DELMARVA Baseball League

[illeracula]

Week 25
Current Week: 2-4 (74-81 .477 / -5.0)
Next Week: End-of-Season
Power Ranking: 12 (82.9, -2)
Fan Interest: 66
Owners Mood: Good
Expectation: Close to .500

Home: 40-34 .541
Away: 34-47 .420
Burgos: 27-28 / Sweetapple: 47-53

Runs Scored: 726 (3rd)
Avg: .263 (1st)
HR: 163 (t5th)
SB: 59 (9th)
Runs Against: 705 (7th)
Starters ERA: 4.60 (8th)
Pen ERA: 3.63 (5th)
Def Eff: .705 (9th)

Top Performers:
Hitting: Howard Porter: .320-2-3(8-25), 2 2B, 5 R's
Pitching: Ying-Hua Ji: 1 GS, 1-0 1.00, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 11 K

Game 150: Chadds Ford 3, Lewes 4
Nobukazu Higashi (14-6): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K
Terry Hale: 2-4, 2 RBI
Juan Guzman: 2-3, 2B, R, RBI
H: 5, LOB: 2

Game 151: Chadds Ford 5, Lewes 4
Eric Harmon (12-14): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 34): 1.0 IP, K
Howard Porter: 3-4, HR (18), 2 R, RBI
Hank Davis: 2-4, RBI
Matt Douglas: 1-4, R, 2 RBI
H: 9, LOB: 2

Game 152: Chadds Ford 5, Lewes 6
Robert Shepherd; 8.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, BB, 8 K
Jonathan Loeffler (7-7, BS 4): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, K
Hank Davis: 2-2, 2 HR (38), 2 R, 2 RBI
Matt Douglas: 1-4, 2 RBI
H: 6, LOB: 4

Game 153: Chadds Ford 2, Christiana 5
Gonzalo Bustamante (1-2): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Bryant Montes: 3-3
Donald Hampton: 1-4, HR (14), R, RBI
H: 7, LOB: 7

Game 154: Chadds Ford 6, Christiana 1
Ying-Hua Ji (11-6): 9.0 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BB, 11 K
Matt Douglas: 2-4, 2B, RBI
Bryant Montes: 1-3, 3B, R, 2 RBI
Jay Amrstrong: 2-4, R, RBI
H: 8, LOB: 9

Game 155: Chadds Ford 3, Christiana 4 (10 Innings)
Nobukazu Higashi: 5.0 IP, 4 H, R, 3 BB, 4 K
Mike Quinn: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, BB, K
Jonathan Loeffler (7-8): 1.2 IP, H, R, 0 ER, 3 K
Howard Porter: 4-5, 2B, HR (19), R, 2 RBI
Patrick McGee: 0-0, BB, RBI
Matt Douglas: 0-2, 3 BB
H: 8, LOB: 12



Transactions:
none

Injuries:
RF Henry Gilmore, torn thumb ligament, 11-day DL, 2 weeks

Other/Roster News:
AAA San Juan Hibuscus has clinched the division. 3 regular season games left.
AA Pierre Jack Rabbits season is over: 70-80 .467 (5th place, -15 GB)
A Tulsa Roughnecks beat the Birmingham Colonels 2-0 during the Single-A Wild Card.
SA Wilmington Tides are 6.5 games out on the wildcard and 10.5 in the division with 6 games to play.

GM Notes:
Well technically we aren't "done", but really we are. I don't see us sweeping next week and that is pretty much the only way we can win. The Blue Hens played the role of the spoiler and did it well. I could have survived with the 1-2 against the Braves, but how we did that 1-2 is really painful. All three games were 1-run games, which means we had a chance and the blown save by Loeffler (after a Juan Guzman error) was the dagger... Then to go 1-2 against the Blue Hens was painful, and the nail in the coffin... This was a good season, but we are going to fall short again. I do think we have moved a step closer and have a great foundation for 2 more seasons. Fingers crossed but I do think next season will be magical.

Donald Hampton had a week to remember last week making me feel great about his future and his bat in the future... then this week he did the complete opposite, collecting just 1 hit in 13 AB's, it was a solo-HR... but that .077 average is killer.

This season will down in history for the Cannons as the best offensive season yet. We have numerous players on the leader board with Matt Douglas leading the league with a .398 OBP. Howard Porter is second in runs, and Hank Davis second in HR's. Hopefully we can have another season like this next year... as our pitches get another season under their belt the confidence here is growing.

As the season comes to an end I am starting to look forward to the off-season. I know we have a very out-side shot of sneaking into the playoffs, but it doesn't mean as the GM I can't look ahead. Anthony Howard (.265-14-73, 36 2B) will be a fine player in the future, but he is one I will have to make a tough decision on. Do I trade him? Deal with arbitration? Let him go? He has lost his starting slot and he has made it vocal that he isn't happy... he may be one of many changes coming in 2036 on this roster... and by many I mean 4 or 5, I don't want to, or can't get too crazy.

Ok that was a rough week and my bout with confidence ended and now I am back to the doldrums of missing the playoffs again. I just have to hope we can make some magic happen this off-season and build a playoff team. I like the core, but I don't like the budget and that makes me worried.

I look around at the teams winning the divisions and it is clear why they are winning... The Clippers and the Millers last 10, 7 and 3, the Sixteens 10-0, the Admirals and the Cardinals 8 and 2. Just goes to show you that they wanted it a little more than we did. We just couldn't turn the corner. We are playing our best ball since April (15-11 .577) going 10-10 so far but that isn't enough. I can't really envision it ever being "enough".

All I can do is shake my head and hope for a strong week to prove to everyone that we are a team that should be watched..



Standings Leaders
DE Colonial: Milford Clippers: 101-54 .652 (+29.0, X)
DE Northern: Newark Millers: 79-76 .510 (+5.0, M3)
DE Atlantic: Georgetown Sixteens: 97-59 .622 (+3.5, M4)
WC: Lewes Braves (DEA): 93-62 (+19.0, X)

MV Beltway: Annapolis Admirals: 108-48 .692 (+15.5, X)
MV Mountain: Richmond Cardinals: 103-52 .665 (+11.0, X)
MV Coastal: Norfolk Cavaliers: 83-73 .532 (+5.5, M2)
WC: Washington Senators (MVB)/King George Royals (MVM): 95-63 .594 (+1.5, M8)

Players of the Week:
Delaware: Marvin Garrett, Lewes Braves: 8-20 (.400), 7 HR's, 10 RBI's, 7 R's
MarVa: Tyrone Jackson, Martinsburg Mountaineers: 14-31, 5 HR's, 9 RBI's, 6 R's

Power Rankings:
1) Annapolis Admirals (132.6)
2) Georgetown Sixteens (131.9)
3) Richmond Cardinals (124.6)
4) Milford Clippers (123.3)
5) King George Royals (116.8)

News:
Christiana Blue Hens: Will miss the playoffs for the 18th straight season. During their 18 years in the DBL they have finished 2nd 3-times.
Richmond Cardinals: Clicked the Mountain Division for the 4th time in 5 seasons and 3 time in a row.
Christiana Blue Hens: Lost 2B Rafael Gonzalez for the rest of the season with a torn PCL. Gonzalez, 25, was hitting .269-6-17 during his first taste of the bigs.
Milford Clippers: SP Ricardo Gonzalez won't hit the 300 mark in K's for the 2nd season in a row, but his 23-6 2.33 and 274 K's will most likely win him another Golden Arm Award. Gonzalez will fall short of the pitching AAA crown thanks to an impressive season by Seaford Gambino Miller who finished the season on the DL with a 2.31 ERA in 23 starts.
Martinsburg Mountaineers: With the season rookie Tyrone Jackson has put together history will be made in the DBL. Tyrone Jackson, with his .371-43-107, 10.0 WAR is on his way to not only winning the Newcomer of the Year Award, but the MVP award as well. The MVP voting should be interesting with players like Ryan Hunt (.370-38-112) of King George, Jimmy Moore (.326-62-135) of Annapolis, and Manuel Miranda (.324-51-140) also having spectacular seasons.

No-Hitters:
Bates King of the Hill, No-Hits Iron Pigs
In a brilliant performance at Iron Pigs Ballpark, Milford pitcher Gary Bates entered an elite group by tossing a no-hitter today against the Wilmington Iron Pigs. In the effort, he fanned 6 and walked 2, leading the Clippers to a 11-0 victory. "I was getting my off-speed stuff over so they couldn't sit on the fastball," Bates said in the clubhouse after the game. "My guys made some nice plays behind me, too, and cut off several hits." On his stats sheet this season Bates shows a 14-8 record, 33 starts, 193.1 innings, 164 strikeouts and a 3.91 ERA.

