The Revs donated $230,171 compared to $226,445 in 2008.

The franchise has donated more than $500,000 during its three-year existence.

The York Revolution is proud to announce that charitable donations reached $230,171 in 2009 for local non-profit organizations and for children from York and the surrounding area. Despite a fear that the economy would severely affect this year's donation amount, the 2009 season total has surpassed the 2008 amount of $226,445. The total included donations straight from the York Revolution and their fans, donations from corporate partners of the Revolution and value from tickets donated to help those in need. In less than three years, the York Revolution has helped raise more than $640,000 for non-profit organizations.

A few highlights of the organization's 2009 charitable efforts included:

* $67,000 earned by local non-profit organizations working the concession stands at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

* Nearly $45,000 donated by the Revolution to the York City School District from parking receipts at Small Field.

* $30,000 in tickets donated by the York County Industrial Development Authority (YCIDA) to local non-profit organizations and children in need.

* $14,000 raised by non-profit groups volunteering in the Weis DownTown playground.

* $14,000 raised by non-profit groups through fundraising ticket sales.

* $6,500 donated to YorkArts through the Mustache Night fundraising event.

* $5,000 donated by the Prince Athletic Club to the York County Food Bank, thanks to doubles hit by Revolution players at Sovereign Bank Stadium in 2009.

* $5,000 in Revolution gift certificates was donated to the York Youth Movement.

* A grand total of $4,000 was donated to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through the First Annual Revolution Golf Tournament presented by Chili's Grill & Bar and donations made by fans for video board and public address announcements throughout the season.

For a complete list, detailing all of the non-profit donations, please visit www.YorkRevolution.com.

"The Revolution would like to thank our fans and corporate partners for opening their hearts to our community," said Revolution General Manager, Matt O'Brien. "We will continue to provide a destination for our local non-profit organizations to raise funds and hopefully we can contribute even more in 2010."

Here's a quick glance at some of the players who may or may not return to York next season.

Josh Arhart, C
"(Etchebarren and I) talked a little bit," Arhart said about a possible return. "That's something I'm interested in, but we're going to talk more at the end of the season."

Etchebarren said he wants him to return.

Jason Aspito, OF
The team MVP from 2008 remained undecided about his future plans.

"(Injuries) will definitely weigh on my decision," Aspito said. "When I get my exit physical I'm going to go (to the doctor's office) so he doesn't have to write a book in (the clubhouse)."

Aspito suffered torn fascia in both feet. He dislocated a pinky finger, experienced biceps tendinitis, and experienced discomfort in his wrist -- an injury that dates back to being hit by a pitch in 2007.

Tom Collaro, DH
Believed he was one of the few players who did not meet with Etchebarren.

"I'll probably be playing somewhere," said Collaro, who did not expect to be invited back to York.

"York is always an option," said DeRenne, who has been invited back by Etchebarren.

Aharon Eggleston, CF
Etchebarren likes his speed in the outfield and would like to bring him back.*

Matt Esquivel, OF
"(Etchebarren) extended a welcome for me to come back," Esquivel said. "From here on out I've got to figure out what situation would be best for me, but it's nice to know I have a home back here in York."

The former Braves prospect may attract attention in the offseason after finishing the season with more than 20 homers and 20 steals. The Indians invited him to spring training last season, releasing him on the second-to-last day of camp.

Ryan Goleski, OF/RHP
"I would not bring him back as an outfielder because of his average and strikeouts," Etchebarren said. "But he was interesting as a pitcher because he threw up to 92 mph. We have to see where he's at in spring training. He doesn't have a serious type of injury (shoulder inflammation). If he's my 12th pitcher and throwing 92 mph, I've got to put him on the staff. But I won't know that until spring training."

Daryl Harang, LHP
"I like what I see. He's a keeper for next year," Etchebarren said following Harang's final start at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Shawn Hedrick, RHP
We wrote about this earlier in the week. He could return as a part-time starter if the Revs lose a starter or need a spot start because of a doubleheader. But the team cannot pay Hedrick enough money to quit his full-time job.

If he wants to return on a part-time basis, the Revs will probably ask him to start some games next season.

Jamar Hill, OF
Etchebarren likes his ability to play multiple outfield positions, and he has expressed an interest in bringing him back.

