Week 12
Current Week: 4-2 (54-19 - GB)
Next Week: 4 @ Baltimore Barons, 3 vs Washington Senators
Power Ranking: 1 (-)
Fan Interest: 98 (-)
Owners Mood: Ecstatic
Runs Scored: 383 (2nd)
Avg: .289 (1st)
HR: 101 (1st)
SB: 58 (t-2nd)
Runs Against: 256 (1st)
Starters ERA: 3.19 (1st)
Pen ERA: 3.83 (5th)
Def Eff: .710 (2nd)
Game 68: Richmond 6, Norfolk 5
Paul Brown (11-1): 7.2 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 10 K
King Brock: 1-2, HR (10), R, 3 RBI
Jeff Lewis: 2-3, 2 R
Mark Bolton: 1-4, HR (3), R, RBI
H: 6, LOB: 3
Game 69: Richmond 10, Norfolk 1
Cornell Pearson (7-2): 5.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, BB, 3 K
Ramon Granados: 2-3
Jeff Lewis: 1-4, R
Alejandro Diaz: 1-4, RBI
H: 6, LOB: 7
Game 70: Richmond 2, Norfolk 4
Vaughan Griffith (7-3): 8.0 IP, 6 H, R, 3 BB
Dalton Whitaker (SV 21): 1.0 IP, 2 H, R, 2 K
Ramon Granados: 2-4, 2B, RBI
Jeff Lewis: 1-4, 2 R
Alejandro Diaz: 2-4, 2B
H: 8, LOB: 8
Game 71: Salisbury 0, Norfolk 3
Miguel Contreras (8-4): 8.0 IP, 5 H, 7 K
Dalton Whitaker (SV 22): 1.0 IP, 2 H
Jeff Lewis: 2-4, RBI
Alejandro Diaz: 1-4, 2 RBI
Mario Reyes: 1-3, 3B, R
Wally Lambert: 2-4, R
H: 10, LOB: 5
Game 72: Salisbury 3, Norfolk 5
Marcos Estrada (8-3): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 5 K
Armando Lopez (SV 3): 1.0 IP, 3 H
Henry Hamer: 1-4, HR (12), R, RBI
King Brock: 1-4, HR (11), R, RBI
Sergio Galvez: 2-4, RBI
H: 8, LOB: 6
Game 73: Salisbury 1, Norfolk 9
Paul Brown (12-1): 6.1 IP, 4 H, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Jeff Lewis: 4-4, 3B, R
Alejandro Diaz: 3-5, HR (12), 2 R, RBI
King Brock: 1-5, HR (12), R, 3 RBI
Javier Janchez: 2-5, 2B, HR (10), 2 R, RBI
Ramon Granados: 1-3, HR (6), R, RBI
Sergio Galvez: 2-4, R, RBI
H: 16, LOB: 6
Cavaliers News:
Injuries:
SP Claudio Perez, ulnar nerve irritation, 8 weeks
MR Luis Martinez, torn labrum, 2-3 months
SP Carlos Coronado, elbow ligament reconstruction, 11 months
Other/Roster News:
Mario Gomez was activated from the DL and will be plaed back into the starting 3B slot. We are happy to have him back. Bernardo Velez was sent down to AAA after slumping with the Cav's. Velez hit .196-2-7 in 56 AB's. He will be listed as the starting 2B for our AAA team. Hopefully to get his swing back.
GM Notes:
A 4 and 2 week isn't anything to be disappointed about, but losting 2 of 3 to the Cardinals really hurts. Playing the one team that could chase us down this season, and losing 2 of 3 really makes me think. They roughed up Pearson and handed Brown his first loss of the season. Did the Cav's just not want it bad enough? Did they take the Cardinals too lightly? Are they better than we give them credit for? We play them again and hopefully we will perform better, losing to them doesn't make me too happy that is for sure.
