When the heads of the independent Atlantic League started tossing ideas around in the mid ‘90s, one they all agreed upon was to help players get to the big leagues. Losing players during the season was a given due to that goal; however, in recent years, players have been fleeing for places other than major league organizations.

Pitcher Dave Elder appeared in 19 games for the Cleveland Indians between 2002 and 2003. After his release, Elder landed with the Atlanta Braves organization the following year and then unemployed eight games into the season.

At the time, his options were minimal, so the Georgia Tech product inked a deal with the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots. In 21 relief appearances, Elder was spectacular, posting a perfect four-win record and 1.34 ERA. The New York Yankees took notice and signed him immediately.

The next few seasons, Elder bounced around, returning to Somerset for at least one stint per year, including the start of this season. But after just two games, he was gone again.

This time Elder didn’t leave for a major-league-affiliated club. Instead, the right-hander joined the Vaqueros Laguna’s of the Mexican League. Mexico? A country that doesn’t even have a Major League Baseball team?

This has been the trend in recent years and Mexico isn’t the only country fleecing the Atlantic League of its talent. Taiwan and Japan have gotten into the act, too.

It’s always been said by league and team officials that the Atlantic League gives players their best shot of getting back to the bigs. Even Rickey Henderson, a future Hall of Famer, said that the reason he signed with the Newark Bears was because that’s what he was told. He was right and the Los Angeles Dodgers picked him up that same year.

“The Atlantic League has earned the reputation as the premier independent league for players looking to get back into an affiliated organization,” Long Island Ducks G.M. Mike Pfaff said. “I can only speak for the Ducks, but I know we are thrilled for players when they get signed.”

Greg Modica, a former New York Mets farmhand, left the Patriots during the 2005 season to play in Taiwan. What he thought was going to be an $8500 per-month paycheck, turned out to be a spot competition with former big league journeyman Leo Estrella. Modica was back in Somerset one week later. In a league where the salary restrictions are solely “guidelines,” Modica felt the money was far too much to pass up, despite the fact that he might not get the same exposure.

“It depends what the players expectations are with baseball,” Modica said. “Some of these guys know that their major league dream, or comeback, is over and they continue to play because it’s fun. If a guy doesn't think he has a reasonable chance to make it back to affiliated ball, he isn't really worried about exposure.”

Modica was welcomed back by the Patriots; however, there are cases where players are blacklisted by the club they left for jetting for greener paydays; meanwhile, the team gets nothing in return.

“The whole point for the players to play in the Atlantic League is to better there situation -- whether this is to get them back to an organization or financially,” Modica said. “The owners are making their money; if a player has the chance to make some, why hold that against them?”

Several league general managers declined to comment on this matter; however, the ones who did echoed the same remarks: They understand players have to support themselves and their families; however, there are sacrifices you must make sometimes to reach an ultimate goal.

“That is what is necessary – when players are in Single-A and Double-A ball – they live with multiple roommates – whatever it takes to save money so they can reach their dream,” Bears G.M. John Brandt said. “It is part of their process, no matter what their signing bonus is or was.”

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Scott Sobkowiak was in a similar situation in 2005. He was an All-Star and pitched himself to among the league leaders in several categories; then he received an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“The money is king, especially if you get a guaranteed deal for cash,” Sobkowiak, who signed in Taiwan, said. “Even if they cut me the money was still mine.”

When his time ran out in Taiwan, Sobkowiak had interest in returning to the Patriots. Somerset, however, had no interest in having him back. In fact, just days after he left, team officials acknowledged their disappointment in the right-hander saying they weren’t open to a return.

“They just weren’t interested in re-signing me,” Sobkowiak, who retired this year after spending the last two seasons with the Lancaster Barnstormers, said. “They were upset when all I did was make a business decision.”

Sobkowiak’s reason for leaving was that it was August and he started to give up on getting picked up. When the Taiwanese team approached him with an offer several times what he was making in the Atlantic League, he figured, “why not take the money and finish out the season over there.”