Brian Holliday, LHP
"He's a guy who has impressed me a lot," Etchebarren said. "I haven't made up my mind what's the best role for him. He's got a better arm than a lot of guys in the big leagues. So I have to figure out where's the best place for him to get signed by an affiliate. In the bullpen or starting? If he doesn't get signed by an affiliate I'm bringing him back next year."

Josh Johnson, C
Undecided about future. He and his wife are expecting their first child near Christmas.

Matt Padgett, INF
Undecided about future plans, but he hopes to remain in York after the season and perhaps work with Jason Aspito. He indicated Etchebarren told him he had a spot for next season, but he may need to begin a post-playing career in the offseason.

Liu Rodriguez, INF
Etchebarren likes him because of his flexibility in playing multiple positions, he's a natural second baseman but can play shortstop as well. However he's been bothered by wrist and groin injuries at the end of the season.

Corey Thurman, RHP
The blood clot in his pitching hand has dissolved. He wants to continue playing. Thurman missed most of July and all of August because of a clot that doctors did not think would dissolve without surgery, but Botox injections and therapy have allowed his condition to improve.*

"It's weird, (the blood clot) came and bothered me for a little bit, and then it left," Thurman said. "Hopefully (I'll be back), but you know how that goes. We'll just see what happens."

"I'm going to try to build the ballclub next year to this ball park. It's going to be a dominant right-handed hitting ballclub next year."

"I've got some players in mind that I haven't acquired yet. Hopefully I'll work some deals to bring them here."

"I've got three jobs I told the guys I talked to today:
* One is to win,
* two is to get players signed to an affiliate
* and No. 3 is to have a good reserve, when I lose players I need to have players I can put in."

"I probably brought in about 10 guys (this season), but I had to do it because I wanted to see them. These guys had good years, but I wanted to see if they could play in this league."

"I want to bring 18 pitchers to spring training and keep 12."

Blogger's note: Portions of the following story will appear in the Thursday edition of the York Daily Record/Sunday News.

Chris Hoiles and Adam Gladstone ended their affiliation with the York Revolution in August. Hoiles resigned and days later the ownership group Opening Day Partners fired Gladstone. The two announced their future plans Wednesday afternoon.

Hoiles and Gladstone have formed a sporting events management company -- The Hoiles-Gladstone Group. The company plans to host two hunting trips featuring sports celebrities this year. The trips, which cost $2,900, will take place on 7,000 acres of privately-owned land in Northeast Pennsylvania. The North Fork Lodge is owned by Kip Fulks, the senior vice president of outdoor for Under Armour, and located near St. Mary's. Hoiles and former Orioles Will Clark, Ben McDonald and Jamie Walker will hunt with up to 16 hunters during a five-day, four-night trip.

"We want to try to bring people that our so-called 'untouchable,' people like sports celebrities, in to rub shoulders with fans," Hoiles said. "That's what I tried to do in York ... be approachable. We want fans to have that opportunity to interact."

A bow hunting trip for whitetail deer -- HGG has called it "Bows, Bucks & Birds" -- will take place Oct. 21-25. A deer hunting excursion with rifles has been scheduled for Dec. 2-6. Information, including registration and contact numbers, can be found at the company's Web site -- www.HGGSports.com.

"I don't know if it's a dream job, but it's a passion of mine," Hoiles said about hunting. "I'm an outdoors guy and I love the hunting aspects of this trip. Hunting has been a tradition passed down to me and something I've passed down to my boys. And it's something they've really enjoyed."

A lifelong hunter who grew up in Ohio hunting pheasants and other small game with his father, Hoiles became a deer hunter only after arriving in Baltimore and meeting several teammates interested in big game.

The cost of the trip includes transportation to North Fork Lodge, Under Armour apparell and all meals and beverages. Transportation to the lodge will depart from Hunt Valley, Md., but Gladstone said a stop to pick up hunters in Central Pennsylvania will likely be scheduled. All meals during the trip will be prepared by "Famous James" Delaune, a cajun chef whose name should be familiar to some Revs players since he prepared meals for the team during its spring training trips to Lakeland, Fla., in 2007-08.

Although the announcement of the new company came during baseball season, it had nothing to do with revenge. Both Gladstone and Hoiles voiced their pleasure of working with the Revolution the last two years.

