Week 23
Current Week: 4-1 (89-53 .630 / +5)
Next Week: 2 @ New Castle Colonials, 2 @ Milford Clippers, 3 vs Annapolis Admirals
Power Ranking: 1 (+4)
Fan Interest: 96 (+1)
Owners Mood: Ecstatic
Expectation: Playoffs
Runs Scored: 703 (4th)
Avg: .264 (5th)
HR: 188 (2nd)
SB: 144 (1st)
Runs Against: 477 (1st)
Starters ERA: 2.86 (1st)
Pen ERA: 3.20 (2nd)
Def Eff: .724 (1st)
Game 138: Norfolk 1, Chesapeake 5
Miguel Angel Gonzalez (8-9): 7.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, BB, 3 K
Henry Rojas: 1-4, HR (10), R, RBI
H: 6, LOB: 5
Game 139: Norfolk 6, Chesapeake 2
Joaquin Hernandez (3-1): 8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Miguel Contreras (SV 12): 1.0 IP
Trevor Parker: 1-1, HR (20), R, 3 RBI
Claudio Flores: 2-4, HR (7), R, RBI
Francisco Gallegos: 2-4, 2B, RBI
H: 11, LOB: 4
Game 140: Virginia Beach 1, Norfolk 8
Cornell Pearson (21-2): 7.0 IP, 4 H, R, 4, BB, 5 K
Henry Rojas: 2-3, 2 HR (12), 2 R, 6 RBI
Claudio Flores: 1-2, HR (8), R, RBI
Bob Short: 2-4, HR (20), 2 R, RBI
H: 8, LOB: 7
Game 141: Virginia Beach 8, Norfolk 10
Paul Brown: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Michael Meagher (2-0): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Miguel Contreras (SV 13): 1.0 IP, H, R, K
Sergio Rodriguez: 2-5, R, 4 RBI
Francisco Gallegos: 3-4, 2B, RBI
Trevor Parker: 1-5, HR (21), 2 R, RBI
Robinson Lopez: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Bryant Frank: 2-4, 2 R, RBI
H: 14, LOB: 15
Game 142: Virginia Beach 0, Norfolk 7
Carlos Coronado (12-10): 9.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K
Bob Short: 2-3, HR (21), R, 3 RBI
Sergio Galvez: 1-5, HR (41), R, 2 RBI
Leonard Lawson: 2-4, 2B, R
H: 10, LOB: 7
Injuries:
SS Bryant Frank came off the DL and was placed in the back-up of the 2B and 3B positions, replacing Carlos Franco. Right now I am not ready to put Frank in a starting slot.
Other/Roster News:
"The Contreras Watch" -- Miguel Contreras 142.0 IP / @ 150. If Contreras hits 150 innings it kicks in a two $17M/year option. Contreras still has some good stats, but he has lost a lot of "stuff", down to 9 and about 10 MPH on his fastball. I'd love to keep him around in Norfolk, but not for $17M.
After deliberation I decided to move Armando Lopez to the closer role to share with Contreras, and Miguel Angel Gonzalez will stay at the #5 starter. MAG was 4-4 2.22 going into this week, Lopez had a a 3.28 ERA and that is basically what I based it on. MAG has come up big for me in the past when I needed big wins, so hopefully this won't be any different... Lopez will share the closer role with Contreras hoping to keep Miguel's innings down, with only 19 games to go...
GM Notes:
SP Carlos Coronado has had an up and down season, including a streak of 7 games and 4 games where he just couldn't get a win no matter how good he pitched. But he has really had a solid season. He currently has the most shut-outs in the DBL, one of two players who have 3. And he leads all pitches in innings pitched. For this being his first full-time season as a starter I have been really impressed with him. Not to mention that he has really stepped up his game over the past month.
I am happy with how Henry Rojas has played since I brought him over. He was my main focal point in the big-deal I pulled earlier this season. Alejandro Diaz was just getting to costly for what he was bringing to the table. Diaz was a great defender and had a lot of power, but his average wasn't high enough for me to be happy with his overall performance... I grabbed Rojas from the Sixteens and put him into my starting lineup. Rojas played in only 6 AAA games, before I put him in my starting lineup. So far he has hit .272-12-45 in 68 games. And has played fairly solid defense, .989 FPct, 34% CS, -0.3 ZR, 7.22 RF and a .996 EFF. Its not great, but I am very pleased... all this for a 23 year old rookie.
