HOT STOVE REPORT: Lawrence Signs with the Landsharks

The off-season is here and in preparation for the 2019 ORWBL season, we will be taking a look at all the big signings, trades, and transactions from around the league as they happen this offseason.

SAUGANY LAKE - Following the end of EA's second act in ORWBL, former manager Jake Lawrence has agreed to a contract with the Saugany Lake Landsharks. The deal was announced via the Landsharks twitter account early Sunday afternoon.

For Lawrence, the Sharks will be his third stop in his ORWBL career. Lawrence has spent eight seasons playing for Emery's Army and one season with the arch rival New Carlisle Newts in 2016. Coincidentally, his lone season away from Rolling Prairie was also a year in which EA was not apart of ORWBL. A mainstay to RPE's line-up over the years, Law played for Emery's Army in every season they were in the league.

Lawrence heads to Sauagany Lake following a disappointing 2018 season in which Rolling Prairie finished with an 8-16 record. Despite this, Law was one of the only players to consistently show up to games and his managerial ability to get enough to play every week cannot be praised enough.

The former Cy Young and Rookie of the Year winner will look to add a veteran prescence to a Landshark squad that was able to secure the #2 seed in the National League this past season. With a 2018 record of 15-9, the Landsharks talent and depth will be a welcome change for the ORWBL vet.

For the Sharks, this was a move that had to be made. After losing the trio of Kody Webb, Colton Boren, and Kadin Abegg to free agency, signing the biggest name left in Free Agency was a necessary step as reigning National League Manager of the Year Levi Miller looks to improve upon his team's 2018 performance.

Although primarily a pitcher throughout his career, Lawrence may be used in a variety of ways next season. With ace Mikey Smith returning on the hill, Lawrence may be looked upon to do a little bit of everything for a Landsharks team without a clear-cut left fielder.

Regardless of where Lawrence is positioned in the field, his combination of talent and veteran experience will be a welcome addition to a Saugany Lake team that will be hungry for a deep playoff run come 2019.