"I've heard this a couple times and I just wanted to get this out there. This company had nothing to do with (my resignation)," Hoiles said. "This is something we had planned. This was just a side thing. I did not miss a game or anything . Adam didn't miss a game. Our thoughts were always with changing this team. We wanted to win just as bad as the fans watching the games.

"It was a dream thing that we came up with ... we wanted to get these guys in here to hunt and we pulled it off. It didn't take away from the York Revolution at all.

Gladstone echoed Hoiles' thoughts on the subject.

"We did not do this by any stretch of the imagination to spite Opening Day Partners," Gladstone said. "We let (CEO) Peter Kirk, (President) Jon Danos and -- even (Revs GM) -- Matt O'Brien know during a meeting back in May."

The hunting trips could be just a first move by the company. Both men talked about future ventures, including work as business consultants. Gladstone had organized celebrity golf tournaments in the Baltimore area, and the company would welcome working with local individuals to put on similar events in the area. The two have also talked about building an indoor baseball facility in the York area. Gladstone said a fishing trip may be organized at a future date.

"Financially we're looking to build (the company) and then we can branch off into other areas," Hoiles said. "One or two (indoor baseball facilities) in this area is very much needed. But there are a lot of things wrapped up into it. We have some great ideas on the docket, but it's a matter of funding and maybe having a couple more sponsors come forward."

York manager Andy Etchebarren hasn't ruled out bringing back Dover graduate Shawn Hedrick next season as a spot starter. But it's unlikely, Etchebarren said, that he would bring him on as a full-time player.

"I certainly can't pay him enough for him to quit his job," Etchebarren said. "He has a family."

Hedrick has gone 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA in three starts. He's struck out five and walked five in 15 innings.

"He'd be an option," Etchebarren said about the possibility of Hedrick returning to the Revolution in 2010, "if I needed a starter for a doubleheader or if one of my starters went down. I would have enough confidence in him now. ... I wouldn't be afraid to bring him in."

"It would be an awful nice thing for him to pitch in front of a full house," Etchebarren said.

Still bothered by the move, hours later, Etchebarren refused to comment about the specifics surrounding the moves.

"Today was a tough day with the moves we made," Etchebarren said. "That's between the players and I, and that's something I don't want to get into."

Etchebarren said he had no plans to release the players, but something happened during Sunday's doubleheader.

"Something happened yesterday and let's leave it at that," Etchebarren said.

Britton, a right-handed reliever, pitched in the majors with the Yankees last season. He went 2-4 with three saves and a 4.12 ERA.

The York Revolution acquired Aharon Eggleston, a left-handed hitting outfielder. After leaving Southern Arkansas University he's spent the last five seasons in the Northern League. He batted .318 in 90 games with Kansas City this season. According to two different statistical Web sites -- howesportsdata.com and thebaseballcube.com -- Eggleston has never appeared in affiliated baseball.

The Revs made room for Eggleston trading center fielder Kennard Jones (pictured above) to the Newark Bears Friday for future considerations. A deal involving "future considerations" usually involves one team dumping salary but, in case of last-place York and manager Andy Etchebarren's plan for rebuilding the club, the Revs needed roster spots and playing time for new players to showcase their talent or their lack of it.

A former Orioles prospect, Jones has the tools to succeed in the game.

But Etchebarren brings a different approach than the Revs' former player procurement regime. He's already shown a willingness to rely on players from independent leagues. And that reliance is no doubt something he gleaned from his relationship with Southern Maryland's Butch Hobson. Hobson will often acquire players that have never reached affiliated ball or played the majority of their careers in Class A. His reasoning is simple: He believes those players are hungry.

So we'll see if Etch can coach similar results out of indie league veterans.

Mistake No. 2: Took a couple days off to move -- during what should have been a meaningless roadtrip to Newark.

Result: Scanning the roster, a few new names showed up and a few familiar faces left the club.

So let's recap the last few days of moves for the Revs.

* Reliever Juan Padilla has left the team to pitch for Puerto Rico against international competition. The former Mets right-hander has been placed on the inactive list, and fans shouldn't expect to see him back with York this season. Coaches knew Padilla might leave the club in mid-August.

