Blogger's note: This is the first installment of a story examining Atlantic League players who have signed with major league organizations during the last two years.
It almost seemed too easy last season.
The York Revolution watched Opening Day leadoff man Tike Redman go from the Atlantic League to the majors in a matter of weeks.
The league announced a record number of players returned to affiliated baseball. And six Revolution players returned to major league organizations.
Atlantic League Director Joe Klein confirmed that the league only receives payment from major league organizations if a player's contract is purchased during the Atlantic League's regular season. So here is a look back at the 27 players signed during the 2007 season.
TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN
The number of Atlantic League players signed by major league organizations.
Bridgeport: 3
Camden: 3
Lancaster: 1
Long Island: 3
Newark: 5
Road Warriors: 0
Somerset: 6
York: 6
MONTH-BY-MONTH BREAKDOWN
The number of Atlantic League players signed by major leaguer organizations.
May: 9
June: 9
July: 4
Aug.: 4
Sept.: 1
MAJOR LEAGUE BREAKDOWN
The number of Atlantic League players signed by major leaguer organizations.
Phillies: 6
Yankees: 3
Athletics: 2
Dodgers: 2
Red Sox: 2
Royals: 2
Astros: 1
Blue Jays: 1
Braves: 1
Brewers: 1
Cubs: 1
Devil Rays: 1
Indians: 1
Orioles: 1
Pirates: 1
Rockies: 1
POSITION BREAKDOWN
The position of Atlantic League players signed by major league organizations.
P: 15 (12 RHPs, 3 LHP)
C: 2
1B: 1
2B: 2
SS: 1
3B: 1
OF: 5
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUES
The number of Atlantic League players who left to play in a league outside the United States.
Korea: 1
Mexico: 7*
Taiwan: 10**
*-Bridgeport's Luis Figueroa signed two contracts to play in Mexico, he is counted only once here.
**-One player, Long Island's Randy Leek, returned to the A.L. from Taiwan and was signed by the Blue Jays.
PLAYER-BY-PLAYER BREAKDOWN
The details of each Atlantic League player who left the league during the 2007 season for major league organizations and international leagues. If a player's contract was purchased by a major league organization, the player's first assigned team within that organization is listed in parenthesis.
BRIDGEPORT BLUEFISH
Barry Wesson, OF
Telling stat: Played in 2006 for Bridgeport
Signed: March 2
Houston Astros (Triple-A Round Rock)
Does not count toward league total because he was signed in the preseason.
Eric Junge, RHP
Telling stat: 1.29 ERA
Signed: May 15
N.Y. Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)
Returned to Bridgeport lineup June 30
Telling stat: 2-1, two scoreless outings since return
Signed: June 30
Korea
Luis Figueroa, 3B/DH
Telling stat: Batted .323
Signed: May 24
Mexican League (Norte)
Returned to Bridgeport lineup June 13
Telling stat: Improved avg. to .327
Signed: June 21
Mexican League (Tijuana)
Pat Ahearne, RHP
Telling stat: five combined starts for two teams
Signed: May 29
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Shaun Boyd, OF
Telling stat: Batted .345, 31 games
Signed: June 26
Philadelphia Phillies (Single-A Clearwater)
Junior Spivey, 2B
Telling stat: Batted .333; .440 OBP
Signed: Aug. 4
Boston Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket)
CAMDEN RIVERSHARKS
Jamal Strong, OF
Telling stat: Did not play a game for Camden
Signed: April 10
N.Y. Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)
Does not count toward league total because he was signed in the preseason.
Luis Lopez, 3B
Telling stat: Batted .281
Signed: May 25
Mexican League (Yucatan)
Kevin Walker, LHP
Telling stat: 4-1, 1.74 ERA
Signed: June 12
Colorado Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs)
Ben Davis, C
Telling stat: Batted .331, 36 games
Signed: June 19
Dodgers (Triple-A Las Vegas)
Chris Fussell, RHP
Telling stat: 1.23 ERA, 22 games
Signed: June 19
Dodgers (Triple-A Las Vegas)
LANCASTER BARNSTORMERS
Clyde Williams, OF
Telling stat: 1-for-9
Signed: May 9
Mexican League (Tijuana)
Bo Hart, 2B
Telling stat: Batted .245, 32 games
Signed: June 15
Chicago Cubs (Triple-A Iowa)
Quincy Foster, OF
Telling stat: Batted .313, for May
Signed: June 20
Mexican League (Yucatan)
Returned to Lancaster lineup Sept. 8
LONG ISLAND DUCKS
Randy Leek, LHP
Telling stat: 3-0, 3.13 ERA
Signed: June 5
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Returned to L.I. lineup July 25
Telling stat: 2-1, 34 Ks, 11 BBs since return
Signed: Aug. 23
Toronto Blue Jays (Triple-A Syracuse)
Kevin Tolar, LHP
Telling stat: 0-1, 5.73 ERA
Signed: June 5
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Jorge Piedra, OF
Telling stat: .336 avg., 32 games
Signed: June 12
Oakland Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento)
Derek Wathan, SS
Telling stat: Batted .333, 12 games in June
Signed: June 15
Kansas City Royals (Triple-A Omaha)
Jose Leon, 3B/DH
Telling stat: two games
Signed: Aug. 25
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
NEWARK BEARS
Travis Phelps, RHP
Telling stat: Signed during AL spring training
Signed: April 26
Houston Astros (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Does not count toward league total because he was signed in the preseason.
