Atlantic League: August 2009 Archives

Local townball legend Shawn Hedrick was terrific in his professional debut for the York Revolution and the 34-year-old certainly impressed York infielder Keoni DeRenne, who spoke moments after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth in the Revs' 7-6 win over Newark.

"It was awesome. I am real happy for him," DeRenne said. "As a player, I know how nervous it can be, especially without any kind of professional experience. I remember my first game as a positional player.

"He seems to be a mature guy, so I don't think he had as many butterflies as some young 21 or 22-year old. In his hometown he wanted to do well. He was as poised as any normal pitcher."

What really caught DeRenne's attention - as well as many other people - was the fact that despite allowing eight hits in 61/3 innings of work, Hedrick did not walk a batter.

"I thought about that after the sixth inning. He was just throwing strikes," DeRenne added. "As a defensive player, I would rather someone give up 10 hits than allow six walks because those guys don't really do anything to earn it."

Keoni DeRenne won the game for the Revs in the bottom of the ninth, sending an 0-2 pitch over the left-center field wall thanks to some extra protein in the morning.

But the story of the night came from the right arm of 34-year-old Shawn Hedrick in his professional debut. The 1993 Dover High graduate did not earn a decision, but pitched well enough to win. He allowed three runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Shawn Hedrick not only can draw a crowd, the York native can pitch too. Spending his post high school career pitching in local adult leagues, the Revs decided to give him a shot. He proved up for the challenge, keeping the Newark Bears off balance most of the night.

Hedrick, 34, tossed 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits in his professional debut. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one. He did not figure in the decision, tossing 83 pitches. He left the game with the score tied, but reliever Jason Kershner gave up a three-run homer and also allowed an inherited runner to score. The Revs rallied to place a four-spot on the board in the bottom half of the inning, taking Hedrick off the hook for the loss.

The Revs front office expected a light turnout Wednesday before announcing the signing of Hedrick. About 1,000 fans purchased tickets since the Hedrick signing. An announced crowd of 4,263 showed up for the Wednesday night game, and all 100 Revs T-shirts with Hedrick's name and number across the back sold out by the fifth inning.

Revs pitcher Dave Gassner (pictured above during spring training) announced his retirement today. He has left the team to return home to Wisconsin. The Purdue graduate and former Minnesota Twins pitcher had an up-and-down career with York. One of the few bright spots (3.06 ERA) on a club that struggled in the first half last season, Gassner earned a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox.

But this year, a muscle strain near his neck caused him to be ineffective in his final starts of the season. He went 4-12 with a 5.59 ERA. He struck out 64 and walked 39. He allowed at least four runs in five of his final six appearances. Demoted to the bullpen under new manager Andy Etchebarren, Gassner made one relief appearance before he left the club.

It will be interesting to see what career path Gassner pursues. A Purdue graduate, he could find work outside of baseball, in a job that would allow him to stay close to his family -- including two young daughters. Although soft spoken, he offered insight into the game. But coaching jobs will no doubt be an option for him. After signing with the Red Sox last season, a Division I college offered him a job as their pitching coach.

The Revs reached out to the smaller independent leagues to sign right-handed pitcher Jamie Baker Tuesday. Baker had a connection with Southern Maryland manager Butch Hobson, playing for the skipper in Nashua in the Can-Am League.

Baker underwent labrum surgery last September.

"I called Butch, and Butch knows this kid," York manager Andy Etchebarren said. "Butch is pretty good with players as you know with Southern Maryland."

Revs pitching coach Tippy Martinez missed Monday's game and will not be in York Tuesday because he is filming an interview with former major league catcher Tim McCarver.

Martinez is being interviewed for a segment on former Yankees catcher Thurman Munson (pictured above with Somerset Patriots skipper Sparky Lyle).

Martinez and Munson played together in New York for parts of three seasons (1974-76) before he joined the Orioles in a trade. Munson played with the Yankees from 1969-79. He died Aug. 2, 1979 when the plane he piloted crashed about 1,000 feet short of the runway at Akron-Canton Airport.