Bates becomes the third pitcher of 2035 to throw a no-hitter, following Lowell Ervin and Ryan Gross. 2035 will go down as the third season with more than 2 no-hitters: In 2028 there were 4 no-hitters thrown, in 2019 there were 3.

[illeracula]

Week 26
Current Week: 5-2 (79-83 .488 / -2.0)
Next Week: Off-Season
Power Ranking: 9 (90.8, +3)
Fan Interest: 67 (+1)
Owners Mood: Good
Expectation: Close to .500

Home: 45-36 .556
Away: 34-47 .420
Burgos: 27-28 / Sweetapple: 52-55

Runs Scored: 754 (3rd)
Avg: .264 (2nd)
HR: 169 (8th)
SB: 64 (9th)
Runs Against: 725 (7th)
Starters ERA: 4.52 (8th)
Pen ERA: 3.61 (5th)
Def Eff: .706 (8th)

Top Performers:
Hitting: Julio Casanes: .375-2-5 (9-24), 2 2B, 4 R
Hitting: Luther Reid: .350-0-3 (7-20), 4 2B, 3B, 6 R
Pitching: Robert Shepherd: 2 GS, 2-0 2.25, 16.0 IP, 16 H, 17 K
Pitching: Jonathan Loeffler: 4 G, 4 SV, 0-0 0.00, H, 6 K

Game 156: Wilmington 6, Chadds Ford 1
Eric Harmon (12-15): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 7 K
Jay Armstrong: 2-4
Julio Casanes: 2-4, 2B
Terry Hale: 2-4, RBI
H: 9, LOB: 10

Game 157: Wilmington 4 , Chadds Ford 6
Robert Shepherd (6-11): 8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 8 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 35): 0.1 IP, K
Hank Davis: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Howard Porter: 2-4, R, RBI
Luther Reid: 1-4, 2B, R, RBI
H: 9, LOB: 8

Game 158: Wilmington 1, Chadds Ford 8
Gonzalo Bustamante (2-2): 7.1 IP, 5 H, R, 3 BB, 9 K
Julio Casanes: 3-3, 2 HR (16), 3 R, 4 RBI
Don Hampton: 2-4, HR (15), R, 3 RBI
Hank Davis: 2-3, 2B, HR (39), 2 R, RBI
H: 11, LOB: 5

Game 159: Newark 1, Chadds Ford 3
Ying-Hua Ji (12-6): 8.0 IP, 7 H, R, 7 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 36): 1.0 IP, H
Patrick McGee: 2-4, HR (2), R, RBI
Luther Reid: 2-3, 2 2B, RBI
Bryant Montes: 1-4, R, RBI
H: 10, LOB: 7

Game 160: Newark 4, Chadds Ford 6
Nobukazu Higashi: 0.0 IP, 2 H, R, BB (18 Pitches)
John Robertson: 4.2 IP, H, R, 4 K
Dan Kessler (4-5): 2.1 IP, H
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 37): 1.0 IP, 3 K
Luther Reid: 2-3, 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI
Terry Hale: 1-2, 2 R
Bryant Montes: 1-2, 2 R, RBI
Howard Porter: 2-3, 3 RBI
H: 10, LOB: 9

Game 161: Newark 2, Chadds Ford 0
Eric Harmon (12-16): 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 K
Matt Douglas: 2-3
Donald Hampton: 1-3, 2B
H: 6, LOB: 6
** The loss eliminated any hopes of the post-season. Maybe next year. **

Game 162: Newark 2, Chadds Ford 4
Robert Shepherd (7-11): 7.2 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 9 K
Jonathan Loeffler (SV 38): 1.0 IP, BB, 2 K
Matt Douglas: 2-4, HR (6), R, RBI
Luther Reid: 1-3, 2 R
H: 7, LOB: 2



Transactions:
none

Injuries:
RF Henry Gilmore, torn thumb ligament, 11-day DL, 6-days
SP Nobukazu Higashi, torn elbow ligament, 60-day DL, 9-10 months

Chadds Ford Loses Higashi for Season
"Not what I wanted to hear," said Chadds Ford's Nobukazu Higashi to reporters this afternoon, as he revealed that the injury he sustained on 09/28/2035 would force him to miss the rest of the season. "The doctor made it clear," Higashi said. "There's no chance for me -- none at all -- to come back this year. That's the last thing I wanted to hear." Higashi has been out of action since he suffered a stretched elbow ligament. Looking at his season stats, Higashi has won 14 and lost 6, collecting 137 strikeouts and 70 walks in 189.1 innings with a 4.09 ERA.

Other/Roster News:
AAA San Juan Hibuscus: Lead the Yokohama Baystars 2-0 in the Conference Championship Round.
AA Pierre Jack Rabbits: 70-80 .467 (5th place, -15 GB), no playoffs.
A Tulsa Roughnecks: Won wild card round, Tied 3-3 with the Columbus Knights in Conference Championships.
SA Wilmington Tides: 23-games remaining (need to fix the season start date), 72-67 .518 (-3) in Conference, -6.5 in Wild Card.

GM Notes:
We came close, but no cigar... at least not this season. I will make the prediction that we will make another run in 2036. I just feel it. We got a taste of the excitement this season and next year they will be ready. We head a young pitching staff and they will be good to go another year older, another year wiser. I am feeling good. I do have to say I am disappointed, but it felt good to get that feeling back. So close the pennant chase was fun and exciting and I am looking for another one next year.

The injury to Higashi is going to be tough to overcome. He was set to be our #2 or #3 next year so losing him will change those plans. I don't think I will be able to get Bustamante to stay around (and stay under budget), so we will rely on another young guy from AAA maybe Gralin Krall or Gehrig Pearl, both of whom our scout mentioned are "ready".

Ricardo Bravo, a rule-5 pick this season, she he had to be on the roster or lost, played in 80 games, while starting 62 of them. Overall he had a pretty solid season hitting .261-0-15 with 14 2B, 3 3B and scoring 33 times. Bravo played 3B in 3 games (2 starts), SS in 67 (55 starts) and left-field in 8 games (4 starts) and performed well overall. I am excited to have him back next year and he should give me a solid SS IF back-up next year.

We hit the 3M mark in attendance for the first time this season and I am hoping that will lead to a bigger and better 2036 from the budget to the fan interest to player interest! I am getting excited for the next season, excited going into the season with solid momentum...

Well the season is over and it was fun end, but now I have to shift my mind set and start to come up with a game plan for 2036. We will be losing Gonzalo Bustamante, which was expected, but there will be some decisions as we have 13 players hitting Arbitration. Players like Stanton Anderson, Jason Simmons and Dan Kessler could be given their walking papers and players like Tadasuke Uenohara and Tony Cox could see themselves being dealt away... So much work ahead of me. I need to strengthen my bullpen, find a veteran leader, find pitchers to replace Bustamante and Higashi. Some of these will come internally, but some just won't be able to... Should be a fun off-season, lets just hope it is a promising one.



Standings Leaders
DE Colonial: Milford Clippers: 101-54 .652 (+29.0, X)
DE Northern: Newark Millers: 79-76 .510 (+5.0, M3)
DE Atlantic: Georgetown Sixteens: 97-59 .622 (+3.5, M4)
WC: Lewes Braves (DEA): 93-62 (+19.0, X)

MV Beltway: Annapolis Admirals: 108-48 .692 (+15.5, X)
MV Mountain: Richmond Cardinals: 103-52 .665 (+11.0, X)
MV Coastal: Norfolk Cavaliers: 83-73 .532 (+5.5, M2)
WC: Washington Senators (MVB)/King George Royals (MVM): 95-63 .594 (+1.5, M8)

Players of the Week:
Delaware:
MarVa:

Power Rankings:
1) Annapolis Admirals (131.6)
2) Richmond Cardinals (126.1)
3) Milford Clippers (123.8)
4) Georgetown Sixteens (122.2)
5) Lewes Braves (112.9)

News:
Lewes Braves: Will head into the playoffs without 30-year-old MR Gerardo Garcia. Garcia will be out with a torn rotator cuff and is hoping to be ready for 2036. He is 4-1 5.66 with 4 saves in 29 games this season.
DBL: Suspended Baltimore Barons Vicente Vela and Salisbury Ports Robert Waller for 10-games for fighting.
Norfolk Cavaliers: Closer Miguel Angel Gonzalez closed out a 3-2 victory against the Tourists for his 400th save. The 34-year-old is only the 3rd player to hit the magical 400th.
Washington Senators: CF Rafael Piedade went 5 for 5 during a 8-7 loss. The 24-year-old finished the season hitting .334.
Norfolk Cavaliers: Closed out the Coastal Division for the 20th straight time.
Seaford Blue Jays: OF Alfredo Rodriguez picked up HR #400 of his career. For the season Rodriguez ended with 31 HR's.
Annapolis Admirals: Will head into the playoffs without their ace for the rest of the season. The 32-year-old Reese will be out for 3-months with a partially torn labrum. On the year Reese went 17-6 4.63 in 33 starts.
Seaford Blue Jays: Saw OF Todd McFarland crush 3 HR's during a 7-2 victory over the Clippers. MacFarland ended the season with 10 HR's
Wilmington Iron Pigs: Had a memorable season finish with SP Jose Guzman (1 H, 11 K's) and SP Carlos Coronado (4 H, 4 K's) pitch back-to-back shut-outs against the Blue Hens.
Annapolis Admirals: 1B Jimmy Moore hit HR #65 breaking a record that was set in the second year of the DBL in 2014 by Billy Moore. Jimmy Moore finished the season with 67 HR's, and a line of .331-67-145!

