Week 14
Current Week: 4-2 (44-45 .494 / -1.0)
Next Week:
** All Star Break**, 3 @ Ocean City Tourists
Power Ranking: 12 (90.0, +1)
Fan Interest: 67
Owners Mood: Good
Expectation: Close to .500
Home: 27-22 .551
Away: 17-23 .425
Runs Scored: 369 (9th)
Avg: .260 (4th)
HR: 99 (9th)
SB: 33 (11th)
Runs Against: 396 (6th)
Starters ERA: 4.23 (7th)
Pen ERA: 4.20 (7th)
Def Eff: .707 (5th)
Top Performers:
Hitting: Shunen Koyama: .417-3-7 (5-12), 2B, 4 R
Pitching: Robert Shepherd: 2 GS, 1-0 1.69, 16.0 IP, 12 H, 17 Ks
Week 14:
Game 84: New Castle 3, Chadds Ford 5 (10 Innings)
Robert Shepherd: 7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 9 K
Jose Matos (6-0): 2.0 IP, 2 H
Howard Porter: 2-5, HR (6), 2 R, 2 RBI (GWHR)
Matt Douglas: 2-4, HR (6), R, 2 RBI
Ramon Cruz: 2-4, 2B, R
H: 8, LOB: 4
Game 85: New Castle 4, Chadds Ford 10
Ying-Hua Ji (8-6): 8.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 9 K
Howard Porter: 3-5, 2B, 2 R
Matt Douglas: 3-4, 2 R, RBI
Julio Casanes: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI
Naofumi Ohayashi: 1-4, HR (15), R, RBI
Donald Hampton: 1-5, 2B, 3 RBI
H: 14, LOB: 9
Game 86: New Castle 1, Chadds Ford 3
Nobukazu HIgashi (2-2): 6.2 IP, 6 H, R, 2 BB, 6 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 19): 1.0 IP, K
Shunen Koyama: 1-2, HR (6), R, 3 RBI
H: 4, LOB: 1
Game 87: Georgetown 4, Chadds Ford 0
Eric Harmon (5-8): 5.0 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Pete Davis: 1-3 (CF Debut)
Hank Davis: 2-4
Naofumi Ohayashi: 2-4
H: 9, LOB: 8
Game 88: Georgetown 0, Chadds Ford 3
Robert Shepherd (5-9): 8.1 IP, 6 H, BB, 8 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 20): 0.2 IP, K
Shunyen Koyama: 1-3, HR (7), R, 2 RBI
Leon Hernandez: 2-3, R
Donald Hampton: 1-3, HR (6), R, RBI
H: 6, LOB: 6
Game 89: Georgetown 10, Chadds Ford 4
John Robertson (6-5): 3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, BB, K
Donald Hampton: 2-2, HR (7), R, 2 RBI
Shunen Koyama: 2-4, HR (8), R, RBI
H: 10, LOB: 4
Transactions:
Traded 26-year-old right fielder Román Cruz, 27-year-old minor league reliever Tony Cox, 21-year-old minor league shortstop Ánibal Herrera and a 2nd round draft pick to the Christiana Blue Hens, getting 24-year-old center fielder Phil Davis, 21-year-old minor league left fielder Max Erickson and a 4th round draft pick in return.
Injuries:
CL Dani Rubio, torn laburm, 11-day DL, 2 months
Other/Roster News:
nada
GM Notes:
Pete Davis is off to a slow start since joining us going 2 for 12 (.167). He tried to steal one base and got gunned down. He is in a good mood as of now, but he isn't happy with the "transactions", which from what I can tell he isn't happy that the Blue Hens traded him... I am hoping that the clubhouse doens't become a problem the second half. It went from a leader Shunen Koyamo complaining about being the "old man" on the club, to him asking for an extension. I am hoping that is a good sign for things to come.
Shunen Koyama is a bit past his prime, coming in at 37 years old, but he can still hit half-way decent. He is a hard worker and is leader on the field, however he won't be happy if he isn't starting. He wants to come back next season and has reached out and asked if he could, but I am not sure what to do. A 38-year-old 5x All-Star sounds great to help lead this team... but if he isn't going to be happy not playing everyday, I don't think I can bring him back. Last year in Ocean City he hit .219-11-40 and this year he has done a little better than that. However his glove isn't nearly what it used to be. He has a +24.0 career ZR at SS, this year? -2.7. All signs tell me let him walk, but...
We had a strong week to end the first half. I would have liked to of beaten the Sixteens 2 of 3, but I will take the 4 and 2 week. Heck we were even in first place there for a minute. When I saw us in first place 0 games back I thought for a second, this could really happen. Why not? We are now 3-games out in the wild card, 1 game out in the division and just think this is all after a 7-14 start to the season. Man that hurt, what if we turned that around and went 14 and 7, we would be 6 games up. Crazy to think how such a little thing would make such a big difference.
On a side note Ramon Cruz, who was predicted to go .292-36-119, isn't even in the starting lineup for the Blue Hens. And no, he didn't walk in his 3-games since being acquired... While looking around at my OF options I came across Henry Gilmore's name. Made me wonder how he was doing, well he is hitting .205-8-35 in 86 games with the Blue Crabs. He does have 10 steals, but for the most part, it was a solid decision to trade him away. Why? Well he is upset in Chesapeake too. He may be one of those guys who will just never be happy.
