Atlantic League 1,000 Hit Club Autographed Baseball

Here is a nice piece of Atlantic League memorabilia; an official baseball signed by all three members of the Atlantic League 1,000 Hit Club!

At TD Bank Ballpark on Friday, July 27, 2012, in the sixth inning of the first game of a doubleheader, Patriot 3^rd baseman Jeff Nettles singled to left-center off Southern Maryland pitcher Nick Green to become the first player in Atlantic League history to reach the 1,000-hit milestone.

Click here to watch the video.

Barely over one year later, on August 3, 2013, Long Island Duck Ray Navarrete hit a home run to left field off of York Revolution pitcher Michael Wuertz to become the second player in league history to join the 1,000 Hit Club.

Click here to watch the video:

On June 2, 2016, at Regency Furniture Stadium, Bryant Nelson became the third member of this hit club playing for Southern Maryland, driving a hit off Somerset pitcher Darin Gorski on his way to becoming the Atlantic League All-Time Hit King.
Click here to read the story:

Roger Clemens - Bridgeport Bluefish Guest Manager

Autographed 2016 Bridgeport Bluefish Dot Generation Team Set

On August 5^th, 2016, seven-time Cy Young Award winner and 350-game-plus game winner Roger Clemens returned to the Atlantic League and served as guest manager for the Bridgeport Bluefish in a Friday night game against the Long Island Ducks.

The event gained national media attention from MLB.com, Yahoo Sports, CBS sports and other newspapers and newsroom across the nation as Clemens joined the list of previous high-profile sports names to serve as guest managers for the ‘Fish including Pete Rose, Paul O’Neill  and Jennie Finch.

It was Clemens second year being listed on an Atlantic League roster as he pitched two games for the 2012 Sugar Land Skeeters; being able to form a battery with his son Cody who was on the Skeeter roster as a catcher the that year.

On the evening of Clemens’ guest managerial appearance, the Long Island Ducks defeated the Bluefish 6-2.

Jeremy Barfield 2016 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2016 Sugar Land Skeeters Memorial Hermann Team Set

Attaining the AAA level with both the Oakland and Colorado organizations, Jeremy Barfield joined the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2016 and was instrumental in leading the franchise to their first Atlantic League Championship.

Son of former major leaguer Jesse Barfield, and brother of former major leaguer and Atlantic League veteran Josh Barfield, the younger Barfield hit .306 with a league-leading 27 home runs and 85 RBi’s in his 2016 Skeeter campaign.

In the Atlantic League Divisional and Championship Series, Barfield hit .308 contributing 1 HR and 6 runs scored helping the Skeeters sweep both postseason series (vs. York and Long Island) to earn the league championship.

For his season, Barfield was named the 2016 Atlantic League Player of the Year; the first Sugar Land player in history to be so honored.

Jonathan Albaladejo - 2016 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year

Autographed 2016 Bridgeport Bluefish Dot Generation Team Set 

Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2001 amateur draft, Jonathan Albaladejo spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. His best season came In 2009 with New York where the Puerto Rico native went 5-1 pitching in relief for a team that would eventually become World Champions.

After stints with Japanese and Mexican baseball leagues, Albaladejo was signed by the Bridgeport Bluefish in 2016, and the former relief pitcher quickly became one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the league. His 15-6 led the league in wins that season, as did his 172.2 IP, and his 164 strikeouts within a season set a new Atlantic League record breaking Nashua Pride’s Len Picota’s record of 161 set 15 years earlier.

Albaladejo was honored for his stellar season by being named the 2016 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year

2016 Atlantic League Champions Sugar Land Skeeters

2016 Sugar Land Skeeter Memorial Hermann Team Set

After making a late-August playoff run to secure the Freedom Division’s second-half title, the Sugar Land Skeeters swept through the York Revolution in three games punching their ticket to the 2016 Atlantic League Championship Series. A 10th-inning rally in game three against York’s premier closer Mike DeMark, who posted an ERA of 0.76 during the regular season, earned the Skeeters the Freedom Division title.

The Skeeter’s continued their perfect post season campaign by likewise sweeping the Long Island Ducks in three games by holding the Flock to only three earned runs in the series to claim their first-ever Atlantic League Championship in their five-year history.

9th-slot hitter, third baseman and September-roster addition, Juan Martinez, was chosen the MVP for the postseason compiling a .333 BA, 2 HR’s and 5 RBI’s. Sugar Land’s closer Derrick Loop earned 4 saves in the postseason and six different Sugar Land pitchers earned postseason wins showing the breadth of team contributions.