He tried out for the team.

He tried playing against the team.

The York Revolution finally agreed to sign him, however, only after they fell more than 30 games under .500. Townball standout Shawn Hedrick will start for the York Revolution against the Newark Bears Wednesday.

Hedrick, 34, will make his professional debut Wednesday. It's a move the team probably should have made months ago, and one that only came about -- according to Revs GM Matt O'Brien -- because new York manager Andy Etchebarren believed local fans deserved to see it happen.

The Revs acquired infielder Liu Rodriguez, trading for the Southern Maryland infielder in exchange for future considerations. One of manager Andy Etchebarren's top priorities after accepting a job in York was finding a shortstop for the club. On his first day after meeting with the team, Etchebarren wanted York infielder Keoni DeRenne to know the team was trying to find a shortstop so he could move back to his natural position at second base.

One of the league's best at second base, DeRenne went through a difficult season a year ago as he attempted to be York's everyday shortstop. He committed 36 errors. York initially attempted to acquire Southern Maryland's Chuck Jeroloman for future considerations last Wednesday, but the deal fell through.

A switch-hitter, Rodriguez batted .280 in 36 games for Southern Maryland, scoring 23 runs this season. He's committed four errors.

The Revs also released Jermy Acey, who was acquired during Adam Gladstone's tenure as the director of the club's baseball operations. Acey committed six errors and batted .158 in 25 games. York initially hoped he would be an offensive addition to the club after batting .276 in a platoon role with the Blue Crabs this year. But he struggled after the Revs purchased his contract.

From the press release: The Newark Bears are proud to announce that the contract of outfielder Tike Redman (pictured above early in his career) was purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Redman becomes the 13th member of the record-setting Newark Bears who has been picked up by a major league affiliate this season.

Redman is a major league veteran who has played for both the Pittsburgh Pirates (2000-2001, 2003-2005) and the Baltimore Orioles (2007). Redman sports a career batting average of .281 in the big leagues. This season, Redman played 74 games with the Newark Bears, and he was batting .292 with 49 runs scored, 7 doubles, 5 homeruns, 36 runs batted in, and 10 stolen bases.

Blogger's note: This is the second time Redman has earned a contract with a major league organization by playing in the Atlantic League. After playing with the inaugural Revs club in 2007, he earned a contract with the Orioles and ended the season in the major leagues.

As reported in a feature that ran in Sunday's Daily Record/Sunday News print edition, Matt Esquivel is having a solid year playing the 38-foot wall in left field at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Heck, I even tried to play out there during a Revs' batting practice.

I spoke with Esquivel about playing the wall. Click the player to hear that conversation.

Veteran Revs reliever Jason Olson, one of the few remaining players from the Revs' inaugural 2007 season, has been released. The Long Island Ducks signed him today. A four-year veteran of the Atlantic League, Olson pitched for Somerset in 2006 before arriving in York.

Unable to start the 2009 season in York because he had accepted a coaching position at a high school near his hometown of Reno, Nev., Olson joined the Revs in late June. After looking sharp in his first few appearances, Olson struggled (1-2, 7.91 ERA). He allowed at least one run in six straight appearances, from July 19 to Aug. 7. In his last appearance with York, he struck out all three Long Island batters he faced Sunday.

Catcher Luis Taveras, outfielder Jason Aspito and infielder Keoni DeRenne also played during the Revs inaugural season.

Andy Etchebarren (pictured above with Brooks Robinson, left, and Dave McNally) wanted to keep managing after the Orioles cut ties with him before the 2008 season. His entrance in the Atlantic League came when he called Robinson, a teammate and friend from the 1966 World Series club.

Robinson, who is a member of the Revolution's ownership group, suggested he take a coaching job with Southern Maryland. York decided to turn to Etchebarren to manage the Revolution now, and bring him back in 2010.

We discuss the Revs' hiring Andy Etchebarren to finish the season as York's manager.

Blogger's note: This is a story that originally appeared in the Daily Record/Sunday News in 2008.