I think I said this before, but what we need to do to win is to play together! There seems to be too many times our hitters are hitting, but our pitchers aren't pitching, or vice versa. If we can put it together, find some consistency we will be alright. One thing that is for certain is we need more from our #4 and #5 starters. Eric Harmon (5-8 4.83) and John Robertson (6-5 4.77) have just been way too inconsistent. I would like Patterson to give Bill Summers a try in the rotation, he has done pretty good out of the pen (0-0 3.89, 3 SV, 44.0 IP) and I think he has earned a try, despite that he needs some development. Maybe I rushed him.
Finding balance of vets and youth and keeping a happy club house is tough. I never had these issues in Norfolk or Georgetown, but then again we had a huge budgets and winning teams. Winning seems to cure everything, but sometimes winning isn't that easy. With all the players we have had in my time here from Woody Brown, Julio Jaramillo and Ryan Urbina to the lesser known's like Felix Olvias, Vance Burns and Terry Hale. And the pitchers like John Denton, Carl Outlon, Carlos Sanchez and Lazzaro Tadiotto to players like Hee-Seop So, Juan Fernandez, and Dan Pierson. We have had a lot of talent to a little talent, but we have always had heart. It hasn't always translated to W's, but this year, just maybe, this year might be the year we break that playoff barrier.
Now that we are winning, I am so nervous about making any kind of roster moves. Pedro Rivera (0-1 5.14) and Bo Keller (.114-0-3) wouldn't be around otherwise. The good thing about those two players is they are both "leaders" we need that 30+ year old leadership on this team... Especially as we start to gel.... And to think less than a month ago I was ready to blow this team up and bring up our #1 pick Tully Maxwell. Who is having a great A-ball season so far (.351-10-28). He may be due for a bump to AA.
Standings Leaders
DE Colonial: Seaford Blue Jays: 60-29 .674 (+16.0)
DE Northern: Christiana Blue Hens: 45-44 .506 (+1.0)
DE Atlantic: Georgetown Sixteens: 57-32 .640 (+10.0)
WC: Lewes Braves (DEA): 47-42 .528 (+3.0)
MV Beltway: Washington Senators: 56-33 .629 (+3.0)
MV Mountain: Richmond Cardinals: 59-30 .663 (+10.0)
MV Coastal: Norfolk Cavaliers: 50-39 .562 (+13.0)
WC: Annapolis Admirals (MVB): 53-36 .596 (+4.0)
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Ricardo Hidalgo, Lewes Braves: 11-22, 6 HR's, 11 RBI's, 7 R's
MarVa: Peter Mrdja, Salisbury Ports: 10-25, 6 HR's, 11 RBI's, 10 R's
Power Rankings:
1) Seaford Blue Jays (128.3)
2) Richmond Cardinals (127.3)
3) Georgetown Sixteens (120.3)
4) Washington Senators (110.3)
5) Annapolis Admirals (103.2)
News:
Wilmington Iron Pigs: Lost SP Chris Johnson for 11-12 months with a torn UCL. The 23-year-old was 4-8 6.27 over 17 starts in his second big-league season.
New Castle Colonials: Will be without OF Ray Parks for the rest of the season. Parks broke his kneecap and is expected to miss the next 5-months. On the season he is hitting .255-0-3 in 98 AB's.
Georgetown Sixteens: OF Wayne Weaver showed off his power hitting the 300th HR of his career. Weaver, now 37, isn't the hitter he once was, but that HR might have made him a HOF lock. ON the year he is hitting .226-8-31.
Ocean City Tourists: It is sad to watch on of the games best pitchers battle injuries, but that is what we are doing with Julio Rocha. The 35-year-old is going ot miss 2-months with acute elbow soreness. He was on a rehab assignment when this injury occurred. In 5 starts he was 2-3 4.36 with the Tourists before going down the first time.
Martinsburg Mountaineers: Lost SP Robert Hudson for the season with a partially torn labrum. Hudson was 3-9 6.93 in 18 starts this season.
Norfolk Cavaliers: Lost MR Emilio Medine for 3-weeks with elbow tendinitis. Medine is 1-2 2.75 with 2 saves over 28 games of relief.
Ellicott City: Traded away veteran reliever Yoo-Hyun Kim (3-0 5.40, 3 SV) to the Annapolis Admirals for 3B Dan Moss (.200/.200/.200, 5 AB).
Norfolk Cavaliers: Traded away 6-time All-Star and perennial Golden Arm Award candidate SP Ernie Kennedy (9-7 3.40) to the Baltimore Barons for prospect OF Takamuku Shibata (.218/.279/.396, 3 HR, #41). Many see this move as a desperate act to boost offense, others see it as a way to get something from Kennedy who will be a free-agent at the end of the season.
Christiana Blue Hens: Traded for SP Paul Lee (4-6 4.96) from the Milton Brewers for prospect OF Luis Sanahia (.223/.265/.374, 4 HR, #44).
Salisbury Ports: Swapped players with the Chesapeake Blue Crabs, sending 2B Garry Hensley (.357/.400/.571, HR, 14 AB), while receiving SP Jose Guzman (8-5 4.59).