Shades of Bill Veeck

You have to give the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League credit for trying something different, even if the idea isn't original. The Revolution signed Dave Flood, a 44-year-old Tampa, Fla., radio personality and 3-foot-2 man. Flood is attempting to make the team as a pinch-hitter. There's plenty of talk these days about small strike zones but this one beats them all.

In the Revolution's first exhibition game Thursday, Flood worked the count to 2-2 but was called out looking at strike three.

While there is no doubt this is a publicity stunt, York manager Chris Hoiles and pitching coach Tippy Martinez are calling Flood's presence in spring training an "experiment." The reason is a new Atlantic League rule that allows teams to carry 27 players on the active roster for the first month of the season. Atlantic League teams normally carry 24 or 25 players throughout the season. This might allow York to keep Flood as a pinch-hitter, ala Eddie Gaedel, the 3-foot-7 player who gained fame by appearing in one game in 1951 for the St. Louis Browns, who were owned by maverick Bill Veeck. Gaedel walked on four pitches in his only plate appearance and became the smallest player to appear in a major-league game.

Here's a link to the story by the York Dispatch's Jeff Johnson (the photo also is from the Dispatch):
Read the story here.