Adam Gladstone, was in charge of player transactions when Sobkowiak pitched in Somerset. While he says he would never stand in the way of a guy who has the opportunity to play elsewhere, Gladstone feels there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it.

“The right way is to involve the team and league so we can make some kind of deal. If you leave the wrong way, no, I’m not going to bring you back,” Gladstone, who is now in charge of BASA, said.

One player the Patriots did welcome back after a stay in Taiwan was outfielder Mike Lockwood. Last season, the former 23rd round draft pick (Oakland Athletics) was batting .336 with six home runs and 15 RBI in 36 games for Somerset. Yet he was still in the league while several others – less worthy – were penning contracts with affiliates.

“Last year I felt it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, especially from a financial aspect,” Lockwood, who turned down a deal to go to Taiwan this year, said. “It was always something I wanted to do and I don’t regret it at all.”

Gladstone was also in charge when Lockwood left. The former Atlantic League umpire turned player-signing guru didn’t want to bring Sobkowiak back. When Lockwood was looking to return; however, Gladstone wasn’t around anymore and it was now former New York Yankees pitcher Brett Jodie’s call.

“Lockwood’s a great guy. There was no doubt in my mind to bring him back,” Jodie, who is a former Patriots pitcher and also serves as the team’s pitching coach, said. “Guys leave here for a ton of different reasons, but I’m not going to fault them for doing so.”

When asked if Sobkowiak and Lockwood left the wrong way, Gladstone had no comment.

Each season, players sign a one-year contract with one of the league’s eight teams. Once the season ends, they’re free to go wherever they’d like. The A.L. makes money when a major league team picks up one of their players – usually between $1000-$5000. But when a player signs elsewhere, usually no funds are exchanged. So for a place that depends on its players to play well so it can make money in the end, why not pay one a higher salary to not sign elsewhere and both sides end up happy?

“I don’t begrudge any player for leaving to make more money, especially the ones who’ve been in the minor leagues for many years,” Atlantic League President Joe Klein said. “I do consider it career suicide though.”

“The good players want to stay here and get picked up,” Camden Riversharks G.M. Adam Lorber said. “Personally there is parody in the league and you can’t fault a guy who decides he only has a couple of years left and goes to another country for pay increase.”

One general manager says that league officials have discussed making it mandatory for other leagues, in addition to affiliates, to pay for their players. That same G.M. says that it’s also been talked about that players who leave and return from other countries would be penalized with a “mandatory suspension and/or fines.”

There have been recent incidents – seven this season in fact -- where players have left to go overseas and that league, in turn, paid the Atlantic League. In fact, one agent told me that he’s negotiated several deals in which the buyouts were similar to what major league teams pay -- buyouts which sometimes the player pays himself.

Aside from the financial reasons, are there any other justifications that would lead one making no more than $3000 per month to sign with a team where the exposure is at a minimum and a language barrier has just been added into the equation?

Just ask former Bridgeport Bluefish pitcher Pat Ahearne. The former Detroit Tiger recently had his contract sold to the Macoto Cobras of the Mexican League for “several thousand dollars.” One team official said he was excited about the deal because it gave him more money and, because he had a passion for traveling -- it was a perfect fit.

A former player who spent several years in the league added: “If owners want to provide the highest level of competition outside of affiliated ball and keep players from going elsewhere, they should reach into their pockets a little more.”

Patriots manager Sparky Lyle recently said that he doesn’t see any reason why the league shouldn’t increase a player’s salary to more than it is now. After all, it’s been that way for 10 years now. Players agree, most others involved with the league don’t.

“I don’t think we need to raise salaries,” Klein said. “Players here have the advantage of being scouted by 30 teams instead of going elsewhere where there’s often roster problems.” Said one G.M.: “There’s no need to increase salaries in the states – there are enough solid players out there.”

Who's to say those "solid players" won't one day be faced with the predicament: more money or a chance to get back to the big leagues.