Top 5 WAR:
1. Georgetown Sixteens (+20.3)
2. Lewes Braves (+12.2)
3. Chesapeake Blue Crabs (+9.4)
4. Salisbury Ports (+6.0)
5. Ellicott City Express (+5.3)
Bottom 5 WAR:
26. Dover Generals (-10.3)
25. Milford Clippers (-9.3)
24. Newark Millers (-7.7)
23. Chadds Ford Cannons (-7.4)
22. Christiana Blue Hens (-6.4)
Around the League:
n/a
Free Agents/Signings:
Chesapeake Blue Crabs: Signed CL Travis Abadee to a 2yr deal worth $17,600,000.
Chesapeake Blue Crabs: Came to terms with SP Robert England to 1yr deal worth $1,140,000.
Ocean City Tourists: Signed closer John Smith to a 3yr deal worth $10,920,000
Wilmington Iron Pigs: Signed past MVP OF Jason Atkins to a 1yr deal worth $790,000.
Chesapeake Blue Crabs: Signed SS Jacob Hudson to a 1yr deal worth $3,400,000.
Ellicott City Express: Signed old friend MR Alberto Ramos to a 1yr deal worth $490,000.
Richmond Cardinals: Agreed to terms with OF Jorge Arredondo to a 2yr deal worth $16,400,000.
New Castle Colonials: Came to terms with Closer Hee-Seop So to a 3yr deal worth $15,600,000.
Ellicott City Express: Signed SS Steven Jefferson to a 1yr deal worth $1,120,000.
Harpers Ferry Raiders: Agreed to terms with Nate Rice on a 1yr deal worth $1,200,000.
Lewes Braves: Agreed on a 4yr deal worth $22,700,000 with Catcher Harris Marshall.
Wilmington Iron Pigs: Signed SP Larry Moore to a 2yr deal worth $4,320,000.
Milford Clippers: Agreed with SP Raul Martinez on a 3yr deal worth $38,100,000.
New Castle Colonials: Signed SP Paul Lee to a 2yr deal worth $6,840,000.
King George Royals: OF Matt Martin signed a 1yr deal worth $1,280,000.
Milford Clippers: Signed SS Jose Castillo to a 1yr deal worth $1,300,000.
Ocean City Tourists: Signed OF Jose Silva to a 1yr deal worth $1,240,000.
Milford Clippers: Signed power hitting, yet aging, catcher Tom Brown to a 1yr deal worth $1,260,000
Ellicott City Express: Signed SP Al Walker to a 2yr deal worth $13,200,000.
Annapolis Admirals: Signed SP Craig Wilson to a 1yr deal worth $16,200,000.
Harpers Ferry Raiders: Announced the signing of SS Jay Armstrong (1yr/$610,000) and 3B Ki-Hoon Yi (2yr/$1,580,000) to deals.
Ellicott City Express: Signed MR Dan Pierson to a 1yr deal worth $1,640,000.
Lewes Braves: Signed MR Jason Lancaster to a 1yr deal $1,920,000 and have slated him in as their closer.
Georgetown Sixteens: Signed OF Leonard Lawson to a 1yr deal worth $4,320,000.
Washington Senators: Signed SP Miguel Santos to a 3yr deal worth $12,600,000.
Richmond Cardinals: Signed SP Lowell Ervin to a 3yr deal worth $13,080,000.
Lewes Braves: Signed MR Shawn Richards to a 1yr deal worth $1,940,000.
Richmond Cardinals: Signed OF Dave Lewis to a 1yr deal worth $735,000.
Trades:
Richmond Cardinals: Acquired 1B Paul Perkins (.287/.342/.503, 32 HR) from the Milford Clippers for OF Juan Hernandez (.261/.322/.368, 5 HR) and SS Jimmie Morris (SA).
Newark Millers: Traded minor leaguer 3B Alonso Roszales (.230-7-19) to the Ocean City Tourists for 2B Alex Romero (.223-3-21) and $500,000 cash.
King George Royals: Traded away prospect 3B Jose Lopez (.263-2-13, #25) to the Salisbury Ports for MR Gavin Millers (2-8 5.38).
Baltimore Barons: Acquired SP Ron Crittenden (13-14 3.79) and $2.5M from the Milford Clippers for CF Sergio Rodriguez (.271-2-45) and 2B Cisco Contreras (SA)
Injuries:
n/a
Personal Message from Owner Gilbert Hickman: Financial Update:
Tony,
As we get closer to the start of the season, I have reviewed the team's financial state as of this moment.
After seeing how the off-season has gone, I have decided to raise your team's budget from $72,000,000 to $75,000,000. You may review all your financials on your front office page .
Good Luck!
Gilbert Hickman
My Notes
I keep watching other teams sign players and I keep wondering if I did enough. We had a great year last season and had a lot of holes. But now we have Phil Davis in the lineup all season, Higashi on the mound to start the year and seem to have grown by not doing anything... at least that is my hope. I do have to say I wish Mr Hickman let me know about the budget increase a little sooner, as I had my eyes on a couple of guys who are gone now. Oh well that is how the cookie crumbles at times.
As we head into the spring training games I think I am just going to sit back and see what we have. We should be in a good spot to take the division crown again and right now that is my main focus. Lets make the playoffs first, and then worry about whats next.