Blast Puts Moore in Record Books:
It has been a special season for Jimmy Moore. The Annapolis Admirals's first baseman continued to hit the ball hard, setting a new standard for home runs in a single season. Moore launched home run number 65 today at Admirals Ballpark. The blast broke the record set previously by Billy Moore.

Wild Card Playoff:
The King George Royals will host the Washington Senators for a 1-game playoff to determine who wins the MarVa Conference Wild Card. The Senators look to reach the playoffs for the 4th time, all as the Wild Card, while the Royals try to become the first team from the 2030 expansion to make the playoffs.

Scheduled Starters: Ray Thompson (WAS, 18-7 4.13) vs. Noah Roberts (KGR, 16-9 4.77)

[illeracula]

Stephen Bentall Wins 2035 DE Conf Batting Crown:
Sixteens shortstop Stephen Bentall hit the cover off the ball all year long and today picked up the Delaware Conference batting crown. The 29-year-old Bentall hit .329 with 33 home runs and 121 RBIs. He also delivered 215 hits, including 21 doubles and 4 triples, played in 159 games and scored 96 runs.

Jackson Tops MV Conf with .373 Average:
To hit .373 in DELMARVA Baseball League is an extraordinary feat. It becomes even more outstanding when you consider it was done by a 20-year-old. Tyrone Jackson of the Martinsburg Mountaineers is your MarVa Conference batting champion. On the year, Jackson collected 187 hits, 15 doubles, 6 triples and 45 home runs for the year. In 135 games Jackson totaled 112 RBIs and scored 114 runs.

---
Jackson's .373 average was the 5th highest in the DBL history coming in 12 points lower than the record. Jackson is only 20, but has been battling injuries, so this could be his high or it could be only the beginning. Either way this season will go down as one of the most impressive in History.

This is the first time Bentall has lead the league in average and also a career high for him. Last year Bentall came into his own hitting .317, over .300 for the first time in his career. in 2028 Bentall lead the league in strikeouts (142), this season he only struck out 85 times proving he is becoming a feared hitter.

Jackson beat out Ryan Hunt who finished with a .362 average, the 11th best in DBL history.
Bentall beat out Marvin Garret who finished hitting .315

[illeracula]

King George Clinches Wild Card:
The King George Royals celebrated wildly tonight as the team officially captured a wild card position in the MarVa Conference. "In some ways you're more excited than if you would have won the division, because you know you were closer to being left out of the playoffs," said shortstop Ryan Hunt. "It's not lost on our guys that once the playoffs start we're going to have to step things up and play our best." The Royals have a 96-67 record and will be looking to turn their wild card berth into the franchise's 1st League Championship win.

Young on Fire, 5-for-7 Against Washington:
The King George Royals tripped up the Washington Senators 9-8 today. The Royals were led by Lou Young, their 28-year-old catcher. Young made life miserable for Washington pitchers all day, tagging them for 5 hits in 7 at-bats. Lou Young grounded out in the 1st, grounded out in the 3rd, hit a two-run single in the 5th, singled in the 6th, hit a two-run single in the 7th, singled in the 9th and hit a solo-shot off Julius Henry in the 11th. Looking at his present stats, Young has compiled a .285 batting average in 142 games with a .342 on-base percentage, while hitting 25 home runs and driving in 103 runs.

---------

Lou Young capped off the his 5 for 7 game with a solo-HR, 398 feet over the left-field wall, off of Julius Henry to win the game.

The Senators had the #1 average in the MarVa Conf, and the scored the 895 runs for #3 in Conf. But pitching of the Royals held the Senators offense at check holding them to just 8 hits... Noah Roberts gave up 7 of those hits in the first 4 innings. After Roberts was pulled the Royals bullpen, 6 different pitches, closed the door, with only 39-year-old, Bob McCord allowing a hit, a solo HR in the 8th.

But the Royals proved that their mix of youth and veterans were good enough to take down the Washington Power house. The Royals collected 19-hits and left 15 batters on.

This was a fun game and the Royals are the first team from the 2030 expansion to reach the playoffs... I was hoping it was going to be us in Chadds Ford, but nope...

[illeracula]

DBL News: Playoffs begin:
The regular season set the stage and pruned down the number of title contenders. Now the clubs that made the cut will go at it on the diamond in the 2035 DELMARVA Baseball League playoffs. It's the first step in the race to win the League Championship trophy. The The Wild Card starts today with these clubs set to battle:

Lewes Braves versus Milford Clippers
Newark Millers versus Georgetown Sixteens
King George Royals versus Annapolis Admirals
Norfolk Cavaliers versus Richmond Cardinals.

[illeracula]

Clippers Dominate, Sweep The Wild Card:
With a 4-3 win to wrap up the series at Braves Ballpark, the Milford Clippers have eliminated the Lewes Braves in the The Wild Card and move on to the Conference Championship. Milford controlled the series from the outset and won it in a 3-0 sweep. Shawn Wilson led the charge offensively for the victors, winning series MVP honors. He posted a .417 batting average, along with a .462 on-base percentage. He had 1 home runs, drove in 3 RBI and scored 3 runs. "We're not done yet," the MVP said. "There is still a lot to accomplish." The Milford Clippers don't know who they will face in the next round. They will play the winner of the Newark Millers - Georgetown Sixteens series. Georgetown leads the series 2 game to 1. The Conference Championship schedule will be announced after the The Wild Card finishes.

The Wild Card Goes the Distance, Georgetown Prevails:
The Georgetown Sixteens are off to the Conference Championship after an exciting The Wild Card triumph. Georgetown downed the Newark Millers, but needed the entire series to do so, with a 11-10 win tonight at Ballpark of Georgetown wrapping up the series 3-2. "It's every guy in this room that made this happen. Without us all pulling in the same direction, we don't win this series," said Naoaki Okubo, who earned MVP honors for a standout offensive series. Okubo put up a .316 with a .350 on-base percentage in the series. He also had 2 home runs, drove in 4 runs and scored 2 runs himself. The Georgetown Sixteens will play against the Milford Clippers in the next round. Milford won their series against the Lewes Braves 3 games to 0. The Conference Championship schedule will be announced after the The Wild Card finishes.

Annapolis Sweeps into the Conference Championship:
It was a sweet sweep for the Annapolis Admirals as they eased past the King George Royals to advance to the Conference Championship. Annapolis won the final game by a 7-5 count and the series 3-0. "We're just fortunate to get through it quickly and be able to rest up for the next series," said Jimmy Moore, who was named series MVP. For the series, Moore hit .538 with a .571 on-base percentage. He had 4 home runs, drove in 7 RBI and scored 7 runs. The Annapolis Admirals will play against the Richmond Cardinals in the next round. Richmond won their series against the Norfolk Cavaliers 3 games to 0. The Conference Championship schedule will be announced after the The Wild Card finishes.

Cardinals Cruise to Conference Championship with Sweep:
It's a sweet sweep for the Richmond Cardinals and they have won the The Wild Card. The Norfolk Cavaliers were not able to keep pace with the Cardinals and dropped the series in short order, losing 8-3 in the deciding game. "This wasn't really the effort we hoped for," said Norfolk manager Arthur Ray. It's now on to the Conference Championship for Richmond after their 3-0 series win. Leading the way for the winners was shortstop Rodney Byrd, who was named MVP. For the series, Byrd hit .417 with a .462 on-base percentage. He had 2 home runs, drove in 5 RBI and scored 2 runs. The Richmond Cardinals will play against the Annapolis Admirals in the next round. Annapolis won their series against the King George Royals 3 games to 0. The Conference Championship schedule will be announced after the The Wild Card finishes.

[illeracula]

AAA Championship / Kansas City Comets Take Home the Title
The San Juan Hibiscus fell to the Kansas City Comets 4 games to 2 during the Triple-A Championships Series. The Hibiscus lead the series 2-1, but the Comets ran off with the final 3 games.

