Playoff baseball in Camden

If you're driving over the Ben Franklin Bridge right now you can look down and see playoff-type baseball in Camden. Of course, if you're driving over that bridge, you probably are not reading my blog at the same time. And if you are doing both, then you have no chance to be one of All-State's safe drivers.
But don't fret. You can still get a sky view of playoff-type baseball Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.
The Patriots and Riversharks are playing three games that should decide the Atlantic League South Division first-half title and accompanying playoff berth. They are not the last three games of the first-half schedule -- as they were originally scheduled to be -- because, on Monday, Somerset has a doubleheader in Lancaster against the Barnstormers and Camden is visiting Bridgeport. Both are rainout makeup games.
But there is only one scenario in which those Monday games will matter since the Riversharks hold 1 1/2 game edge atop the standings entering Friday's action. If the teams tie for first place, the Patriots get the berth because of the tiebreaker -- head-to-head series.

Here are the scenarios:
Patriots sweeps Camden: They win the division outright.
Patriots take two of three: They enter Monday's games with a 1/2 game deficit.
Riversharks take two of three: They win the division outright. No sweep needed.

Worst Fourth of July Ever

Did you enjoy your hot dogs? How about your hamburgers? Yuenglings for everyone?
Well not this guy.
I spent my Fourth of July in Lancaster, Pa. and it was a disaster.
While my girlfriend and all her friends partied away the holiday, I spent the day in rainy Amish Country writing filer stories. I arrived at the ballpark at 3:30 for a 7 p.m. start and the game never happened. Was it called at 7? Nope, they waited until 9.
Of all the things the Atlantic League does poorly -- and there are plenty -- rain delays might be the worst. Fans always are uninformed of the game status, and the press corps should not find out from the PA announcement. This is not an indictment on Lancaster because it happens everywhere.
Now, I'm back at the Westfield Inn, 20 minutes outside of Lancaster, bored out of my mind. There is only a McDonald's and Bob Evans in sight and none of the players or other media have Internet access.
Thankfully, the Courier has given me a Verizon wireless card. Points for them. Zero points for Lancaster, Pa.

FYI: All-stars are announced Thursday. I'll post the selections as soon as I have them.

Goodbye to a good man

The Patriots losing Jeff Nettles dominated the headlines and the Commerce Bank Ballpark buzz Monday night, but somewhat lost in the shuffle was the goodbye to community relations director Matt Rothenberg, who worked his final Patriots game.
The Patriots did a nice montage of Rothenberg moments on the scoreboard during the seventh-inning stretch, and he joined broadcaster Brian Bender on the radio for three innings of play-by-play.
Rothenberg has been with the organization since interning in 2003 and is leaving to pursue graduate school opportunities.
I got to know Rothenberg personally while covering the team for two years, and realize he is a good guy and an extremely hard worker always willing to help out a frazzled reporter (ie: me) in the time of a crisis. He will be missed by the Patriots staff and those of us independent of the team who work closely with the staff every day.
Here, in Rothenberg's own words, are his top 5 moments since he became an Atlantic Leaguer:

#1 - 2005 AL Championship, #2 - 2003 AL Championship:
The 2005 championship was more gratifying than 2003 because of the hard work you put in as a member of the full-time staff. The first one was a great experience to cap off my internship with the Patriots, but the second one was about the result of hard work from the end of the 2004 season through the entire 2005 season. Both championships were great, though, and earning the rings and having the memories will definitely last a very long time. Although I would have liked one of them to occur in Bridgewater so our fans could enjoy it more, it was
nice to be able to go up to Nashua (both times) and watch it and soak in all the excitement of a championship.

#3 - Donald Trump at Commerce Bank Ballpark (9/10/2004):
With all the promoting and buzz about it, you knew it was going to be a great night -- one to remember. Of course, how many people enter a ballpark via a helicopter landing in center field? Few, if any, others.
Working here, I've had the opportunity to get close to people I've only seen on TV or on
baseball cards, so to be close to Donald Trump and get right up in his face and taking pictures of him -- it kind of makes you feel like the paparazzi. But the atmosphere surrounding his appearance was just phenomenal; you couldn't ask for a better night.

