Chris Ashby - Atlantic League Consecutive Game Hitting Streak Record

Chris Ashby Autographed & Inscribed Game-Used Official Atlantic League Baseball

On Saturday night, August 16, 2018, York Revolution infielder Chris Ashy went 0 for 4 in a game against Somerset (which included a hit that was later in game changed to an error) and with that ended the first baseman’s 30-game consecutive hit streak -- establishing a new Atlantic League record.  Ashby had recently come out of retirement to enjoy the record run of his streak.

The post game wrap that night included an additional review of the overturned hit-to-error play that resulted in returning it back to the originally-scored hit – which extended Ashby’s streak and the Atlantic League record to 31 games – where his streak eventually ended.

Another unique situation that arose with an Atlantic League hitting streak, involved Joe Jiannetti’s 2006 hit streak that bridged two seasons (with 3 games in the beginning of 2007) and also bridged Jiannetti playing for two different teams (Atlantic City and Newark respectively). Originally, when the streak ended it was marked at 28 games. However, a post-streak audit discovered a game that was counted twice in the record keeping and Jainnetti’s streak was then adjusted down to 27 games.

Other notable Atlantic League consecutive hit streaks:

31 Games (2008) Chris Ashby - York

28 Games (2016) Isaias Tejada – York

27 Games (2006/07) Joe Jiannetti – Atlantic City/Newark

27 Games (2005) Billy Hall – Somerset

27 Games (2006) Victor Rodriguez – Newark

26 Games (2017) Anthony Giansanti – Sugar Land

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.

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

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.

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).

Jeff Nettles - Atlantic League and Somerset All-Time Great

Autographed Atlantic League Baseball
(r.) Autographed 2004 Somerset Patriots Multi-Ad Team Set #9
(l.) 2012 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #21 (Unsigned)

A few days before Christmas in 2002, a concerned father called a former teammate and friend to inquire whether he had a roster slot open for his son to allow his son to continue his professional career after being abruptly released from affiliated ball. Manager Sparky Lyle told Graig Nettles his son was welcomed at Somerset.

As history would unfold, it was actually Graig Nettles who did the favor for an old friend that winter day.

Jeff Nettles went on to become, as the Wall Street Journal titled him, “…the most recognizable fixture in the Atlantic League” and accomplished the greatest career the Atlantic League has ever seen accumulating more at bats (3.715), hits (1,052) and RBI’s (667) than any other player in history at the time of his retirement while finishing in second place all-time for career home runs, runs and doubles as well.

Nettles’ ability to compile career stats was also met with his ability to elevate his play when it counted. Nettles remains the only player in Atlantic League history to be recognized with league championship MVP awards in two different years.

During his first year with Somerset, the great defensive third baseman hit .450 with a home run and five RBI’s while scoring four runs in the 2003 postseason to bring the Patriots their second league title; defeating Nashua in a five game series in the championship series.

In the 2009 Atlantic League Championship Series, Jeff Nettles hit .375, while hitting three home runs and driving in six runs in four games to bring Somerset their fifth title defeating Southern Maryland.

In all, Jeff Nettles led Somerset to three championship titles while on their roster (2003/05/09).

To quantify Jeff Nettles’ consistency and prominence at the plate during his days with Somerset, if you break out his career stats to average 125 games a year played, his average offensive year would calculate to 131 H’s, 27 DB’s, 19 HR’s and 83 RBI’s per season.

In 2012, Nettles was voted the greatest Patriot in franchise history when polling fans, players, coaches and team officials.

Justin Jensen - 1999 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year

Autographed 2004 Somerset Patriot Multi-Ad Team Set #15

Voted the greatest lefthander starting pitcher in Somerset history in their 10^th season anniversary poll, Justin Jensen was the most impactful pitcher in the first 10 years of the franchise.

The Cabrillo College alumnus, and product of the Detroit Tiger farm system, first took the mound for Somerset in the 1999 season and finished the year leading the league in ERA (2.76) compiling a 12-3 record with 111 strikeouts. This effort was rewarded by Jensen being named the 1999 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year.

Jensen’s championship with the Patriots would come in 2003, when after helping Somerset get to the postseason with a 9-3 regular-season record, he paired with fellow mound mate Brett Jodie pitching back-to-back shutouts sweeping the Riversharks in the divisional playoffs. Somerset would eventually go on to defeat Nashua that year 3 games to 2 in the championship series for their second league title.

Jensen is Somerset’s career leader in innings pitched (527) and second in franchise history in wins (35-24) and strikeouts (385); yielding a 3.62 ERA for his tenure at Somerset.

Jensen was voted the 14th greatest Patriot of all time in a 2012 polling of fans, players, coaches and team officials.

Kevin Henthorne - 2004 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year

Autographed 2004 Bridgeport Bluefish Subway Team Set #13 (Pitcher of Year Card)

La Crosse, WI-native and Yankee-prospect Kevin Henthorne entered the Atlantic League in 2003 and took one year to distinguish himself as the Atlantic Year Pitcher of the Year.

