Back in 1997 I attended an independent leagues pro baseball tryout for the Waterbury Spirit. It played in a league known as the Northeast League and was one of the teams that was a part of the temporary “merger” between the Northeast League and the Northern League in the late 1990’s. The teams from that time either folded or merged with others, but one which remains is the New Jersey Jackals (now of the Can-Am League). The tryout took place in May 1997, roughly a month before the season started.
I was just one of two catchers who showed up at the tryout. The other was a guy who recently was cut from the single-A level team of a MLB organization (at least that is what he said!); but his attitude hurt him. Maybe that is one of the reasons why he was released!
The Spirit already had three catchers scheduled to go into spring training, and they only were looking for extra pitchers and a backup outfielder at the tryout. The remaining position players were there only to get evaluated should there be an injury or otherwise have an open spot long after the season started. Discovering that they were not looking for catchers, the guy made a huge scene and left. He truly thought that his being a part of a Major League organization (for however a little amount of time) automatically granted him a spring training invitation. The fact that he would be catching a former Major League pitcher who won 17 games one season (Dave Fleming) or a pitcher who had a sub-3.00 ERA as a relief pitcher for the Montreal Expos (Doug Piatt) meant nothing to him.
His ranting and raving caused a scene, so he was asked to pick up his gear and leave the tryout. I made the team as the bullpen catcher after that tryout which, for most guys, is a position they would never consider because of the lack of glory and the high risk of injury. Nonetheless, I was crazy enough (!) to accept the position and learn more about the game. I found out that not only did the other catcher at the tryout not make the team, but it is likely that word spread quickly about his attitude around the league as he may have acted similarly at another tryout for an independent baseball league elsewhere in the country at the time.
While this may be a rather extreme example, you would be shocked at the bad attitudes many players have when they come to a professional baseball tryout, either for an independent league/team or an affiliated Minor League baseball tryout. Worse, some players come in with bad attitudes at tryouts run by the Major League Scouting Bureau (MLSB). The evaluators of talent at those tryouts have the respect of front offices across all of Major League Baseball and MiLB, so a player with a bad attitude can gain a bad reputation across pro baseball rather quickly!
If you are not sure how to act at any professional baseball tryout (independent or Minor League) then play it smart. Dress like a professional, show up on time, be respectful, hustle everywhere, listen to the guidance that these evaluators give you even if it goes against what your college coach tells you, and bring your own gear plus food and water. Whatever you do, don’t be like that catcher back in Waterbury in 1997. He never showed up again in the stats anywhere despite the fact that his arm was decent and appeared to receive pitches pretty well.
Remember that pro teams have lots of talent from which to choose, so they are not forced to accept guys with bad attitudes. Also remember that once you make an independent league baseball team, let alone a team in the MiLB system, there are no scholarships. The team (or even the league) can release you, fine you, suspend you or sit on your rights so that you have difficulty playing elsewhere. Start off on the right track whenever you go to a pro baseball tryout and show the team and league officials that you truly believe that you are professional enough to respect the game, the staff, and properly represent the team around town.