Miners host open tryout

June 3, 2005

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Frontiersman sports editor

PALMER - Could the average player from the Mat-Su Valley, just out of high school, ever get the opportunity to participate in one of the highest levels of amateur baseball?

Ask Brian Ferry.

Ferry, a 2003 graduate of Palmer High School with little baseball experience outside of the prep level, had the chance to step into the batters box and face big-league caliber pitching, and play and practice alongside some of the best athletes in college baseball. All because he attended the Mat-Su Miners open tryout last summer, caught the attention of the Miners coaching staff and made the team.

Monday the Mat-Su coaches will be looking for a few more Brian Ferrys. For the second consecutive season, the Miners are hosting an open tryout. All local players with a desire to add to their amateur baseball careers are welcomed to attend and compete. Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher said, ideally, he would prefer college-aged players, with at least some college playing experience, but will not turn away players with just prep and American Legion experience.

Ferry did not fall into the category of players with college experience, but had the opportunity to see playing time early in the season as the college players on the Miners roster trickled into Palmer. He was the Miners' opening day leftfielder. Even though he didn't see much playing time late in the season, he stayed on with the team and earned an Alaska Baseball League championship ring.

"Brian Ferry showed me a lot last year," Christopher said. "He didn't play much, but he showed up every day ready to play. He helped us out in the beginning when we were shorthanded, and didn't get hardly any playing time the rest of the season. But he never complained.

"It's important to have someone like that."

The Mat-Su coaches run players through a series of drills during the tryout. Players are tested in the field, and in the batters box. Pitchers are tested on the mound.

For more information, contact Christopher at gmminers@gci.net.

Miners seeking

host families

The Mat-Su Miners are currently looking for families to host players for the 2005 season.

Host families are asked to provide room, board and transportation for the player during the season. In return, the families have the opportunity to interact with a college baseball players.

"Housing is one of the most important things," Christopher said. "If the players have a good experience, they are going to tell (people) about it."