York Revolution: January 2009 Archives

What York Revolution player would you like to see back in 2009?

• Aaron Rakers
• Corey Thurman
• Matt Padgett
• Matt Dryer
• Jason Aspito

Created on Jan 29, 2009

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poll by twiigs.com

It's a debate every offseason: Should an Atlantic League club bring back core players or should it find new and younger talent?

The Revolution appear to have some of their best players from 2008 ready to return in 2009. Former Blue Jays pitcher Corey Thurman (pictured above) and Revolution MVP Jason Aspito spent considerable time in York this offseason. Thurman lived in York, and Aspito split his time between York and Illinois. After appearing at a gathering announcing Revolution news Thursday, it appears Aspito and Thurman are content to return to the Revs.

The York Revolution delivered what many local baseball fans asked for since the Atlantic League club arrived in 2007. The Revolution scheduled a preseason exhibition game against an All-Star squad of local amateurs from the Central and Susquehanna leagues. The dream game for many in York County will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Baseball fans may finally have a chance to see how York Township's Casey Markey (pictured above left) fares against Revolution MVP Jason Aspito (pictured above right).

I just returned from a press conference announcing the preseason scrimmage between the York Revolution and an All-Star squad composed of players from the Susquehanna and Central leagues at 1 p.m. April 18 at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

York's local amateur leagues have provided an outlet for several players to mature into professionals, most recently major league reliever Mark Hendrickson -- who played for York Township before being signed by the Toronto Blue Jays. Red Lion's Travis Hake and Stoverstown's Mark Phillips have played in the leagues in recent years, allowing them to return to the professional ranks in the Atlantic League.

The Revolution also announced the Central and Susquehanna leagues will hold their annual All-Star Game July 19 in Sovereign Bank Stadium, and the two league champions will square off in a best-of-three series starting Aug. 29 at The Vault.

Joe Klein addressed executives last week at the annual league meetings, held at Clipper Magazine Stadium Friday. He asked teams to be patient when compiling rosters because major league players are still available.

A similar situation arose last year, allowing several teams to sign major league veterans, including former Cardinals closer Dave Veres (pictured above with York).

This should be good news for the league. But I don't really buy into it. It remains to be seen if teams have an interest or the finances -- especially during the current economic downturn -- to lure a big-name talent to the Atlantic League. And it remains to be seen if a former major leaguer with a big name is willing to subject himself to the Atlantic League for an entire season.

New Bears manager Tim Raines (pictured above with his son, Tim Raines Jr.) was featured in a recent N.Y. Times article. The article takes an optimistic view of the Bears.

In the article Newark General Manager Mark Skeels is quoted as saying: "(The Newark club) was on life support, but not only have we been revived, we've been miraculously improved."

I don't know if that's entirely true.

Revolution relief pitcher and former New York Mets reliever Juan Padilla has been named to Puerto Rico's provisional World Baseball Classic roster. The 45-man roster will be trimmed to 28 players on Feb. 24. Play begins March 5.

Puerto Rico plays in Pool D against Panama, Netherlands and the Dominican Republic. The United States plays in Pool B against Canada, Italy and Venezuela.

Padilla appeared in 23 games for the Revolution last season, posting a 2-2 mark with a 5.40 ERA in 28 1/3 innings of work. A former setup man for the Mets, Padilla is attempting to return to the majors after the second major surgery to his pitching arm. Released by the Mets in July, the Maryland resident came to York to attempt to pitch himself back into shape.

The last week has been a series of emotional highs and lows for Matt Esquivel, but it ended on a happy note as the Cleveland Indians signed the former Revolution outfielder to a one-year minor league deal.

Esquivel (pictured above with the Mississippi Braves) expects to report to minor league spring training on March 8 in Goodyear, Ariz. He hopes to be assigned to Double- or Triple-A.

The Cubs organization had been in talks with Esquivel, 26, last week, prompting the former Braves prospect to believe he would earn a free agent contract with the club. But the Cubs changed their mind and pulled out of negotiations. Let down and not knowing if he would earn an invitation to spring training with a major league organization, Esquivel didn't know what to think. The Indians contacted his agent the next day.

Esquivel called the last week a "whirlwind" of emotions, and said that he thought he was going to be a Cub.

"At this point, the team didn't really matter so much as the situation," Esquivel said from his home in San Antonio. "I needed to go someplace where I could play. I couldn't have asked for a better scenario."

Thrown to the curb by the Orioles after his name surfaced in the Mitchell Report, Jay Gibbons has been signed by the Florida Marlins.

Unlike others linked to performance-enhancing drugs -- the name Brian Roberts comes to mind -- Gibbons had the misfortune of putting up bad numbers the year before his name surfaced in the Mitchell Report. And so he found himself in the Atlantic League playing for the Long Island Ducks last season. He basically begged for major league clubs to sign him for nothing. They wouldn't, and so he spent a couple weeks in indy baseball.

But is it out of the question to think Gibbons will be back in the Atlantic League this season? No. And for one simple fact. He was signed by a National League club. The Orioles never found a position for Gibbons to play, and I doubt the Marlins will stick with a 32-year-old when they have a number of prospects -- read: cheaper players -- ready to prove themselves.

York Revolution reliever Travis Phelps has signed a free agent minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers. He will report to minor league spring training at the end of February in Lakeland, Fla., and hopes to earn a spot with the Tigers Triple-A club.

"I'm ecstatic right now," Phelps said, "especially after the way I finished the season. I knew I was so much stronger than I had been in years."