[illeracula]

Salary Arbitration And Other Stuff
Bill Parker let me know the he was going to raise the budget once again, and bumped us up to $126,000,000, which is 11th in the league. Once we had the worst budget, but our wining ways has bumped us up to 11th. Not to shabby. At this point in time we have $8,430,000 for Free Agents and $4,430,000 for Extensions. With the arbitration estimates, our payroll is over $104 million, but we have no major players eligible for free agency, outside of Ron Harris.

There are three players eligible for free-agency, Ron Harris, Jose Renteria and Joe Payne who we can offer arbitration too. Jose Renteria is expendable with the emergence of John Phillips and Joe Payne is expendable with the emergence of Cody Johnson. Ron Harris put together a great year for him last year 4-0 5 SV 1.25 ERA in 50.1 IP. I will offer him arbitration, but may try to extend him before he can announce. He is looking for a 4 year/$16 million contract. Not sure a 31 year old "fragile" pitcher is worth that, so it should be some pretty interesting negotiations.

Arbitration Players:
Ron Reilly (SP) - Offer: $3,400,000 (200,000 raise)
Jamie King (RP) - Offer: $2,600,000 (2,110,000 raise)
Ivan Pindea (RP) - Offer: $750,000 (260,000 raise)
Elmer Hawkins (RP-L) - Offer: $950,000 ($100,000 raise)
Jesus Rivera (2B) - Offer: $6,500,000 ($500,000 raise)
Derek Campbell (OF) - Offer: $8,400,000 ($1,525,000 raise)
Cody Johnson (UT) - Offer: $850,000 (100,000 raise)
Jeff Lewis (OF) - Offer: $9,000,000 (3,000,000 raise)

After next season we have two players that will be eligible for free agency, Jose Matos and Roberto Perez, both happen to be our two highest paid players next year. Matos: $14.5, Perez $12.5 and our current esitmated salary for 2019 is $103.0 million.

I could sit back and not do anything for the upcoming season, but I do have some players that I will need to get in the lineup. Mauro Candelaria will be back, and will compete with Mike Ford at 1B or Roberto Perez at 3B. Kent Davis will be back and Javier Janchez has shown he can play everyday. We also have 3 or 4 minor leaguers that will be ready to make the splash next season: Sergio Galvez, Mario Reyes, Francisco Gallegos, Ramon Grandados seem to be on the brink. Pitching wise we are a little thin at the big-leauge ready level, with our two big stars Ramirez and Griffith making names for themselves this season.

My goal this off-season was to target Claude Bond of the Generals and try to move Perez or Campbell in efforts to lock him down, but he is out 4 months with an injury, which means trading for him might be tough. Will Dover have room in 4 months to fit the hefthy contracts of Perez or Campbell? Would they even be willing to listen to deals for them, they are losing their CF this off-season (unless they resign him). Not sure I want to wait that long to solidify my team for next year.

I will sit back about a month of game time, let the awards roll out, let the arbitration hearings happen then reevaluate my team. Right now I am thinking of moving Roberto Perez and Derek Campbell, trying to work out a decent contract with Jose Matos for 3 more years and be done with my off-season. But things my chance as I look over what I have...

Miguel Contreras is signed through 2021 (w/ a vesting option in 2022), next season is 2019... so I am thinking that my run in Norfolk will end in 2021. At this time I will possibly pursue a new team or retire