Atlantic League Autographs: Record-Setting Month!

Special thanks to all my visitors; August was an incredible month! Up over +600% from last August-- thousands of page views! Welcome to all my Connecticut visitors searching for information on the Atlantic League. I am currently working on finalizing some 2016 acquisitions in this last month of the season, and will be posting them over the next two months. Also, I also have some more unique, non-card-based memorabilia that I will be putting up over the off season. Thanks to all, again!

2015 Atlantic League Champions Somerset Patriots

Autographed 2015 Somerset Team Set Cards of Brett Jodie (MLB), Robert Andino (MLB), Sean Bierman, Aharon Eggelston, Matt Gamel (MLB), Greg Hopkins, Nate Spears (MLB), Jonny Tucker and David Vidal

Ending a five-year drought and claiming their league-leading sixth championship (2001/03/05/08/09/15), the Somerset Patriots defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in four games to win the 2015 Atlantic League Championship. Roy Merritt was named Playoff MVP by going 3-0 (0.49 ERA) in the postseason. Brett Jodie claimed his first championship at the helm of the Patriots, and his forth affiliated with the team as either a player or a coach.

The dominant force of the Somerset team claimed both half division titles and overall best league record at 89-50.

Sean Bierman set the single-season ERA record in 2015, with an ERA of 1.79, despite being signed by the Baltimore Orioles club the last day in July -- but having enough league innings to qualify for the crown. With this, and the contributions of pitchers like Matt Zielinski (2.86 ERA), Mikey Storey (2.53),  John Hunton (3.09) and other staff members, Somerset also set the team single-season league ERA record with 3.04 in 2015. #LETSEAT!

Bryant Nelson - All-Time Atlantic League Hit King!



Autographed 2012 Long Island Ducks Choice Team Set #10
Autographed 2013 Long Island Ducks Choice Team Set #19

Drafted in the 1993 MLB amateur draft by the Houston Astros, Bryant Nelson would achieve the Major League level with 25 games with the Boston Red Sox in 2002.

Nelson would enter the Atlantic League in 2006, and throughout the next 11 seasons would be a staple of the league with tenures in Bridgeport (2006/15), Long Island (2008/12/13), Lancaster (2010/15), York (2011/14), Camden (2009/14) and Southern Maryland (2015/16).

Far from being just a hired journeyman, the switch-hitting Nelson had instrumental roles with the 2011 York Revolution and back-to-back 2012/13 Long Island Ducks championships earning three Championship rings.

In 2011, Nelson hit a walk-off homerun in the first game of the Freedom Division Series against Lancaster to set the stage for York moving onto the Championship Series and eventually the 2011 Atlantic League Championship trophy.  

Likewise, Nelson was an instrumental player in the 2012 & 2013 Long Island Ducks' championships. The Crossett, Arkansas-native launched a 2-run, eighth-inning home run while the Ducks were trailing Southern Maryland and facing elimination in the 5^th game of the 2012 Liberty Division Championship; propelling the Flock to the Championship Series they would eventually win.

In 2013, Nelson had the game-winning hit in game two, and drove in the championship winning RBI in game five, against the Somerset Patriots to bring the second, consecutive Championship to Long Island in what is arguably the most classic, intense Championship Series in Atlantic League history.

Nelson joined the Atlantic League 1,000-Hit Club on June 2, 2016, joining only Jeff Nettles (7/27/2012) and Ray Navarrete (8/3/2013) to achieve this career league milestone.

On August 3rd, 2016, Bryant Nelson replaced Jeff Nettles as the All-Time Atlantic League Hit King with career league hit 1,053 off of Lancaster pitcher Bryan Evans in Waldorf.

Nelson’s consistency and value to a roster has had him achieved at least 100 career hits with five different Atlantic League teams (Bridgeport, Camden, Lancaster, Long Island and Southern Maryland).

The fan-favorite Nelson was selected by the Long Island Ducks organization as the 3rd baseman for the team's 15^th Anniversary Team in 2014.

Lew Ford - 2014 Atlantic League Player of the Year

(Top) Autographed 2015  Long Island Duck Yearbook Page
(Center) 2015 SGA Bronze "2014 Atlantic League Player of the Year" Statue(
Left Cent) Autographed 2009 Choice Long Island Ducks Team Set Card #23(
Bot Left) Autographed 2011 Choice Long Island Ducks Team Set Card #7 
(Bot Cent) Autographed 2014 Choice Long Island Ducks Team Set Card #8 (MVP Card)
(Bot Right) Autographed 2015 Choice Long Island Ducks Team Set Card #28 

Out of Beaumont, Texas, Lew Ford spent 5 years (2003-07) in the Major Leagues with the Minnesota Twins playing in 3 Divisional Series.  Ford was American League Player of the Week August 21, 2005.

