I TRIED OUT For The Oakland Ballers

Just days after the Oakland Athletics move to Sacramento was announced, the @OaklandBallers held their scheduled try outs.

After a grueling and emotional few days, for the Ballers to give me a chance to “try out” and just enjoy baseball again in its purest form, was much-needed medicine.

The try outs took place on a beautiful Oakland day at Laney College. 92 players tried out and 3 people actually made the team! But not me.

The Ballers season begins on May 21st, and their Home Opener at Raimondi Park will be on June 4th. The Ballers are a brand new Pioneer League team started by two friends from Oakland, Bryan Carmel and Paul Freedman, who couldn’t stomach the potential loss of pro baseball in Oakland.

Stay up to date with the Baseball Stadium Saga on X!
https://X.com/CaseyPrattABC7

Thumbnail art by: @TattooingWithBen

I’m here in the Dugout Laney College I’m
going to try out for the Oakland Ballers
my experience level is low my confidence
irrationally high it’s a dream we all
had dreams of this and what you can do
best is give effort and be yourself
hello everybody out there in the Bay
Area I’m here with Casey Pratt you might
recognize him from ABC 7 News we at the
Ballers tryouts here today at Laney
College and uh I guess Casey you’re
going to be trying out give me a little
bit history of your your baseball
playing days and knowledge yeah so I I
haven’t played baseball since Little
League throwing strength weak running
speed
slow bat speed it’s kind of not what
we’re looking
[Music]
for okay well you know you’re going to
get your chance we’re going to uh we’re
going to start these guys we’re going to
run a 60- yard dash
okay I think you were actually about to
hit a burst to speed I think the Hat
distracted you if I were you I ask for a
redo I’m not sure I can run 60 yards
again are you sure you’re tall enough to
play first space
no there you go there you
go get there nice R here with my
daughter Harper she’s watching me try
out Harper how have you assessed my
performance so far um you did a good job
except they threw it to you you had to
get it from the ground got get in front
case that first one it went too far I
totally missed that one didn’t I yes
does it look like I know what I’m doing
at all out there uh yeah except you were
like compared to the other people who
were running before you you were very
slower oh slower yeah all right I’m
about to hit so I’m hopeful that I can
make contact I heard the balls coming in
at about 90 M hour if they threw me 10
balls how many do you think I’ll
actually hit um
five five that’s actually pretty good
I’m not sure I’m going to get
[Music]
five how fast were these baseball’s
going to be coming in on the pitching
machine uh it’s supposed to be like 90
like like 90 like 90 because we’re
having it set up in front of the
pitching
[Music]
M yeah we got the machine set up at a 90
to 95 M our fast ball so uh think that
you could uh knock it down to 45 for me
just don’t tell anybody uh I might put
just make sure
yeah there it is maybe you’re a switch
hitter you don’t even know it I might
find that out today because you’re such
a good coach right you’re going to teach
me all this we’ll coach
you I know you had some harsh things to
say about me on television when Casey
Pratt our ABC7 News sports anchor and
producer extraordinary do you think he
can make the cut be honest guys I he’s
not gonna make it he’s not gonna make it
but after seeing me in the cage for real
what did you think honestly honestly I
was
impressed I obviously think I deserve a
spot on the roster but but what do you
think of that so if
we had a spot for you I always say a
good thing with the word if if if was a
fifth we’d all be drunk I like that if
any body pulls a hammy you got my number
I’m ready to get in the cage I’m ready
to I’m ready to take the field again we
will keep you uh we’ll get a hold of you
if we need you how about how about that
don’t don’t bug us we’ll bug you so
overall a productive day I didn’t make
the team but I didn’t get injured too
bad I only got hit by one baseball right
in the thigh but I did Crush some nice
balls in the BP session fielded some
grounders ran a 6r dash and most
importantly I didn’t tear a hamstring so
all in all very successful day at open
BGE TRS this is the best day since we
started the team because it feels real
just to see players out here wearing our
our uniform is pretty cool it’s a
beautiful day in Oakland uh we got a lot
of players out here and it’s you know
it’s starting to feel real the
excitement is starting to build signing
bonus you’re looking for some money uh
what what’s uh social media what’s uh
what’s your take yeah I’m just here for
clout JT that’s it just clout
man
oh