Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at Greensboro Grasshoppers

What: Three-game series

When: Friday through Sunday (7 Friday, Saturday nights; 4 p.m. Sunday)

Where: NewBridge Bank Park (Greensboro, N.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Miami Marlins

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (7-1, 2.14) vs. LH Charlie Lowell (3-2, 4.26); Saturday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (1-1, 4.50) vs. RH Austin Brice (5-1, 4.10); Sunday, LH Luis Cruz (5-2, 3.44) vs. LH Adam Conley (6-2, 2.56).

Roberto Pena

Legend to watch: C Roberto Pena (6 feet, 217 pounds, from Caguas, Puerto Rico), the team’s Defensive Player of the Month for May, has picked up on offense, too. Batting .233, with a homer, 13 RBI, 12 runs and five doubles, Pena takes a five-game hitting streak (7-for-19, .368)) into the series. He also has hits in nine of his last 10 games (11-for-39, .282). Selected by the Astros in the seventh round of the 2010 draft, split time that summer with the Gulf Coast League Astros, the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League and (for four games) the Legends. Combined, he finished with a .227 average, 17 RBI and 10 runs over 39 games. Last year, over 82 games with the Legends, Pena batted .217 with five homers, 33 RBI and 31 runs.

Adam Conley

Grasshopper to watch: Sunday starting pitcher Adam Conley (6-3, 200, from Olympia, Wash.) is rated the 10th-best prospect in the Marlins’ system, according to Baseball America, which reports in part: “Washington State’s primary closer as a sophomore, Conley moved into the rotation last spring and impressed the Marlins enough that they popped him in the second round and inked him to a $625,000 bonus. His heavy, two-seam fastball operates at 89-91 mph with good life, and he also throws a 92-94 mph four-seamer that hit 97 mph when he worked out of the bullpen. His sinker has the makings of a plus pitch, as does his straight changeup, which he turns over and fades away from right-handers.” He tied Washington State’s record with 12 saves as a sophomore. He broke in last season with the Gulf Coast League Marlins, but pitched only two innings over two games, giving up one hit and striking out two. In 12 starts this season, Conley has struck out 75 and walked 21 over 63 1/3 innings, while holding opponents to a .190 batting average.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

This entry was posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:45 am and is filed under Appalachian League, Baseball, Greeneville Astros, Greensboro Grasshoppers, Gulf Coast League Astros, Gulf Coast League Marlins, Houston Astros, Lexington Legends, Washington State University. Tagged: Adam Conley, Austin Brice, Charlie Lowell, Luis Cruz, Luis Ordosgoitti, Mike Foltynewicz, Roberto Pena. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.