Ford fought his way back to the big league roster again on July 29, 2012, with the Baltimore Orioles, -- after 5-years of not playing in the Majors -- hitting consecutive-game home runs with the Orioles on August 27th & 28th. Ford batted .375 in the 2012 Division Series and drove in the lone RBI for Baltimore against New York Yankee pitcher C.C. Sabathia in game 5.

Ford has spent parts of 6 different seasons with the Long Island Ducks and set an Atlantic League season record with 189 hits -- and 140 games played -- in 2014 securing himself a .347 batting average for the season and the Atlantic League Player of the Year.

Through the 2014 season, Ford is the Flock's career batting average leader with a .340 lifetime Atlantic League regular season average.

Tommy Herr - All Star Second Baseman and 1982 World Champion

Autographed 2010 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #26
2005 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #27

As a thirteen-year MLB veteran (1979-1991) and All-Star second baseman, Tommy Herr played in three World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals (1982/85/87) winning the fall classic as a member of the 1982 World Championship Cardinals. However, it was 1985 that was actually Herr’s best year highlighted by the extremely efficient production of 110 RBI’s with only 8 home runs for the season. This led to Herr finishing 5^th in the voting for National League MVP that year.

In 2005, Herr served as the inaugural manager of his hometown Lancaster Barnstormers and led them to the Atlantic League Championship the following season in 2006 against Bridgeport. Subsequently, Herr served as the bench coach under Von Hayes in 2009, then opportunistically returned once again as manager in 2010 where he witness first hand his son Aaron win the 2010 Atlantic League Player of the Year.

In three seasons, Herr finished with a 202-203 managerial record with the Barnstormers.

Tommy Everidge - 2011 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2011 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #03 (MVP Card)

Selected in the 10^th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by Oakland, Sonoma Valley-native Tommy Everidge progressed through the Athletics’ minor league system reaching the majors in June of 2009.

After additional stints within the Seattle and Houston farm systems, the power-hitting first baseman signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2011, and quickly dominated the Atlantic League at the plate.

In that season, Everidge led the league in hits (160), doubles (41), home runs (28), and total bases (285); and ranked second in runs scored (94) and RBI’s (94). All this was accomplished while maintaining an elevated .319 batting average and playing in all 125 games for the Barnstormers.

In August, Everidge flirted with batting .400 for the entire month; falling just shy at .394 leading to Everidge being named the Atlantic League Player of the Month.

For his offensive season -- which also included setting a league extra-base hit record (69) -- Tommy Everidge was awarded the Atlantic League Player of the Year for 2011.

Everidge currently works as a hitting coach in the Oakland organization.

2003 Atlantic League All-Star Game - Nashua, New Hampshire

2003 Atlantic League All-Star Card Set Selections

To celebrate the 2003 Atlantic League All-Star Game at Holman Stadium, the Nashua Pride put out a 52 card set detailing both the rosters of the North (red borders) and South (blue borders) Division teams. This set, although not high-end production, is a great time capsule of the early days of the Atlantic League.

Some of the players representing their clubs that year in this card set are: Hall of Famer and Stolen-Base King Rickey Henderson; Atlantic League Home Run King Glenn Murray; Somerset greats Jeff Nettles and Michael Warner; Rivershark greats Ben Simon, Brad Strauss , Francisco Morales and Linc Mikkelsen; past and present managers Kevin Baez, Butch Hobson and Wayne Krenchicki; and Long Island’s Justin Davies.

The South Division won the game that year 2-1, with Rickey Henderson driving in the game-winning RBI.

Jon Hunton - Atlantic League All-Time Career Save Leader

(Top) Autographed 2013 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #14
(BL) Autographed 2014 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #20
(BR) Autographed 2015 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #19

Drafter in the 11^th round of the 2004 draft by the Chicago Cubs, Jon Hunton would achieve the Triple-A level within the Oakland A’s organization in 2010.

After briefs roster stints with Lancaster (2007), Somerset (2008) and Long Island (2011/12), the Plainfield, NJ native would come home and find a home with the Somerset Patriots in 2013 becoming the premier closer in the Atlantic League with three consecutive, 30-save seasons. In 2014, he established the single-season Atlantic League save record with 49 saves. During this three-year period, Hunton would save an incredible 45% of the Patriots victories.

