Note to readers: Blog entries on the York Revolution and Atlantic League baseball will no longer appear on this blog.
Jim Seip's blog on the Revs and minor-league baseball now has its own home, with extensive archives.
Check it out at www.yorkblog.com/revs
Thanks
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."
The Revolution placed left-handed reliever Reid Price on the inactive list before Wednesday's game. York signed corner outfielder/first baseman/catcher Chris Ashby to fill its 25-man roster.
Ashby, 33, suited up for York Wednesday and batted sixth.
A .265 career hitter in the minors, Ashby (pictured above) has spent parts of nine seasons at Triple-A. He hit a career-high 24 homers for Norwich in the Eastern League (Double-A) in 1997 but he hasn't hit more than five homers since 2000.
Ashby could turn out to be a great find by Revs head of baseball operations Adam Gladstone for one simple reason. Ashby knows how to get on base. Ashby posted a .361 OBP for Triple-A Albuquerque in 2006.
After playing the entire first half below expectations, the York Revolution pulled off a trade -- sending defensive standout Travis Ezi to the Bridgeport Bluefish in exchange for infielder Jake Daubert.
The days of thinking the York Revolution could rely on a solid pitching staff are over.
Landon Jacobsen left the team without throwing a pitch in the regular season. Pete Munro hasn't reached the mound either. Both have injured arms.
Aaron Myette will miss at least two starts after straining his arm while pitching in a wet, rainy game May 16 against Lancaster. He slipped while planting on his release during the game, causing him to hurt his arm.
Pitching coach Tippy Martinez is forthcoming about the problems.
"It's a tough situation for us," Martinez said earlier this week. "At one time this season we were about second in the league (in ERA). We've had to use guys that really shouldn't be out there."
Former Cardinals and Rockies closer Dave Veres will return to the York Revolution Friday and hopes to pitch that night against Camden at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
That is if the York Revolution still have a roster spot open for him.
"I hope they do," Veres joked when reached by phone in Colorado. “I’m going to throw right now.”
The Revolution placed Veres on the inactive list Monday when he left the team for family reasons. While at home he had his left hip examined by his doctor to rule out any structural damage. Veres is attempting to become the first pitcher to reach the majors after undergoing artificial hip replacement surgery.
Relief pitcher Dave Veres left the York Revolution and returned to his home state of Colorado to be examined by a doctor. WSBA-AM (910) radio play-by-play announcer Darrell Henry informed listeners before Monday's game that Veres will have his hip examined.
Veres is attempting to become the first pitcher to reach the major leagues with an artificial hip. His departure could be a huge loss for the Revolution bullpen. He did not allow a run in seven appearances, striking out six and walking two. He appeared on back-to-back nights last week, throwing against Lancaster on Friday and Saturday in cold and wet conditions. And although he appeared to be walking with a limp, he had reportedly been bothered by a groin pull.
York placed Veres on the inactive list, and it re-signed Revolution pitcher David Maust to fill the 25-man roster. Maust appeared in Monday's game, striking out the first batter he faced in relief.
Right-hander Pete Munro still hopes to pitch for the Revolution this season.
Hampered by a sharp pinching pain in the back of his shoulder when he threw, Munro was examined by team doctors earlier this month. Doctors believe the pain is caused by his shoulder capsule pushing against his labrum. Doctors recommended a stretching program, and told Munro if he didn't notice a change after stretching that he may have a tear in his labrum.
Munro has started the stretching program and threw 20 pitches away from the mound today without pain.
"Right now it feels great," he said. "I've got more range of motion."
The York Revolution re-signed a familiar name Friday, welcoming back right-handed starter Dave Gil.
Gil had an injury-plagued season with York last year, but looked impressive in his few starts. Gil may have been York's best starter last season, but he suffered cuts to his hand when he fell during a fishing trip at the end of spring training. When he returned to the mound he went 2-4 with a 3.43 ERA in nine games. He struck out 46 and walked 14. But his season ended when a line drive struck him on the foot in a start against Newark June 30, 2007.
Gil underwent surgery and had a titanium permanent plate and seven screws placed in his foot to stabilize the bone.
To make room for Gil on the 25-man roster, York placed pitcher Pete Munro -- who has not appeared in a game this season -- on the disabled list. According to Revs Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone, Munro will be on the seven-day DL.
First the good news, right-handed starter Aaron Myette looks like he's on his way back to a major league organization. After sitting out the last two seasons with nerve damage in his pitching arm, Myette threw 6 1/3 shut out innings, striking out eight and walking two in York's 2-0 victory against Southern Maryland. He allowed five hits.
It was his first win since he pitched Louisville past Buffalo in Trriple-A on June 15, 2004. His last win as a starter came on April 23, 2004.
The bad news, however, also has to do with the pitching staff. York expects to start reliever Aaron Rakers during the upcoming series against the Long Island Ducks.
But the team is still waiting to see if starters Pete Munro and Landon Jacobsen can recover from early season soreness.
The Revs’ slogan this season is "Go Big or Go Home", in reference to the size in the middle of York’s lineup.
The team even has those words written in Japanese on the left field wall, in salute to import Tanaka, ironically the smallest player on the team.
That slogan also explains the 10-foot platform that public address announcer Al Rose was speaking from, as well as the huge microphone carried around by Stu Pendous, the on-field announcer.
York will start Aaron Rakers for Sunday's game.
Expected to be a reliever, Rakers might sound like an odd choice to start the third game of the season. But York has some pitching concerns.
Starter Wayne Franklin felt good in his final appearance of spring, only to come down with a chest cold. Before today's game, he wondered if he had come down with the flu, because he doesn't feel like he has any energy.
York Revolution
CF Travis Ezi
SS Keoni DeRenne
RF Matt Esquivel
1B Matt Padgett
DH Matt Dryer
LF Jason Aspito
3B Kenny Perez
C Luis Taveras
2B Enrique Cruz
Camden Riversharks
CF Nic Jackson
LF Mike Vento
3B Brett Bonvechio
DH Josh Rabe
RF LJ Biernbaum
1B Jason Phillips
C Randy McGarvey
2B Gary Cates
SS Gabe Suarez
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Tonight: York RHP Aaron Myette vs. Camden LHP Kevin Walker
Saturday: York RHP Corey Thurman vs. Camden RHP Chris Young
Sunday: York RHP Aaron Rakers vs. Camden RHP Darren Sack
A little tweak to the starting rotation. Reliever Aaron Rakers is scheduled to start Game 3.