Baseball saved Andy Etchebarren's life once.

Finished as a player and finished as a coach -- or so he thought -- he was driving to the golf course for the third or fourth time one week, when he stopped his car and asked himself what he was doing.

Is golf the only reason why he should crawl out of bed in the morning?

Andy Etchebarren, 66, the former Orioles catcher and the current bench coach for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, is expected to be announced as the next manager for the York Revolution, according to Opening Day Partners President Jon Danos.

Danos expects Etchebarren to manage his first game for York when the Revolution return to Sovereign Bank Stadium against the Long Island Ducks Friday.

Danos also confirmed Revs Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone has been "relieved of his duties." Gladstone had been responsible for signing all of York's players, dating back to the club's first season in 2007.

Etchebarren will now be in charge of signing all of York's players, Danos said.

By the end of this week, the Revolution ownership group -- Opening Day Partners -- hopes to make a decision about who will manage the club. The decision to stick with interim manager Sam Snider or look elsewhere could determine what direction the franchise takes during the next year.

York acquired former Mets reliever Juan Padilla in a trade with New Hampshire of the independent Can-Am League for future considerations. Padilla (0-1, 2.76 ERA) had 17 saves in New Hampshire.

Padilla returns to York after going 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA and two saves for the second-half champions last season. Recovering from arm surgery last season, Padilla improved as the season progressed and he threw more innings.

The move to re-acquire Padilla illustrates how difficult a season it has been for the Revs. Padilla is the 45th player and 23rd pitcher activated by the club this season -- both qualify for franchise records. Even the 2007 expansion club didn't use as many players as this year's squad.

Opening Day Partners, the ownership group for the York Revolution, will decide what direction to take with a manager this week. After Chris Hoiles resigned Wednesday, the Revs named Sam Snider interim manager. ODP fielded calls almost immediately from managerial candidates, but ODP only wants to make a new hire if they can keep the new manager in place in 2010. If ODP decides to stick with Snider, a new pool of candidates may surface in the offseason.

ODP, however, could decide to stick with Snider if they believe him to be the best candidate for the job.

In today's York Sunday News/Daily Record, we look at the unusual nature of ODP's current situation. They would like to make a long-term hire now. But the pool of candidates is not great, considering many possible candidates aren't available because they are working in the middle of their season.

But Danos (pictured at right) had this to say about deciding who will lead the team for the remainder of the season: "One way or another, we hope to have a commitment from an individual by the end of (this) week. And that includes keeping Sam or going in a different direction."

Revs right-hander Tim Harikkala has left the club after signing with the Brother Elephants in Tawain -- the same club where former Revs starter Mike Smith joined earlier this season. Harikkala missed his last two starts with a sore elbow, but he pitched out of the bullpen twice this week with the hope of returning to the starting rotation.

Harikkala (5-3, 3.51 ERA) had not started since July 19. A midseason pickup, and former teammate of Dave Gassner, he had been one of the team's best pitchers. His injury came days after Corey Thurman pulled himself out of the starting rotation with an injury that has since been diagnosed as a blood clot.

The Revs are in the process of acquiring a pitcher, but expect to keep their starting rotation (Gassner, Dan Foli, Daryl Harang, Roberto Sotolongo and Shane Youman) intact according to team sources.

Familiar face: Former Revs slugger Matt Dryer returned to Sovereign Bank Stadium for the first time this season. A standout in 07 and 08 in York, he threw out the first pitch. In typical Dryer fashion, he critiqued the music at the ballpark.

"They waited until I left to run out on the field to Pantera," Dryer said, becoming more disturbed when some of this year's players didn't recognize the song.

P.J. Rose (pictured above) knocked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th with a sacrifice fly to plate Kennard Jones in an 11-10 victory against the Camden Riversharks at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Knowing a sac fly would win the game, Rose joked that he went to the plate just hoping to see a ball and "put it into the pasture."

He went 3-for-6, knocking in three runs and scoring two runs. He homered, doubled and singled. And the ball seemed to be jumping off his bat as he pulled one ball over the right field fence and another three-quarters of the way up the right-field fence. The reason for his recent hot streak? His dad, hit king Pete Rose.