I still want to move Hank Davis, but am having no luck what-so-ever. His .223-23-77 season following his .278-39-103 was such a big bummer. He keeps fading and I don't have room for him, but he still has plenty of pop left in his bat. Maybe someone will change their mind as we get closer to game time. I do have to say his 2037 arbitration will NOT happen in Chadds Ford... then again maybe he will duplicate his 2033 Newcomer of the Year campaign of .299-42-103, wouldn't that be nice.
To get back on track though... Phil Davis hear all season, teaming with Matt Douglas at the top of the order should mean a lot of runs. The offense is once again going to be the key to this team's success. I feel like we are close to having a complete team, with depth, which is something we didn't really have last year.
Brought spot is I feel like we got better and our competition? Well Blue Hens: -6.4, Millers: -7.7, and the Iron Pigs +4.0... looking at this makes me feel better. I really think we will be better despite the losses. The big WAR drops for are Shunen Koyama (+2.1) and Howard Porter (+2.7), and both of those players have been replaced.
I wanted to check this, but from what I can tell, Bo Keller, Donald Hampton, Hank Davis and Ricardo Bravo are the only players on my 40 man roster that have used all 3 options... that is big. I was nervous about that.
I am anxious for the games to begin!
Off-Season Profile:
2037 Budget: $75,000,000 (21st)
2037 Payroll: $47,441,550 (20th)
Money for Free-Agents: $8,027,998
Money for Extensions: $2,573,548
Fan Interest: 76
WAR Gain/Loss: -7.4
Injuries:
Chávez Accidentally Shoots Himself While Cleaning Handgun: Francisco Chávez will be spending some time on the disabled list after he was cleaning out a handgun when the weapon discharged. The bullet lodged itself in Chávez's foot and he had to be rushed to the local emergency room. Manager, Bill Patterson, will be forced to find a replacement for the injured player for the next few weeks at least. Doctor's were able to remove the bullet, but Chávez will be lain up for at least a month while the wound heals. "Normally I'm very careful when I clean my gun," a disappointed Chávez told reporters. "I guess it goes to show, you can never be sure with guns." Team doctors are unsure whether or not this will have any long term effects on the second baseman's ability to play ball.
>> Not a good first impression here... I am thinking I made a mistake signing this cat. With my inability or decision not to trade Hernandez my signing of Chavez is now questionable. I am not sure if I like this guy around or not. I am not sure he has much trade value, but at least I didn't spend too much money on him. We will see how it goes. I have a feeling I will be making a lot of deals coming final-cut time. The options are fading from these guys, which isn't great for my depth. I will have to look deeper into that.
Free Agents:
Signed 32-year old Catcher Dan Foley to a 1-year deal worth $1,029,000. I saw how good Koyama worked as a team leader so I wanted to bring in another vet and Foley made sense. Foley will most likely by my DH back-up catcher, and yes I may end up carrying 3 catchers on this years team. Last year Foley hit .153-5-16 coming off a season where he hit only .200-18-52. however in 2034 he hit 29 HR's, and in 31 he hit 23. I am hoping his bat will show life this season.
Ratings: Contact: 10/10, Gap: 14/14, Power: 15/15, Eye: 10/12, Ks: 8/8
I was in contract talks with Ki-Hoon Yi of South Korea, but was outbid a couple of times. I am not sure what I would have gotten from him, a decent player, but not an all-star player. I thought about upping my offer, but I really have a decent team right now so I am holding pat... He signed with Harpers Ferry for less money than I was offering. Oh well. Good luck to him.
Signed free agent C José Vega to a minor league contract.
Signed free agent SS Fidelio DeVesci to a minor league contract.
These two guys will start in single-A or maybe double-A. They both look like they have some talent and Vega at 21 could be a solid Catcher for me in the next 2 years. He hasn't played in the DBL yet so what he evolves into is still up in the air. I am going to keep an eye on him however... DeVesci is a solid fielding SS and if he can match his 10-hit rating he could be a solid SS in the future. I like to take chances on players like this. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Trades:
I had a deal with the Ellicott City Express that involved two young players a base stealing IF'er and a SP, but to pull it off I had to give up a lot. Higashi, Hank Davis, 2 prospects, and a draft pick. After my Asst GM called me crazy I got worried and backed away from the deal. I think letting Higashi perform (hopefully well) to raise his stock and then trade him might be the best way to go for me.
I am now in talks with Christiana in a deal for Chavez. He shot himself in the foot, that means he is reckless and I don't want him in this clubhouse. Problem is the only way this deal might happen is if I include a player like Eugene Todd and I am not ready to say goodbye to him.
Current Depth Chart:
C Donald Hampton / Raul Garcia
1B Naofumi Ohayashi / Eugene Todd
2B Leon Hernandez / Francisco Chavez
3B Tully Maxwell / Ricardo Bravo
SS Luther Reid / Juan Guzman
OF Julio Casanes / Giovanni Smith
OF Matt Douglas / Clarence Robinson
OF Phil Davis / Armando Martinez
DH Dan Foley / Eugene Todd
Odd Man Out: Hank Davis
Rotation:
Robert Shepherd
Ying-Hua Ji
Nobukazu HIgashi
John Robertson
Eric Harmon
Set-up:
Tim Meyers
Dani Rubio
Jorge Matos
Middle:
Gehrig Pearl
Bill Summers
Juan Cuesta
Oscar Robinson
There is going to be some battles this spring, that is for sure... one thing I want to try is Bill Summers in the rotation. He is a flyball pitcher, which isn't the best option for a starter, but his ratings are there... I don't know, this staff is deep though.
Coming Up:
03/07/2037 - Spring Training Games Begin
04/06/2037 - Regular Season Begins