It worked for him in the past.

Who knows? Maybe there’s a 6-foot-4, left-handed pitcher who throws 90 mph roaming around the University of Tennessee campus.

First-year baseball coach Todd Raleigh plans on finding out with upcoming tryouts open to all UT students.

“I’m a firm believer that if you attend this university you should have an opportunity to participate whether you were recruited or not,” Raleigh said on Friday. “It’s the least we can do. These guys are Volunteers, right?

“I don’t know if one is going to make it, or five, or none, but every year I’m here we’ll have open tryouts for kids.”

The open walk-on tryouts are scheduled for Sept. 13-14 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium at 4 p.m.

Raleigh has no idea what to expect, but he knows it’s an opportunity that has paid off in the recent past.

All he has to do is think about Greg Holland, a former pitcher he had during his previous stint at Western Carolina University.

“I found him in tryouts and he got drafted in the 10th round (by the Kansas City Royals) this year,” Raleigh said. “I had never heard of him, never heard his name and didn’t know anything about him, but he showed up and played.”

Even if participants don’t make the team, Raleigh hopes the workouts will have other benefits.

“I think even if they don’t make it, we’ll make some fans because they’ll have a better appreciation of what our guys go through,” he said. “I don’t just try them out. I work them pretty hard.”

Anyone interested in participating in the tryouts needs to know they first have to meet certain criteria:

n They must be registered for at least 12 credit hours for the fall semester at UT.

n They must be an NCAA qualifier. They can visit www.NCAAclearinghouse.net to see if they are qualified. Getting clearance can sometimes take two weeks or longer and they must be cleared to take part in the tryouts.

n They must stop by the baseball office in Stokely Athletics Center at least one week before tryouts begin to complete appropriate paperwork.

UT officially begins fall practice Sept. 16.

Raleigh will get his first real look at freshmen Kentrail Davis (outfielder), Blake Forsythe (catcher), Dylan Hochevar (pitcher), Josh Liles (outfielder), P.J. Polk (outfielder) and Tanner Moore (third baseman). He’ll also be counting on some quick contributions from transfers and junior college additions: Steve Crnkovich (pitcher), Cody Grisham (infielder), Matt Hamaker (catcher), D.J. Leffler (pitcher) and Joey Rosas (pitcher).

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.