Carolina Mudcats

After having shifted from place to place and settling in North Carolina, the team chose to play in Five County Stadium in Zebulon, North Carolina. The stadium is huge and elegant. Built in 1991 and renovated in 1999, the park seats 6,500 fans. The place had had an impact on the performance of the team. The Mudcats have claimed two Southern League championships since moving to North Carolina, the first in 1995 and the second in 2003.

The Winning elements
Every team has basic building elements that build the team and make it immortal. In case of Carolina Mudcats, the proud faces are Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, Jason Vargas, Scott Olsen, Logan Kensing, Chris Resop, Josh Johnson, Yorman Bazardo, Jeremy Hermida, Robert Andino and Arroya.

Arroyo
Because of his outstanding records, Arroyo certainly rises above other team mates and stands out in the team. As of the end of the 2007, Arroyo has compiled a 56-59 record with 707 strikeouts and a 4.22 Earned Run Average in 982.2 innings pitched in eight seasons.

Arroyo's fastball is in the 87-92 miles-per-hour range. While it's considered average among major league pitchers, it has excellent movement and Arroyo is adept at "spotting" it. He also throws a hard slider that moves away from right-handed batters and a straight changeup as well. Arroyo's best pitch is his curveball. His kick often appears to reach head level and deceives hitters with its exaggerated motion. As a result, Arroyo is one of the better pitchers at holding runners on base.

Improvements
Arroyo best career performance came in 2005 but the change had begun long ago. He was on constant improvement during early 2000s. In 2004, he jumped from middle relief to starting, to strengthen his role as the Red Sox No. 5 starter. He compiled a 10-9 mark with a 4.03 ERA in 178.2 innings, while posting a very respectable 3.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 2005, he posted career-highs in 14 wins, 32 starts, 205.1 innings and 35 pitching appearances. He also excelled at holding runners, as he only gave up five stolen bases.

Contracts
Before the 2006 season, Arroyo signed a three year $11.2 million contract with the Red Sox. According to Arroyo, the deal was a "hometown discount" and agreed to the terms against the advice of his agent. Arroyo was later traded during spring training of the 2006 season for Cincinnati Reds.

Highs and Lows
The year 2006 was a high point in Arroyo's career. Highlights of the season included a major-league leading 3,852 pitches, league-leading 240 2/3 innings pitched, his first selection to an All-Star game, as well as his first career shutout in the major leagues.

Arroyo pitched the worst game of his below average 2008 season. The 4.6 million dollar a year pitcher threw 1.0 innings giving up 11 hits, 10 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 3 homeruns. The outing jumped his ERA from 5.55 to 6.52 and the 14-1 loss brought his record to 4-7. In the performance, he became the first MLB pitcher since 1900 to give up 10 runs in one inning pitched or less.

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