Current Week: 5-2 (31-14 - GB (+5))
Next Week: 3 @ Richmond Cardinals, 3 vs Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs
Power Ranking: 1
Fan Interest: 87
Owners Mood: Ecstatic
Runs Scored: 232 (2nd)
Avg: .280 (2nd)
HR: 57 (2nd)
SB: 46 (t-1st)
Runs Against: 157 (1st)
Starters ERA: 3.10 (1st)
Pen ERA: 3.83 (3rd)
Def Eff: .718 (1st)
Lineup Changes: With Janchez struggling (.236-1-14) and Galvez struggling, albeit warming up (.244-3-10) I decided to give Yann Gosselin (.441-4-9) some ab's. He is red-hot right now, so he will move to the DH role, with Francisco Reyes moving to Left and Ramon Granados to center. Our defense takes a little hit here, but our offense "should" take a bump. Going with who is hot. We will see how it works out.
Game 39: Norfolk 11, Ellicott City 4
Takayuki Iemochi (6-0) went 6.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits to continue his surprising start. Ramon Granados lead the offense with 3 hits and 3 RBI's and Jeff Lewis helped out with 2 hits and 5 RBI's, including a HR (5). The offense totaled 13 hits and left 7 men on.
Game 40: Norfolk 5, Ellicott City 4
Vaughan Griffith (4-3) went 7.2 innings, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs while striking out 10. Dalton Whitaker threw the 9th for the save (11). Yann Gosselin lead the offense with 3 hits, including a lead-off HR (5), and Jeff Lewis added 2 hits and 2 RBI's, including another HR (6). The Cav's had 10 hits and left 8 men on.
Injury News: We got some good news. The blister on Francisco Reyes hand isn't as bad as originally thought and he will miss about 5 days, he is now listed "day-to-day".
Game 41: Norfolk 5, Ellicott City 6
Miguel Contreras (ND) went 6.1 innings, allowing 6 hits and 3 runs, while striking out 7. Dan Nelson took the blown save/loss (1, 1-2) in the 11th giving up 3 hits and 2 runs, retiring 2. Yann Gosselin went yard again (6) collecting 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Jeff Lewis and King Brock each had 2 hits. Joe Chambers went yard (3). The Cav's collected 10 hits and left 7 on.
Injury News: Kent Davis is ready to come of the DL. He will be sent down to AAA to get some swings in after missing 40 days.
Game 42: Norfolk 2, Lewes 0
Matt Hollis (8-1) threw 7 innings, allowing 6 hits, while striking out 8. Dan Nelson bounced back from a rough game, to pick up the save (1). Despite being only 15% (and not in the set-lineup) Francisco Reyes went 3-4. Ed Duke also collected 3 hits, including a 2-run HR (4). For the game the Cav's had 9 hits and left only 3 on.
Game 43: Norfolk 5, Lewes 4
Arturo Ramirez (ND) went 6.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. Luis Gonzalez (1-0) took home the win and Dalton Whitaker the save (12) pitching a perfect 9th. King Brock lead the offense with 3 hits, 2 doubles, Ed Duke hit a 2-run HR (5). The Cav's had a total of 9 hits and left 9 men on.
Game 44: Norfolk 5, Lewes 4
Takayuki Iemochi (ND) threw 122 pitches over 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits. Rick Kelly (2-1) got the win in relief, and Dalton Whitaker picked up the save (13). King Brock had 2 hits, including another double to lead the offense, as 5 different Cav's had an RBI and a Run scored. The offense had 7 hits and left 6 on the base paths.
Game 45: Norfolk 2, Lewes 6
Vaughan Griffith (4-4) went 5.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs. He struck out 8. The offense was a little sluggish with Ed Duke leading the way with 2 hits and Joe Chambers driving in the only Cav's runs with a 2-run HR (4) in the 9th. The Cav's had only 5 hits, and left 7 men on.
Injury News: Yann Gosselin sprained his wrist during an AB and will miss 1-2 weeks. We will put him on the DL and call up Kent Davis (Rehab: .444-0-1). Reyes is ready to go as well, so we will make the proper lineup adjustments and hopefully stay hot.
League News:- Ashton George of the Seaford Blue Jays is out 4 months with a ruptured finger tendon. George was having a solid season, in 19 games he was 2-1 with 6 saves and a 2.41 ERA. He is 32.1 IP away from his vesting option, its not looking good.
- Jose Velasquez of the Dover Generals is out 12 months with a torn flexor tendon. Jose, is 28, and was the #3 man in the Generals rotation. On the season he was 4-2 3.08 in 9 starts. Expect Dover to make a move.
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Grant Wright (Georgetown Sixteens) 14-26, 1 HR, 6 RBI's
MarVa: Andres Salinas (Washington Senators) 10-22, 4 HR's, 9 RBI's
Power Rankings:
1) Norfolk Cavaliers (127.0)
2) Dover Generals (111.5)
3) Annapolis Admirals (109.4)
4) Milford Clippers (109.0)
5) Newark Millers (106.5)
GM Notes:
We will finally hit home next week after our longest road trip of the season, 14 games. I know I am looking forward to some home cooked food... Bill Fox is getting upset with us as we continue to offer him a minor league deal. He is either holding out for way too much money or just doesn't really want to play this season. Alexis Shelton says he still has some gas in his tank... Ernesto Beneques will be heading down to AAA as soon as I figure out who I want to bring up. I am thinking Armando Lopez, get him some reps out of the bullpen and maybe spell Griffith from time to time. Not 100% sure yet. I could also bring up Ivan Pineda, or maybe pull off a small time deal, drop Pineda/Beneques/Cody Johnson, etc. Have some planning to do... Augusto Rodriguez has started to hit the ball better, currently coming in at .229, he was up to .244 at one point... Our extra-inning performance continues to struggle. I still find it hard to believe that we haven't one yet. 0-6!... We had a strong month, and somehow our offense was #1 in HR's for a little bit. Something I didn't think we'd see in Norfolk... I am interested in seeing how Takayuki Iemochi pitches the rest of the season. Maybe he is this good. Either way he has meant quite a bit to us in Norfolk with the inconsistency of our #3 and #5 starters and the offense.