Major leagues: June 2009 Archives

Blogger's note: The following is a version of a story scheduled to appear in the York Daily Record in the coming days. Rose batted third in York's lineup Saturday against Somerset.

P.J. Rose (pictured above right) left the Newark Bears in April not knowing if he would play baseball again. After knocking in 95 runs in each of the last two seasons in the Atlantic League, he played in exactly one game for the Bears this season.

He didn't want to be a part-time player. So he returned home to Cincinnati.

"Staying there and sitting on the bench wasn't going to do me any good," Rose said. "I wanted to spend time with my kids (ages 2 and 4), because that's more important than anything. I was just at home and enjoying my family. It's tough. You play the game for 21 years, you're away all the time, it was nice to be at home."

Thanks again for the reader responses on the blog. If you ever need to ask me a question shoot me an e-mail at jseip@ydr.com or post on the blog -- it's anonymous, and I have tough -- sun-damaged -- skin. Shoot away.

One of the posters -- thanks again Ken -- asked why it was necessary to print the history of P.J. Rose. Super fan Don Kain had the same type of question for me before Friday's game. Please, they said: Don't bring up the past, keep it positive.

Let me try to answer why the paper published the information about Rose's past.

Atlantic League veteran infielder P.J. Rose, 39, and relief pitcher Jason Olson (pictured at right) worked out with York before Thursday's game. Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone expected to activate Olson Friday and Rose Saturday. One of the moves York manager Chris Hoiles wanted to make, the York skipper has known Rose since the two met as players in the Orioles organization. It will be Rose's fifth season in the Atlantic League.

The son of Major League Baseball hits leader Pete Rose, P.J. (pictured above) batted .289 with 15 homers in 129 games for Long Island last season. He was a member of a troubled clubhouse in Long Island last season, where players clashed and the Ducks once again failed to reach the championship series despite a roster loaded with former big league talent. Rose played 11 games in the majors for Cincinnati in 1997, but he's played indy ball exclusively since 2003. He also spent 30 days in jail after he pleaded guilty in 2005 to charges he distributed GBL, a drug sometimes sold as a steroid alternative, to minor league teammates with the Reds Double-A club.

He also brings a checkered past, spending 30 days in prison after he pleaded guilty in 2005 to charges he distributed GBL -- a drug sometimes sold as a steroid alternative, sleep aid or sexual stimulant -- to his minor league teammates with the Chattanooga Lookouts, a Double-A affiliate of the Reds. He was one of at least 18 people charged in a six-year investigation led by the DEA.

"Look, he's been in this league how many years? He's subjected to the same random drug tests of every player in the league," Gladstone said. "And he's never had any problems.

The joke around The Vault this week centered around the Washington Nationals: At least the Revs didn't have the title of Worst Team in Baseball. The front office placed the Nats on the standings board at the stadium, listed as the fifth team in the Freedom Division.

Ah, big laughs.

But then the Nats started winning, three games and counting after Friday night's victory. OK, so the joke is no longer funny if York -- still looking for a three-game winning streak by the way -- sinks even lower. They aren't the worst team in all of professional baseball, but they're in the conversation.

After a quick glance at more than a dozen leagues around the majors and minor league baseball, here's an unofficial look at the worst teams in all of pro ball:

We sit down again with York Daily Record/Sunday News reporter Steve Navaroli to talk about one of the worst teams in all of baseball -- the York Revolution.

Looking forward, one of the big obstacles will be York's start in the second half. And looking forward to next season, it will be interesting to see if Opening Day Partners decides to shift its philosophy on how it builds teams. Who can argue with the job Southern Maryland's Butch Hobson has done managing his club and signing his players?

Revolution right-hander Tim Harikkala has been moved out of the starting rotation, according to pitching coach Tippy Martinez. Harikkala has some family issues and may need to leave the team for more than one day. Revolution head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone is aware of the situation, and hopes if Harikkala leaves the club he will be placed on the inactive list and return to the team.