Hibiscus 1, Comets 3
Hibiscus 7, Comets 5
Comets 6, Hibiscus 12
Comets 3, Hibiscus 2
Comets 10, Hibiscus 3
Hibiscus 2, Comets 5

Kansas City's Whit Henderson was named the MVP going 10-25 with a HR and 9 RBI's, narrowly beating out Juan Cuesta (2-0 2.08) for the honors.

The Comments have been around since 2013, winning 4 titles, while San Juan joined the league in 2030 and has reached the playoffs 2 times.

[illeracula]

The Tulsa Roughnecks won the first title in Chadds Ford franchise history beating the Oklahoma city Engineers 4 games to 3 in the third Championship Series... in an odd series the home team only won one game and that happened to be game 7 of the series. It was a hard fought series but the Roughnecks prevailed.

OK 10, Tulsa 6
OK 4, Tulsa 2

Tulsa 5, OK 2
Tulsa 4, OK 3
Tulsa 1, OK 0

OK 10, Tulsa 5
OK 1, Tulsa 2

Tulsa's Roberto Lopez took home the MVP Award, for the series Lopez hit 9-23 (.391) with 2 HR's and 3 RBI's. Mark Roach made a name for himself going 2-0, pitching 7.2 innings in relief while allowing 6 hits and striking out 12.

[illeracula]

Clippers Cruise to League Championship with Sweep:
On paper, the Milford Clippers will be credited with a 4-0 sweep of the Georgetown Sixteens in the Conference Championship, to advance to the League Championship. In reality, said starting pitcher Ricardo González, it was a lot harder-fought than that might suggest. "They are a great team and although we won every game, it wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination," he said. Milford won the final game by a 7-2 score at Ballpark of Georgetown. González earned series MVP honors for the Clippers, with a 2.20 ERA over 16.1 innings pitched. He also had a 2-0 record and 18 strikeouts. The Milford Clippers don't know who they will face in the next round. They will play the winner of the Richmond Cardinals - Annapolis Admirals series. That series is tied at 1 game apiece. The League Championship schedule will be announced after the Conference Championship finishes.

Conference Championship Goes the Distance, Annapolis Prevails:
It was a rousing finish to the Conference Championship at Admirals Ballpark today. The Annapolis Admirals sent the Richmond Cardinals home for the season with a 20-5 win in the decisive game of the series. The Admirals took the series 4-3. Up next on their schedule is the League Championship. Hauling in the MVP trophy was Annapolis left fielder Allan Cameron. His numbers included a .522 batting average, 7 RBIs and 13 runs. "With any luck, I'll be hoisting another one of these at the end of the League Championship," he said. The Annapolis Admirals will play against the Milford Clippers in the next round. Milford won their series against the Georgetown Sixteens 4 games to 0. The League Championship schedule will be announced after the Conference Championship finishes.

[illeracula]

Clippers Sweep Annapolis in League Championship:
The Milford Clippers made quick work of the Annapolis Admirals in the League Championship, sweeping them aside to clinch the 3rd DELMARVA Baseball League crown in Clippers history.

Milford sealed the series today at Clippers Ballpark with a 4-2 victory. During the regular season play, the Clippers notched a 106-56 record and wound up in first place in the Delaware Conference Colonial Division race.

"I won't say it was easy, because baseball games are rarely easy," said Milford manager Bob Rogers. "But I did expect we would have to play a much longer series."


History of Series MVP's:
2013 MVP of Series: Javier Uberuaga, Washington Senators, SP. 2-0, 15 IP 13 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 2.40 ERA
2014 MVP of Series: Carlos Rodriguez, Norfolk Cavaliers, RP. 1-0, 3 G, 2 SV, 5 K
2015 MVP of Series: Bruce Walker, Lewes, .450-2-10
2016 MVP of Series: Jose Rodriguez, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF. .240-3-10, 5 R's
2017 MVP of Series: Miguel Contreras, Norfolk Cavaliers, SP. 2-0 16 IP, 8 H, R, 5 BB, 18 K
2018 MVP of Series: Derek Campbell, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF. 11 H, 3 R, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI's
2019 MVP of Series: Matt Hollis, Norfolk Cavaliers, SP. 1-0, 9 IP, 9 K
2020 MVP of Series: Leonard Davis, Lewes Braves, OF. .481-2-4
2021 MVP of Series: Jamie Trulilio, Milford Clippers, SP. 2-0, 15.1 IP, 7 H, 9 BB, 8 K, 0 R
2022 MVP of Series: Seth Bennett, Milford Clippers, SP. 2-0, 1.42 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 R; 1-2 2B, 2 RBI
2023 MVP of Series: Cristobal Diaz, Lewes Braves, SP. 2-0, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 16 K's, 0 R
2024 MVP of Series: Totoya Ogawa, Lewes Braves, 1B. 6 H (6-13), 2B, HR, 5 R, 2 RBI
2025 MVP of Series: Bob Short, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF, .533-2-4 (8-15), 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R
2026 MVP of Series: Bob Short, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF, .333-1-5 (7-21), 4 2B, 5 RBI, 4 R
2027 MVP of Series: Bob Short, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF, .333-0-5 (5-15), 2B, 2 R, 5 RBI
2028 MVP of Series: Cornell Pearson, Norfolk Cavaliers, P, 2 GS, 2-0, 12.2 IP, 12 H, 2 BB, 13 K, 4.26 ERA
2029 MVP of Series: Blake Quirke, Georgetown Sixteens, OF, .529-1-6 (9-17), 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 4 R
2030 MVP of Series: Trevor Parker, Norfolk Cavaliers, OF, .389-2-4 (7-18), 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
2031 MVP of Series: Tom Brown, Dover Generals, C, .400-2-8 (10-25), 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R, 4 multi-hit games
2032 MVP of Series: Bryant Frank, Lewes Braves, 2B, .391-1-3 (9-23), 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
2033 MVP of Series: Ramon Lorezno, Norfolk Cavaliers, SS, .417-1-6 (10-24), 2 2B, 3 R, hit in every game
2034 MVP of Series: Ray Crowe, Lewes Braves, RF, .333-1-6 (8-24), 2 2B, 3B, 4 R, 3-multi hit games
2035 MVP of Series: Pedro Cantu, Milford Clippers, C, .357-2-7 (5-14), 2B, 3 R's, hit in every game. 3 RBI's in G2 and G4

Jimmy Moore of the Admirals had a series to remember in the losing cause. Moore went 5-15, hitting 4 HR's and drving in 6.

The Clippers took home the title for the 3rd time during their history, the 2035 trophy will go on the shelf along with trophy's from 2021 and 2022. The Admirals came close but in the end fall short. They have now made the playoffs 10-times but with no Championship Hardware.

[illeracula]

Top Fielders Honored by Delaware Conference:
While their actual gloves may be black or brown, these fielders proved the value of their gloves was golden in 2035. The following players have been named the Glove Wizard Award winners for the Delaware Conference:

Pitcher
Edmond Scott (Newark Millers) (2)

Catcher
Pedro Cantú (Milford Clippers)

First Baseman
Richard Forbes (Lewes Braves) (6)
- Closing in on the all-time record of 7, if he makes 7 he will be the only player to make 7 while winning at more than 1 position (5 at 1B, 1 in LF)

Second Baseman
Loren Barnes (Seaford Blue Jays) (2)

Third Baseman
Howard Porter (Chadds Ford Cannons) (2)
- The lone Cannons player to win a Glove Wizard Award. Had a solid season making some fans forget about Villalobos

Shortstop
Pedro Torres (Milford Clippers) (3)

Left Fielder
Pete Wyman (Christiana Blue Hens) (3)

Center Fielder
Carlos Sandoval (Newark Millers)

Right Fielder
Juan Hernández (Milford Clippers) (2)

This Year's Best Gloves Chosen by MV Conf:
The highlight reels were full of plays from these DELMARVA Baseball League standouts this year. The MarVa Conference Glove Wizard Award for 2035 has been awarded to the following players:

Pitcher
Scott Vanciny (Ocean City Tourists)

Catcher
Alonso Sierra (Annapolis Admirals)

First Baseman
Manuel Miranda (Washington Senators) (4)

Second Baseman
Álex Romero (Ocean City Tourists)

Third Baseman
Lawrence Veeck (Salisbury Ports) (2)
- played in 115 games hitting just .160 showing how bad Ports management/owner are.

Shortstop
David González (Baltimore Barons)

Left Fielder
Don Hamilton (Washington Senators)

Center Fielder
Salvador Espinoza (Washington Senators)

Right Fielder
Rafael Estrada (Baltimore Barons)
- Remember this name, he should be around a long time. He is only 21.

