Atlantic League: June 2008 Archives

The Revolution traded two players Wednesday.

Here's a look at the moves.

While the team didn't receive any players in return, the moves opened some roster spots. Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone has reworked the lineup since its slow start. And while the Revolution entered Wednesday night's game last in the league in hitting, the team has shown signs of improvement.

Now that Tyler Von Schell is gone, there's no reason Chris Ashby shouldn't be in the lineup every day. He will be a key to York's success in the second half. But more moves need to be made. And the moves Gladstone makes in the next two weeks could determine if York is a contender in the second half.

Revolution outfielder Jason Aspito can expect to be suspended by the Atlantic League after deliberately making contact with first base umpire Matt Beaver during an eighth-inning confrontation.

York trailed Bridgeport 2-1 in the eighth with a runner on first when Aspito hit a comebacker to pitcher Barry Hertzler. Hertzler knocked the ball down and threw to first. And while Beaver has a bad reputation among some managers and players in the league, Hertzler's throw appeared to beat Aspito to the bag on a bang-bang play. Aspito immediately pulled off his batting helmet and went chest-to-chest with Beaver. He clearly bumped Beaver, forcing the veteran Atlantic League ump to move backwards. Beaver tossed Aspito, and ejected manager Chris Hoiles after the skipper came out to argue the play. Before leaving the game Aspito spiked his helmet on the gravel in front of the Sovereign Bank Stadium dugout.

Expect Aspito to sit at least two games for making contact with an official. And he could see more time, depending on the league's review of the situation. Lancaster manager Von Hayes sat two games after making contact with an official earlier this season.

Players and managers in the league are held accountable for their actions. Umpires need to be held accountable as well.

The Atlantic League's Edwin Ortiz needs to be suspended.

His act is getting old.

After ejecting Somerset pitching coach Kevin Dattola -- from across the field Wednesday night -- he affected Thursday's game as well. He tossed York third baseman Matt Padgett after a short discussion at third base. The conversation appeared over, but when Ortiz walked back to home plate he tossed Padgett.

If it was one incident, no one would care. Umpires have bad nights and bad games. But Ortiz has continued to affect games in which he works. The problem is inconsistency. He has a short fuse with one player, but will let other players chew him out at the plate. Earlier this year he ejected York reliever Jason Olson for ... well, no one really knows the reason. The Revolution team notes list the reason for ejection as "using the rosin bag."

Padgett is the third Revs player to be ejected by Ortiz.

After the game, York manager Chris Hoiles called it an "absolute joke."

Former major leaguer Frank Castillo has returned to York and could pitch as soon as this weekend in a three-game series in Lancaster according to York manager Chris Hoiles.

"We've heard nothing but good things," Hoiles said about Castillo's offseason throwing sessions. "We just have to figure everything out with Wayne leaving."

A right-hander who is able to dominate with pinpoint control and his ability to mix speeds, Castillo earned 82 major league victories during a 13-year big league career. He last appeared in the majors with the Marlins in 2005.

He provided a big boost to York during last season's second half. He went 8-4 and had a 3.75 ERA.

But Southern Maryland claimed the rights to Castillo in this winter's expansion draft, begging the question how did York re-sign him?

Left-handed starter Wayne Franklin never looked like the stopper York needed him to be. And in a repeat of last season, he left the team before Thursday's game to join Tijuana of the Mexican League.

Tijuana started the day 1.5 games behind first-place Monclova in the Northern Division. Tijuana has a team ERA of 4.91 and ranks 12th in the 16-team league for team pitching.

The move is similar to Franklin's exit last year, when he left York after three starts so he could earn a bigger paycheck in Taiwan. He returned in July, however, looking stronger and slimmer than when he left. He went 6-3 through the final two months of the season.

"I'm not disappointed," Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone said. "He's going to go down there ... and get a lot more money than we could offer him."

Former Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons will join the Atlantic League later this month, but he turned down offers to play in York ... in part because he wanted to avoid the Orioles fan base.

He has heard about away games, right?

Nobody is saying where Gibbons will play, but former major leaguers usually have one destination in the league. For the record, Long Island travels to York June 27-29.

It will be interesting to see how the Orioles fan base -- or in other words, the people he wanted to avoid -- treats him.

Even without a corporate connection, Revolution fans can make the move to the skybox level thanks to a new promotion by the York Revolution.

The Harp & Fiddle, the Irish pub located on George Street, will cater a buffet and provide live Irish music for five games in the second-floor White Rose Hall at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets for the event for $30. (Game tickets are included in the cost.)

York Mayor John Brenner will work as the celebrity bar tender at the first event, held Thursday.

Harp & Fiddle events are scheduled for June 12, July 24, Aug. 14, Aug. 21 and Sept. 11.

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that Jay Gibbons will play in the Atlantic League this month.

Gibbons told Sun reporter Dan Connolly that he chose to play with a team that was not located inside the Orioles fan base.

"I want to continue my career and start over," said Gibbons, 31. "This is an opportunity, and that is all I have been looking for."

The Revolution contacted Gibbons in spring training about playing in the league this year. It seemed like a logical for Gibbons, with former bullpen coach Sam Snider joining an all-Orioles coaching staff in the offseason.

"Sam Snider was instrumental and he was in contact with Jay," Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone said. "From Day 1 Jay said he would consider York because of Sam and (manager) Chris (Hoiles) and Tippy (Martinez)."

Brooks Robinson will return to Sovereign Bank Stadium Tuesday, July 1 to accept the third baseman award for the Rawlings All-Time Gold Glove Team. He will be honored on the field before the Revolution's game against the Newark Bears, and one of his 16 Gold Gloves will be on display at the stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

At the suggestion of Robinson, the ceremony will be held in York, where Robinson made his professional debut for the White Roses in 1955. It will be the only minor league stadium to host one of the all-time award presentations.

And while Robinson has made it apparent he has a special place in his heart for York, this move can be viewed as another swipe at the Peter Angelos-owned Orioles.

This story in this morning's York Daily Record takes a look at rising York Revolution attendance and overall attendance around the league.

The Revolution lost its second player to affiliated baseball during its three-game series with the Southern Maryland Crabs. And the latest one hurts.

The Boston Red Sox purchased the contract for left-handed starting pitcher Dave Gassner (2-3, 3.06 ERA) and assigned him to Double-A Portland.

“With the high level Dave was playing at, it’s not surprising the Red Sox were interested,” Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone said. “It’s tough to lose a guy that has been throwing that well for us, but we wish him the best.”

Fans at Sovereign Bank Stadium saw one of the best pitching performances in the stadium's 11-plus months of business.

Former major league left-handers Dave Gassner and John Halama faced off for the second time in six days, and the two combined to allow three earned runs. Halama lasted seven innings, and suffered his first loss of the season -- despite a commanding performance. He struck out six and didn't walk a batter.

Gassner earned the win, striking out six and walking two through eight.

But one big question remains: Why are both these pitchers still in the Atlantic League?

Revolution shortstop Kenny Perez is headed back to Triple-A.

Signed by the Colorado Rockies Monday, Perez will travel Tuesday to join his new team in Colorado Springs. He is the first player from York to earn a contract from a major league organization this season. Six Revs earned contracts last season, including Tike Redman -- the only player to reach the majors after starting the 2007 season in the Atlantic League.

"Obviously he was somebody who was on their radar," Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone said. "It's great for Kenny. It's great for everybody in that locker room. We sell these guys on this league for this reason."