DELMARVA Baseball League

[illeracula]

Current Week: 3-4 (93-69 6 GB, 2nd)
Next Week: ** season is over **
Power Ranking: 3
Fan Interest: 69
Owners Mood: Delighted

Game 156
Baltimore 2, Norfolk 5 (5 games back)
Carlos Mateo (19-8) tied the franchise record for wins, going 7.0 innnings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. Will McNeal, a September call-up, pitched the 9th for the save (1). Pablo Freitas went 3-4 with a run and 2 RBI, Roberto Perez went 2-4 with a solo-HR (31) and Jacob Chaney hit a solo-shot (8) to lead the offense.

Game 157
Baltimore 2, Norfolk 10 (5 games back)
Tsuneo Sato (ND) pitched a fine 6.1 innings, allowing just 1 run (0 ER) in 6.1 innings. Dalton Whitaker (7-4) picked up the win relief and Bill Lee pitched the last 1.1 for the save (3). The offense benefited from 7 walks. Pablo Freitas went 1-1 with 3 runs and 3 walks. Kendrick Lynch went 2-2 and Jacob Chaney went 2-3 with 2 RBI.

Game 158
Baltimore 6, Norfolk 0 (6 games back, eliminated from playoff contention)
Sun Ho (8-8) threw well, but the offense didn't give him any support, going 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits. The offense was only able to get 2 hits. One by Tomas Reyes and one by Ron Alder. Ron Alder stole based #61 today to break the league record for steals in a season.

Game 159
Baltimore 4, Norfolk 6
Karl Armstring (14-11) finished his season on a high note, going 8 innings, allowing 3 runs on 10 hits. Carlos Rodriquez pitched the 9th for the save (40). The offense was lead by Mauro Candelaria who went 2-3 with 2 RBI and Julio Romero who went 1-4 with 2 runs and a solo HR (4).

Game 160
Annapolis 9, Norfolk 5
Don Sweetapple (12-8) finished the season with a rough outing, going 4.1 innings, allowing 8 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. The offense slugged 14 hits and left 15 men on base. Lead by Ron Alder who went 4-6 with a 2B (the only XB hit for the Cav's) and Mauro Candelaria, Pablo Freitas and Jesus Rivera who each added 2 hits.

Game 161
Annapolis 3, Norfolk 2 (10 innings)
Carlos Mateo (ND) pitched well enough to get win 20, but the offense couldn't get hits at the right time leaving 9 me on. Mateo went 8 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits. Elmer Hawkins (2-4) took the loss in the 10th. The offense had 11 singles, with Roberto Perez, Kendrick Lynch, Pablo Freitas and Mauro Candelaria each getting 2. Freitas had 2 RBI.

Game 162
Annapolis 13, Norfolk 8
Tsuneo Sato (ND) didn't make it out of the 2nd inning, getting roughed up, allowing 8 runs on 7 hits. Justin Fresi (0-1) took the loss allowing 3 runs on 7 hits in 2 innings. The offense had 11 hits and 8 runs, finally getting hits when they counted. Lead by Brian Cline 2-5 with a HR (23), Tomas Reyes 2-4 with a HR (11) and Jacob Chaney 2-2. Jose Rodriquez added a 3-run HR (20).

Players of the Week: *Not awarded last week of season*
Power Rankings: *Not updated last week of season*

Final Division Races:
Southern Division
Lewes Braves
Milton Brewers -6.0

Northern Division
Wilmington Iron Pigs
Newark Millers -2.0

Eastern Division
Chesapeake Blue Crabs
Ocean City Tourists Magic -1.0
Annapolis Admirals -2.0

Western Division
Washington Senators
Norfolk Cavaliers -6.0

GM Thoughts/Notes: This one stung. We were in control most of the year and then the string of injuries and we just couldn't pull it out. The blame goes to the GM for not having the team able to deal with injuries. These guys played a great season and its tough to see them miss out on the playoffs. Especially after winning 93 games!... We did have some high notes this season Carlos Mateo winning 19, Ron Alder breaking the league record with 62 steals and Roberto Perez becoming the 2nd player ever with a 30-30... I will have to sit back and enjoy the playoffs, but this is going to be tough off-season. It looks like we are going to be over budget for 2016, so changes will have to be made. The hard part is what and where. Once arbitration hits, we will have to review our team and go from there. Expect some changes this off-season. Maybe even some big-names will be moving on... My money is on the Washington Senators to win their 2nd title. They are just too powerful and playing at high level.

** coming up September in Review and the playoffs **

[illeracula]

Delaware Conference


Batter of the Month: Peter Peters, New Castle Colonials
When Peter Peters stepped up to the plate in September, he did it with confidence and today he was honored with the Delaware Conference Batter of the Month award. The young New Castle right fielder posted a .402 batting average with 10 home runs, 30 RBIs and scored 21 runs. Peters also worked pitchers for 24 walks to post a .516 on-base percentage. This year Peters has collected a .312 batting average to date with 172 hits in 551 at-bats, 106 RBIs, 42 home runs and scored 122 times. He has played in 153 games.

Pitcher of the Month: Keith White, Milton Brewers
Despite the number of years he's been in the league, Keith White still gets excited when he puts together a quality stretch like he had in September. The 34-year-old starter for Milton was named Delaware Conference Pitcher of the Month earlier today. He collected 5 wins and no losses with 35 strikeouts in his 6 starts, putting up a fine 0.43 ERA in 42.1 innings of work. To this point in the season White has 15 wins and 9 losses and a 2.05 ERA.

Rookie of the Month: Jim Tucker, Georgetown Sixteens
Youngster Jim Tucker emerged as the latest Delaware Conference Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Georgetown deserved the honor, batting .392 with 3 home runs and 14 RBI. Is the month of September a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Tucker enjoy the limelight. In 76 games this season Tucker has batted at a .283 pace with 68 hits and 8 home runs.

MarVa Conference


Batter of the Month: Alberto Trujillo, Annapolis Admirals
Alberto Trujillo battered MarVa Conference pitchers all September and wound up taking home the Batter of the Month Award. "I've been around DELMARVA Baseball League long enough to know you really have to work hard day in and day out to be able to put up this kind of consistency," the 33-year-old Trujillo told reporters. "I put in a lot of work, even on the days I might not take the field, and it's always nice when everything comes together for me like it did this last month." In 26 games, Trujillo hit .346 with 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and scored 23 runs. For the year Trujillo is batting .311 with 36 home runs, 121 RBIs and 99 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Month: Jorge Moran, Chesapeake Blue Crabs
Jorge Morán hasn't been around the big leagues long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning MarVa Conference Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice. In September the Chesapeake starter earned a 5-1 mark in 6 starts. He threw 41.1 innings, struck out 38 and compiled a solid 2.18 ERA. This season-to-date, Morán has fashioned a 21-7 mark and 3.05 ERA in 218.1 innings. Opposing clubs are batting .224 against him and he has logged 181 strikeouts.

