Former MLB Players at Rocklin High School Crab Feed

Rocklin, CA, January 8th, 2013:  13 year MLB Veteran, and former San Francisco Giant,  Rich Rodriguez and 2x All-Star, former Detroit Tiger, Dmitri Young announced today that they will be making a surprise appearance at  the 12th Annual Rocklin High School Baseball Crab Feed to show their support for local  baseball in the Rocklin community. Rocklin High School's Annual Crab Feed supports Thunder Baseball and will be held Saturday, January 12th, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the Rocklin Event Center located at 2650 Sunset Blvd. Rodriguez and Young will be in the area to evaluate and meet with local representatives about bringing their Elite Nine Major League Camps & Clinics to the Rocklin/Lincoln area this Spring 2013.

Former MLB relief pitcher, Rich Rodriguez and his company "Elite Nine"  travel throughout California hosting baseball camps hiring retired MLB players as instructors. Rodriguez is planning an Elite Nine camp in the Rocklin/Lincoln  area this Spring along with Dmitri Young.  Rodriguez started Elite Nine last year with a purpose- to employ and empower retired Major League Baseball players after their professional careers have ended.  Rodriguez says, "Hosting baseball camps are a win-win for former players and the kids. The youngsters learn pitching and hitting, while the former MLB baseball players take away a sense of purpose." Elite Nine was created to transition former athletes into a secondary career.  "Baseball players strive to make it to the big leagues their entire life, and then you get there. After retirement, you have to go back "into the real world," and start the journey all over again," said Rodriguez, 49.  At the end of every Elite Nine camp, former MLB players get a paycheck doing what they love most.

Rodriguez and Young recently hosted an Elite Nine Winter Baseball Camp outside Los Angeles, CA where over 100 kids, ages 7-13 came out to learn baseball skills directly from former Major Leaguers. Young's non-profit, the Dmitri D. Young Foundation, brought out former and current players like 2003 #1 draft pick and American League Championship Series, MVP, Delmon Young of the Detroit Tigers, newly-signed Chicago Cub, Edwin Jackson, top prospect, Christian Yelich and former LA Dodger, Jeff Weaver, who posed for pictures, signed autographs and met parents. Athletic company, Bownet donated equipment, nets and tents to the Elite Nine Baseball Camp.  "I want to bring it all back to the communities," Young said when asked why he is part of Elite Nine. "I want to teach kids about baseball and life characteristics that they can carry anywhere they want to go." In addition to instructing at Elite Nine Camps, 39-year-old Dmitri Young offers a "Switch Hitting University" at a facility in Los Angeles, runs a nonprofit athletic foundation and is working to become a motivational speaker.

Rodriguez and Young look forward to bringing the same excitement and passion for the game to the Rocklin/Lincoln area and has baseball camps scheduled throughout California in 2013.