Glove Wizard Record Holders:
P: Jason Mathis / Edmond Scott / Fernando Fareles / Matt Perry - 2
C: Alejandro Diaz - 4
1B: Enzo Allard - 6
2B: Justin Collins - 4
3B: Tom Anderson - 7
SS: Anthony Lucarelli - 7
LF: Mike Simmons - 7
CF: Kent Davis - 7
RF: Peter Peters - 7

[illeracula]

Best DE Conf Reliever Named:
When Sung-il Kwon jogged in from the bullpen this season, opposing teams knew they were going to have a tough time putting up runs. The Newark Millers closer turned in a dominant campaign and has been named the Delaware Conference Reliever of the Year Award winner for 2035. His award-winning season saw the bullpen ace get 34 saves in 67 relief appearances, 75 strikeouts in 75 innings and only 22 walks. He had a record of 8 wins and 5 losses to go with his 2.04 ERA. "I hope I can pitch like this every year," he said.

Zach Peterson of the Seaford Blue Jays finished second in voting, while Jonathan Loeffler of the Chadds Ford Cannons finished third.

González Wins Award for MV Conf Dominance:
Miguel Angel González of the Norfolk Cavaliers proved this season that age is just a number, as the 35-year-old relief stud turned in a season that was better than all his MarVa Conference peers. "Winning the Reliever of the Year Award at age 35 is something I didn't really expect, but I'll take it," he said. González's strong season saw him fashion a 1.90 ERA through 71 innings. He had 44 saves in 69 relief appearances and also put up 101 strikeouts and 20 walks. Opponents hit only .160 against the tough reliever.

Ángel Násquez of the Richmond Cardinals finished second in voting, while Lazzaro Tadiotto of the Annapolis Admirals finished third.

-- --
Chadds Ford & GM Tony Luke Ties

Sung-il Kwon - As a free-agent out of South Korea in 2030, I signed Kwon to a 5-year deal with a total of $23,000,000 to lock down the pen in Chadds Ford. After two so-so seasons out of the pen in Chadds Ford (5-5 5.04 / 2-5 3.91) I sent him to the Millers

Miguel Angel Gonzalez - As the GM of the Norfolk Cavaliers I traded for MAG in 2021 and by 2024 he was a full-time starter going 18-8 3.25. The following season as a struggling starter, he was moved to the closer role to fill in for an injuried Dalton Whitaker. Two seasons later (2027) he took over the closer role and has dominated it ever since.

Ángel Násquez - I acquired Nazquez from the Norfolk Cavaliers for the 2033 season. He was awful (1-2 7.32 / 17 G), a clubhouse cancer and was dealt before the end of the year. He had a year to remember this year pitching in 60 games going 4-1 1.59 with 5 saves.

Lazzaro Tadiotto - I signed Lazzaro Tadiotto out of Venezuela in 2019 while the GM of the Norfolk Cavaliers to a minor league deal with a $3M deal. In 2029, I drated Laz in the second round of the expansion draft. He was a solid starter until his salary becme too much and after a 1-5 8.69 start in 2034 was dealt to the Senators.

[illeracula]

Delaware Conference Platinum Stick Award Winners Picked:
The Delaware Conference passed out some hardware today, naming the Platinum Stick Award recipients for 2035.

The hitters who came out on top for their position this year are:

Catcher
Marvin Garrett (Lewes Braves)
.315/.388/.626, 578 AB, 53 HR, 2 SB, 107 R, 126 RBI, 9.2 WAR

First Baseman
Naoaki Okubo (Georgetown Sixteens)
.285/.392/.501, 599 AB, 34 HR, 107 RBI, 5.1 WAR

Second Baseman
Iván Sánchez (New Castle Colonials)
.257/.311/.465, 635 AB, 35 HR, 13 SB, 111 wRC+, 1.6 WAR

Third Baseman
Howard Porter (Chadds Ford Cannons)
.278/.331/.408, 669 AB, 19 HR, 19 SB, 99 wRC+, 4.0 WAR

Shortstop
Stephen Bentall (Georgetown Sixteens)
.329/.370/.525, 653 AB, 33 HR, 6 SB, 121 RBI, 7.0 WAR

Left Fielder
Júlio Casanes (Chadds Ford Cannons)
.279/.369/.459, 495 AB, 16 HR, 2 SB, 128 wRC+, 2.7 WAR

Center Fielder
Shawn Wilson (Milford Clippers)
.307/.386/.512, 557 AB, 22 HR, 25 SB, 136 wRC+, 6.3 WAR

Right Fielder
Tadiyuki Kiyomizu (Georgetown Sixteens)
.310/.391/.492, 532 AB, 21 HR, 1 SB, 147 wRC+, 5.0 WAR

Designated Hitter
Ryan Urbina (Wilmington Iron Pigs)
.292/.336/.499, 545 AB, 31 HR, 119 wRC+, 1.9 WAR


MV Conf Platinum Stick Award Winners Selected:
There was no shortage of offensive contribution from this year's MarVa Conference Platinum Stick Award honorees.

The winners were recognized today for their solid offensive contributions in 2035:

Catcher
Héctor Pagán (Richmond Cardinals)
.316/.418/.624, 529 AB, 43 HR, 5 SB, 112 R, 172 wRC+, 9.0 WAR

First Baseman
Jimmy Moore (Annapolis Admirals)
.331/.425/.695, 623 AB, 67 HR, 135 R, 145 RBI, 9.7 WAR

Second Baseman
Winston Davis (Richmond Cardinals)
.293/.335/.566, 549 AB, 39 HR, 104 RBI, 5.7 WAR

Third Baseman
Rafael Ramírez (Annapolis Admirals)
.262/.321/.416, 634 AB, 18 HR, 15 SB, 98 wRC+, 2.4 WAR

Shortstop
Ryan Hunt (King George Royals)
.362/.446/.655, 530 AB, 38 HR, 26 SB, 122 R, 112 RBI, 9.8 WAR

Left Fielder
Allan Cameron (Annapolis Admirals)
.300/.393/.494, 583 AB, 27 HR, 12 SB, 143 wRC+, 4.9 WAR

Center Fielder
Tyrone Jackson (Martinsburg Mountaineers)
.373/.477/.697, 501 AB, 45 HR, 8 SB, 114 R, 112 RBI, 10.5 WAR

Right Fielder
Lúcio Peña (Annapolis Admirals)
.284/.372/.599, 603 AB, 52 HR, 117 R, 126 RBI, 4.7 WAR

Designated Hitter
Oliver Ramos (Norfolk Cavaliers)
.278/.403/.530, 572 AB, 39 HR, 108 R, 151 wRC+, 5.0 WAR

[illeracula]

Miyakawa Snares DE Conf Newcomer Award:
This year's Newcomer Award honors went to Hisashi Miyakawa of Georgetown. In his debut season in the Delaware Conference he ended up with a 19-7 record in 34 starts. Miyakawa chalked up a 3.07 earned run average, while hurling 225.2 innings, striking out 203 and walking 60.

Eduardo González of the Milton Brewers finished second in voting, while Eduardo Juárez of the New Castle Colonials finished third.

Jackson Is MV Conf's Top Rookie:
The top-ranked rookie performer in the MarVa Conference was Martinsburg center fielder Tyrone Jackson. It was announced today by league officials that he had been named the winner of the 2035 Newcomer Award. Jackson chalked up some good season stats, including a .373 batting average and .477 on-base percentage, while racking up 45 home runs, 112 RBIs and 114 runs scored.

Abraham Towns of the Washington Senators finished second in voting, while Mikel Wallstreet of the King George Royals finished third.

----------------------------

Tyrone Jackson was the #1 pick in 2034, and is a close of Mickey Mantle.

[illeracula]

Delaware Conference Names Top Skipper:
A baseball manager's success usually depends on the talent of his club, but in the case of Bob Rogers, he seems to have taken the Milford Clippers to a higher level and gotten his just due. He was named this season's Manager of the Year in the Delaware Conference for leading the team to a very rewarding season.

"Everyone on the team put in a lot of hard work this season," he told reporters. "It's always nice when it's acknowledged in some way."

Rogers led Milford to a first place finish in the Delaware Conference Colonial Division. The Clippers ended up with a 106-56 record.

MV Conf Best Manager Picked, Annapolis's Rea Winner:
Jacques Rea has molded the Annapolis Admirals into a top-flight MarVa Conference team. The 2035 Skipper of the Year came into spring training with a commitment to getting the most out of his Admirals.

"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 Jacques Rea certainly got the most out of his ballclub. The Admirals wrapped up the season in first place in the MarVa Conference Beltway Division with a 113-49 record.

----------------------------

Both managers are first time winners.

[illeracula]

Clippers Ace DE Conf's Best Pitcher:
Ricardo González of the Clippers humbled hitters all season long and today celebrated as he hauled in the Delaware Conference Pitcher of the Year trophy, the coveted Golden Arm Award.

The Milford hurler held opposing hitters to a .218 batting average while putting up a 23-6 record and a 2.42 earned run average. He started 34 games, pitched 263.2 innings and struck out 281.