* Catcher Luis Taveras, the longest-tenured member of the Revs, has been released. Popular with fans and teammates, it's the second time the club has let Taveras go this season. The old regime, led by manager Chris Hoiles and director of baseball operations Adam Gladstone, traded Taveras to Long Island in a premeditated deal with the idea of bringing him back. Fans became upset with the move, and at one point a fan confronted Gladstone after a game.

But at 34, he's no longer a player major league organizations would sign, and he batted .213 in 38 games in a backup role. He is not expected to return to the club this season, and he has most likely played his final game for York.

Taveras may have been the fan favorite York manager Andy Etchebarren hinted that he would release when he said: "I've seen 10 days now, and I'm going to make changes by the end of the season. And the one thing I want to make sure of and the fans to know, if they just trust me to do this and get it done, what happened this year will definitely not happen for the next two years.

"I don't like getting beat every night. It's no fun. When I come to the park I want to have fun. I want the players to have fun. It's pretty hard to have fun when you go out there and get your (butt) kicked. That's gotta stop. And if I have to do it by making changes, I'm going to do it. And if I get rid of a player or two that are fan favorites, I'll take the flak for it, because if I do it, I'm going to do it to make the team better for next year."

* The Revs also acquired Victoria Seals catcher Josh Arhart and outfielder Jamar Hill for future considerations. The move is not so much a trade as it is a loan. Etchebarren will look at each player to see if they could be options for the club in 2010.

Arhart is a career .281 hitter. UPDATE: He's played 50 games at Double-A, and he's known as a defensive catcher and blocking machine according to one informed reader. That said, he's put up some impressive offensive numbers in recent years and earned championship MVP honors for the Orange County Flyers in 2008. A former UCLA player, he hit .325 during the Seals inaugural season. In 68 games he launched 11 homers and 22 doubles. The eye-catching number from his time in the Golden League this season is his .419 OBP -- a jaw-dropping number for a catcher. He walked as many times as he struck out (27).

Hill has slightly more experience at the higher levels of affiliated baseball, playing 64 games at Double-A. But he too had primarily been limited to Class A action. He batted .289 in 75 games for the Seals. He hit 19 homers and posted a .399 OBP.

If Arhart and Hill show the ability to put up similar numbers during their short "tryout" period with the club, Etchebarren will need to sign the players for 2010. When York has struggled, it has lacked a solid No. 3-type hitter -- a player who can get on base no matter what. Some may argue the team has never been able to replace Nate Espy, the team MVP in 2007. But Arhart and Hill could help York fill that void.

* The Revs also signed 23-year-old righty Jesse Freeman, whose entire pro career appears to be limited to the 14 2/3 innings he spent with Quebec in the Can-Am League earlier this season. He did not impress. He went 0-0 with an 11.05 ERA.

Pitcher Shawn Hedrick has been examined by the York Revolution's medical staff and has been cleared to start Sunday at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Hedrick experienced tightness in the back of his shoulder during his second start with the Revs. The Newark Bears knocked around the Windsor resident for five runs -- three earned -- in 1 1/3 innings Tuesday. But the longtime amateur standout admitted that about halfway through the first inning he experienced pain with every pitch. Having little command, he walked five batters. His lack of command was out of character. He lasted into the seventh frame without issuing a free pass in his pro debut against Newark last Wednesday.

Examined by York's Orthopaedic and Spine Specialists' Dr. William H. Ulmer Jr. on Wednesday, Hedrick was diagnosed with a muscle strain.

"The way he explained it, I have a tired muscle surrounding my rotator cuff," Hedrick said.

The 34-year-old spent 18 years playing in local amateur leagues. Long discussed as a possible option for the Revs, he didn't earn a shot with York until manager Andy Etchebarren took control of the club in August.

The injury "it was kind of a suprise," Hedrick said. "I felt fine before the game. I wouldn't say it has been a difficult week, but it's definitely been nerve wracking. But (at the same time) it has been nice to have so many people approach me."

"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."

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.

YORK MANAGER ANDY ETCHEBARREN: "I'm so happy for him, what a job he did. It's hard to explain what he feels like right now. Thirty-four years old, gets to pitch in a game like this, first start against the best-hitting team in the league. He was outstanding."

YORK INFIELDER MATT ROGELSTAD: "It's a tough job to play in front of your hometown, but he did a great job."