Week 6
Current Week: 4-2 (24-15 .615, -2.0)
Next Week: 3 vs Milford Clippers, 4 @ Baltimore Barons
Power Ranking: 5 (+2, 115.8)
Fan Interest: 75 (+1)
Owners Mood: Happy
Expectation: Close to .500
Home: 15-5 .750
Away: 9-10 .474
Runs Scored: 208 (1st)
Avg: .273 (1st)
HR: 38 (t7th)
SB: 16 (8th)
Runs Against: 154 (t5th)
Starters ERA: 3.28 (2nd)
Pen ERA: 4.43 (12th)
Def Eff: .716 (4th)
Top Performers:
Hitting: Matt Douglas: .423-0-7 (11-26), 2B, 3B, 4 R
Pitching: Juan Cuesta: 3 G, 1-0 2.45, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 7 K
Week 6:
Game 34: Georgetown 3, Chadds Ford 11
Jose Melendez (4-0): 5.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K
Juan Cueast: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, K
Phil Davis: 4-4 , 2B, HR (5), 3 R, 2 RBI
Giovanni Smith: 2-3, 2B, HR (1), R, 3 RBI
Matt Douglas: 2-4, R, 2 RBI
H: 16, LOB: 3
Game 35: Chadds Ford 6, Cape May 1
John Roberston (1-2): 9.0 IP, 10 H, R, BB, 2 K
Matt Douglas: 3-6, RBI
Donald Hampton: 2-2, 2B, R
Julio Casanes: 1-6, HR (4), R, RBI
Giovanni SmitH: 2-4, 3B, R, RBI
H: 12, LOB: 14
Game 36: Chadds Ford 2, Cape May 3
Robert Shepherd (4-3): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 10 K
Phil Davis: 2-4, R
Matt Douglas: 2-4, R
Julio Casanes: 1-3, 2 RBI
H: 6, LOB: 6
Game 37: Chadds Ford 6, Cape May 5 (11 Innings)
Ying-Hua Ji: 8.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, BB, 6 K
Jonathan Loeffler (2-1): 2.0 IP, H, 2 BB, K
Tim Meyers (SV 4): 1.0 IP, H, 2 R, BB
Giovanni Smith: 1-5, HR (2), R, RBI
Phil Davis: 1-5, HR (6), 2 R, RBI
Ryan Urbina: 1-1, R, RBI
Matt Douglas: 1-4, 2B, RBI
H: 9, LOB: 6
Game 38: Chadds Ford 1, Cape May 10
Nobukazu Higashi (4-3): 2.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, BB, 2 K
Mu-Sang Kim: 1-3
H: 5, LOB: 5
Game 39: Milton 4, Chadds Ford 18
Juan Melendez: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Juan Cuesta (1-1): 2.2 IP, 2 R, 5 K
Francisco Chavez: 2-3, HR (3), 3 R, 2 RBI
Don Foley: 3-6, 2B, HR (1), 2 R, 4 RBI
Mu-Sang Kim: 3-6, 2 R, 2 RBI
Matt Douglas: 2-4, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI
Phil Davis: 2-5, 3 R, RBI
H: 20, LOB: 10
Transactions:
Placed 2B Juan Guzmán on the 11-day disabled list, retroactive to 05/13/2037.
Placed LF Giovanni Smith on the 11-day disabled list, retroactive to 05/17/2037.
Purchased the contract of LF Russell Worsfold from Triple A San Juan.
Purchased the contract of 3B Tully Maxwell from Triple A San Juan.
Injuries:
2B Juan Guzman, sprained elbow, 2-weeks, 6 days left
OF Giovanni Smith, hip soreness, 6-days, 10 days left
I didn't really have to put Smith on the DL, but I felt with Guzman going down I just needed some fresh legs. Despite he is really "day-to-day" it just made sense, he was putting up some solid numbers this year .314-2-10 since taking over the starting role... With Guzman heading down, Maxwell will take over. Maxwell has been crushing in AAA .346-3-5 so hopefully he can bring that streak to Chadds Ford.
Other/Roster News:
With the injuries and Ryan Urbina hitting he has moved into the starting lineup. Hitting .315-1-8 in 21 games. I am looking forward to him in the lineup.