Rookie of the Month: Bill Little, Annapolis Admirals
Bill Little is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest MarVa Conference Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers. In September the Annapolis hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .340 average with 33 hits, 4 home runs and 19 RBIs. This year Little is hitting .298 with 17 home runs.

League Leaders (Final)
* means new leader for the month
Delaware Division:
AVG: Bruce Walker (Lewes Braves) .337
HR: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers) 49
RBI: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers) 138
SB: Jeff Lewis (Newark Millers) 47

W: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 21
ERA: Keith White (Milton Brewers) 2.05*
K: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 232
SV: Otik Duffek (Milford Clippers) 39

Marva Division:
AVG: Cliff Jones (Washington Senators) .383*
HR: Abraham Thomas (Washington Senators) 55*
RBI: Abraham Thomas (Washington Senators) 157*
SB: Ron Alder (Norfolk Cavaliers) 62

W: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 22
ERA: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 2.81*
K: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 210*
SV: Bill Fox (Ocean City Tourists) 48

League Records:
* 3 new records were set in 2015, old record in ()
AVG: Cliff Jones (Washington Senators, 2015) .383 (.359)
HR: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers, 2014) 64
RBI: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers, 2014) 162
SB: Ron Alder (Norfolk Cavaliers, 2015) 62 (60)

W: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists, 2015) 22 (21)
ERA: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs, 2014) 1.92
K: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs, 2013) 257
SV: Michael Willard (Washington Senators, 2013) 50

My Award Winner Predictions:
Silver Slugger: Peter Peters (New Castle Colonials)
Golden Arm: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs)
Newcomer: Cody Patton (Georgetown Sixteens)
Mananger: Angel Juarez (Wilmington Iron Pigs)

My Award Winner Predictions:
Silver Slugger: Anthony Cunningham (Ocean City Tourists)
Golden Arm: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists)
Newcomer: Totoya Ogawa (Chesapeake Blue Crabs)
Manager: Luis Hernandez (Chesapeake Blue Crabs)

Standings (Final)


The Braves had this locked up for a while, but did hit a rough patch. The Brewers just didn't have enough left in the tank... The Iron Pigs held on to the most contested division, as they finished red-hot, with an 16 win month... The Admirals slipped and the Blue Crabs didn't hesitate to jump on their opportunity to move up. The Tourists were just as hot as the Blue Crabs, losing only a 1/2 game to them in the final month... The Cavaliers ran into injury problems and the Senators just blew by them. The Senators look to win their 2nd title in 3 years.

Playoffs - Round 1 Predictions:
The Wilmington Iron Pigs will advance to the Championship winning the series over the Braves 4-2.
The Blue Crabs take out the Senators in a hard fought 7 game series.

** up next Norfolk year in review **

[illeracula]

Monthly Records:
April 16-6
May 15-12
June 17-10
July 17-9
August 13-15
September 14-14
October 1-3
Overall: 93-69
(2014 - 96-66)

Inconsistency and injuries was the demise of this team. We came out of the blocks hot and then the 2nd half was rough, due to injuries to 4 of our big bats. The injuries lead to players playing out of position, which lead to worse defense, which lead to worse pitching, which lead to a poor record.

Going into this off-season we will need to look at what we have an make some choices. Changes will be coming. Not because I want them to be, but because our budget is going to force us to be.

One player that I am not sure of is Roberto Perez, he was brought over to give us the offense we were missing and he didn't perform to where we would of liked him to. He is now the highest paid player on the team. In 64 games with the Cav's Perez hit .313-10-48 and posted and OPS of .893. Before coming to Norfolk he was posting an OPS of 1.106 with Baltimore. I don't regret the trade, as Bayles was on a downward slide.

With Tony Soto going down, we were able to get a nice look at Augusto Rodriquez. He will be a solid fielding shortstop, but won't put up the offensive numbers that a Soto would. He posted a .247 average in 27 games, but at 21 he proved to us that he belongs here.

On the pitching side of things we had 2 pitchers that had seasons to talk about. Carlos Mateo had a career year posting a 19-8 record. He had his share of bad starts, but for the most part he was our most consistent starter all season. And Don Sweetapple who seemed to take a step back from his previous 2 seasons. Sweetapple posted a career high WHIP and HR's allowed, which is something we will need to look at. Come this off-season.

Our pitching struggled the final month of the season falling to #2 in runs allowed, and #3 in Bullpen ERA. We were still #2 in starters ERA and ended up #1 in Defensive Efficiency (we can do better than .702)... on the offensive side we were near the bottom in all categories, except stolen bases which we ended up #2. Runs Scored, Average and HR's we ended up at #5.

Something to grown on...

I will have a more in-depth team review come the post season. We will have a lot to think about this off-season and a big trade or two will most likely have to occur.

[illeracula]

Delaware Conference
Lewes Braves vs Wilmington Iron Pigs

Game 1:
Wilmington 3, Lewes 2 Wilmington Leads Series 1-0
W: T. Petherick (1-0)
L: A. Nicholas (0-1)
HR: LEW: G. Corbett (1), WLM: D. White (1), L. Bruno (1)

Game 2:
Lewes 12, Wilmington 8 Series tied 1-1
W: J. Perry (1-0)
L: C. McRankin (0-1)
HR: LEW: N. Waldman (1), G. Jenkins (1), J. Torres (1), J. Mata (1), WLM: D. White (2), F. Pena (1)

Game 3:
Lewes 5, Wilmington 4 Lewes leads Series 2-1
W: E. Bookelman (1-0)
L: N. Catranides (0-1)
S: A. Nicholas (1)
HR: LEW: B. Walker (1)

Game 4:
Wilmington 6, Lewes 4 Series tied 2-2
W: D. Bridges (1-0)
L: F. Ruan (0-1)
S: C. Morales (1)
HR: WLM: D. White (3), L. Rodriquez (1), J. Nunez (1), D. McDonald (1)

Game 5:
Lewes 3, Wilmington 2 Lewes leads Series 3-2
W: A. Alonzo (1-0)
L: M. Estrada (0-1)
S: A. Nicholas (2)
HR: None

Game 6:
Lewes 4, Wilmington 3 (10 innings) Lewes Wins Series 4-2
W: A. Nicholas (1-1)
L: T. Petherick (1-1)
HR: WLM: J. Quintero (1), F. Bishop (1)

Series MVP: George Corbett, Lewes Braves, .292-1-6


MarVa Conference
Chesapeake Blue Crabs vs Washington Senators
Game 1
Washington 3, Chesapeake 1 Washington leads Series 1-0
W: B. Bulter (1-0)
L: G. Martinez (0-1)
S: G. Ertegun (1)
HR: WAS: C. Jones (1)

Game 2
Washington 13, Chesapeake 2 Washington leads Series 2-0
W: G. Zumaya (1-0)
L: J. Moran (0-1)
HR: R. Martinez (1), A. Thomas 2 (2), W. Sloan (1), M. Sanchez (1)

