I have been enjoying this season, the group of guys here have made for some interesting stats, games, etc. It makes me curious of what the future will bring, in regards to trades, signings, and who will be the next "face" of Norfolk.
As I was looking over this team, I started to think back about some earlier years, and players. One guy I decided to look up was Sun Ho.
Sun Ho was destined for greatness... In 2013, the 24-year old, was drafted by the Richmond Cardinals in the 20th round of the inaugural draft, and named the #53 prospect in the DBL. During the first month of that season he was traded from the Cardinals to the Norfolk Cavaliers, in what may have been on of the best "steals" of all time. Coming along with Ho was King Brock and leaving were two guys who wound up being journeyman for the rest of the careers. The are still active in the minors today, hoping for one more chance: Danny Rigsby and Rafael Delgado.
The Cavaliers were looking forward to the future in acquiring these two kids. The Cavaliers were looking to build up their minor league system so this was a big trade. Ho came with pretty solid ratings (Stuff: 9/10, Movement: 12/14, Control: 12/12) and got to see some time with the Cavaliers later that season. In 6 starts in 2013 Ho struggled going 0-3 with a 7.59 ERA.
I remember Ho and I really thought he was going to turn into a solid starter and last a long time to come in my rotation as the #3 or 4 man. After struggling in 2013, Ho spent most of 2014 down in AAA. In September he let everyone know what he was capable throwing the 2nd ever no-hitter in DBL history. He finished 2014 with 3 solid starts (2-1 2.42), and the excitement of the future was blossoming.
In 2015, he made the rotation out of spring on because of an injury to Geoffry Bayles, who was slotted in as our #5 man. Ho threw the ball pretty good, but when Bayles was ready to come back, Ho was the odd man out. Even though Ho had a decent summer he was sent back down to AAA to get some more starts. In September Bayles went down again and Ho was back in the rotation to finish the season. He ended up going 8-8 3.95, but it was far from the "blow-out" season I was expecting after his late 2014 showing.
In 2016, his was fully developed (Stuff: 10/10, Movement: 13/13, Control: 12/12), and destined to have a great year. That great year was derailed, after 8 starts. He was put on the DL and was out for the rest of the season with a torn tricipes, he finished the year 3-3 with a 3.42.
The injury didn't slow him down as he came back in 2017 with vengeance, gaining some movement in the off-season (Stuff: 10/10, Movement: 14/14, Control: 12/12), he made the starting rotation and had a break-out season, going 15-6 with a 4.17 ERA in a team high 32 starts.
Sad to say this turned out to be his best season of his career. During the off-season following the 2017 season Ho was involved in a huge deal, which brought the Cavaliers their current team leader Jeff Lewis, along with MR Warner Rowe and 1B Mike Ford. Ho went to the Newark Millers along with Julio Romero, Adrian Otero, Julio Gonzalez, Jorge Jiminez and a 4th round pick. The Cavaliers didn't want to trade Jiminez or Ho, but they needed an offensive bat and in the end the deal was made.
GM Tony Luke, when asked about this deal, said this "There are times in this game, when you have to weigh your options, do whats best for the team, even when its not the popular choice. We needed offense, and bringing back Lewis and Ford was huge. But not without a cost, we gave up a lot. Otero was coming of an injury and was poised for a come back, Ho just had his break-out season and Jiminez was a top 50 prospect. I remember, I had a hard time pulling off this deal."
Ho was taken aback by this deal and when he showed up for spring training he gamed some weight and wasn't the same pitcher. He struggled to throw strikes and when he did they were straighter than before. His ratings took a huge hit in 2018 (Stuff: 9/10, Movement: 11/11, Control: 7/7) and he was never same pitcher.
In 2018 he threw so bad during spring the Millers sent him down to AAA to start the season and Ho never saw the big-league mound again. Ho went 3-2 6.23 in 27 games, only 4 starts in 2018 and it only got worse for him. In 2019 and 2020, Ho couldn't' get back on track and at the end of 2020 Ho decided to hang it up at the age of 31.
I can only look back and wonder what happened during that off-season of 2017-2018, was it leaving Norfolk that lead to his falling or was it destined to happen if he stayed in Norfolk? Either way, I was sad to realize that Ho never became that #3 starter I thought he was destined for.
Ho was never an all-star or the #3 starter that I thought he was destined for, but he did leave the DBL with 3 Championship trophies and will always be a part of the Cavaliers family.