Ward Out, Cabrera In As Riffs Honcho Backs Off
Topic: Riffs
The first major controversy of the 2007 NYLISL season came to a swift end on April 29, when Riffs Owner/GM Timothy Christopher Walsh backed down on a threat to play an ineligible player and instead made a roster move to get his team back in order.
 
"(Daryle) Ward will be dropped. I'll take Orlando Cabrera, damn it," Walsh said in a prepared statement, bringing the curtain down on what is sure to be his first of many challenges to NYLISL leadership.
 
Problems arose in mid-April, when Walsh vowed to play Ward in NYLISL league games this season, despite the fact that he was ineligble to appear before Game 65. Ward had just 145 plate appearances last season, five short of the required number for expansion team players. Nevertheless, Walsh had a simple message for NYLISL co-commissioner Jack Flynn when informed of the decision.
 
"Told ya', I'm playing him anyway," Walsh was quoted as saying in a prepared statement on April 23.
 
A further investigation into the Riffs 40-man roster revealed that, in addition to Ward (145 plate appearances), both shortstop JJ Hardy (138 PA) and center fielder Jason Repko (145 PA) fell short of the minimum requirements for league play. The Hardy dilemma was especially problematic, as it left the Riffs with just one eligible shortstop on the entire 40-man roster.
 
Walsh initially requested, in a passionate entreaty to the rest of the NYLISL owners, a waiver granting him permission to use Hardy in league play. "I'm just looking to have a decent back up to Julio Lugo," Walsh said. "If Hardy isn't on the 25-man roster I would be forced to use either Ryan Theriot (a 4e84) or Jeff Cirillo (a 5e48) as a backup. Given the constraints already placed upon me as an expansion team and given that this team could end up averaging four errors per game, I don't think its such a big deal to throw old T-Bone a bone."
 
League braintrust suggested an alternative - releasing Ward and signing an eligible shortstop. After some deliberation, Walsh accepted the suggestion and brought back NYLISL veteran Cabrera, who may attract trade interest as the season wears on.