[illeracula]

The Norfolk Cavaliers pulled off a deal with the Richmond Cardinals today, sending Domingo Cardoza to Richmond in return for Wally Lambert.

Domingo Cardoza, is the #34 prospect in baseball, and he spent most of 2021 in AAA going 15-1 4.21 for the Champion BayStars. Cardoza was called up in September and went 0-0 3.74 in 3 impressive starts with the Cavaliers.

Wally Lambert is a hitter something, the Cav's are in desperate need. Last year he split time between AAA and the Cardinals, while in Richmond Lambert hit .247-11-35. A 25-yr old with a high ceiling Lambert should fill in the RF slot for the Cavaliers in 2022.

Because the Cavaliers have a lot of pitching ready to hit the bigs, Cardoza was moved. He was the odd-man out, mainly becuase he only throws 2 quality pitches and I didn't need another MR. The bullpen is going to be tough again this season and that made Cardoza the odd man out.

However getting Lambert puts a lot of pressure on me and the staff to figure out what to do with our abundance of outfielders. Lambert plays RF and a little LF and has a great arm. He may not be as good as Lewis or Galvez, but his bat should make up for that.

Rating by Alexis Shelton: Contact 13/13, Gap Power: 14/14, HR Power: 14/14, Eye: 12/12, Avoid K's: 17/17

Current on our big league roster we have 7 out-fielders that could play everyday.
Sergio Galvez (L): .267-15-90, 30 SB, 129 games
Javier Janchez (L): .271-18-73, 32 SB, 144 games
Tom Dundee: .258-2-12, 27 games
John Stewart: .257-0-20, 16 SB, 79 games
Ramon Granados: .280-2-10, 11 SB, 90 games
Wally Lambert (L): .247-11-35, 82 games
Jeff Lewis: .319-19-86, 42 SB, 156 games

Defensive Ratings in parenthesis
LF:
Galvez (20), Janchez (20), Stewart (20), Granados (18), Lambert (11), Lewis (17)

CF:
Galvez (7), Janchez (19), Dundee (13), Stewart (13), Granados (10)

RF:
Galvez (16), Janchez (20), Dundee (20), Stewart (5), Granados (6), Lambert (15), Lewis (16)

1B:
Galvez (10), Janchez (3), Lambert (3), Lewis (7)

However the 1B job is Francisco Gallegos (.291-13-67, 160 games) to lose. And didn't I just trade Yann Gosselin to make room for Gallegos at 1B?

King Brock (.307-32-121) is locked in at the DH with 4 straight solid years. Last year was the only year of those four when he didn't drive in over 100. Brock does play some 1B (6), but he is built to DH. A pure hitter.

This means we have a huge log jam in the outfield and at 1B and I will have a tough decision or two ahead of me.

One thing I do want to keep in mind are the injury history of these players. They are all pretty healthy, except Janchez. Which means when planing around him I will have to keep that in mind.

Durable:
Gallegos, Galvez, Dundee, Lambert, Lewis

Normal:
Brock, Stewart, Granados

Fragile:
Janchez

Galvez slumped near the end of the season, but he is poised to be a superstar in this league... I think there will be a battle for 1B and CF this season in spring. I know I have mentioned it a few times, that Janchez should get moved, but I really don't think I can move him yet. I get attached to these guys and I still have faith he will amount to something.

Here are my thoughts, as spring training is still four months away things are subject to change.

1B: F Gallegos vs S Galvez
DH: K Brock
LF: J Lewis
CF: S Galvez vs J Janchez
RF: W Lambert

Then J Stewart, R Granados and Dundee fighting for the last 2 OF slots. Dundee and Stewart both have options left so I will be fine if I don't make any moves.

Having a lot of young pitching allowed me to pull off this deal and now I need to figure out if there is anything else out there that I will need. Overall with Anderson locked in at 3B, Rodriguez at SS and talent at 1B and the outfield it really leaves two slots that I could look to upgrade.

Second base right now is somewhat open, there are 5 candidates, but I might be able to make a move to beef up that slot.
1) Denny Dooley had a disappointing season
2) Mauro Candelaria "Mr Cav" is broken down and aging
3) Joe Chambers never amounted to the player I thought
4) Mario Reyes isn't a great defender and I still have questions about his bat
5) Bernado Velez is young, and he will be able the field the slot, but will he hit?

And Catcher. Right now the slot is John O'Donegan, and we have been pleased with him, but we are unsure he can keep producing the way he has. Other than John there are three candidates that will be in camp this year.
1) Peter Alexander is a back-up, an did well this year, which earned him some points in the Cav's organization. He is a switch hitter which is nice to have on the bench.
2) Alejandro Pena could probably use another a year in the minors and probably the best defensive catcher in the organization and power out of this world.
3) Marc Botlon the only lefty hitting catcher of the bunch, and his star isn't as bright as it once was. Still could be a serviceable catcher in this league, but a starter?

Still a long way to go before we hit camp. I will look at the free-agents and other possibilities, but my goal coming into this off season is to make our offensive better. We must be able to score runs to win games.

The trade for Wally Lambert was the first change, but it won't be the last...