Tim Lynch of the Milford Clippers finished second in voting, while Chris Brock of the Georgetown Sixteens finished third.

MV Conf Golden Arm Award Winner Announced:
The Norfolk Cavaliers have a rising superstar or maybe even a budding Hall-of-Famer in the making. It's Bob Davis, this year's MarVa Conference Golden Arm Award selection. This blossoming hurler wowed fans, peers and sportswriters with a fabulous performance.

Davis compiled a 18-9 record in 32 starts, tallied 200 strikeouts in 245.1 innings and recorded a 3.08 ERA. Other clubs managed only a .251 batting average against him.

Joaquín Hernández of the Norfolk Cavaliers finished second in voting, while Oliver Nelson of the Richmond Cardinals finished third.

----------------------------

Ricardo Gonzalez won the Golden Arm for an unprecedented 9th time! He now has 2-more than the second most winning pitcher, Miguel Contreras.

Bob Davis won the award for the first time, but he joins a long list of Norfolk Cavaliers who have sported the hardware:

Miguel Contreras (2017, 2021, 2022, 2025)
Jose Matos (2018)
Matt Hollis (2019, 2020)
Paul Brown (2023)
Cornell Pearson (2026, 2028)
Joaquin Hernanez (2031, 2032)
Ernie Kennedy (2034)

[illeracula]

DE Conf's Top Player for 2035 Named:
The manager of the Lewes Braves said he thinks Marvin Garrett is only going to get better as he gets older. He may only be 25, but it will be hard to top the catcher's 2035 campaign, as he has been named the winner of the Delaware Conference Most Valuable Player Award. His winning campaign featured a .315 batting average and a .388 on-base percentage this year. In 146 games he piled up 182 hits, 21 doubles, no triples, 53 home runs, 126 RBIs and 107 runs scored.

Stephen Bentall of the Georgetown Sixteens finished second in voting, while Shawn Wilson of the Milford Clippers finished third.

Super Season, Moore Wins Most Valuable Player Award:
Jimmy Moore of the Annapolis Admirals proved that you can step out of the shadows and onto the stage if you've got the talent and the drive to hone your skills. Hard work, long hours and a tireless resolve paid off for him today in the form of the MarVa Conference Most Valuable Player Award. Moore hit for a .331 average while collecting 206 hits, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 67 home runs, 145 RBIs and scoring 135 times.

Ryan Hunt of the King George Royals finished second in voting, while Tyrone Jackson of the Martinsburg Mountaineers finished third.

-------------------------------------

Garrett had a break-out season last year and then did even better this year amazing everyone around him. He became only the 2nd catcher in DelMarVa Baseball League history, joining Antonio Castaneda (2 times), to win the MVP Award.

Jimmy Moore takes on the award for the second time, he won his first in 2030. In between Moore Ricardo HIdalgo won back-to-back, and then Moore's teammate Lucio Pena won back-to-back times.

[illeracula]

The off-season will head into high gear as teams try to rebuild or stay on top over the next 4+ months. Here is what lies ahead:

11/17/2035 - Salary Arbitration
11/20/2035 - Free Agency Filings
12/10/2035 to 12/14/2035 - Winter Meetings
12/19/2035 - Rule 5 Draft
01/08/2036 - Hall-of-Fame Results
02/02/2023 - Pitchers and Catchers Report
03/08/2036 - Spring Training Games Begin
04/07/2036 - ** Opening Day **

A lot can happen over this team and teams will change drastically. The first off-season report will be coming up soon as teams have already started to shake up their rosters... including the Chadds Ford Cannons.

Saying goodbye to Anthony Howard, Stanton Anderson and Patrick McGee for starters (more details to come), but did we get anything valuable back? Are we making progress towards a playoffs spot? Do we have some one to fill in for injured SP Nobukazu Higashi?

One way to find out... check back soon, I am hoping this is our time!

[illeracula]

Top 5 WAR:
1. Annapolis Admirals (+2.0)
2. Baltimore Barons (+0.8)
3. Milton Brewers (+0.4)
4. Georgetown Sixteens (+0.3)
5. 17 teams tied at (0.0)

Bottom 5 WAR:
24. Ellicott City Express (-1.4)
23. Chadds Ford Cannons (-0.9)
22. Milford Clippers (-0.4)
21.
20.

Around the League:
Washington Senators: Fired manager Bill Patterson after 5-seasons as their manager. Patterson's Senators finished 2nd each of his 5-seasons, reaching the playoffs 3-times via the Wild Card. Patterson's success as a bench coach and manager should make him a hot commodity this off-season.
Ocean City Tourists: Parted ways with long-time manager Scott Smith. Smith took over the Tourists in 2020 and was the longest tenured manager till his departure. During his time in Ocean City Smith made the playoffs only one time in 2031 following the Tourists best season under his tutelage going 103-59. For his career Smith has a 1539-1541 record.
Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs: The Nelis Alfons didn't last long in Virginia Beach being fired after 1-season. The Dawgs finished in last going 67-95 and that was enough for the ownership to decide to go in a different direction.

Trades:
Annapolis Admirals: Acquired SP Gilberto Rico (6-7 3.90) from the Ellicott City Express for a couple of minor leaguers and a 2nd round pick. Rico left the Admirals in 2034, after going 5-2 3.30 in 7 starts, to join the Express via free agency.

Free Agents:
Upcoming**




My history in Chadds Ford:
2030: 58-104 .358 (-47 GB) / GM Score: 1
2031: 61-101 .377 (-21 GB) / GM Score: 1
2032: 69-93 .426 (-10 GB) / GM Score: 1
2033: 71-91 .438 (-23 GB) / GM Score: 11
2034: 82-80 (-4 GB) / GM Score: 45
2035: 79-83 (-2 GB) / GM Score: 34

News from the Owner:
Review of Season Goals:
Tony,

I have reviewed the goals I have set out for you. My comments are below.

Team Record:
While you didn't make the playoffs this year, you should still be very happy about a 79-83 record. You exceeded what I expected from this team, and I have a good feeling about future Cannons success.

Improve team stats:
I told you to improve our Home Runs, but I meant for you to make a real effort to improve, ideally to a top-5 team. While, true, you did improve, I expect more from you.

Increase Attendance:
I am glad to see more fans show up than in the past, but you still have a long way to go to accomplish the goal I set out for you. Keep finding more ways to get fans to The Cannons Battlefield.

Improve your draft record:
I always say that the best way to win is with players you've drafted and developed. I don't see very many of those guys on the roster now. Hopefully next year's draft will prove more fruitful.

Long Term:
I gave you a goal in 2034 of making the playoffs in a few seasons. My deadline is not up, I only gave you the task last year and didn't expect immediate results. However, I'm not sure I feel too confident right now. I won't jump to conclusions, but I hope to see some progress towards this next year.

I am good with your performance in accomplishing the goals I had set out for you. I feel similarly about your handling of the team's on-field and front office management.

Next year is a new year, though. Here's what I'd like to see you accomplish going forward.

• Play close to .500 ball
• Improve your team Home Runs
• Increase team attendance from 33424 to 38000 per game (WHAT??)
• Bring more of your drafted players to your team
• Keep building your team up, in order to reach the playoffs in the next 5 seasons.

I will check in with you again next season. Good Luck!
Ralph Corbin.

New Budget:
Tony,

I have just decided on your budget for the upcoming season.
You will have $66,000,000 available for the total team expenses. Given your current spending on staff and other costs, this should allow you a team payroll of around $45,000,000.

You may now set your ticket price for next year. You have until the Winter Meetings end on December 14th, 2035, 48 days from now, to set the price. Season tickets will start selling at that point. You have until the end of the pre-season to set your Scouting Budget, Player Development Budget, Draft Budget, and Intl Amateur FA Budget.

You may review all your financials on your front office page .