With this dominance, the 6’9” closer would establish the Atlantic League career saves record on May 10, 2016, eclipsing Southern Maryland's Jim Ed Warden’s career total with 135 saves.

As a significant member of the 2015 Somerset championship team, Hunton claims off-the-field contributions to this banner as well, as Hunton also has been serving in the dual role of the team’s Director of Player Personnel since the 2014 season.

Roger Clemens - All-Time Baseball Great - Seven Cy Young Awards

Autographed 2012 Sugar Land Skeeters Scorecard Lineup Insert

Considered one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League history, Roger Clemens established a legendary 24-year career from the mound with 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts and more Cy Young Awards than any other pitcher in MLB history - seven.

In 2012, the ‘Rocket” came out of retirement and donned the imperial blue uniform of the Sugar Land Skeeters after not pitching professionally for five years.

Clemens thrilled 7,724 Constellation Field fans by taking the mound on August 25, 2012, and pitching 3.1 scoreless innings against Bridgeport while striking out two Bluefish batters. 

On September 7, Clemens faced the Long Island Ducks also not allowing a run in 4.2 innings while registering a strikeout in front of 8,597 fans -- which established a home attendance record for the franchise.

On this September date, Clemens also formed a sentimental, father-son battery with his son Koby, who was signed as a catcher with Sugar Land and would play with them through the 2014 season.

Aaron Herr - 2010 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2010 Lancaster Barnstormers Team Set #8 (MVP Card)
2011 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set # 8

Drafted in the 1^st round of the 2000 June Amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves, Aaron Herr achieved 3 years at the Triple-A level with the Cleveland and mostly Cincinnati organizations, whom the latter released the infielder after a severe groin injury in 2008.

Herr returned to his home town where he attended high school; signing with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2009. Herr’s St. Louis Cardinal, All Star, second baseman father, Tommy Herr, was serving as the club’s field manager at the time.

Herr dominated the Atlantic League the next year, hitting .321 with 163 hits, and slugging .526 with 103 RBI’s, earning the co-honor of the 2010 Atlantic League Player of the Year with York’s Scott Grimes.  His home run mark of 23 round trippers was good enough to lead the Atlantic League that year; as was his 103 RBI's. Herr came within 18 points in batting average in that year of 2010 to be able to claim an Atlantic League triple crown.

*Atlantic League Pocket Schedules

Assorted Atlantic League Pocket Schedules

Team-Issued pocket schedules have always been a popular source of memorabilia with collectors.

Free for the taking at local ball parks, and available widespread through local, team-supporting merchants, collecting these schedules over the years always serve as a time capsule of team history when reviewing them many years down the road. Generally speaking, teams usually issue 4 versions (different covers) of their pocket schedules each year.

The pocket schedules pictured above are from the inaugural seasons of six Atlantic League Teams. Also included are three “celebrity” schedules featuring Rickey Henderson, Sparky Lyle and Butch Hobson.

Al Sontag - 2000 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year

Autographed 2000 Bridgeport Bluefish Multi-Ad Team Set #38 (Pitch/YR Card)
Autographed 2001 Bridgeport Bluefish Multi-Ad Team Set # 38

Having the distinction of being the first pitcher to toe the mound in Bluefish history, Al Sontag would leave the mound in Bridgeport 5 years later (1998-2003) as the franchise leader in wins (45), innings pitched (677), games started (97) and complete games (15).

The Plainedge High School (Massapequa, Long Island) grad was drafted twice by the Baltimore Orioles in 1983, but began his affiliated career by being successfully drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1984, eventually reaching as high as AAA ball with Edmonton in the Angels’ organization. In 1985, Sontag would lead the Midwest League in innings pitched (220.1), complete games (15), shutouts (6) and strikeouts (213) which would foreshadow a record-setting 2000 Atlantic League season.

Serving the dual role as both starting pitcher and the Bluefish pitching coach during his tenure in Park City, Sontag had a commitment to strong pitching mechanics that served him well with durability and success during his 'Fish years.

These mechanics allowed Sontag to set the Atlantic League single-season record for innings pitched (207) -- a mark that still stands to this day -- on his way to claiming the 2000 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year Award.  In addition to leading the league in innings pitched that year, Sontag led the league in ERA (2.70), strikeouts (158), shutouts (3) and WHIP (1.01).