Game 3
Washington 4, Chesapeake 1 Washington leads Series 3-0
W: K. Brown (1-0)
L: J. Chavez (0-1)
S: G. Ertegun (2)
HR: A. Thomas (3), S. Holt (1)

Game 4
Chesapeake 4, Washington 2 Washington leads Series 3-1
W: J. Codne (1-0)
L: J. Uberuaga (0-1)
S: J. Chavez (1)
HR: WAS: W. Sloan (2), CPK: L. Jones (1), M. O'Higgins (1)

Game 5
Chesapeake 6, Washington 4 Washington leads Series 3-2
W: J. Moran (1-1)
L: B. Butler (1-1)
S: L. Bonilla (1)
HR: CPK: B. Duncan (1)

Game 6
Washington 2, Chesapeake 1 (11 Innings) Washington wins Series 4-2
W: J. Clow (1-0)
L: L. Everhart (0-1)
HR: WAS: R. Martinez (2)

Series MVP: Kyle Brown, Washington Senators, 1-0 2 GS, 16 IP, 12 HA, 10 K, 1.13 ERA

Interesting Fact: Jack Clow is the only player to appear in all 3 Championship Series in DelMarVa League history. In 2013 he was traded from Norfolk to the Washington Senators. The Senators won the title. In 2014 he was traded from Washington to the Wilmington Iron Pigs. The Iron Pigs lost to Norfolk in the Championship. And this year he signed as a free-agent with the Senators and will be making his 3rd appearance in the title game.

[illeracula]

Game 1 @ Washington:
Lewes Braves 9, Washington 3 Lewes leads series 1-0
W: L. Cooper (1-0)
L: G. Zumaya (1-1)
HR: LEW: G. Corbett (1), J. Mata (1), WAS: A. Thomas (1), W. Sloan (1)

POG: George Corbett, Lewes, 2-5, HR, 1 Run, 3 RBI

Game 2 @ Washington:
Lewes Braves 10, Washington 7 Lewes leads series 2-0
W: K. Minaham (1-0)
L: B. Butler (0-1)
S: A. Nicholas (1)
HR: LEW: G. Corbett (2), J. Alfonso (1), WAS: A. Thomas (2)

POG: George Corbett, Lewes, 2-5, HR, 2 Runs, 3 RBI

Game 3 @ Lewes
Lewes 4, Washington 2 Lewes leads series 3-0
W: J. Perry (1-0)
L: K. Brown (0-1)
S: A. Nicholas (2)
HR: WAS: A. Thomas

POG: Jarred Perry, Lewes, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 Runs (1 ER) 6 K

Game 4 @ Lewes
Washington 10, Lewes 3 Lewes leads series 3-1
W: J. Uberuaga (1-0)
L: F. Ruan (0-1)
HR: LEW: J. Torres (1)

POG: Cristo Canseco, Washington, 4-5, 3B, 4 RBI

Game 5 @ Lewes
Lewes 7, Senators 4 Lewes WINS Series 4-1
W: A. Nicholas (1-0)
L: G. Ertegun (0-1)
HR: B. Walker 2 (2)

POG: Bruce Walker, Lewes, 4-5, 2 HR, 3 Runs, 6 RBI

Series MVP: Bruce Walker, Lewes, .450-2-10

The Lewes Braves become the first Delaware Conference team to win the DelMarVa Championship!!

[illeracula]

Arbitration & Budget
Day one of the off-season is upon us and we have our hands full. Our budget was increased to $82,000,000 and our current payroll is $87,425,000, plus we have 16 players going through arbitration.

Our top paid players are
1) Tomas Reyes $8.5m
2) Don Sweetapple $8.0m
3) Roberto Perez $8.0m
4) Carlos Mateo $7.0m
5) Carlos Rodriquez $4.8m

This may change after arbitration with Pablo Freitas looking to get $5.5m.

I will need to make some space and to do that I will be moving players. Just need to figure out who we can life with and without. Do I want to put together a team that plays great D, one that pitches great or one that will out-hit you.

Of the top 5 paid players, look for Tomas Reyes (.245-11-82) and Carlos Rodriquez (0-5 40 sv 2.72) to be shopped around for lower priced alternatives.

Arbitration Cases
Sixteen total cases with everyone asking for pretty hefty raises. I will look to move some of these guys, but I am not sure yet who. I have to figure out who is best to keep around and who is best to move for the overall good of this team.

Currently due to they budget restrictions I have no money to sign any free-agents or to sign any extensions. Players that I plan on moving: Edgar Matsuda and Jose Villa. About $5m between those two guys. But it will mean that our bullpen is 3 players down. I do have my hands full...

Personnel Openings
Our bench coach, Javier Garcia, was not offered an extension, so we will be actively looking for someone to take his role or possible the managers role.

Our scouting director, Timothy Olson, was not offered an extension as well. We weren't happy with some of his ratings with young players we acquired via trade and our drafts haven't gone as well as we believe they could be.

The rest of the organization we only have a need for a pitching coach in AA New Orleans.

Team & Player Options
We only had one player with an executable option, it was Billy Lee and he elected to become a free agent, voiding the final year of his contract. Lee pitched in 40 games this season 70.1 innings, posing a 3-1 record with 3 saves and a 3.07 ERA. Last season he was 2-1 4 saves and a 2.00 ERA in 54.0 innings. He will be 32 to start next season and we wish him well and he will be missed.

[illeracula]

* Repeat Leader in same category
BOLD means new league record

Delaware Conference:
AVG: Bruce Walker (Lewes Braves) .337
Hits: Bruce Walker (Lewes Braves) 203
2B: Rick Lane (New Castle Colonials) 38
3B: Kevin Norris (Milford Clippers) 11
HR: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers) 49*
RBI: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers) 138*
Runs: Peter Peters (New Castle Colonials) 123*
SB: Jeff Lewis (Newark Millers) 47
Total Bases: Billy Moore (Milford Clippers) 342*
OPS: Peter Peters (New Castle Colonials) 1.049*
WAR: Peter Peters (New Castle Colonials) 8.8*

ERA: Kevin White (Milford Clippers) 2.20
W: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 21
K's: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 232*
Saves: Otik Duffek (Milford Clippers) 39
L: Cho-Yeong An (Dover Generals) 16
IP: James McLaughlin (Newark Millers) 237.1
K/9: Keith White (Milton Brewers) 9.20*
K/BB: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 17.85*
WHIP: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 0.85*
WAR: Marcos Estrada (Wilmington Iron Pigs) 9.0*

Cho-Yeong An went 20-8 2.95 last season, his rookie year. This season he fell to 9-16 4.69.