Good Luck!
Ralph Corbin

Off-Season Profile:
2035 Budget: $62,000,000 (22nd)
2036 Budget: $66,000,000 (21st)
2035 Payroll: $31,631,100 (24th/last)
2036 Payroll: $41,650,100 (20th)
Money for Free-Agents: $7,779,983 (beginning of off-season) >> $1,293,000 (current)
Money for Extensions: $2,996,000 (beginning of off-season) >> $1,093,000 (current)
Fan Interest: 67
WAR Gain/Loss: -0.9

Players Added:
OF Mike Smith (CON: 9/9, GAP: 15/15, HR: 6/9, EYE: 11/13, K's: 7/9, AA, #222)
SP Juan Cuesta (STU: 11/11, MOV: 13/13, CON: 9/14, AAA, #25)
1B Hector Solis (CON: 7/10, GAP: 14/16, HR: 4/11, EYE: 8/15, K's: 2/8, S-A)
SP Jean van Amersfoort (STU: 10/13, MOV: 7/8, CON: 8/13, AA)
1B Pepe Gomez (CON: 8/11, GAP: 10/12, HR: 4/4, EYE: 4/10, K's: 10/13, S-A)
MR Tim Meyers (STU: 19/20, MOV: 13/13, CON: 9/12, 50 G, 2-5 4.54, 2 SV, #140)
SS Alfonso Hernandez (CON: 5/10, GAP: 7/7, HR: 3/9, EYE: 8/11, K's: 4/10, S-A)
3B Grant Weber (CON: 9/9, GAP: 11/11, HR: 12/12, EYE: 10/10, K's: 8/8, 93 G, .252-9-36)

Players Lost:
3B Larry Millers (#88), C Patrick McGee, MR Marcos Delgado (AAA), 1B Anthony Howard, 3B Stanton Anderson

Personnel Updates
I have resigned my Manager, my Assistant GM, my AAA Manager and Pitching Coach, my AA Pitching Coach, A Manager and Pitching Coach and my short-season A Manager and Pitching Coach... Which means I will be looking for a new Manager and Hitting Coach in AA, and a new Hitting Coach in SSA. I will be doing some searching, hopefully something better than what I have will appear.

AA Leaving:
Manager Trent Worboys
Hitting Coach Sergio Avilés

I have reached out to a couple of coaches that had interest in Pierre hopefully I will hear back from them soon... and I got my guys.
The new manager in AA will be unproven Francisco Gallegos, not the player I had on my teams throughout the year, but an ex-player.
The new hitting Coach will be the Sixteens bench coach, a guy I brought in in 2029, Zafar Khorasani. I paid a lot for him so I am hoping he will be alright.

Short-Season Single-A Leaving:
Hitting Coach Dave McGill

Injuries:
SP Nobukazu Higashi, torn elbow ligament, 8-9 months, 11-day DL

Arbitration:
We have 13 players hitting arbitration and I am going to have to figure out which ones I want to keep around and which ones I am going to try to deal.

MR Dan Kessler (4-5 3.10) / Offer: $1,550,000
MR Kerry Neal (1-3 5.40) / Offer: $750,000
MR Matt Noble (2-3 2.92) / Offer: $1,300,000
CL Jonathan Loeffler (7-8 2.22, 38 SV) / Offer: $3,360,000
3B Dragon Karadzic (.211/.226/.256, 1 HR) / Offer: $650,000
3B Howard Porter (.278/.331/.408, 19 HR) / Offer: $3,150,000
SS Jay Armstrong (.241/.306/.374, 10 HR) / Offer: $1,785,000
LF Bo Keller (.290/.367/.493, 3 HR) / Offer: $850,000
CF Matt Douglas (.292/.397/.389, 6 HR) / Offer: $3,600,000

New Addition
3B Grant Weber (.252/.311/.404, 9 HR) / Offer: $950,000

No Longer With Us / Not Being Offered
CF Jason Simmons (.278/.343/.331, 2 HR, AAA) / Offer: None
C Patrick McGee (.284/.310/.432, 10 HR) / Offer: Traded
1B Anthony Howard (.264/.338/.411, 14 HR) / Offer: Trades
2B Stanton Anderson (.219-3-21) / Offer: Trades

I am going to try to sign Noble and one of Keller or Neal, the other I am going to try to trade or let walk. McGee will be attempted to be dealt if no interest he may be let go. Howard will be attempted to be dealt, but I do plan on keeping him if there is no interest. Anderson will be let go, no offer given. Keller will be kept around, and with Keller here it makes it easier to let Montes go. Simmons the one time "shortstop of our future" will be let go. Looks like I have some work ahead of me.

Free Agents:
LF Bryant Montes, current Salary: $2,080,000, but I will not be offering him the $13M qualifying offer. I do have to figure out if I want to try to resign him or not. He played in 116 games hitting .237-8-45. I am leaning now, but having an OF'er who can play all three positions is nice.
1B Jesse Bryant never got called-up. I traded for him, well he was a part of a deal, but I had no use for him. He and his $3+M salary will fall off the payroll.
SP Gonzalo Bustamante. He went 2-2 3.41 in the final month. I do wish I had him one month longer, but he did what I was hoping for. I can't afford an extension with him or I would think about it. He is currently making $3.7M but is looking for a $9M+ deal. Maybe I will linger and see if I can't get him as a bargin, but I doubt it too much talent.

MR Steve Adams, 1B Pat Jones, 2B Juan Varela, 3B Edgardo Castro, OF Lu-po-teh Men all make $490,000 per year and are all on their way out. I will reach out to Varela and Castro, but if they aren't looking for minor-league deals I don't want them.

I did offer a few players minor league extensions including Edgardo Castro, Juan Varela, and Steve Adams. Those 3 guys turned me down, because they think they will have a future in the bigs. Good luck to them.

Trades:
Cannons-Barons Swap: Howard for Meyers: It has been in the rumor mill for several weeks, but today team officials for Chadds Ford and Baltimore confirmed an agreement. The Cannons dealt 28-year-old 1B Anthony Howard and 23-year-old minor league LHP Marcos Delgado to the Barons for 24-year-old RHP Tim Meyers, 20-year-old minor league 1B Pepe Gómez, 19-year-old minor league RHP Jean van Amersfoort and 18-year-old minor league 1B Héctor Solís. In his career Howard is batting .259 with 411 hits, 89 doubles, 4 triples and 43 home runs. Since he broke in, Meyers has picked up 5 wins, 6 losses and 3 saves. He has posted a 5.07 ERA and recorded 87 strikeouts in 92.1 innings.

Cannons, Clippers Agree to Deal: It came down to the last hour of a self-imposed trade deadline, but the Chadds Ford Cannons and Milford Clippers finally came to an agreement on a trade that had been rumored for weeks. The trade sends Chadds Ford's 29-year-old minor league 2B Stanton Anderson to Milford in a swap for 30-year-old 3B Grant Weber and 21-year-old minor league SS Alfonso Hernández. Both GMs seemed relieved that the deal had been completed with one stating, "We had to set a deadline to get it done." The players are expected to report to their new teams by tomorrow. Lifetime Anderson is hitting .254 with 377 hits, 68 doubles, 4 triples and 26 home runs. He has scored 163 runs and driven in 161. Over his career Weber has batted .263 and collected 596 hits, 80 home runs and 264 RBIs.

Chadds Ford, Ellicott City Close Deal: It came down to the last hour of a self-imposed trade deadline, but the Chadds Ford Cannons and Ellicott City Express finally came to an agreement on a trade that had been rumored for weeks. The trade sends Chadds Ford's 26-year-old C Patrick McGee, 22-year-old minor league SS Larry Miller and a 11th round draft pick to Ellicott City in a swap for 22-year-old minor league RHP Juan Cuesta and 23-year-old minor league LF Mike Smith. Both GMs seemed relieved that the deal had been completed with one stating, "We had to set a deadline to get it done." The players are expected to report to their new teams by tomorrow.

Retirements:
After the AAA season ended in heartache by losing in the Championships Round catcher Il-Young Cho decided to hang it up. Cho made a name for himself with 2 solid AAA seasons in 2030 (.281-35-97) and 2031 (.296-33-85) which ended up with him getting the call to the bigs. His big league career didn't go as well as his minor league career, playing in 106 games over 3 partial seasons, hitting just .227-8-32. In 2031, Cho's brightest big-league season he hit .215-6-24 with the Cannons, playing in 89 games, starting 55 of them. At the age of 35 Cho hung them up.

My Notes
There isn't a whole lot to say right now. I have a plan on what I wanted to do and I think I started off pretty good. I moved McGee, Anderson and Howard and they were on my list to move. So I am pleased I was able to do that before arbitration hit... I do hope this is a good sign for the off-season.

I am worried about our payroll and I think after the arbitration cases hit we are going to be over budget. I hate this lack of budget we have going on here in Chadds Ford, but I am destined to make the best of it. I don't think we will win the two big arbitration cases we need to do to stay under. So more moves might be coming.

Problem with more moves is I don't have anyone I want to move. So at the rule-5 draft you might see me letting a few players go. Players like Kessler and Neal, who I couldn't deal. I will try hard during the winter meetings, but usually there isn't much interest in middle-men.

Either way my off-season is far from over. I have a feeling with the 40-man roster limit, the injury to Higashi, the owners desire for more power, and our salary/budget concerns I will need to make more moves this off-season.

All that being said I am excited about the upcoming season. My eyes are set on catching the Millers and with another year under our belt we really have a shot. A full-season from Matt Douglas, more seasoning for Hank Davis and Julio Casanes. I am hoping 2036 will be the year of the Cannons!

