Will Somerset Phone Booth?
by Mike Ashmore
September 7, 2006

If hindsight truly is 20-20, then the Somerset Patriots don't have too far to look at one of their mistakes.

After splitting time with the Bears and the Patriots in the Atlantic League, Jeremy Booth is now a one hour drive away from Somerset's Commerce Bank Ballpark, playing for the Sussex Skyhawks of the Can-Am League.

Traded by Newark to Somerset for a player to be named later on July 8th, Booth was used sparingly in Somerset, appearing in just five games before injuring his elbow.

A regular player in Newark, Booth hit .245 with three home runs and eight RBI in 19 games for the Bears, but struggled for Somerset.

He had just one hit in his thirteen at-bats for the Patriots, and his best performance in Somerset was as a Bear, when he went 2-for-3 with a solo home run on June 8th.

Struggling or not, however, the indy ball veteran would be a welcome addition to a team having a tough time keeping nine healthy position players on their roster.

Already short due to injury, players leaving the team and the loss of Ryan Radmanovich and Kevin Nicholson to the Canadian national team, Edgard Clemente has been fighting injuries and Fernando Lunar has left the team due to personal reasons.

It's gotten so bad that pitchers may be forced to play the field. Booth can catch, play in the infield or in the outfield.

With the Can-Am League season ending Monday, Booth has received his release for the specific purpose of joining an Atlantic League team for the final month of the season.

But would he go back to the Patriots?

"I would go," Booth said. "I like Sparky, I thought Sparky was honest. I just don't think they knew how to use me."

Booth has previous experience in the Atlantic League with both Atlantic City and Bridgeport, and although he's played in several other independent leagues throughout the course, he says the Atlantic League is the best.

"I think it's a high Double-A, low Triple-A solid kind of league," Booth said. "You've got veteran guys there, most guys have been to Triple-A or the big leagues. If you've played there, you can play at the upper levels of this game, I think that's pretty fair to say."

"When I got here, it was different. They have classification levels over here," said Booth of the Can-Am League's roster rules.

The rules are that each Can-Am League can have no more than 22 players, while Atlantic League teams may have as many as 25. Of those 22 players, only four may be veterans and at least five must be rookies. The Can-Am League classifies a veteran as a player with five or more years of service.

Booth, a 28-year-old California native, is considered a veteran.

Primarily used as a first baseman by the Skyhawks, Booth is hitting .220 with no home runs and six RBI in 18 games. The power numbers are a little deceptive, however, as Sussex batters have hit just 25 home runs in 2925 at-bats this season.

Somerset's dimensions are a little more home run friendly, but Booth isn't sure he ever got a chance to take advantage.

"I don't think I was given an opportunity," Booth said.

Down to as few as eight healthy position players, it might be time for Jeremy Booth to get another chance.

Baseball and Sports Associates officials, who handle player procurement for the Somerset Patriots, did not return a phone call for comment at press time.

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