Andy Etchebarren walked across his office to pick up a card that really meant something to him. Bothered by a bad back for most of the season, the York Revolution manager could not stand in the dugout for Monday night's game because he had received two more injections to help relieve his back pain. He hopes to delay back surgery until after the season so he can manage his club throughout the playoffs.

But he seemed genuinely touched after a member of the front office presented him with a get well card signed by more than 100 fans.

"That's really nice," Etchebarren said.

The card even cracked him up. One fan had drawn a stick man being hanged, and wrote "ump" under the stick man.

"You like that?" Etchebarren said with a laugh.

York manager Andy Etchebarren held a closed-door meeting after the Revs blew a six-run lead during a 16-10 loss to Long Island Tuesday. One of the reasons for the meeting was to address the bullpen.

"I'll tell you what I told the players," Etchebarren said. "Right now there are five guys in the bullpen that are on the (postseason) roster.

"I'm taking nine bullpen guys and four starters. The guys that want to make it that are here better step up. I'm not taking with 6.00, 7.00 or 8.00 ERAs to the playoffs."

The Revolution pitching staff ranks seventh in the eight-team Atlantic League in ERA (5.01), walks (482) and homers (132). Only Newark has a higher ERA (5.55), more walks (502) and more homers surrendered (149) than York.

One of York's best midseason acquisitions of the season, Victor Rodriguez, will leave the Revs Thursday after playing first base and batting sixth in the lineup Wednesday night. It might be the final game in Rodriguez's Atlantic League career. The 33-year-old said earlier this season that this would be his final season in the Atlantic League. He planned to play winter ball in Puerto Rico this season, and wanted to play once more in the Atlantic League to prepare for his final go-around in Puerto Rico.

According to York manager Andy Etchebarren, Rodriguez's wife has been hospitalized and he needs to travel to be with his family. Rodriguez batted .333 (42-for-126) in 31 games with York. He had nine doubles, six homers and 19 RBIs during his first 31 games with York, raising his season average to .293.

Rodriguez began the year in Bridgeport before moving to Newark. The Bears sent him to York to complete a trade from 2009 in which the Revs traded center fielder Kennard Jones. A former Player of the Year in the league, Rodriguez will be difficult to replace. He could play three of the four infield positions and he provided a steady bat in the lineup.

Etchebarren said the team is working on finding a replacement, and the team has already made contact with a utility player "who can fly."

By early afternoon, Revs director of player procurement Michael Kirk had learned more bad news. Right-hander Vince Perkins had left the Revs. Kirk and York manager Andy Etchebarren said Perkins retired.

Used mostly as a relief pitcher with Newark and York this season, Perkins (0-8) can throw in the high-90s, but he lacked command. In his last outing with the Revs, he threw 110 pitches. But he threw more balls than strikes, and he lasted just 3 1/3 innings in a spot start.

"That was probably the final outing for him," Etchebarren said in the WOYK pregame show about the apparent end of Perkins' career.

The Revs have lost nine pitchers during the last 26 days, not including longtime York County amateur Shawn Hedrick -- who made an emergency spot start for York Saturday. The Revs had nine healthy pitchers on their roster Tuesday morning, a lower number than the 10 healthy pitchers Bridgeport carried during a trying first half.

York manager Andy Etchebarren appears in a feature story on Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth in the most recent edition of Sports Illustrated.

From the article:

"Werth's career didn't progress as quickly as expected. Baltimore traded him to Toronto in 2000 after his Double A skipper, former O's catcher Andy Etchebarren, deemed him, Werth says, "uncoachable." The Blue Jays made him an outfielder. He broke into the majors in 2002 but within two years was sent to the Dodgers; he hit 16 home runs in 290 at bats for Los Angeles in '04 and was the Dodgers' starting leftfielder in the playoffs that year."

So we asked Etch about Werth.

Was he uncoachable?

Jim and Steve discuss Shawn Hedrick's return to the Revolution and other things from the press box at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Dover High graduate Shawn Hedrick confirmed Friday afternoon he has been offered a contract by the York Revolution. Revs director of player procurement Michael Kirk confirmed that the Revs expect Hedrick to start Saturday at home against Bridgeport.

A longtime staple in local amateur leagues in York County, Hedrick made his professional baseball debut last August at the age of 34 with the York Revolution. The right-hander made four starts for a team in the midst of an 87-loss season. He went 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA. He struck out nine and walked five in 22 1/3 innings of work.

Hedrick spent this season pitching for Red Lion in the Susquehanna League.

The Revolution signed two former major league pitchers Wednesday, filling its roster. But the status of Joselo Diaz now appears in doubt. The right-hander began the season in Long Island, but he left the team to play in Mexico. In uniform the last two nights for York, Diaz pitched a side session after the Revs lost last night and was scheduled to start Saturday.

Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein was expected to speak to Revs team officials Friday about Diaz.