Riversharks Welcome Patriots to Liberty Division
Published on November 18, 2013 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Camden Riversharks News Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - The Somerset Patriots will be joining the Camden Riversharks, Bridgeport Bluefish, and Long Island Ducks in the Liberty Division, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball announced today. To ensure symmetry, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs relocated to the Freedom Division along with the York Revolution, Lancaster Barnstormers, and Sugar Land Skeeters.
"The division shake-up allows for some of the local rivalries to develop more fully," Riversharks President and General Manager Adam Lorber said. "We're really looking forward to forging a fun, exciting relationship with the Patriots."
Camden and Somerset met in the 2008 Atlantic League Championship series, when the Patriots downed the Riversharks three games to one. Somerset catcher Travis Anderson, who played for the Riversharks from 2003-2005, hit a game-winning walk-off home run in game four to clinch the title for the Patriots.
The Riversharks and Patriots have one of the closest head-to-head series in the Atlantic League over the past two seasons, with Camden holding a 21-19 advantage since the start of the 2012 season. Beginning in 2014, Camden's only in-state opponent will become a divisional rival as well.
In 2013, the Riversharks and Patriots combined to make up two-thirds of the Atlantic League batting average leaders (Wilson Valdez, second for Camden; Jake Fox, third for Somerset) and represented four of the league's top ten pitchers in terms of earned run average.
According to ALPB officials, expansion over the next few years will expand the league from eight teams to twelve. The Atlantic League first expanded beyond the east coast with the Sugar Land Skeeters joining the league before the start of the season in 2012.
Atlantic League Stories from November 18, 2013
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
- Somerset Patriots Move to Liberty Division of Atlantic League - Somerset Patriots
- Riversharks Welcome Patriots to Liberty Division - Camden Riversharks
- Atlantic League Announces 2014 Division Realignment - AtL
- Skeeters Launch New Eight-Game Ticket Plans - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
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