MarVa Conference:
AVG: Cliff Jones (Washington Senators) .383
Hits: Kent Davis (Baltimore Barons) 225
2B: Francisco Vargas (Chesapeake Blue Crabs) 47
3B: Cliff Jones (Washington Senators) 11
HR: Abraham Thomas (Washington Senators) 55
RBI: Abraham Thomas (Washington Senators) 157
Runs: Anthony Cunningham (Ocean City Tourists) 133
SB: Ron Alder (Norfolk Cavaliers) 62*
Total Bases: Abraham Thomas (Washington Senators) 405
OPS: Anthony Cunningham (Ocean City Tourists) 1.105*
WAR: Anthony Cunningham (Ocean City Tourists) 9.0*

Anthony Cunningham was decimals away from winning the triple crown last season and he had a fantastic repeat season in 2015, finishing in the top 5 of the triple crown categories .343-54-140.

ERA: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 2.81*
W: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 22
K's: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 210
Saves: Bill Fox (Annapolis Admirls) 48*
L: Gabriel Gonzalez (Ellicott City Express) 19
IP: Kyle Brown (Washington Senators) 234.1
K/9: Barney Butler (Washington Senators) 8.74*
K/BB: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 8.75
WHIP: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 0.94*
WAR: Miguel Contreras (Ocean City Tourists) 9.9

Miguel Contreras won the pitching triple crown. The first player or pitcher ever to do so.

**Norfolk Cavaliers on the Leader Board**
Keep in mind Roberto Perez only played 64 games for the Cavaliers

AVG (3) Roberto Perez .383
OBP (6) Roberto Perez .413
SLG (4) Roberto Perez .598
OPS (4) Roberto Perez 1.011
WAR (2) Roberto Perez 8.9
Hits (5) Roberto Perez 197
HRs (7) Roberto Perez 31
RBI (4) Roberto Perez 157
Runs (5) Roberto Perez 119
SB (1) Ron Alder 62
SB (3) Roberto Perez 42
XBH (6) Roberto Perez 70
TB (5) Roberto Perez 405

ERA (7) Carlos Mateo 3.61
W (3) Carlos Mateo 19
W (4) Tsueno Sato 18
SV (2) Carlos Rodriqeuz 40
IP (5) Don Sweetapple 226.0
SHO (2) Don Sweetapple 2
Hits/9 (3) Karl Armstrong 7.66
Hits/9 (7) Carlos Mateo 7.98
BB (6) Karl Armstrong 81
K's (3) Don Sweetapple 191
K's/9 (5) Don Sweetapple 7.91
K's/BB (4) Don Sweetapple 4.34
K's/BB (5) Carlos Mateo 4.24
OAVG (4) Karl Armstrong .231
OAVG (5) Carlos Mateo .234
WHIP (2) Carlos Mateo 1.06
WHIP (7) Don Sweetapple 1.21
FIP (6) Don Sweetapple 4.01

[illeracula]

The Norfolk Cavaliers pulled off a big trade with the New Castle Colonials today sending one of the power bats to the Colonials for two pitching prospects. The fans in Norfolk weren't too happy about losing Brian Cline, as the Fan Interest dropped 2 points to 67. In return for Cline we got a top rated starter in Cooper Mananghaya, he is 25, ready for the bigs, and still developing. a 4* prospect. Rated Stuff 10/14, Movement 11/13, Control 11/13, and has 6 10+ rated pitches.

Here is the official press release:
Norfolk Cavaliers, Colonials Agree to Trade: Reports have surfaced that Norfolk has agreed to send 26-year-old left fielder Brian Cline, 20-year-old minor league left fielder Steven Wilson and a 4th round draft pick to the New Castle Colonials in exchange for 25-year-old minor league starting pitcher Cooper Mananghaya, 24-year-old starting pitcher Jamie King and a 3rd round draft pick. "It's a done deal," said one executive speaking on the condition of anonymity. "I'm surprised word got around so quickly. We just signed off on this an hour ago." The deal apparently is awaiting physicals before an official announcement is made by either team.

Lifetime Cline has hit .244 with 361 hits, 77 home runs, 260 RBIs and scored 215 runs.

Reaction from Norfolk GM:
If I had things my way Brian would still be with us. We took him early in the inaugural draft (Round 8, Pick 3, 115th Overall), because we had big hopes for him. He has been with us all 3 seasons, putting up solid numbers, and getting better each season, but with the budget crisis we are in, we had to make something happen. We were offering 4.2m in Arbitration and I have a good feeling he was going to end up getting more... we still have a solid outfield with Shelton, Alder, Freitas and Rodriquez, so no need to worry about anything. Plus we got back 2 good pitching prospects. I have had my eye on Cooper for a couple of seasons, and he should be able to help us out and move into the rotation next season. If anything he will add some depth.

[illeracula]

Staff Signings
Julio Borges was signed to be the new pitching coach for the A Jacksonville Tritons. Borges was the pitching coach for the A Charlotte Monarchs for the past 3 seasons.

Antonio Diaz has signed to be the new Scouting Director for the Norfolk Cavaliers. Diaz was the Scouting Director for the New Castle Colonials for the pats 3 seasons. He Favors Ability and is rated as a "Good" scout for Majors and Minors, "Decent" International and "Excellent" scouting amateurs.

We still need a Bench Coach to fill our personnel out. We are in talks with Miguel Maldonado, he favors our offer, but we are still waiting for it to be finalized.

[illeracula]

The Norfolk Cavaliers in a budget crisis have made another trade, this time moving 30-year old closer Carlos Rodriquez. Rodriquez has had 40 saves the past two seasons and will be missed, but Dalton Whitaker (maybe) is ready to take over the closer post. In return the Cav's get a top closer prospect and a middle reliever to help out with the pen. Rodriquez is due 4.7m in 2016 and has an option for 5.3m in 2017. With this trade the Cav's are projected to be under budget, but I am pretty sure we aren't done.

Official Press Release
Norfolk, Lewes Confirm Swap: Norfolk and Lewes have swapped players. The Cavaliers announced today that they have sent 30-year-old closer Carlos Rodríguez, 24-year-old minor league right fielder Esteban Sandoval and a 7th round draft pick to the Braves in exchange for 20-year-old minor league closer Luis Deleón and 28-year-old reliever Eisse Bookelman.

Thus far in his career Bookelman has 11 saves with a 16-11 record and a 3.37 ERA.

Reaction from Norfolk GM:
Carlos is another victim of our budget crunch, but we think we are pretty set. Will we miss Carlos? Sure we will. Do we have the players who can step in and take over? Yes we do! We gained a great MR in Eisse and probably our future closer in Luis. I say we made out... We know Carlos isn't happy about being traded, but we have to think of the team first, and unfortunately that meant moving Carlos. Next season we should see a nice battle for the closer spot, but right now I am leaning towards Dalton Whitaker taking it over. We will see though, there is a long way to go till spring.

[illeracula]

Its official Miguel Maldonado is the Norfolk Cavaliers new bench coach, signing on for 4 years. Miguel was the bench coach for the Wilmington Iron Pigs for the past 3 seasons and we hope his winning attitude (the Pigs finished 1st all 3 seasons) will be contagious here in Norfolk.