Coming Up:
11/17/2035 - Salary Arbitration
11/20/2035 - Free Agency Filings
12/10/2035 to 12/14/2035 - Winter Meetings
12/19/2035 - Rule 5 Draft
01/08/2036 - Hall-of-Fame Results
02/02/2023 - Pitchers and Catchers Report
03/08/2036 - Spring Training Games Begin
04/07/2036 - ** Opening Day **

[illeracula]

Top 5 WAR:
1. Washington Senators (+9.1)
2. Baltimore Barons (+7.5)
3. Richmond Cardinals (+4.4)
4. Dover Generals (+3.1)
5. Newark Millers (+3.1)

Bottom 5 WAR:
24. Wilmington Iron Pigs (-12.3)
23. King George Royals (-9.1)
22. Milford Clippers (-9.0)
21. Ellicott City Express (-1.4)
20. Chadds Ford Cannons (-6.5)

Around the League:
Ellicott City Express: After his first year of his 4 year deal with the Ellicott City Bob Brooks (.284-28-85) decided to open up a baseball nostalgia resturant named Brook's Restaurant and Grill.
Ellicott City Express: MR Michael Meagher who pitched in 415 games with the Cavaliers, Ports, Colonials and Express, has announced he is running for Congress. The 35-year-old hung up the cleats after the 2034 season.

Free Agents:
DBL News: Free Agents File:
Today, players who are eligible can file for free agency in DELMARVA Baseball League. Teams have the entire off season to negotiate contracts with the players and sign them.

This year's top free agents, courtesy of BNN, are:

Ira Kelly, 33 year-old RF
Ramiro Herrera, 32 year-old CF
Jesús Cruz, 30 year-old LH SP
Shawn Wilson, 29 year-old CF
Gonzalo Bustamante, 30 year-old RH SP
Roberto Zavala, 30 year-old 2B
Eric Cole, 29 year-old LH SP
Ron Crittenden, 30 year-old LH SP
Ray Thompson, 35 year-old RH SP
Ricardo Hidalgo, 37 year-old RF

International Free Agents Enter Market:
League officials have been informed that the following international free agents have indicated interest in playing in the DELMARVA Baseball League next season, and are now visible in the free agents list:

RHP Tadiyuki Yasuda out of Japan
RHP Iwane Hirata out of Japan
LHP Ogai Nishida out of Japan
RHP Nori Suzuki out of Japan
RHP Jorge Matos out of Cuba
1B Juan Negrón out of Cuba
1B Naofumi Ohayashi out of Japan
2B Mu-sang Kim out of South Korea
3B Nobusuke Suzuki out of Japan

Signings:
1B Jorge Trujillo, Milton Brewers
MR Wilason Saldana, New Caslte Colonials
3B Lorenzo Rodrigeuz, Milford Clippers
SS Julio Lara, Washington Senators
SP Jesus Cruz, Washigton Senators - 4 years / $79,200,000
SS Chris Cook, Ocean City Tourists
SP William Jefferson, Milford Clippers - 2 years / $13,200,000
2B Roberto Zavala, Annapolis Admirals - 4 years / $47,200,000
SP Antonio Cortes, Milford Clippers - 1 year / $8,000,000
OF Ricardo Hidalgo, Lewes Braves - 2 years / $37,600,000
C Julio Jaramillo, Lewes Braves - 1 year / $3,240,000
SS Domingo Espinosa, Cheaspeake Blue Crabs
MR Hector Marin, Baltimore Barons
OF Shawn Wilson, Baltimore Barons - 6 years / $141,800,000
MR Bernard Martin, Washington Senators - 3 years / $20,100,000
MR Narcissus Kondylis, Annapolis Admirals - 1 year / $1,820,000
OF Don Hamilton, Annapolis Admirals - 4 years / $15,040,000
CL Robert Torres, King George Royals - 3 years / $17,500,000
CL Richard O'Herlihy, Milford Clippers - 1 year / $12,100,000
SS Matty Carson, Chesapeake Blue Crabs
3B Tom Anderson, New Castle Colonials
2B Melvin Hall, Richmond Cardinals - 3 years / $27,300,000
OF Mark Hoover, New Castle Colonials - 3 years / $7,200,000
SS Joey Bradley, Washington Senators - 6 years / $71,500,000
MR Claudio Gonzalez, Milford Clippers
CL Gwang-Soo Cho, Washington Senators - 3 years / $6,240,000
1B Ryan Urbina, Christiana Blue Hens - 2 years / $12,000,000
MR Dan Pierson, Newark Millers
MR Jose Montoya, Cape May Beacons
1B Marcos Ramos, Newark Millers
SS Claudi Flores, Milford Clippers
SP Gonzalo Bustamante, Norfolk Cavaliers - 2 years / $23,100,000
OF Bill Nilson, Milford Clippers - 2 years / $7,200,000
2B Manny Hernandez, Chesapeake Blue Crabs
SP Rodeny Glats, Chesapeake Blue Crabs - 2 years / $6,680,000
1B Paul Perkins, Milford Clippers - 2 years / $3,200,000
MR Noah Roberts, Annapolis Admirals - 1 year / $4,120,000
OF Matt Martin, New Castle Colonials - 1 year / $3,720,000
OF Ramiro Herrera, Richmond Cardinals - 2 years / $27,400,000

Still Available:
OF Ira Kelly (.286-33-117, Rumor: 4 yr/$12,500,000)
SP Ron Crittenden (13-14 3.76, Rumor: 4 years/$11,500,000)
MR Lazzaro Tadiotto (6-2 2.08, 47 SV, Rumor: 4 years/$6,500,000)
MR Dan Wilkinson (8-6 3.36, 37 SV, Rumor: 4 years/$6,500,000)
SP Cristobal Diaz (4-6 2.79, 32 SV, Rumor: 5 years/$8,800,000)
SP/MR Blake Ballard (10-2 2.69, SV, Rumor: 5 years/$8,500,000)

Extensions:
Norfolk Cavaliers: Came to terms with CL Miguel Angel Gonzalez on a 3-year extension reported to be worth around $32,200,000. Gonzalez has 400 career saves.
Washington Senators: Agreed to a 3-year deal worth $14,000,000 to keep SP Ray Thompson a little while longer. Last season Thompson went 18-7 4.24 for the Sen's.
Dover Generals: Brought back LF Leonard Lawson for 2 more years in a deal worth around $17,000,000. Lawson hit .264-17-60, but pledges to have a bounce back year in 2036.

Trades:
Lewes Braves: Acquired 2B prospect Jarred Richardson (.271/.308/.330, 2 HR, #87) to the Dover Generals for OF Jose Flores (.184/.245/.299, 3).
Ellicott City Express: Sent 3B Alonso Roszales (.228/.287/.420, 16) to the Dover Generals for prospect MR Jose Davilla (#206).
Cape May Beacons: Sent veteran OF Rory Hicken (.348/.370/.652, HR) to the New Castle Colonials for 3B Freddy Coker (.296/.328/.384, 4).
Newark Millers: Acquired 2B Brett Delk (.286/.333/.500, HR, #182) from the Lewes Breves for OF Evan Cunningham (.216/.286/.374, 5 HR) and $1.35M cash.
Ellicott City Express: And the Dover Generals were at it again. With the Express receiving MR Steve Hall (0-0 4.26) from the Generals for OF Carlos Ortiz (.254/.349/.431, 5 HR)
Virginia Beach Surf Dawgs: Sent OF Thomas Reynolds (.287/.322/.482, 8 HR) and $2.2M to the Millers for 2 prospects.
Wilmington Iron Pigs: Seem to be on a rebuilding mission, sending MR Ramon Tirado (0-1 3.29, 6 SV) to the Milford Clippers for two low-level minor leaguers.
Seaford Blue Jays: Sent MR Brian Snyder (5-0 4.59) to the Baltimore Barons for SP Derek Parkinson (AAA).

-- this is the first off-season that I can remember where no big names have been involved in trades, at least not yet. We will see what the rest of the off-season brings.

Retirements:
Salisbury Ports: MR Steve Carter (348 G, 188 GS, 62-91 4.99, 7 SV) hung up the cleats after 11-seasons. Carter played with the Newark Millers, King George Royals, the Martinsburg Mountaineers and the Salisbury Ports.
Georgetown Sixteens: SP/MR Claudio Perez (417 G, 344 GS, 135-115 3.85, 1 SV) has hung it up at the age of 38. Perez made his debut with the Wilmington Iron Pigs at the age of 21 in 2019. He had a solid career playing for some great teams in Norfolk, Dover, Milford and Georgetown.
Milton Brewers: SP Greg Schmidt (365 G, 311 GS, 131-111 4.00, SV) retired at the end of the season. Bradshaw had an up and down career which began in 2023 at the ripe age of 22 with the Blue Hens. He also pitched for the Millers, the Braves, where he made his sole All-Star team, the Cardinals and the Brewers.