Sontag concluded his Atlantic League and baseball career in 2002, after 15 years in professional ball, within the top eight of Atlantic League career leaders in wins (45), innings pitched( 677), and strikeouts (460).

Long Island Ducks SGA Bobbleheads

Long Island Ducks Bobblehead Giveaways

Major and Minor League baseball teams bring SGA Bobbleheads into their promotional schedule to attempt bring more fans through their turnstiles. Bobbleheads, which have become a subsect of collecting, really accomplish this task.  Here are some bobbleheads through the seasons of the Long Island Ducks. (Bottom Left to Right) Carlos Baerga (2002), Bud Harrelson (2002), Doug Jennings (2005), (Top Left ot Right) Gary Carter(2009), Ray Navarrete (2010).

Ross Peeples - "The Mayor" and Atlantic League Career Appearance Leader

Autographed 2006 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #4
Autographed 2009 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #15
Autographed 2011 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set #15

Leading the Brooklyn Cyclones to a 2001 New York-Penn League co-championship with a league leading 1.34 ERA and Cyclone-franchise record of 9 wins, Georgia-native Ross Peoples was awarded the Doubleday Award as Brooklyn’s Most Valuable Player.

Peeples was signed as an inaugural member of the 2005 Barnstormers team (at the recommendation of Lancaster-executive Vince Bulik who knew Peeples from his time with the Cyclones) and Peeples stayed a while.

For the next 10 years (2005-14), the left-hander was a staple on the mound for the 'Stormers eventually setting the Atlantic League record for career pitching appearances (374) and Lancaster team records for innings pitched (602 2/3) and strikeouts (325). Peeples was a member of the 2006 and 2014 Championship Teams.

Nicknamed “The Mayor” for his tenure, popularity, service and entrenchment in the Lancaster community, Peeples stayed in the community upon his retirement in 2014, with a front office job with the team. 

2000 Aberdeen Arsenal Program and Tickets

Here is a nice piece of memorabilia from the early days of the Atlantic League. It is a 2000 program for the Aberdeen Arsenal, roster and general admission/youth tickets.

Playing for just the 2000 season in the Atlantic League, the Aberdeen Arsenal, based in Bel Air, MD, would play their home games at Thomas Run Park at Hartford Community College.  Aberdeen featured former DET/SF/ATL MLB All-Star Darrell Evans as its manager, no-hit MLB pitcher Rick Wise as pitching coach and Billy Ripken as its Director of Baseball Operations.

Ripken with his Hall of Fame brother would soon establish the short-season-A Aberdeen Ironbirds (2002) as a minor league team of the Baltimore Orioles. (…you're my…brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family) Hopes for the Arsenal to have their own home stadium dissipated when potential stadium funding for the area went to the Ripkens and the Arsenal was disbanded.

Playing against Aberdeen that day, were the Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds (2000-01). The Black Diamonds were originally established as a founding team of the Atlantic League (the Newburgh (NY) Black Diamonds) prior to 2000, and then morphed into the Pennsylvania Road Warriors post 2001 – a ball club that would play exclusively on the road to balance out the number of teams in the Atlantic League.  Lehigh Valley would play their home games in Memorial Park in Quakertown, PA.

Wayne Krenchicki and Steve “Fookie” Foucault were on the field staff of Lehigh Valley. Each would go on to have extended careers within the Atlantic League.

Somerset Coaches: John "The Count" Montefusco & Shane Spencer

(l.) Autographed 2005 Somerset Patriots Choice SGA Strip # 02
(r.) Autographed 2015 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #02

Along with Sparky Lyle, the Somerset Patriots have a strong affiliation with the New York Yankees historically with their coaching staff selections:

1975 National League Rookie of the Year, No-hit pitcher (9/29/76) for the San Francisco Giants and 13-year MLB veteran, John “The Count” Montefusco would coach under Sparky Lyle for the Somerset Patriots for 6 years (2000-05). Montefusco finished his career with the New York Yankees from 1983-1986. He is an answer to a favorite trick trivia question as he joined Wally Moon as the only Rookie of the Year winner to hit a home run at his first at bat.

Breaking into the major leagues at age 26 with the storied 1998 New York Yankees team (114 wins), Shane Spencer would go on to set the rookie record for grand slams in a season (3) and be a part of three New York Yankee World Championship teams. Spencer originated Derek Jeter’s famous “flip play” against the Oakland A’s in the 2001 ALDS as it was his throw from right field that Jeter flipped to Jorge Posada to tag Jeremy Giambi out at home plate. Spencer served at Somerset’s hitting/3B coach for 3 years (2013-15).