Having one of the best Bridgeport Bluefish pitching seasons ever in 2004, the right-hander was undefeated through his first 13 starts leading to a 12-3 final record for the season. The Bridgeport hurler also lead the Atlantic League that year with a 2.69 ERA accomplished by stellar control underscored by a better than 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

In addition to the dominating the Atlantic League in 2004, Henthorne likewise dominated the Chinese Professional Baseball League securing the 1998 wins title and 1999 ERA crown for the China Trust Whales.

Henthorne could be seen on his off days resting his arm and sharpening his skills in photography by taking action shots from the dugout of the ongoing game.

Henthorne finished his eleven-year professional pitching career with a stunning .710 winning percentage; never having a losing season in his career and underscoring he won everywhere he took the mound. 

Rickey Henderson - All-Time Stolen Base and Runs-Scored King

Autographed Baseball & 2003 Newark Bears Team Set Card # 5 (Unsigned)

Through his 24-year MLB career, Rickey Henderson cemented his legend as the greatest lead-off hitter that the game of baseball has ever known.

Henderson gained this distinction by establishing the MLB career marks for runs scored (2,295-surpassing Ty Cobb); and Steals (1,406-surpassing Lou Brock with 50% more stolen bases).

In 2009, the 3,000-Hit-Club member received 94.8% of votes on the BBWAA ballots and was enshrined in Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility.

In 2003, “The Man of Steal” became a member of the Newark Bears and played for two seasons in the Atlantic League; thrilling fans with 37 stolen bases in 2004. Commenting on his tenure in the League, Henderson said: “I had a great time. To tell you the truth, I probably had a better time than I did in the major leagues,”… “In the major leagues, we always worry about how well we’re doing. When I got a chance to play in independent ball, it wasn’t about how well you do but how much fun you’re having, and I had a great time.”

Scott Grimes - 2010 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2010  York Revolution Pizza Hut Team Set #15 (MVP Card)

Scott Grimes is arguably the greatest leadoff man the Atlantic League has ever known. He is without an argument the greatest position player in the history of the York Revolution.

After entering the Atlantic League in 2010, the 2008 Can-Am Association Player of the Year who set a single-season Cam-Am record for runs scored (87), continued his scoring ways and for the next few years put on a clinic on how to score runs in the Atlantic League.

In 2010,  Grimes scored 138 runs in 132 games; averaging more than one run per game for the entire season. His 138 runs scored that year lead all professional baseball (major and minor leagues). For his efforts, the center fielder shared the Atlantic League Player of the Year award (Aaron Herr/Lancaster) and was selected to Baseball America’s All-Independent Team.

2011 brought another Atlantic League runs-scoring title for the Kennett Square-PA native as he crossed the plate 97 times.

The contributions of these years cannot be understated in regard to Revs baseball. Grimes was a major, core contributor to the Revolution winning back-to-back Atlantic League Championships in 2010 and 2011. True to form, Grimes scored the championship clinching run in the 10th inning of Game 3 of the Atlantic League Championship in 2010 against the Bridgeport Bluefish to bring York their first-ever League Championship.

Grimes retired from the Revolution after only three years of play in 2012 as the career, franchise leader in: games played (357), runs scored (298), at-bats (1,350), hits (374), extra-base hits (128), triples (13), total bases (605), stolen bases (69), and walks (205).

Sparky Lyle - 1977 American League Cy Young & 5x Championship Manager

Autographed Atlantic League Baseball (Center)
Autographed 2004 Somerset Patriots Multi-Ad Team Set # 28 (Top)
Autographed 2015 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #32 (Right)
Autographed 2013 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #30 (Bottom)
Autographed 2012 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #1 (Left)
2015 Somerset Patriot Yearbook

As a 15-year Major League Veteran, Sparky Lyle fired his nasty slider in high-pressure situations at wincing American League hitters to become the premier relief closer of the 1970’s.

The two-time, back-to-back New York Yankee World Champion (1977,78), two-time American League Save Leader (1972, 76) and three-time All-Star ( 1973,76,77) won the 1977 American League Cy Young Award – becoming the first relief pitcher to win the award in the junior circuit.

Lyle’s signature moment came in the Game 4 of the 1977 ALCS where, with the Yankees facing elimination, Lyle stretched his pitch count out over 5 1/3 shutout innings in long relief allowing the Kansas City Royals only 2 hits.

Sparky’s success transitioned well into the Atlantic League.  As the very first employee of the Somerset Patriots (1997), Lyle’s personality and recognition was instrumental in establishing a successful franchise for Somerset.  With no prior professional managerial experience, Lyle went on to lead the Patriots to 5 Atlantic League Championship (2001,03,05,08,09) in 15 years at the helm and retired the winningest manager in Atlantic League history overseeing 1,025 victories.

Lyle transitioned into Somerset's Manager Emeritus in 2012, allowing him still to promote the team; eventually having his number “28” retired with the Patriots in 2014.