Jeremy Hill, RHP
Telling stat: 1.50 ERA
Signed: May 19
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
R.J. Swindle, LHP
Telling stat: 1.93 ERA
Signed: May 26
Philadelphia Phillies (Single-A Lakewood)
J.J. Trujillo, RHP
Telling stat: 0 ER in nine appearances
Signed: May 29
Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading)
Jeriome Robertson, LHP
Telling stat: 5-5, 4.89 ERA
Signed: June 30
Mexican League (Aguascalientes)
Returned to Newark lineup Aug. 11
Matt Sweeney, RHP
Telling stat: 5-3, 4.35 ERA
Signed: June 30
Houston Astros (Single-A Salem)
Bobby Brownlie, RHP
Telling stat: 79 Ks, 14 games
Signed: July 24
Cleveland Indians (Double-A Akron)
Gary Knotts, RHP
Telling stat: 86 Ks, 2.65 ERA, 16 games
Signed: July 31
Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading)
ROAD WARRIORS
Carlos Castillo, RHP
Telling stat: 8-9, 3.34 ERA
Signed: Aug. 19
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
SOMERSET PATRIOTS
Brian Peterson, C
Telling stat: Did not play a game for Somerset
Signed: April 13
Pittsburgh Pirates (Single-A Lynchburg)
Does not count toward league total because he was signed in the preseason.
Noah Hall, OF
Telling stat: 1 G
Signed: May 5
N.Y. Yankees (Double-A Trenton)
Jason Anderson, RHP
Telling stat: 1 IP
Signed: May 9
Philadelphia Phillies (Triple-A Ottawa)
David Elder, RHP
Telling stat: 0.82 ERA
Signed: May 11
Mexican League (Laguna)
Anton French, OF
Telling stat: .258 avg.
Signed: May 25
Mexican League (Tijuana)
Chris Rojas, RHP
Telling stat: 2-2, 3.14 ERA
Signed: May 31
Philadelphia Phillies (Triple-A Ottawa)
Michel Hernandez, C
Telling stat: .342 avg., 25 games
Signed: June 6
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Triple-A Durham)
Brian Reith, RHP
Telling stat: 2.70 ERA, 8 games
Signed: June 16
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Jeff Nettles, 3B
Telling stat: 19 homers, 60 RBIs, 56 games
Signed: July 1
Kansas City Royals (Double-A Wichita)
Jon Cannon, LHP
Telling stat: 2-3, 4.02 ERA
Signed: July 14
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Andy Van Hekken, LHP
Telling stat: 9-3, 3.12 ERA
Signed: Aug. 3
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan
Mike Kinkade, 1B
Telling stat: 6 G, .350 avg.
Signed: Aug. 7
N.Y. Yankees (Double-A Trenton)
YORK REVOLUTION
Tike Redman, OF
Telling stat: .464 avg.
Signed: May 14
Baltimore Orioles (Triple-A Norfolk)
Wayne Franklin, LHP
Telling stat: 2-0, 7.04 ERA
Signed: May 16
Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan (Uni-President Lions)
Ryan Baerlocher, RHP
Telling stat: 41 Ks, 36 IP
Signed: May 30
Atlanta Braves (Triple-A Richmond)
Adam Thomas, RHP
Telling stat: 1.50 ERA
Signed: May 30
Oakland Athletics (Single-A Stockton)
Steve Smyth, LHP
Telling stat: Four starts
Signed: June 30
Mexican League (Aguascalientes)
Returned to York lineup Aug. 5
Pete Bergeron, CF
Telling stat: batted 32-for-95 (.337) for June
Signed: July 26
Pittsburgh Pirates (Double-A Altoona)
Franklin Nunez, RHP
Telling stat: 0 runs in final 11 York appearances
Signed: Aug. 28
Milwaukee Brewers (Triple-A Nashville)
Jeff Farnsworth, RHP
Telling stat: 45 Ks, 40 IP
Signed: Sept. 1
Boston Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket)
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