[illeracula]

2015 Best Gloves Delaware Conference: It's been said that the best offense is a good defense. That's why contending teams are always looking to improve on the defensive side of the game. Keeping runs from scoring is just as good as driving them in. The top fielders have been chosen in the Delaware Conference for 2015. Here are the Glove Wizard Award winners:

Pitcher: Jerry Copeland (Dover Generals)
Catcher: Roberto Villalobos (Dover Generals)
First Baseman: Jonathan Cook (Georgetown Sixteens)
Second Baseman: José Colón (Newark Millers)
Third Baseman: Garrott Grant (Milford Clippers)
Shortstop: Joaquín Torres (Lewes Braves)
Left Fielder: Jeff Lewis (Newark Millers)
Center Fielder: Stan Miller (Newark Millers)
Right Fielder: Dax Petersen (Milford Clippers)

MarVa Conference Names Glove Wizard Award Choices for 2015: "Ball hawk" is a good name for the members of the defensive elite, the players who make leather shine. The fielders who crashed the wall, leaped in the air, and dived in the hole better than any others during 2015 have been tabbed as the MarVa Conference's Glove Wizard Award winners. Here are this year's best:

Pitcher: Matt Perry (Ocean City Tourists)
Catcher: Jake Judkins (Chesapeake Blue Crabs)
First Baseman: Ángel Romero (Milton Brewers)
Second Baseman: Howard Johns (Chesapeake Blue Crabs)
Third Baseman: Coy Browning (Richmond Cardinals)
Shortstop: Jesús Paredes (Chesapeake Blue Crabs)
Center Fielder: Kent Davis (Baltimore Barons)
Right Fielder: Grant Wright (Washington Senators)

Delaware Conference Rookie of the Year
Thomas Rewarded with Newcomer Award: A fine inaugural season has paid off handsomely for Chris Thomas of the Dover Generals. The 25-year-old topped off his debut year with the 2015 Delaware Conference Newcomer Award.

The Generals right fielder took the trophy by hitting .264 in 119 games and finished with 103 hits, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs and 69 runs scored.

MarVa Conference Rookie of the Year
Ogawa Best Rookie This Year: All the votes have been tabulated and the recipient of the prestigious MarVa Conference Newcomer Award is Totoya Ogawa of Chesapeake.

This gifted first-year performer won the honors by batting .289 with a .409 OBP. In 134 games this year, the first baseman laced 138 hits in 477 at-bats, hit 33 home runs, drove in 83 runs and scored 90 times.

Delaware Conference Manager of the Year
DDIV Top Manager Trophy Goes to Gentry: Club officials have reported seeing Mal Gentry at the ballpark as early as 7 am. His dedication, coupled with a shrewd management style and a knack for knowing "who's hot and who's not" earned Gentry the Delaware Conference Manager of the Year Award for 2015.

"I guess you could say I pushed all the right buttons at the right time for the Braves to have the season we did. But keep in mind, too, that I also had a group of dedicated ballplayers, who played their hearts out. I thank them for winning this award for me."

There was much joy in Lewes this season. Their beloved Braves took first place in the Delaware Conference Southern Division, rounding out the year with a 84-78 record.

MarVa Conference Manager of the Year
Senators Pilot Peters Picked as MVDIV's Best: Simon Peters has molded the Washington Senators into a top-flight MarVa Conference team. The 2015 Skipper of the Year came into spring training with a commitment to getting the most out of his Senators.

"I told them I had no preconceived notions about them, that all of them were blank slates as far as I was concerned. I told them to learn my system and we would win. I told them all the spots on the roster were open, that the best players would play -- young or old, rookie or vet -- and that I expected them to hustle, to work hard, and play as a team. They bought into it and made me look good."

And Simon Peters certainly got the most out of his ballclub. The Senators wrapped up the season in first place in the MarVa Conference Western Division with a 99-63 record.

Delaware Conference Golden Arm
Top Delaware Pitcher Announced: The Golden Arm Award for 2015 has been presented and the Delaware Conference winner is Marcos Estrada of Wilmington.

"It's always nice to receive an award like this," said Estrada. "I just hope I can improve on my performance next year and be in the running again," the Iron Pigs star told reporters.

Estrada excelled with an impressive 21-9 record in 34 starts. In 230.2 innings he yielded 184 hits and 13 walks, while striking out 232 and compiling a fine 2.54 ERA.

MarVa Conference Golden Arm
#1 MarVa Conference Hurler Named: The Ocean City Tourists have a rising superstar or maybe even a budding Hall-of-Famer in the making.
It's Miguel Contreras, this year's MarVa Conference Golden Arm Award selection. This blossoming hurler wowed fans, peers and sportswriters with a fabulous performance.

Contreras compiled a 22-7 record in 33 starts, tallied 210 strikeouts in 227.1 innings and recorded a 2.81 ERA. Other clubs managed only a .221 batting average against him.

Silver Slugger Delaware Conference
Best Bat In the Delaware Conference Belongs To Peters: 2015 was a very good year for New Castle Colonials right fielder Peter Peters, this year's Delaware Conference Siliver Slugger Award recipient.

Peters had an impressive season, hitting .312 with a .445 on-base percentage. He totaled 176 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples, 43 home runs, 107 RBIs and scored 123 runs.

MarVa Conference Silver Slugger
Great Year Gets Cunningham MarVa Conference Siliver Slugger Award: What a way to finish off the year -- being honored with the 2015 Siliver Slugger Award in the MarVa Conference. It had already been a very special season for Ocean City's Anthony Cunningham, but today's announcement really put the icing on his cake.

All season long Anthony Cunningham gave opposing pitchers fits by hitting .343 as he collected 208 hits, 30 doubles, 1 triple, 54 home runs and 140 RBIs.

Notes: If these names look familiar its because the pitchers of the year and the hitters of the year are repeat winners from 2014. Both Conferences, both Awards... This marks the first season that no Norfolk Cavaliers will walk away with an award.

[illeracula]

The Dover Generals Stole Anthony Cunningham from the Ocean City Tourists. The Tourists have been looking to move Cunningham, a two time Silver Slugger award winner (2014, 2015), and they finally did. Ocean City has plenty of budget space, so I am really not sure the thought process behind the deal. Villalobos isn't going to give the returns that Cunningham has. This is something I will have to keep an eye on. I had my opportunity to get Cunningham last season, but didn't want to give up a top tier starter. Still wouldn't make that deal if it was today...

Official Press Release
Big Deal in DBL: Villalobos for Cunningham: A major deal has been confirmed by Dover and Ocean City team officials. Reporters were notified this afternoon in a press release that the Generals have shipped 29-year-old catcher Roberto Villalobos, 19-year-old minor league starting pitcher Nacho Méndez and 25-year-old minor league reliever Carlos Santollo to the Tourists in return for 28-year-old first baseman Anthony Cunningham.

Over his career Villalobos is batting .290 with 46 doubles, 2 triples, 37 home runs, 125 RBIs and scored 133 runs in 267 games.

