Somerset Patriots will hold free fan fest on April 6th
The Somerset Patriots will hold a free fan fest event at TD Bank Ballpark on Saturday, April 6th, from noon to 3 p.m.
There will be an autograph session with manager emeritus Sparky Lyle, manager Brett Jodie, hitting coach Shane Spencer and select Patriots players.
The first 500 kids will receive free baseball caps. Other kids activities include complimentary carnival games, the chance to take photos with the team mascots, and the opportunity to interview to become the Patriots “Kid CEO” for the season.
Adults can check out the Patriots “Wall of Fame” and tour a Diamond Club Suite, pick seats for season tickets and take advantage of fan fest special ticket offers.
Prior to the fan fest, the Somerset Patriots will hold open tryouts for aspiring players.
I have other plans for April 6th, or I would consider stopping by the fan fest.
Shane Spencer hired by Somerset Patriots
signed Shane Spencer 2004 Topps Total card from my collection
The Somerset Patriots have hired former New York Yankees and New York Mets outfielder Shane Spencer to be their hitting and third base coach.
“Shane brings a wealth of knowledge to our staff. His experiences as a player and coach will be extremely valuable in helping us produce a championship caliber team. I very much look forward to working with him towards our common goal,” Patriots Manager Brett Jodie said in a team press release.
“I’ve done the hitting coach job in the (affiliated) minor-leagues and I was looking for something different,” Spencer told Ryan Dunleavy, who covers the team for MyCentralJersey.com
Spencer played five seasons with the New York Yankees, making his debut in 1998. He spent one year each with Cleveland and Texas before finishing his major league career with the New York Mets in 2004. Spencer then went to Japan, where he played for the Hanshin Tigers in 2005 and 2006. He was a hitting coach for the San Diego Padres organization at the Single-A level in 2008 and 2009.
Dunleavy writes that Spencer plans to use the ups and downs of his career — on-field and off- – as a teaching tool.
I got a Shane Spencer baseball card signed through the mail a few years ago, but if I get the opportunity to see the Patriots this year I’ll probably try to see if I can get one signed in person.
Do you plan to see the Somerset Patriots or any other Atlantic League baseball games this year?
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Former Somerset Patriots player Ryan Freel dead of apparent suicide
Ryan Freel, who played parts of 8 seasons in the major leagues and finished his baseball playing career with the Somerset Patriots in 2010, was found dead yesterday. According to a report by the Florida Times-Union, police believe Freel shot himself with a gun to commit suicide.
Freel’s former Reds teammates Brandon Phillips and Sean Casey expressed their thoughts via Twitter:
#RIP🙏 to my friend & great teammate #RyanFreel! Really hurt by his passing! You'll never will be forgotten… lockerz.com/s/271146472—
Brandon Phillips (@DatDudeBP) December 23, 2012
RIP Ryan Freel!! Great teammate, great guy,n loved his family! Such a sad day today with his passing!Awful news!Prayers are with his family!—
Sean Casey (@TheMayorsOffice) December 23, 2012
Ryan Dunleavy, who covered Freel’s final season in professional baseball, remembers his time in the Atlantic League at his Patriots Pulse blog for MyCentral Jersey.com
In case anyone who reads this needs them,
- New Jersey’s Caring & Crisis Hotline, Contact We Care, is (908) 232-2880.
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK
Somerset Patriots holiday toy drive is Saturday
Somerset Patriots manager emeritus Sparky Lyle, in a photo from 2006 (Photo credit: Paul Hadsall)
The Somerset Patriots will hold their annual toy drive on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. – noon at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater.
Fans who bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Foster Adoptive Family Services of New Jersey will have the chance to meet Patriots manager emeritus Sparky Lyle and get his autograph. Kids can also meet Santa Claus and Patriots mascots Sparkee and Slider.
“This is a special holiday event that both Sparky and our entire staff looks forward every year. We have a tremendous group of fans that help us collect hundreds of toys for those less fortunate and help bring a little holiday cheer to those who need it, ” said Patrick McVerry, President/ General Manager of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.
Report: Sparky Lyle steps down as Somerset Patriots manager
Somerset Patriots manager Sparky Lyle, in a photo from 2006 (Photo credit: Paul Hadsall)
Longtime Somerset Patriots manager Sparky Lyle will not return to that role for the 2013 season, MyCentralJersey.com’s Ryan Dunleavy reports.
Lyle, 68, is the only manager the Patriots have had in their 15 seasons of existence. He retires with 1,024 Atlantic League victories and five Atlantic League Championships to his credit.
Pitching coach Brett Jodie will be promoted to manager, according to Dunleavy, while Lyle will transition into a more public relations-oriented role as manager emeritus.
“There is a transition to everything,” [team owner Steve] Kalafer said. “We’re going forward with Sparky in a new role. It would be very different if Sparky was no longer part of our team. This is quite the opposite. This ensures that Sparky will still be part of it for our fan base and our sponsor base. He is iconic, and we’re delighted that this is a great transitional role for him.”
2008 Somerset Patriot Aaron Fultz named Lakewood pitching coach
Aaron Fultz with the Somerset Patriots in 2008 (Photo credit: Paul Hadsall)
The Lakewood BlueClaws, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Single-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, have named former major league pitcher Aaron Fultz as the team’s pitching coach.
Fultz was a member of the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters’ coaching staff in 2012. He pitched in the major leagues during eight seasons, playing for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians. In 2008, Fultz spent most of the season with the Somerset Patriots in the independent Atlantic League, compiling a 5-5 record with a 4.00 ERA in 16 games (10 starts).
In 2009, Fultz appeared in six games with the Newark Bears, who were part of the Atlantic League at the time. Though I went to about around 70 Bears games that year, I have no recollection of him pitching for Newark.
The BlueClaws also announced that former Phillies infielder Mickey Morandini will return as the team’s manager and organization veteran Greg Legg will return as the hitting coach.
Somerset Patriots unveil ballpark anniversary logo, announce Christmas toy drive
On Monday, the Somerset Patriots unveiled a new logo to commemorate the upcoming 15th anniversary of their ballpark.
“We are looking forward to celebrating the 15th Season Anniversary of our home. TD Bank Ballpark holds so many great memories for the organization and all of our fans. Its going to be a special season at the ballpark with new memories and excitement for fans to enjoy,” said Patrick Mcverry, President/ General Manager of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.
The Patriots will celebrate the anniversary of their ballpark on June 7, 2013 before their 7:05 p.m game against the Sugarland Skeeters, 15 years to the day after it opened.
Somerset’s annual holiday toy drive is scheduled for Saturday, December 8th from 10 a.m. – noon. Fans who bring a new, unwrapped toy donation will be able to meet team manager Sparky Lyle, mascots Sparkee and Slider, and Santa Claus himself.
“This is a special holiday event that both Sparky and our entire staff looks forward every year. We have a tremendous group of fans that help us collect hundreds of toys for those less fortunate and help bring a little holiday cheer to those who need it, ” said Patrick McVerry, President/ General Manager of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.
If anyone is looking for Sparky Lyle’s autograph, this is a good opportunity to get it while helping to make Christmas a little better for some children served by Foster Adoptive Family Services of New Jersey.
