Yardbirds name mascot, prepare for public tryout on April 15 - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
Yardbirds name mascot, prepare for public tryout on April 15
ADELANTO — While it may be time for professional baseball teams to begin play this week, the High Desert Yardbirds won’t take the field for their inaugural season until May.As the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds staff prepares Adelanto Stadium for baseball, tickets for Yardbird games are already on sale, with the organization hosting a public player “Tryout Camp” next week.Fair Events Director Jennifer Monter also told the Daily Press the Yardbirds’ mascot has been officially dubbed “Rowdy” as a result of a contest to name the angry looking fowl.“We’re 55 days away from the Pecos League playing ball in California and everyone is excited,” said Andrew Dunn, the Yardbirds' owner and league commissioner. “Our first action on the field will be our public 'Tryout Camp' next week and we have a spring training game at home on May 19.”A Pacific Division team, the Yardbirds will open their nearly two-month regular season with a 12-game road trip beginning May 25. The Yardbirds will play the California City Whiptails, the Bakersfield Train Robbers and the Tucson Saguaros before beginning their first homestand on June 6 with the Monterey Amberjacks, Hollywood Stars, Whiptails and Train Robbers.The league champion will be decided between the winner of the Pacific Division and winner of the Mountain Division.Regarding the late start of opening day for the 64-game season, Dunn said the league met with lackluster results when it tried to start the season in early May.“We used to start on May 5th, but it was tough,” Dunn said. “Besides opening day, people don’t usually get into attending baseball games until we get closer to summer — that’s why opening day for the Yardbirds is set for May 25th.”The Yardbirds and California City Whiptails will host the joint public tryout at 3 p.m. April 15 at Adelanto Stadium. The tryout is open to anyone between the ages of 18-25 who is not currently signed with a Major League Baseball organization.“We usually don’t have public tryouts, but we scheduled this one because we’re an expansion team,” Dunn told the Daily Press. “We might even sign a couple of players from the tryout and invite them to spring training.”Four “types of guys” are expected to try out for the league, including “serious players” released from an affiliate club, college players with no professional experience, people who played in high school who “want a shot at playing professional ball,” and those who “try out for fun,” Dunn said.The cost for the tryout is $65 per player and pre-registration is required. For general and registration information, visit www.highdesertyardbirds.com.Dunn said the Yardbirds' player roster is a work in progress and will be updated the first week in May. The team’s website lists four roster players, including first baseman Leurys Vargas, who played in the Dominican Republic, Anthony Hawkins, who played in Japan, second baseman Nick Stoll and outfielder Patrick Jones.Jack Humphrey has been named the Yardbirds' field manager. A native of Oakland, Humphrey spent the 2014 season as an assistant with the Trinidad Triggers.“There’s a lot of work involved in running the Pecos League, but every team is in good hands in both divisions,” Dunn said. “Fans in California and the High Desert are in for some great baseball.”Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
Yardbirds name mascot, prepare for public tryout on April 15 - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
Yardbirds name mascot, prepare for public tryout on April 15
ADELANTO — While it may be time for professional baseball teams to begin play this week, the High Desert Yardbirds won’t take the field for their inaugural season until May.As the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds staff prepares Adelanto Stadium for baseball, tickets for Yardbird games are already on sale, with the organization hosting a public player “Tryout Camp” next week.Fair Events Director Jennifer Monter also told the Daily Press the Yardbirds’ mascot has been officially dubbed “Rowdy” as a result of a contest to name the angry looking fowl.“We’re 55 days away from the Pecos League playing ball in California and everyone is excited,” said Andrew Dunn, the Yardbirds' owner and league commissioner. “Our first action on the field will be our public 'Tryout Camp' next week and we have a spring training game at home on May 19.”A Pacific Division team, the Yardbirds will open their nearly two-month regular season with a 12-game road trip beginning May 25. The Yardbirds will play the California City Whiptails, the Bakersfield Train Robbers and the Tucson Saguaros before beginning their first homestand on June 6 with the Monterey Amberjacks, Hollywood Stars, Whiptails and Train Robbers.The league champion will be decided between the winner of the Pacific Division and winner of the Mountain Division.Regarding the late start of opening day for the 64-game season, Dunn said the league met with lackluster results when it tried to start the season in early May.“We used to start on May 5th, but it was tough,” Dunn said. “Besides opening day, people don’t usually get into attending baseball games 
until we get closer to summer — that’s why opening day for the Yardbirds is set for May 25th.”The Yardbirds and California City Whiptails will host the joint public tryout at 3 p.m. April 15 at Adelanto Stadium. The tryout is open to anyone between the ages of 18-25 who is not currently signed with a Major League Baseball organization.“We usually don’t have public tryouts, but we scheduled this one because we’re an expansion team,” Dunn told the Daily Press. “We might even sign a couple of players from the tryout and invite them to spring training.”Four “types of guys” are expected to try out for the league, including “serious players” released from an affiliate club, college players with no professional experience, people who played in high school who “want a shot at playing professional ball,” and those who “try out for fun,” Dunn said.The cost for the tryout is $65 per player and pre-registration is required. For general and registration information, visit www.highdesertyardbirds.com.Dunn said the Yardbirds' player roster is a work in progress and will be updated the first week in May. The team’s website lists four roster players, including first baseman Leurys Vargas, who played in the Dominican Republic, Anthony Hawkins, who played in Japan, second baseman Nick Stoll and outfielder Patrick Jones.Jack Humphrey has been named the Yardbirds' field manager. A native of Oakland, Humphrey spent the 2014 season as an assistant with the Trinidad Triggers.“There’s a lot of work involved in running the Pecos League, but every team is in good hands in both divisions,” Dunn said. “Fans in California and the High Desert are in for some great baseball.”Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.