[illeracula]

Norfolk, Kelly Hash out Details of Contract: 30-year-old reliever Rick Kelly has inked a deal with Norfolk. Many baseball people question whether he is really worth $3,780,000 over 2 years. However, the team thinks that Kelly will be a solid contributor this season. Kelly's career stats shape up like this: In 449.2 innings, he has struck out 301, walked 154 and saved 7 games while compiling a 28-18 record and a 3.88 ERA.

SP Takayuki Iemochi: Contract Signed: I hate to close the door on other clubs, but your offer is clearly the best option out there. Thank you for proposing it.

SS Raúl García: Contract Signed: Thank you for letting me play in your minor league system. I hope I will be able to help in the big leagues soon!

Thoughts:
Bye Bye Kelly was signed to give me some depth in the bullpen, he has decent stuff, but solid control. I like my relievers to have good control, walks drive me nuts, and with the news of Ivan Pineda's set-back I felt it was better safe than sorry. He should replace Ron Harris with out issue.

Tatayuki Iemochi is now our #6 starter right now, but he was signed strictly as a back-up policy, with the drop to Ramirez's stamina. He will make a nice addition to the bullpen as well.

Raul Garcia is a prospect that was signed in hopes he develops. He will make a nice middle infielder if he can get his swing down.

Starting Pitching:
The team is starting to take shape, as we are just about a month away from pre-season games. The signing of Iemochi gives us 7 starters that are big-league ready.

The first three are set:
1) Miguel Contreras
2) Matt Hollis
3) Shawn Brock

Brock will probably end up being the #4 starter, so I don't show back-to-back lefties.

4) Arturo Ramirez
Number four is Arturo Ramirez's spot to lose, as mentioned before his stamina drop to 8 really concerns me.

5) Ron Reilly
Reilly showed me he deserves a spot in the rotation thanks to a solid last 2 months, he may (hopefully) be coming into his own.

We will also have three guys in Spring that will be trying to prove themselves to me that they belong up with the Cavaliers.

Vaughan Griffith
He is an interesting case, as he went 7-1 in 9 starts last season, but a lot of that had to do with 6.3 runs per game he received. That being said, he is a big league pitcher, but he will give up a lot of long-balls.

Tatayuki Iemochi (L)
Another lefty, he will get a shot to prove his worth during spring training when we go with the 6-man rotation. Tatayuki may end up starting the season in AAA, but anything is possible. He has a stamina of 20 so he can throw for days, which is something that I like in my starters.

Juan Rosario (L)
Juan was acquired from the Salisbury Ports in the trade that brought John Phillips over, and has been a target of many in trade requests. He will be in AAA to start this season, but will be a solid #4 or 5 man in the future. Another guy with a stamina concern.