We now hold a 5 game lead with 19 games remaining. This team has stepped it up this month and I am hoping we can keep it going. Beating the Surf Dawgs, well sweeping them, makes me feel good about our chances. If we make the playoffs we most likely will lineup against the Surf Dawgs in the Conference Championship. I think we sent them a message. They were lucky enough to face our #1 and #2 during the series, however.
The 3 games series against the Surf Dawgs was the beginning of stretch of 17 days when we don't have a day off, and that stretch ends in Washington for 3. Talk about 3 big games... I did think about going back to a 6 man rotation, but in the end I have to do what is going to put us in the best spot to win and I think that is the current rotation...
This team has had 2 rookies in the starting lineup for most of the regular season, as well as a rookie Starter for most of the year. We have a bench full of young players with few games played and we continue to get better. I think it makes sense. Hopefully, we can keep this up for the next few years... The one downfall about having a close race is we don't get to take a look at some of the younger guys that are "ready" for their cup-of-coffee. I would like to bring up Angel Hernandez to get some AB's and possible even our #1 prospect SP Ernie Kennedy to get a start...
With 19 games left we are 11 wins away from 100. We didn't win 100 till the last game of the season last year, but if we don't, and I don't think we will this year, it will mark the first time since 2015 that the Cavaliers finished under the century mark. A pretty impressive run right there...
I am feeling very confident about this team and how we are playing, but at the same time I am very nervous. I know this game can change at any moment... someone gets hot, someone goes cold, an injury, etc... 19 games can happy so fast, yet go by so slowly...
Standings Leaders
DE Southern: Milton Brewers: 82-60 (+9, M#12)
DE Northern: Wilmington Iron Pigs: 87-55 (+8, M#13)
MV Eastern: Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs: 87-55 (+8 M#13)
MV Western: Norfolk Cavaliers: 89-53 (+5, M#16)
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Adrian Smith, Georgetown Sixteens, 6-14, 4 HR's, 7 RBI's, 4 R's
MarVa: Jiong Wu, Washington Senators, 10-19, 4 HR's, 5 RBI's, 6 R's
Power Rankings:
1) Norfolk Cavaliers (124.8)
2) Christiana Blue Hens (114.1)
3) Wilmington Iron Pigs (113.3)
4) Milton Brewers (106.9)
5) Washington Senators (105.5)
News:
Lewes Braves: Were eliminated from playoff contention this week. This marks the first time since 2018 that a team other than the Braves will walk away with the Southern Division title. During their 7 year playoff run, the Braves won 3 titles.
Lewes Braves: 1B Totoya Ogawa started his DBL career late, coming over as a free-agent from Japan, but this week at 41-yrs old, he has done what only 7 other DBL players have done, when he connected on his 300th career HR.
Washington Senators: 3B Roberto Perez will miss the next 4 weeks with a sprained ankle, dealing the Senators offense a big blow. Perez is hitting .274-15-49 on the season.
Milestones:
Batting:
Francisco Reyes: 5 to 600 HR's
Pitching:
Miguel Contreras: 2 to 250 W's
Robert Walker: 15 to 2000 K's
Will Wilson: 25 to 1000 G's
Manuel Petrelia: 7 to 300 SV's (2nd member of the 300 sv club)
Minor League Playoff update:
AAA - Global League (final week of regular season)
TBD
AA - American Association
Round 1: Conference Championships - best of 3
Brooklyn Kings (Brewers) vs Empire Island (Blue Jays) - Kings lead 2-0
Minnesota North Stars (Ports) vs Vancouver Mounties (16's) - 16's lead 2-0
A - Continental League
Round 1: Wild Card - best of 3
New Orleans (16's) vs Charleston (Generals) - Series tied 1-1
Nashville (Tourists) vs Oklahoma City (Colonials) - OK City wins 2-0
Billings (Blue Hens) vs
San Jose (Cavaliers) - San Jose wins 2-0
Portland (Surf Dawgs) vs Birmingham (Express) - Portland wins 2-0
S-AA - Continental League Short Season (Playoffs start next week)
TBD