TAMPA, FL – Did You know that the Empire Professional Baseball League Spring Training Camp and Independent Pro Baseball Showcase reaches its full capacity of player attendees every year?

And did you know that nearly 70% of attendees get signed to play??

That means that to not make it you must perform very badly, or not perform at All!!!

Did you also know?? That out of the guys signed, nearly 46% of them get moved up to Leagues like the Atlantic League, American Association, CanAm League or even affiliated organizations.

We are excited for this coming camp with all the great talent attending it!

If you have not received your camp acceptance now is the final chance to do so.

GET Accepted Now and book your housing, all inclusive meals and a week of great baseball opportunity for half the cost of your traditional one or two day Camp!

ONLY 11 spots available to fill up the 2018 Camp.To get accepted CLICK HERE.

TAMPA, FL – The biggest problem today with ball players and actual free agent prospects looking for a chance to play pro ball, is the lack of understanding and knowledge of the current industry standards and its process.

Many players who can’t even get contracts with their own talent are too entitled. They want to pursue a baseball dream without sacrificing or investing in themselves. They don’t establish goals.  Many players want red carpet treatment, free flights, free hotels, and a guaranteed contract.

But News flash!! It doesn’t work that way.

While many players still believe that their very own judgment of their own skills should be good enough to earn them a professional contract, the fact is, this is not the case.
Even Major League Baseball requires the participation of several tryouts and showcases for prospects before being selected or signed.

What players seem to not understand in today’s generation is that the Independent Pro Federation Leagues such as the Atlantic, American Association, Can/Am and Frontier League, which are all great high level leagues, primarily fill the majority of all rosters with released MiLB or MLB affiliated players.
This means that there is very little if no room at all for very talented players with no pro experience or out of college prospects looking for a chance to get a contract.

These franchises are in the business of providing high level Sports entertainment, and winning championships. They are not in the business of developing ball players into professionals since winning is a priority, and jobs are on the line daily. They are not in it for helping young up and coming players take a step forward into their Professional careers.

These leagues are in existence thanks to great investing owners with intentions of operating successful events and profiting from them through advertising and ticket sales like all sports owners do.

So the question to understand is, WHY?
Why would a player with no high ranked pro experience attend a High level tryout, pay $75-$100 dollars, fly round trip and spend $500 on Airfare, get 2-3 Hotel nights and spend over a grand over the weekend to take 6 swings in a cage make 3 throws and be told “thank you for coming but not interested in you at this time”. Why?

The player does it emotionally.

They have the right to dream of playing in a high level league, even if they do not have a shot, and in many cases they feel that’s their only way.

The truth is that today, times have changed and so have industry demands. Players have very affordable options that provide the great service of developing them into Professionals and giving them the tools and opportunity to help advance their careers.

The best advice that can be given to a player is to always pursue the dream for as long as possible.

But do it with knowledge and understanding.

Get to know the industry, and its demands. A player must know that a program, league, or organization that bans a player for attempting to pursue an opportunity in other programs is clearly not about the well being of the player.

Work hard, establish goals, pursue the dream, and PLAY BALL!!

• Do not chase dreams emotionally, but rather plan goals intentionally!
• Get lost in the love of what you get to do.
• Focus on making others better around you.
• See it as an opportunity and create yourself.
• Take ownership of your on and off field product, YOU.
• Be Persistently Pro-Active. – Give to your community.
• Be Consistent.
• Get around those who look out for your best interest as a person and player.
• Be a part of a positive support team.

TAMPA, FL – The Empire League has announced the manager of the Delaware Bucks will be former Empire League reliever Ernesto Punales.

Punales, will enter the 2018 season as a first year manager for the new 2nd franchise season of Bucks Baseball. Punales was a relief pitcher and closer for the Puerto Rico Islanders where he also served as the pitching captain. His experience and knowledge in the industry of baseball is superior and the Empire League feels that Punales will be a great asset to not only the league but to the Pitchers he will get to work with.

” He’s one of our youngest managers but he has a mindset of an experienced one. I think he will be a phenomenal manager and has goals to achieve that we in the Empire League look for in a manager.” VP Jerry Gonzalez

Punales will face the team he played for in 2017 in the Puerto Rico Islanders during the first series of 2018. So it will be very interesting to see how he will play out to start of the season.

Article by Empire Media

TAMPA, FL – The Empire League has announced that Selwyn Young will be the new manager for the 2017 Empire League Champions, The Plattsburgh RedBirds.

Young hails from Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Belmont High School, where he was a three-sport varsity letterman. He was named “All City” shortstop his senior season as well as being an All-League defensive back in football. School honors included being named Belmont’s “Athlete of the Year” in 1976. After high school, Young played for the 1977 Los Angeles City College Cubs at shortstop. A 30-game hitting streak that year helped him earn a full scholarship to Pepperdine University in Malibu. In 1980, he set the single season record for stolen base percentage at .952 with 20 out of 21 stolen bases. That team was inducted into Pepperdine’s prestigious Hall of Fame in 1999. The 1979 Waves were the first Pepperdine team to win a berth in the NCAA College World Series.

Young played professional baseball 10 years beginning with the Oakland A’s organization in 1981, where he was a part of three consecutive Minor League Championships. He also played with the Baltimore Orioles, the Mexican Major Leagues, and several independent leagues before hanging up his glove in 1995 while under a MLB contract with the Seattle Mariners. He was also a part-time scout for the Cincinnati Reds, and the Seattle Mariners.

Young coached professionally, managing the Yuma Desert Dawgs in the Golden State Professional Baseball League. He served as the hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners Area Code team for three seasons, and managed the Mariner Scout team for five seasons. He also coached the local RBI Scout Team for two seasons. For six years he served as the hitting and base running coach for the Santa Barbara Foresters’ summer team. Under Young’s guidance, the Foresters set the National stolen base record with 257 steals in 2001. In 2003, the Foresters won the National Baseball Congress, American National Championship, held in Wichita, Kansas.

Young has over 15 years of collegiate coaching prior to Benedict College at Compton College, Antelope Valley College, Santa Barbara City College, Oxnard College, Ventura College, and Los Angeles City College.

Baseball is a family affair for Young. His father, Fate Young, was a professional baseball scout for over 35 years. His younger brother, Delwyn, was selected in the second round by the Cincinnati Reds and played for 13 seasons. His nephew, Delwyn Jr., has been in professional baseball eight years and is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. His son, Selwyn Brandon Young, just completed his college career playing for his father for two seasons at Benedict College. Just recently, Selwyn Jr., signed a professional baseball contract with the Newark Bears in the Canam Baseball League keeping the Young family tradition going in professional baseball.

Young has 10 former players playing at the Major League level today. Including pitcher Matt Garza (Cubs), Dana Eveland (Dodgers), Coco Crisp (A’s), Jason Kubel (Twins), Kevin Frandsen (Phillies), Kevin Millar, Brett Hayes (Marlins), Delwyn Young (Phillies),Chris Petite (Angels) and former Red Sox James Lofton and former MLB World Series champ with the Red Sox and current host of MLB’s Intentional Talk.

Young also represented former A’s first round pick Richie Robnett in the 2005 MLB Annual June Draft and negotiated a multi-million dollar contract for Robnett under Young’s former Sports Agency, Sly Sports Management.

“Just look at the guys resume, it speaks for itself. He can develop players and fulfill the duties of an Empire League Manager with no problem” VP Jerry Gonzalez

Article by Empire Media