To mark their 15th anniversary, the Somerset Patriots are asking fans to choose the top 15 players in franchise history. Saturday, April 14th, is the final day to vote - you can
cast your ballots online or in person at the
Patriots Fan Fest event.
Though there are no requirements to choose players at particular positions, I'm going to select a representative roster with one player at each position, two utility players and five pitchers. I had season tickets to Somerset Patriots games from 2005 through 2008, so my choices are probably a bit biased toward that era.
Here are my picks:
Catcher:
Jason Belcher (2007-2010) - A left-handed hitting catcher with power, Belcher hit .295 in 323 games. I could never figure out why he didn't get another look from affiliated baseball.
First Base:
Josh Pressley (2007-2011) - Pressley would probably hold most of the career hitting marks for Somerset if not for Jeff Nettles. Pressley batted .308 with 96 home runs and 378 RBI in 545 games and is one of three Patriots to win the Atlantic League MVP award.
Second Base:
Matt Hagen (2008-2011) - I'm counting Hagen as a second baseman because that's how he's listed on the ballot, but he could play almost anywhere on the diamond. In 545 games, he batted .280 with 58 home runs and 83 stolen bases.
Shortstop:
Victor Rodriguez (2004) - Although I never saw Rodriguez play for Somerset (and I don't think I ever saw him play shortstop), it's hard to argue with the numbers that made him the Atlantic League MVP in 2004. V-Rod batted .371 with 25 home runs and 111 RBI in 119 games.
Third Base:
Jeff Nettles (2003-2007, 2009-present) - If there's one player I associate with the Somerset Patriots, it's Jeff Nettles. He's one of the best players in Atlantic League history. In 868 games, Nettles has 145 home runs, 594 RBI and a .288 batting average.
Outfield:
Michael Warner (2000-2003) - Warner was the first Somerset Patriots player to win the Atlantic League MVP award in 2001, and he's the first person on my ballot that I never saw play. Still, his numbers are hard to argue with: a .310 batting average, 96 doubles, 34 home runs and 116 stolen bases in 370 games.
Outfield:
Ryan Radmanovich (2004-2006, 2008) - In addition to being a great Atlantic League hitter, Radmanovich was one of the classiest individuals in the game. He batted .288 with 96 home runs and 299 RBI in 457 games.
Outfield:
Mike Lockwood (2006-2008) - Lockwood may not have the numbers of Warner or Radmanovich, but he was still an outstanding outfielder for the Somerset Patriots. He batted .274 with 30 home runs and 34 stolen bases in 187 games.
Utility: Billy Hall (2000-2002, 2005) - If there's one Patriots player I wish I had gotten to see during the team's early years, it's Billy Hall. In 2000, Hall stole 104 bases in 125 games. I did get to see him play in his final season, 2005, and I was in the ballpark when Hall set the Atlantic League record at the time by hitting in 27 consecutive games.
Utility: Emiliano Escandon (2000-2005) - I'm cheating by counting Escandon as a utility player - he's on the ballot as a second baseman - but I think he played at every infield spot at some point during his Patriots career. Escandon was the first captain in team history. He batted .281 with 111 doubles, 27 home runs and 41 stolen bases in 582 games.
Pitcher: Brian Adams (2007-2010) - Adams had a remarkable season in 2007, finishing with a 15-2 record and a 3.68 ERA en route to the Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year award. He was perfect at home, winning 11 games at Commerce Bank Park. Overall, Adams won 43 and lost 21 during his Patriots career.
Pitcher: Justin Jensen (1999-2000, 2002-04) - Jensen is the second player on this list that I never saw. In 1999, he won the Atlantic League's Pitcher of the Year award with a 12-5 record and a 2.76 ERA. Overall, he won 35 and lost 24 during his time with Somerset.
Pitcher: Jim Magrane (2008-2009, 2011) - Magrane was the 2009 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year in 2009 and became the first pitcher to lead the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He finished the year with a 15-4 record, 2.70 ERA and 134 strikeouts that season. For his Patriots career, Magrane won 27 and lost 16.
Pitcher: Brandon Knight (2007-2008) - Knight went 12-5 with 111 strikeouts in 91.2 innings in his first year with Somerset, starting and working out of the bullpen. In 2008, Knight was the victim of limited run support and did not win any of his six starts despite pitching to a 2.56 ERA. He did strike out 50 in 38.2 innings. He was signed by the New York Mets that season and returned to the big leagues to pitch in four games.
Closer: Joe Briscoe (1998-2002) - I never saw Briscoe play for Somerset. He saved 46 games and struck out 212 batters in 224.1 innings during his Patriots career.
So those are my choices... how did you vote?
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