Harikkala looked strong in his last outing, allowing four hits and one run in seven innings to earn a victory against Lancaster this weekend -- the club's only victory in a four-game set. A former major leaguer, he looked like he would bolster the rotation. But if he needs to leave the team for several days, Harikkala can be replaced with more ease if he's pitching in the pen. If he's a starter, the team would have to scramble to find a replacement.

Martinez also expects to use Bob Zimmermann in the bullpen in the future. The Revs starting rotation seems set with Corey Thurman, Dave Gassner, Shane Youman, Dan Foli and Daryl Harang.

Usually an Atlantic League club has some warning before a player is snatched up by a major league organization. A major league club often makes an inquiry, the player and his agent often discuss the move and about 24 hours later a deal could be in place.

The Colorado Rockies, however, move faster.

In a matter of about two hours, the Rockies contacted the league and the Revolution and worked out a deal to sign former major league shortstop Danny Sandoval. The former Phillies infielder is expected to be assigned to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Sandoval's signing mirrors the Rockies move to acquire former Revs third baseman Kenny Perez last season -- working in hours as opposed to days to acquire a player.

The York Revolution have agreed to terms with former Yankees pitcher Chris Britton, 26, according to team sources. Revolution GM Matt O'Brien posted on Twitter that Britton will join the team in a couple days. Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone added that Britton has joined the Revs Tuesday and expects to activate him Wednesday.

A right-hander, Britton is expected to bolster the Revolution bullpen. York has not made a roster move to replace relief pitchers Steve Andrade and Josh Sharpless since it released the pair last week. And the team only had five relievers after David Shafer retired Sunday.

Britton came up through the Orioles system, and he made his major league debut in 2006, appearing in 52 games. He recorded a 3.35 ERA as a 23-year-old rookie for Baltimore. Traded to the Yanks for Jaret Wright in Nov. 2006, Britton appeared in 15 major league games for the Yanks last season. One of the rare cases of a player who has gone from the majors to the Atlantic League in one year, Britton has struggled this season at Double-A (10.80 ERA in 10 games) and Triple-A (9.53 ERA in five games) before being released by the Padres.

Three Revs, including Corey Thurman (pictured above), expect to be filmed this week for a movie directed by James Brooks. The picture stars Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and -- perhaps -- Jack Nicholson. The sports scenes are being coordinated by Mark Ellis, a former college football player who has coordinated the sports scenes for numerous movies -- including "Jerry Maguire."

Starting pitchers Daryl Harang, Bob Zimmermann and Thurman were scheduled to attend a rehearsal and fitting Monday. Shooting is tentatively scheduled for Friday and Saturday. About 10 Revolution players and manager Chris Hoiles attended a casting call at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., when the team traveled to play the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs June 1. Hoiles and catcher Josh Johnson also earned call backs but could not attend the two-day shoot.

The experience is detailed in an article from the York Daily Record/Sunday News.

The Revolution continued to remake an underachieving roster, releasing relief pitchers Steve Andrade and Josh Sharpless after York's 1-6 road trip ended in a rain-shortened loss to Southern Maryland.

Expected to be York's closer when the season opened, Andrade (pictured above) suffered from biceps tendinitis in May. He sat out 15 straight days before returning to the mound May 19. He made three straight hitless appearances before allowing a combined three runs during his last two appearances. He went 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA and one save in 10 games.

Sharpless (1-1, 7.85 ERA) never appeared comfortable on the mound during his 15-game stay in York. The former Pittsburgh Pirate reported to spring training later than most of his teammates for personal reasons and struggled to find the strike zone. Sharpless (pictured at right) walked 17 and struck out 17 in 18 1/3 innings.

Former major league pitcher Tim Harikkala joined the Revolution and made his debut Tuesday. But after retiring the Blue Crabs in order in the first inning players were pulled off the field for a rain delay that lasted 41 minutes. Harikkala left the game in the bottom of the third, and the Blue Crabs held a comfortable 8-0 lead through three innings.

Harikkala appeared in 73 career big league games from 1995 through 2007.

The Revolution placed reserve outfielder Colin Roberson on the inactive list to make room for Harikkala (pictured above pitching for Tigres de Aragua in Venezuela this winter).