Nettles signs!!!

It's the day many in the Somerset Patriots organization and around Atlantic League silently thought had passed: Third baseman Jeff Nettles has left the team, signing with the Kansas City Royals organization where he is expected to report to Double-A Wichita.
The independent league is designed to get players another shot Nettles clearly deserves another shot. Some would say it actually is his first shot, since he never played regularly in his five years in the Yankees farm system.
Nettles meant everything to the Patriots on and off the field during the past five years, and you will be hard-pressed to find anyone in the league with a bad thing to say about him.
Atlantic League personnel have wondered aloud in years past what it would take for Nettles to get another shot at affiliated baseball, and it appears the answer was to top his already stellar seasons with a great season.
Nettles leads the league with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .679 slugging percentage and 37 extra-base hits.
His loss devastates the Patriots in the heart of a playoff race, but with only seven games left to decide the first-half pennant, they might be able to hang on without him. If there were three weeks remaining before the all-star break, I'd have a different opinion.
The Patriots held 1/2 game lead atop the South Division entering Monday's games and are leading the Lancaster Barnstormers 5-1 in the sixth.
Needless to say, this is the biggest player news out of Somerset in franchise history.
Score a victory for determination and perseverance.

Three classy gestures:
1. Nettles stayed at the ballpark to support his teammates in Monday's game.
2. The Patriots brought Nettles onto the field and announced his good news to the crowd before the game.
3. The fans gave Nettles a big cheer, with some fans even standing. For minor-league baseball -- where entertainment sometimes rules -- this was significant.