Category: Coaching
Type: Norm
1996 USA BASEBALL TEAM WALK-ON PROCEDURE
Below is the excerpt from page 6 of last month's USA Baseball News:
1996 USA Baseball Team Walk-on procedure
As part of the tryout, the staff will test players in basic skill areas (both defensive and offensive), as well as game-competition situations. Athletes able to meet the following skills criteria will have the best chance of advancing to the final level of the trials . Those athletes who cannot meet these criteria may be excluded after the first session of the tryouts. The following defensive skills are considered the minimal required for success at the initial tryout:
Pitchers
consistently throw at least 82 mph for a minimum of 10 pitches.
Catchers
throw from home plate to second base (glove to glove) in 2.0 seconds or better.
run 60 yard dash in 7.2 seconds or better.
Infielders
throw from deep shortstop to first base (glove to glove) in 2.2 seconds or better.
run 60 yard dash in 7.2 seconds or better.
Outfielders
Throw from 270 feet to home plate (glove to glove) in 3.0 seconds or better.
run 60 yard dash in 7.2 seconds or better.
The USA Baseball Team's General Manager is
Michael Fiore
USA Baseball,
2160 Greenwood Ave.,
Trenton, NJ 08609
Phone (609) 586-2381.
Registration for the tryouts is done thru him and must be completed by May 1.
My opinion is that these are the numbers that college sophomores and some freshman can produce to be among the elite at that age group. This group of players usually includes college JR's & seniors - for example Will Clark, Raphael Palmeiro and Jim Abbot played on this team during their college careers. The USA Baseball Team coach this year is Skip Bertman of Louisiana State University.
I have clocked high school catchers at under 2.0 seconds (glove to glove); so the criteria is not so far beyond average as to be unattainable.
Submitted by: Daryl E Mullins
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