#4 - Largest crowds in Atlantic League history(7/3/04 & 7/3/06):
To set the record of 8,048 against Long Island in 2004 and then beat that with 8,062 against the Road Warriors in 2006, you get a feel for what Commerce Bank Ballpark has become: a fantastic gathering place for the community. You could feel the electricity running through the
ballpark on each night. Unfortunately, Lancaster had to top our records this season, but knowing our fans, I have a feeling we're going to take it back the record soon enough.

#5 - Joe Gannon's no-hitter against the Patriots (8/17/04), and his near
no-hitter (6/6/06):
While not a great moment in Patriots history, it was the first -- and only -- no-hitter I've ever witnessed in person. Considering how many are thrown at the major league and minor league levels each year, it's something that happens very rarely. To have nearly witnessed a second
one in 2006 -- by the same pitcher, no less -- it would have been quite unique. At the same time, though, to have been one-hit by Gannon, and with that hit being a grand slam by Mike Lockwood to win the game, it couldn't have been a better result.

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.

Van-tastic

Somerset Patriots left-hander Andy Van Hekken is making tonight's start against the Lancaster Barnstormers and third baseman Steve Van Note and right fielder Chris Van Rossum. That's more vans on the field than in the parking lot at the ballpark.
Anyway, now that I've blown past that terrible joke, this is the Patriots first game in sole possession of first place since May 29, and they wasted no time proving it with a two-run first inning.
Saturday's game is the first of six straight against the Lancaster Barnstormers, and while it is not easy to play the same team six games in a row, it helps that it is the Barnstormers.
Although this team is the defending Atlantic League champion, it is not very good.
The lineup has serious holes. There appears to be three solid bats in the entire lineup -- shortstop Danny Gonzalez, first baseman Jeremy Todd and left fielder Dominick Ambrosini. Once you get past them, there is not much to scare you.
In my opinion, Lancaster is going to have a very hard time qualifying for the playoffs without a serious second-half shakeup. From what I hear, that's probably not going to happen because manager Frank Klebe is very particular about the kind of player he will coach and very loyal to "his guys." His guys are a third-place team in the first half, however, and probably no better next half.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: There is one former major-leaguer on the roster and it's left-handed reliever Phil Norton, who was released by the Patriots earlier this month. Sometimes the "major-league" tag is deceiving. Some of the league's best players have never been above Triple-A, but you need at least some major-league talent to compete.
Maybe they can sign Van Morrison.

Remember Girls Basketball???

I do.
Though it's hard for me to think about anything other than minor-league baseball between April and October, I just heard that Governor Livingston High School has hired a new girls basketball coach. Former New Providence football start Andy Silvagni is the man, according to what I've heard.
Two things interesting here:
1) It's interesting anytime that someone from New Prov gets a job at GL or vice versa. Their rivalry already is good in almost every sport and you know that coach wants to beat his alma mater that much more.
2) Dave Boff did a great job rebuilding the Highlanders program the past four years. The team was good for 15 to 20 wins in both my years on the beat. Can Silvagni keep that momentum going? We'll see this winter, but one thing working in his favor: Star guard Lauren Munick has another season to play. A good building block for any rookie coach.

Back on the beat...

I'm back on the job after missing the Patriots' first series in York. I needed those three days to work on my Tommy John story, which you can read here.
I was glad to have the three days off because I think this is a real solid story, but also because of what I've heard about York.
The situation for the players is well documented -- a dangerous outfield, no showers in the clubhouse, grass that might not stick -- but what about the situation for the press?
I've been told there was no press food -- which I would have made a stink about -- and the official scorer left one game in the 7th inning. He scored the rest of the game over the phone after someone else told him what they saw.
When outsiders say bad things about the Atlantic League, I usually stick up for it. I say the quality of play is high, the attendance is good most places, etc.
But these are the things they are talking about. Can you imagine the Triple-A Richmond Braves' scorer getting up and leaving in the 7th? If you have somewhere to be at 9 and the game starts at 7, take the day off. Give someone else a chance. What you might not know is anyone can score an independent league game. You don't need any qualifications or a card, just an opportunity.
As for the food, I've been served bad press box food before and food others like that I don't. No problem with either of those. But these people are here working hard to give your league publicity, the least you can do is make a small gesture of appreciation. Offer a hot dog.