League 

Rochester, MI-based General Sports and Entertainment founded the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL), an independent professional baseball league, in Metro Detroit in 2015. The league plays in the new, state-of-the-art $16 million ballpark named Jimmy John’s Field located in downtown Utica, Mich.  The first of its kind for the region, the USPBL provides a fun and exciting family atmosphere while showcasing top baseball talent to fans of all ages. The inaugural season of the USPBL, which began on Memorial Day 2016, featured three teams—the Utica Unicorns, the Eastside Diamond Hoppers and the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers. The 2017 USPBL season will feature four teams with the addition of the Westside Woolly Mammoths, and the season will begin on May 11, 2017 and run through September 10, 2017.  Additional teams and ballparks will be added in future years.

2017 Tryout Information for the USPBL is also listed on our TRYOUTS page.