Isotopes Turning 20: It's more than just the players moving up to the big time

Apr. 9—A notable number of baseball players who excelled at Isotopes Park — on Rio Grande Credit Union Field, as it's called — have gone on to do so on the biggest stage.

Last year's World Series champion Houston Astros, for example, had Alex Bregman. The Albuquerque native never has played for the Isotopes, of course, but he did hit a bomb of a home run in a state championship game for Albuquerque Academy — as a ninth-grader.

The 2022 Astros also briefly employed former Isotopes pitcher Pedro Baez, who didn't get into the Series with Houston, though he won one with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. The 2021 Series champion Atlanta Braves got critical contributions from both slugging outfielder Joc Pederson and lefty reliever Tyler Matzek. And so on.

All of those players of course were employed by the big-league clubs that sent them to Triple-A. Not the Isotopes themselves.

Meanwhile, there have been employees of the Isotopes who weren't the athletes and yet went on to the bigs as well:

Broadcasting

BOB SOCCI is about to enter his 11th season doing radio play-by-play for the NFL's New England Patriots. But at this time 20 years ago, he was making the call for the Albuquerque Isotopes' inaugural season.

Socci got the job after becoming a finalist for, but losing out on, the radio job for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Its managing partner, Ken Young, instructed the Tides GM to hire the broadcaster for the other team he was buying. Soon, Socci was Albuquerque-bound for the first time ever.

"It was a mix of excitement and trepidation, but more than that, just leaving the East Coast to go to New Mexico," said Socci, who was calling Navy football and basketball. "But there was also excitement, because I learned it was going to be a well-run organization, Triple-A, a brand-new ballpark, and one step closer to the majors."

Socci recalls vividly "how emotionally invested the fans were in the games" during his three years (2003-05) on the call — perhaps borne from Albuquerqueans not having baseball in 2001-02.

Socci had called minor league ball for 20 years. He says the 1995 Peoria Chiefs because of the manager and the staff, and the 2003 Isotopes were "the best mix of people and players I'd dealt with.

"The Sports Animal (radio station) treated the games like they were major league broadcasts. ... Just a lot of really good people that I met and good experiences. I took it for granted."

Socci had a partner for a while in the booth, the late UNM play-by-play caller MIKE ROBERTS, until Roberts left the booth midway through 2005 — and midway through a game.

Upon Socci's exit, ROBERT PORTNOY called Isotopes games from 2006-12 until he became the full-time Lobos football, men's basketball and baseball announcer. Current announcer JOSH SUCHON recently marked the 10th anniversary of his debut with the Isotopes.

Media relations

Getting out the word on the Isotopes, and helping local media do the same, has served as a springboard for several team employees over the years.

The first media relations director, DAVID BEARMAN, came as a 24-year-old from Florida who had worked as an intern with the then-parent Florida Marlins.

He arrived in January 2003, began work in the office across from the construction zone and, as the first guy, was scrambling to set up a media department, make appearances, anything to get out the word that the Isotopes were coming as a new team, new logo, new ballpark, everything.

"It was a whirlwind," Bearman said recently. "The payoff was Opening Day. I was there two-plus years. If I close my eyes, the first and last thing I remember was Opening Day."

Bearman went on to a longtime position with ESPN, at the end working on sports betting content, but recently has taken a job with Pro Football Network as its chief content officer.

"To be honest, having a guy like John Traub and the late, great Nick LoBue were extremely helpful," Bearman said. "They knew how to run a professional organization."

Bearman famously met his wife while with the Isotopes; she then worked at an ice cream kiosk on the concourse.

Among those who followed, STEVE HURLBERT is now a spokesman for the University of Colorado; Lee VanHorn is in athletic administration at Auburn University, and three are working jobs in the majors — LAURA SOUTH (VERILLO) with the New York Mets, TJ LASITA with the San Diego Padres (in player and staff services), and KEVIN COLLINS with the Colorado Rockies. He was the predecessor of FOREST STULTING, currently in the role.

"I took the job in Albuquerque without stepping foot in New Mexico," in 2015,said Collins. a Philadelphia native who graduated from Northeastern University in Boston. "That's how good the Isotopes' reputation was."

Groundskeeping

JARAD ALLEY (2003-09) is the Field Maintenance Manager for the Minnesota Twins; CLINT BELAU (2018-21), is the Assistant Field Operations Manager for the Baltimore Orioles.

Front office

MICHAEL MARGOLIS, an accountant with the Isotopes in 2003, is with the New York Yankees in public relations.

Clubhouse

JERRY BASS, the original (2003-05) clubhouse manager, now oversees equipment needs for all Rockies minor league teams.