His lifetime stats show that Cunningham has hit .317 and connected for 126 home runs.

[illeracula]

The good news is that we won 10 of our Arbitration cases, the bad news is that we are still WELL over budget. We still need to cut back on 8 million of salary. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Do we make a combination of trades? Do we pull off a big trade and move one of our 8 million dollar men (Tomas Reyes, Roberto Perez, Don Sweetapple)? Or do I try to move 2 or 3 other players?

I have some options, so I will have to sit back and look over what I have and what makes most sense...

As for arbitration:
Pat Shelton (TEAM) $2,940,000
Dalton Whitaker (TEAM) $850,000
Edgar Matsuda (TEAM) $1,800,000
Jacob Chaney (TEAM) $2,520,000
Gilberto Ramos (TEAM) $950,000
Jose Villa (PLAYER) $3,768,000
Jose Rodriquez (TEAM) $2,600,000
Ron Alder (TEAM) $2,400,000
Ron Harris (TEAM) $945,000
Julio Romero (PLAYER) $2,125,000
Tsuneo Sato (PLAYER) $4,760,000
Mauro Candelaria (PLAYER) $2,310,000
Karl Armstrong (TEAM) $4,620,000
Pablo Freitas (PLAYER) $5,750,000

Looking as this list, I'd love to move Jose Villa and Edgar Matsuda, but both of them are "injured" and unable to be traded at this time. That would clear up more than 1/2 of what I need to move. I hate trading pitching away, but Karl Armstrong might be trade bait for the right price.

I really need to figure out what my focus is going to be... if I decide that Pat Shelton can play CF full-time then I won't move him otherwise he might be trade bait. Do I want better fielding or hitting? Putting Shelton in CF and Freitas in LF and Rodriquez in RF would be one of the best fielding outfielders in the game. But Shelton won't hit a whole lot.

Free agents are about to file and I need to put together a full off-season plan. Time to sit down with Alastair Turcotte (MGR) and Antonio Diaz (Scout) and figure out our direction. Win? Rebuild? I vote for WIN!

[illeracula]

Well our free-agents declared and that helped us out... we are now only $700,000 over budget. Didn't realize we had $7,000,000 in free-agents ready to walk. Works for me. I still plan to look around and maybe make one more deal, but its really hard to do anything when you don't have any money to sign free-agents. Hopefully what we have done will be good enough...

All-in-all its not the strongest of free-agent classes, her are the top 10:
While most teams are likely to make at least some small moves, it's still uncertain who the movers and shakers will be. Reporters expect a lot of attention to be lavished on the cream of the free agent crop, including these players:

1. Carlos Delgado, 29 year-old starting pitcher
2. Felipe Aarsse, 37 year-old starting pitcher
3. Charles Culligan, 30 year-old center fielder
4. Glen Hall, 39 year-old left fielder
5. Tony García, 29 year-old starting pitcher
6. Claudio Cordero, 27 year-old right fielder
7. Stan Miller, 31 year-old center fielder
8. Ángel Romero, 31 year-old first baseman
9. Gerald Mack, 36 year-old starting pitcher
10. Juan Álvarez, 39 year-old left fielder

The international free-agents are even worse I reached out to 2 of them and offered minor league contracts, but no one deserves more than that.

P Mitsuoki Takahashi out of Japan
P Rubén Merced out of Cuba
LF Ramón Montoya out of Cuba
2B Jin Park out of South Korea
2B Munemitsu Sakuma out of Japan
P Santiago Guerrero out of Cuba
CF Sung-ho Ch'oe out of South Korea

Looking over the free-agent list Stan Miller looks to be the prize hitter this season and Bill Fox and Billy Lee are the top pitching free-agents... Looking over the list, at this point there is no one I would truly go after (yet afford).

The winter meetings should be fun...

[illeracula]

The winter meetings come to an end, but we pulled off a pretty big deal. This deal doesn't help our budget, but it will allow us to make a couple of more moves that will. We bring in true center-fielder that will shift Freitas back to LF where he is more comfortable. And a middle-infielder. We shipped away a couple of prospects and and Tony Soto. But all in all I think this puts us in a better position... Our fan interest dropped some with the loss of Soto, we are now down to 66.

Official Press Release:
Star-Studded Cavaliers-Barons Trade: The Norfolk Cavaliers have made a bold move, acquiring 27-year-old second baseman Pat Hall, 25-year-old center fielder Kent Davis and a 4th round draft pick from the Baltimore Barons for 30-year-old shortstop Tony Soto, 27-year-old reliever Elliot Bean, 19-year-old minor league shortstop Jeremy Jones, 20-year-old minor league starting pitcher Gabriel Santos, a 3rd round draft pick and a 6th round draft pick. Though the Cavaliers parted with a valuable player, they believe the deal will fill an important need and make the club stronger.

Soto has compiled a career batting average of .302 with 239 hits, 34 homers and 135 RBIs.

His career numbers show Davis is currently carrying a .328 lifetime batting average with 1 home run and 76 RBIs.

GM Comments:
We will miss Tony, but for the past two season he has been injured in crunch time, and that hasn't gone over well with some of the brass around here. Bringing in Davis will only make this team better. Last year he hit .349 and stole 40 bases, put him in the lineup with Alder and Roberto and we have wonderful team speed. I like they way this lineup is looking, if we could get a power bat, that would be nice, but we are restricted with the budget, so it will be tough. We aren't done, we will be under budget by opening day I will guarantee.

[illeracula]

Catcher:
Jacob Chaney has been our starter for the past 3 years, with Julio Romero backing him up. There have been times when Julio looked to be the better option, but Jacobs defense has just been a little better (he won the Gold Glove in 2014). Bob is by far our best defensive catcher, but he just can't hit.

Jacob Chaney (L) - 137 G .268-8-52
Julio Romero (R) - 67 G .266-4-26
Bob Barrett (S) - (AAA) 84 G .324-3-25

First Base:
First base has always been a up-in-the-air position for us. Last season we had 4 players play more than 20 games there. Christopher Shopland lead the way with 64 (starts) and Mauro Candelaria was second with 23. Gilberto Ramos and Shopland are our best choices for defense, but not for offense. This coming season we will see probably the same thing, depending on our Shortstop/Second base battles. Ramos and Shopland will be given a fair fight for the starting spot as well as a roster slot. They both play multiple positions, which is always a nicety to have around.

Gilberto Ramos (R) - 68 G ..246-3-22
Christopher Shopland (R) - 97 G .234-3-38

Second Base:
Tomas Reyes manned the fort here for 124 games. He was arguable one of the best defensive second basemen in the league, some believe he deserved the gold glove (8.1 ZR, 9 Errs). He should be the second baseman to start the season, but new acquisition Pat Hall may have something to say about that, as will 2nd year man Jesus Rivera.

