Sderot Halomot
American players to try out for Israel Baseball League’s new ‘fields of dreams’

by Ron Kaplan
NJJN Staff Writer

Tryouts for American players hoping to sign with the Israel Baseball League, scheduled to launch in 2007, will be held beginning Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale, Mass.

Duquette, former general manager of the Boston Red Sox, serves as director of player development for the fledgling IBL.

League president Larry Baras recently returned from a trip to Israel, where he toured possible stadium sites and worked on drumming up investor interest. “This is a work in progress,” he said. “Where we had first thought the six teams would share three fields, it now seems we will have more options. Where we first thought we would own all the teams and sell them off after a few seasons, it now appears there may be good reasons to sell them at once to separate investors. All of this is very positive for our development.”

According to a release issued by the IBL, the tryouts are open to all interested players, regardless of age, sex, or experience. “However, it should be noted that it is the goal of the IBL to put teams on the field of the highest caliber possible. Many, if not all, of the players expected to play in the IBL will have had significant prior experience and success in organized collegiate or league play. Still, recognizing that for many this could constitute the fulfillment of a life’s dream, the IBL is opening the competition to all interested players.”

Baras believes prospective auditioners might range from former professionals to college students, from older players living out a fantasy to — who knows — rabbinical students with a dream.

Check-in at the academy begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20. Full days of workouts before Duquette and other player evaluators will take place on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 21 and 22. Check-out is late Tuesday afternoon.

Included in the tryouts are two nights of accommodations at the complex, six kosher meals, the use of the facilities, and the services of all the instructional staff.

Each player will receive two documents upon the completion of the tryouts: a certificate, similar to a diploma, attesting to the fact that the player attended the historic first tryout of the Israel Baseball League, signed by Duquette and Kurtzer, and a formal player scouting report prepared by Duquette and his staff.