2006 Somerset Patriots Hector Almonte

Who is this? Hector Almonte, a former pitcher for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos

What is this? An autographed card from the 2006 Somerset Patriots team set

Where'd I get it? I got it signed before a Somerset Patriots game in 2007

How much did it cost? The card set cost around $5

Why is this so special? Hector Almonte, brother of one-time Derek Jeter fill-in Erick Almonte, had a brief major league career. His lifetime record was 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA in 50 games pitched in the majors. Almonte has played professional baseball in Mexico, Canada and Japan as well as America.

I remember Almonte from his stint with the Somerset Patriots. Off the mound, he was a surprisingly friendly guy who always had a smile on his face. On the mound, he was a 6' 2" fireballer who showed no mercy. Off the mound and on it, you'd always see him with a piece of grass in his mouth.

Hector Almonte always took time to carefully sign his autograph, but I've never really figured out how to read it. It's a lot prettier than his brother Erick's -- he just signed his initials "E A" in block letters.