Tomas Reyes (R) - 156 G .245-11-82
Pat Hall (R) - 54 G .234-3-18 (w/ Baltimore)
Jesus Rivera (R) - 107 G .233-6-44
Joe Payne (L) - 29 G .195-1-4
Yasutoki Ine (R) - (AAA) .304-3-48

Shortstop:
Shortstop is going to be interesting position, and this will key off of 3B as well. Right now Mauro Candelaria is listed as the starting SS, which would mean our defense will suffer. Not because of him, but because of Perez at 3B. Augusto Rodriquez will come into camp 22 years old and ready to complete for the job. He performed admirably, yet inconsistent, during his stint this season. Candelaria's bat hit a dip this season, but it could of been because he wants a set position and we did nothing, but move him all over the place last year, he played 5 different positions. Coming into 2016 he will be our starting SS or 3B.

Mauro Candelaria (R) - 156 G .272-8-63
Augusto Rodriquez (R) - 27 G .247-0-6

Third Base:
Roberto Perez is everyone's choice to start at third, but I would much rather see him as the DH. He committed 12 errors for Norfolk in 56 games, and a whopping 24 all season (.930 fPct). I would perter better defense and let RP just hit. He will see time at third and DH all season and maybe he will be our starter, but if not expect to see Mauro playing there. One thing is for sure RP is our best offensive asset and will be in the lineup.

Roberto Perez (S) - 64 G .313-10-48 (overall 142 G .352-31-129)

Left Field:
With the acquisition of Kent Davis, Pablo Fretias will be free to play LF, the play were he won the Gold Glove 2 years ago. Over the past 2 seasons he has played more CF (95 G vs 27 G in 2015). Having him in LF and a better fielder in CF will only make us that much better. Ron Alder will be there to back him up, as will Pat Shelton. We are looking for Fretias to be healthy this season and get back to his gold glove self. Ron Alder had a career year last season and we hope to see him repeat it again this year. The problem is finding him a spot!

Pablo Fretias (R) - 122 G .255-21-86
Ron Alder (L) - 152 G .291-9-80

Center Field:
Kent Davis will bring a solid average, speed and defense to the Cav's. Something we could use after losing Brian Cline. Having Davis allows our defense to get better, allows us to be more aggressive on the base paths and makes us a better team. Pat Shelton, a gold glover 2 years ago, will be our back-up outfielder at this point. He performed well in the time that Freitas was injured last season and we will need the same kind of production from him this year.

Kent Davis (L) - 146 G .349-0-61 (w/ Baltimore)
Pat Shelton (R) - 92 G .251-9-45

Right Field:
Has been the model of consistency the last two seasons (.259-22-70 & .257-20-70) and a proven defender. He has speed (21 SB's) and can patrol the outfield with the best of them. The plan is for him to be planted in RF and put up solid numbers once again.

Jose Rodriquez (L) - 140 G .257-20-70

Manager Alastair Turcotte sees the lineup looking like this:
Ron Alder (L) DH
Mauro Candelaria (R) SS
Kent Davis (L) CF
Roberto Perez (S) 3B
Pablo Freitas (R) LF
Tomas Reyes (R) 2B
Jose Rodriquez (L) RF
Chistopher Shopland (R) 1B
Jacob Chaney (L) C

Personally I think we are better off with a lineup like this:
Kent Davis (L) CF
Roberto Perez (S) DH
Mauro Candelaria (R) 3B
Pablo Freitas (R) LF
Ron Alder (L) 1B
Tomas Reyes (R) 2B
Jose Rodriquez (L) RF
Augusto Rodriquez (R) SS
Jacob Chaney (L) C

I think moving Perez to the DH is in our defenses best interest. Having Augusto in the lineup instead of Shopland is a wash, in fact Augusto has more room to grow. Alder at 1B isn't the best option, but having his bat in the game is.

Salary Facts :
-21 players on the 40 man Roster are position players. Opening day I'd like to carry no more than 15, maybe only 14. Depending on options and trades it looks like we may need to trade 1 or 2 guys to get to that number.

Of all the players below we have Reyes and Perez locked up for 4 more years. Perez's salary escalates over the next 4 seasons, which means this may be he last season here in Norfolk. Most of the other players are still arbitration eligible. And Joe Payne is the only player that will be a free-agent after the upcoming season.

Tomas Reyes (28) $8,500,000
Roberto Perez (26) $8,000,000
Pablo Freitas (26) $5,750,000
Joe Payne (29) $3,000,000
Pat Shelton (29) $2,940,000
Jose Rodriquez (28) $2,600,000
Jacob Chaney (28) $2,520,000
Ron Alder (28) $2,40,000
Mauro Candelaria (28) $2,310,000
Julio Romero (28) $2,125,000
Gilberto Ramos (30) $950,000
Kent Davis (25) $490,000
Pat Hall (27) $490,000
Jesus Rivera (24) $490,000
Augusto Rodriquez (21) $490,000
Christopher Shopland (25) $490,000
Bob Barrett (28) minor league
Yasutoki Ine (26) minor league
Mason Foster (29) minor league
Kevin Howse (27) minor league
Bryan O'Neill (22) minor league

Looking at this list, I'd like to move Joe Payne. He is a past gold glove winner, but is nothing more than a bench player here. He put up good numbers 2 seasons ago, but struggled last season. At 3 million this year he will be shopped... Other than that I think our roster is pretty intact. Christopher Shopland may be moved as well. I'd rather keep Jesus Rivera (better hitter) even though Shopland can play multiple positions. He just fell out of my favor last season. One thing he does have going for him is that the manager (Turcotte) likes him.

As you can tell we have some decisions to make, but nothing to rush on about. We will shop Payne around and hopefully get a 2nd tier prospect, maybe package him with one of the pitchers that we plan on shopping around. We will see... the pitchers catchers report in 2 months, and I hope to have more of an idea of what is going on by then.

[illeracula]

Pitching Staff:
Our pitching has always been the strong aspect of this team, and I expect it to be that way in 2016. I am not overly please with where we are now, but with a limited budget we may be stuck with what we have on our roster.

Starters:
The starting 5 should be the same as it was last season, but with the acquisition of Jamie King and Cooper Managhaya there might be some competition in the spring.

Carlos Mateo (R) - 19-8 3.61
Tsuneo Sato (R) 18-10 4.59
Don Sweetapple (R) 12-8 4.18
Karl Armstrong (R) 14-11 4.10
Sun Ho (R) 8-8 3.95
Edgar Matsuda (R) 2-1 5.84
Jamie King (R) 0-0 7.71 (w/ New Castle Colonials)
Justin Fresi (R) 0-1 7.36
Scott Smith (R) 0-0 6.75 (injury missed most of season)
Cooper Mananghaya (L) (AAA) 5-13 6.60

Bullpen:
The bullpen is where things might be interesting. We return everyone we had last seasons, with the exception of Billy Lee who turned down his option and wanted to test the market. Lee will be missed, but he is replaceable (Lee was 3-1 3.07 w/ 3 walks in 70 IP, he is currently asking for 3.4m). This bunch of guys should be able to do the same thing they did last year, #2 in ERA. The reports are we have a weakness in the pen, but I think we are pretty solid. We traded away our closer so there will be some competition there, but all in all I like this group.