Ramon Granados has been a surprise at 2B, he isn't going to garner any all-star votes for his defense, but he has been acceptable over there. Not bad for a position he doesn't know. In 43 games, he has had 159 total chances and made 5 errors. He has a .969 fielding PCT, but a -3.2 zone rating. The more he plays the better he should get it, at least that is what I am hoping. It'd be hard to take his bat .308-6-25 out of the lineup right now.
I am starting to get a feeling that we are going to run off with the division soon. Things seem to be getting better, the offense, the pitching, the bullpen, I don't know but just getting that feeling. I am still thinking about exploring a deal to bring in a solid bullpen pitcher, but I am not sure how that will work, we don't have a whole lot of spare money to fill holes. So if I make a move for a veteran, it will most likely include someone who is making money. Problem is with this team we really don't have a whole lot of players that are making the big bucks.
I do have a decision to make for 2024 regarding Marcos Estrada and his team option. I could try to resign him for a few more years, or I could let him walk, or pay him the $22,800,000 he wants. I am not sure if it will be worth putting that much financial strain on the club, espeically with Miguel Angel Gonzalez ready to take over a rotation slot. Something to think about for sure. I won't be able to extend him this year, so maybe the idea would be accept the team option and trade him if he doesn't fit in financially. I will not move him during the 2023 regular season however and if I can make it work and sign him post 2024 and his team option I would like to. He did however take a little development hit during spring training, which concerns me, as he is 35 yrs old.
Pat Brooks hasn't done what I had hoped he would and I may be looking to dump him very soon and just go with one of the young guys like Jimmy Jones who did well in his short time with us earlier this season. Brooks has pitched in 10 games, 12.2 innings and has posted a 7.11 ERA and he seems to be getting worse.
So I do have some decisions to make over the next month before the trading deadline comes and goes. Ultimately I want to win the title this year and I might have to pull off a bold move to make that happen. I have pieces and prospects...
Around the League:
Standings Leaders
DE Southern: Lewes Braves: 42-33 (+4)
DE Northern: New Castle Colonials: 46-29 (+1.5) *won 7 straight
MV Eastern: Baltimore Barons: 44-31 (+1)
MV Western: Norfolk Cavaliers: 54-19 (+12)
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Michael Porter, Newark Millers, 15-28, HR, 3 RBI's
MarVa: Pepe Santana, Richmond Cardinals, 9-18, 3 HR's, 8 RBI's, 7 R's
Power Rankings:
1) Norfolk Cavaliers (143.2)
2) New Castle Colonials (125.4)
3) Chesapeake Blue Crabs (110.2)
4) Richmond Cardinals (108.2)
5) Balitmore Barons (106.6)
News:- Alonso Reyna of the Milton Brewers and Walt Pena of the Newark MIllers were both suspended for 9 games after a bench clearing brawl earlier in the week.
- The Iron Pigs Leslie Bergeron and the Blue Hens Pedro Gonzalez were suspended for 8 games after another bench clearing brawl.
- Anthony Lucarelli has now hit safely in 20 games. The young Blue Jays star is hitting .312 on the season.
- The Washington Senators acquired 2B Joe Webb (.268/.285/.399) from the Annapolis Admirals for SS Eugene St. John (.247/.295/.343). St. John will be the starting SS for the Admirals who have been battling a rash of injuries this season.
- The Dover Generals pulled off two deals this week confirming they have offically given up on the season and sellers in the market.
- The first deal they sent CL Will Heath (2-2 3.86) to the Ocean City Tourists for prospect C Tom Brown (A, #54).
- Their second deal was the shocker of the year, as they dealt former Silver Slugger 3B Claude Bond (.267/.434/.441) and $3,000,000 to the New Castle Colonials for five prospects, the biggest is SP Hector Lorenzo the #7 prospect in the DBL. The others: MR Felix Diaz (0-0 1.26, 1 SV), LF Steven Thompson (AAA), SS Cristian Barron (A), SS Leland Perez (A). The upswing Colonials just made themselves DBL title contenders.
- The Dover Generals have also placed 4* starter Jerry Copeland on the trading block. The Generals were holding their own in the division, and were within striking distance, the sell-off really comes as a shocker.