The Revolution's ownership group has begun a search for managerial candidates following the resignation of Chris Hoiles Wednesday, according to Opening Day Partners President Jon Danos.

"Sam Snider is the interim manager, but how long he goes remains to be seen," Danos said. "We have some ideas, and we're talking to a lot of people."

Snider, 50, began pitching batting practice for the Orioles in 1980 while still playing college baseball. A bullpen catcher with the Orioles, Snider (pictured above during spring training) has 30 years of experience in pro baseball. But he does not have managerial experience.

"I voted for Sam to get the job," Hoiles said. "I think the guys know Sam and trust him."

Blogger's note: The following is a version of a story reported for the Thursday edition of the Daily Record/Sunday News.

Chris Hoiles said he felt no pressure from the York Revolution's front office or the team's ownership group to step down as manager. The decision was his alone, one last maneuver to motivate a last-place club.

"I believe in this club and its potential," Hoiles said in a telephone interview. "I didn't feel I was getting the most out of them. I felt there was plenty of time left in the season, and this move might help the team make a move. That's the reason why I did it now."

The Revolution are 33-63 under Hoiles this season, and York has started the second half 9-17 -- the worst record in the Atlantic League Freedom Division.

"It's entirely like he explained it, he's trying to give us a little spark," said York outfielder Jason Aspito, who played for Hoiles the last three seasons. "Right then and there that tells you how selfless he is.

"I'm going to miss him."

Chris Hoiles, manager of the York Revolution, is stepping down from his position for personal reasons, according to a news release from the team.

Revs manager Chris Hoiles did not attend Tuesday's game at Sovereign Bank Stadium because he needed to tend to personal matters, according to team officials.

Bench manager Sam Snider will fill in as interim manager, the release stated.

Read more here, and keep checking back for more information as it becomes available.

Revs manager Chris Hoiles did not attend Tuesday's game at Sovereign Bank Stadium because he needed to tend to personal matters, according to team officials. Third-base coach Sam Snider took over managing duties in Hoiles' absence.

Infielder Eric Perlozzo worked out with the team before the game, but the team did not immediately sign him. York has an open roster spot available as right-handed pitcher Corey Thurman remains on the disabled list.

It was a day with mostly bad news for area baseball fans. Two pitchers continue to recover from injuries, and the team released two players. The big news, however, is the loss of power hitting first baseman Kala Ka'aihue. He signed a deal to go back to a big league organization. Offered a deal by the Oakland Athletics organization Sunday, Ka'aihue made it official Monday. Revs Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone believed Ka'aihue will be assigned to Oakland's High-A affiliate.

"You never know what's going to happen," Gladstone said. "We had no idea he was going to be signed this quickly, but when we find a player -- and he helped us for a couple games -- we have to sign him."

Ka'aihue homered and doubled in his debut at Sovereign Bank Stadium. He knocked in four runs in seven games with York. He came to York after being released by the Braves organization in early July. He is the third York player to earn a contract back to a major league organizations this season, following infielders Brandon Pinckney and Danny Sandoval. Pitchers Rick Bauer (Korea) and Mike Smith (Taiwan) signed contracts to play overseas after starting the season with the Revs.

The Revs signed right-handed pitcher Roberto Sotolongo, 26, before Saturday's game, and he is expected to start tonight against Somerset. Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone acquired the Cuban native in a trade for future considerations with the Victoria Seals of the independent Golden Baseball League. Sotolongo went 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 43 2/3 innings. He struck out 28 and walked 15.

Sotolongo takes a spot in the starting rotation vacated by righty Tim Harikkala (tightness in elbow). Expected to miss just one start, Harikkala has now missed two starts. Gladstone said the team has decided to leave Harikkala on the disabled list until the team returns to York in order to avoid setbacks.

In order to make room for Sotolongo, the Revs placed reliever Wes Wilkerson (0-0, 11.57 ERA in three appearances) on the disabled list.