[jksander]

December 20, 1907: After they won Pitcher of the Year and MVP respectively, we’ve been working to sign Impagliazzo and Burgess to long term deals that lock in their arbitration years and keep them here long term. Impagliazzo was the first to agree to the terms of the new contract proposals -- he’s earning $250 this year and will get $400 in 1909 and 1910, but will then earn from $1,300 (1911) up to $2,300 (1916-18) along with $750 bonuses for winning either Pitcher of the Year or MVP. The total value of the contract is $17,300 and it keeps him here in Louisville through his 35th birthday.

December 22, 1907: After dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, we’ve agreed to terms with Brad Burgess on a long term contract for this year’s reigning ORL Most Valuable Player. He’s earning $250 this year and will get $400 in 1909 and 1910, and then rising amounts from $1,500 in 1911 at age 25 to $3,100 from 1914-18, ending when he’ll be 32 and still capable of commanding big money on the free agent market. The total value of his deal is $22,400 and does not include any additional awards compensation.

January 1, 1908: Happy New Year! The Hall of Fame is adding a new inductee this year, in Pablo Laureano, who narrowly missed out on induction last year -- this time around he got 78.3 percent of the votes in his third year of eligibility. He’s the 23rd pitcher to be inducted, while only three offensive players are currently in the HOF, though I expect that number to rise in the coming years.

January 31, 1908: I know most teams these days are running with a three-man starting rotation, but I just think it’s a smarter move to have four quality starters ready to go, so we don’t put so much wear and tear on each individual pitcher. So I went in hard on negotiations to get one more free agent this season, and we came out winners! George Driscoll, age 28, joins our league from one of the unaffiliated southern leagues, so he’s a fresh face in the league -- our scouts love his “devastating” sinker, his solid screwball and competitive fastball, and he has enough command to make up for stuff that is not exactly mind blowing. We see him as our #3 starter, with Mike Morris placing fourth in the rotation. We’ve offered him a deal for four years, starting at $850 this year, with increases to $950 in 1909, $1,100 in 1910 and $1,200 in 1911. I think with him and Morris adding depth to the absolute dominance of McClain and Impagliazzo, we’ve got the makings of easily the best pitching corps in the division.
 
February 27, 1908: Spring Training is now underway! Thirty games that don’t count, but which give us plentiful information about the progress of our players, including those we’ll be keeping at the minor league level, will take place over the next month, before we open the season with ten games in a row on our home field! Opening day against the Owensboro Rum Runners will be on April 2.

April 2, 1908: Here are our opening day rosters to peruse ... we have high expectations this year, and our owner fully expects we’ll be back in the Championship Series and win it this time. So no pressure, right? Right.

Starting Lineup (con / gap / pwr / eye / avd / def)*
C - David Campbell, 32 (65/45/45/50/80/55)
1B - Michael Levine, 38 (65/50/50/50/70/50)
2B - Bobby Johnson, 32 (70/45/45/50/80/70)
3B - Octavio Delgado, 26 (75/55/50/55/80/55)
SS - Brad Burgess, 22 (45/70/80/55/40/80)
LF - Ben Morris, 25 (70/75/45/55/80/75)
CF - Trent Hall, 24 (45/45/80/40/45/80)
RF - Trey Bledsoe, 22 (75/55/50/50/80/55)

Bench
C - Mike Andreen, 35 (45/40/50/40/50/55)
C - Eduard de los Santos, 30 (75/45/50/50/80/45)
1B - Scott Craighead, 32 (55/45/50/45/70/40)
1B - Tony Juarez, 36 (50/50/45/40/50/20)
2B - Gustavo Quinones, 36 (60/45/50/45/70/60)
2B - Evan Walker, 33 (60/45/50/50/70/65)
3B - Juan Garcia, 28 (55/45/40/45/65/45)
3B - Sam Leonard, 32 (65/45/45/45/80/65)
LF - Bob Cline, 26 (60/45/45/45/75/55)
LF - Chris Hughes, 33 (60/65/50/50/70/40)
LF - Chris Whalen, 30 (65/45/50/50/80/50)
CF - Jamal Meriwether, 27 (50/40/35/50/70/55)
RF - Travis Linden, 32 (70/45/45/50/80/50)
RF - Matt Lucas, 33 (65/60/45/45/70/50)

Rotation (Stuff / Mov / Ctrl / Sta / Hld / Def)*
SP1 - Sean Impagliazzo, 24 (65/75/45/65/65/50)
SP2 - Cameron McClain, 32 (55/70/65/55/55/45)
SP3 - George Driscoll, 29 (45/70/50/50/80/50)
SP4 - Mike Morris, 28 (40/70/55/50/40/65)

Bullpen
Stopper - Ralph Ladd, 29 (50/70/65/35/50/20)
Middle - J.R. Porter, 33 (75/70/45/25/55/50)

* Defense rating only at key position