Jose Villa (R) 2-3 3.34 4 sv
Elmer Hawkins (L) 2-4 3.40
Will McNeal (R) 0-0 8.53 1 sv
Joe Davis (R) (AAA) 6-3 5.14 2 sv
Andrew Donnelly (R) (AAA) 1-2 4.85 1 sv
Ron Harris (R) 3-3 3.65 2 sv

Closers:
Eisse Bookelman (R) 5-8 3.39 1 sv
Dalton Whitaker (R) 7-4 4.54 2 sv

Alastair Turcotte's Proposed Rotation & Setup/Closer:
Don Sweetapple (R)
Carlos Mateo (R)
Karl Armstrong (R)
Tsueno Sato (R)
Sun Ho (R)

SU1: Elmer Hawkins (L)
SU2: Jose Villa (R)

CL: Eisse Bookelman (R)

I don't mind what Turcotte is doing with this team, but I am pretty sure Dalton Whitaker deserves to be remain a set-up man and get a shot to be the closer. He has control issues, as did Carlos Rodriquez, Dalton is actually rated a little higher in control, but he is a true power pitcher. He has struck out 100+ each of the last 2 seasons. Eisse and Dalton will get a shot in the spring to prove their worth.

Salary Facts:
We have Sweetapple and Mateo locked up for 2 more years, I'd really like to extend Sweetapple, he should be a career Cavalier, but at this point Bill Parker isn't having any of it. Of the list Essie Bookelman will be a free agent at the end of the year, everyone else is arbitration or auto sign. Does that make Essie available??

Don Sweetapple (30) $8,000,000
Carlos Mateo (28) $7,000,000
Tsuneo Sato (28) $4,750,000
Karl Armstrong (23) $4,620,000
José Villa (29) $3,768,000
Eisse Bookelman (28) $2,480,000
Edgar Matsuda (28) $1,800,000
Ron Harris (27) $945,000
Dalton Whitaker (28) $850,000
Justin Fresi (27) $490,000
Elmer Hawkins (27) $490,000
Sun Ho (26) $490,000
Jamie King (24) $490,000
Will McNeal (26) $490,000
Scott Smith (25) $490,000
Joe Davis (25) minor league
Andrew Donnelly (30) minor league
Cooper Mananghaya (25) minor league

Overall: I think our bullpen can get better, we aren't as strong as we once were, that is for certain (close though). I will have to make another move over the next few months to get us under budget, but I don't foresee me trading away any starters. Edgar Matsuda and Jose Villa are prime candidates. I am also going to bring Cooper to camp this spring, see what he has. He is a lefty starter, which would be a nice addition. If he doesn't start then we could always use another lefty in the pen. We are running thin in the minors, but should be ok for this season.

I am not done making trades. We actually have a pending trade sending a pitcher for a prospect, just to get us under budget. Once we are there we may be able to sign a MR to a one-year deal. We will see.

[illeracula]

We sent Edgar Matsuda, who we acquired last season to fill a whole in our bullpen but didn't, off to the Annapolis Admirals for a young flame thrower. Pineda performed very well in his short stint with the Admirals last season posting a 1.74 ERA over 20.2 innings. Its not a "big" deal like the others were, but it is a move in a better direction. Our fan interest dropped down to 64, due to Matsuda popularity rating.

Official Press Release:
Norfolk Cavaliers Ship Morone to Annapolis: In a move that has left many fans wondering, the Norfolk Cavaliers have traded 28-year-old reliever Edgar Matsuda and 26-year-old minor league left fielder Filippio Morone to the Annapolis Admirals. In return, the Cavaliers receive 23-year-old reliever Iván Pineda.

GM Comments:
Well this puts us under the budget number (by $652,000), but it still doesn't allow us to go after any free-agents. That's not always a bad thing, but if we need a missing link it does make it harder to come by. Does this trade mean we are done wheeling and dealing? You all will just have to wait and see, I am not going to comment on that. I do know we have 40 guys that are going to bust their tails to gets us back into first place.

We will look over what we have and what we need and go from there. I think we have a roster that is ready to complete our starters will get us innings, the bullpen will keep the games close and our offense will run and score runs. We are a well rounded team. We would like to welcome Ivan to the club and we are looking forward to seeing him throw the ball, and we will wish the best of luck to Edgar in Annapolis.

[illeracula]

As Spring training comes upon us we made a couple of more trades to prepare for the season and get this team under budget. I would like to move one more player, Joe Payne, but can't find any teams that are interested at this time. I may need to package Payne and Scott Smith for a mid-range prospect. Just don't have the roster space right now...

We pulled off two pretty big trades, moving Christopher Shopland. Shopland has been a part of this team since year 1, but fell out of favor with his bad attitude. He always wanted to start, but didn't put up starter numbers. He did play hard and do what was asked of him, but we felt it was time to move on. In return for Shopland we got two young pitchers. Dan Nelson will be sent to AA to work on his control and Adrian Otero will join the big club to replace Jose Villa.

Jose Villa was sent to the Annapolis Admirals in a trade directly after acquiring Otero. For Villa we received a prospect. Jose Escamilla will be given a chance to make the utility player role or will be moved to AAA to get some swings. We should have an interesting Spring. With the loss of Villa our fan interest dropped to 62.

Official Press Release:
Norfolk Trades Shopland for Baltimore's Otero: Norfolk and Baltimore have made a swap. Players involved in the transaction are the Cavaliers 25-year-old first baseman Christopher Shopland and the Barons 23-year-old reliever Adrián Otero and 20-year-old minor league closer Dan Nelson.

In 264 games Shopland has a career .256 batting average and a .296 on-base percentage. He has hit 11 home runs with 107 RBIs and 115 runs scored.

Otero has appeared in 67 games in his career and claimed no saves. He has 9 wins and 14 losses and a 5.74 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 219.1 innings.

Cavaliers Trade Villa to Admirals for Escamilla: In an effort to add some depth to its roster, the Norfolk Cavaliers have swapped 29-year-old reliever José Villa to the Annapolis Admirals for 26-year-old third baseman José Escamilla. The Cavaliers GM told reporters, "We saw a chance to upgrade our ball club and took it."

Since he came into the league, Villa has 5 saves with a 8-13 record and a 4.26 ERA.

GM's Response:
It is always hard trading away players, but sometimes it is more of a necessity. Moving Villa puts us under budget, which is what we needed to do. And we grabbed some nice propspects to help us out in the future. We will miss Jose in the pen, but we have full confidence that Otero will step up and take over his role seemlessly. Chris has been an important part of this team over the years, but with some development of other players, he became expendable. All in all I believe we are in a better place now, then we were yesterday.

In Other News: Ron Harris, one of our main relievers has suffered a set-back in his return from surgery for a torn labrum. He is expected to join the club in 3 more weeks. The good news is he should be with us for all our spring games.