GM Notes:
I am trying to trade Melendez and get Sims, but I am having issues doing so. The Admirals are just asking for too much and won't pull the trigger. I am not giving up hope yet, but it is getting close... I was worried about trading Melendez for "leadership" reasons, but he isn't a leader, so it makes the decision a little easier. One reason I need to make this deal is to free up space on the 40-man roster for Jose Ayala. This kid is a gamer and he is ready to play in Chadds Ford. A solid SS, with great speed, he is hitting .308-6-29 in 163 AB's so far, but I just have no roster moves to fit him in right now.
I am surprised how "weak" I think this offense is, but somehow we lead the league in runs scored and batting average. So maybe I am being to hard on them and I need to focus more on the pitching. Is it time to start bringing up some of the young guys? Pearl or Gutierrez? I am a little worried about rushing Gutierrez as I have ruined some of these other guys (or so I think) by rushing them.
This has been a solid season so far. If you told me that we had a winning pct of .615 at this point I would be shocked. I really didn't think the season was going that well, but here we are. If we can keep this going I know we will overtake the Millers, they just aren't that good. Soon however we will be in a win now slot as players like Douglas, Davis, Ohayashi, Shepherd, Hi, Loeffler and others will be too costly for our budget. I really want a title in Chadds Ford before I hang it up, and I think we have the foundation to make it happen.
My catching is hurting us and I think I will be forced to make a move soon. Donald Hampton won me over two years ago and has struggled since. This year he is hitting .198-3-14, while his back-up is hitting .241-1-10, and I wish I would see Foley in the lineup more. In AAA we have Raul Garcia who isn't playing much, and is our best defensive option. Jose Matos who is my starting AAA catcher hitting .291-5-21 but he isn't any good behind the plate... and then there is my top prospect Miguel Cortesini who started the season off hot in AAA (.302-2-10), but he went down injured and will miss 3-4 more weeks. Matos might be coming up soon... maybe its time to move Hampton, but he does have a 52.4 CS%, which is crazy, and 16 points higher than his previous high.
I hope we can stay hot and finish this month strong. And over the next two weeks I am hoping that I can start building my confidence in this team.
Standings Leaders
DE Colonial: Milford Clippers: 22-17 .564 (+2.0)
DE Northern: Newark Millers: 26-13 .667 (+2.0)
DE Atlantic: Georgetown Sixteens: 19-20 .487 (+1.0)
WC1: Chadds Ford (DEN): 24-15 .615 (+4.0)
WC2: Wilmington Iron Pigs (DEC): 21-18 .538 (+1.0)
MV Beltway: Baltimore Barons: 28-11 .718 (+3.0)
MV Mountain: Richmond Cardinals: 26-16 .590 (+5.0)
MV Coastal: Norfolk Cavaliers: 28-11 .718 (+5.0)
WC1: Washington Senators (MVB): 25-14 .641 (+5.0)
WC2: Chesapeake Blue Crabs (MVC): 23-16 .590 (+3.0)
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Marvin Garrett, Lewes Braves: 8-18, 3 HR's, 6 RBI's
MarVa: Antonio Lopez, Salisbury Ports: 11-26, 5 HR's, 6 R's, 11 RBI's
Power Rankings:
1) Baltimore Barons (137.2)
2) Norfolk Cavaliers (134.2)
3) Newark Millers (126.0)
4) Washington Senators (119.4)
5) Chadds Ford Cannons (115.8)
News:
Ellicott City Express: The oft-hurt OF Mike Johnson is heading back to the DL, this time for 5-weeks with a sprained ankle. Johnson is hitting .274-8-26 on the season and is one of the games best when on the field.
Washington Senators: Will be without power-hitting OF Ricardo Hidalgo. Hidalgo is 32 HR's shy of becoming the first player in DBL history to reach 700. At 39-years-old the race might be coming to a close. He will miss 4-weeks with a sprained ankle. On the season he is hitting .294-13-31.
Annapolis Admirals: 3B Rafael Ramirez became the first hitter to reach to 20 straight games this season. The 3B has been huge part of the the Admirals success hitting .355-5-18.
Washington Senators: Lost 3B John Minor for 4-weeks with a strained biceps. Minor is hitting .265-3-13 on the year.
Ellicott City Express: OF Don Hamilton is done for the season with a torn PCL. The 33-year-old has battled injuries during his career. He hit .222-4-13 in 36 gamest his season.