Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Lexington Legends pitchers Robert Bono and Ross Seaton, along with third baseman Ebert Rosario, were named Monday to the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division all-star team.

Charley Taylor

Pitching coach Charley Taylor, who has been unable to join the team this season due to bladder cancer and subsequent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate, was honored by being named to the coaching staff.

Ebert Rosario

The 50th SAL All-Star game is schedule for 7:35 p.m., June 23 at Appalachian Power Park, home of the West Virginia Power in Charleston.

Rosario will start at third base. Through Sunday, he is batting .304 with four homers and 20 RBI.

Robert Bono

Ross Seaton

Bono is 5-2 and third in the league with a 1.93 ERA. Fellow right-hander Seaton is 6-5, 10th in the league with a 2.49 ERA and the only pitcher in the league to have thrown a nine-inning complete game shutout. (Two other pitchers threw seven-inning complete game shutouts.)

Former Eastern Kentucky University pitcher Christian Friedrich was selected for his work with the Asheville Tourists. However, Friedrich was promoted from Asheville to the High-A Modesto Nuts on May 20.

In eight starts for the Tourists, the left-hander was 3-3, ninth in the league with a 2.18 ERA and second in the league with 66 strikeouts. The Colorado Rockies selected Friedrich in the first round of the 2008 draft. In two starts for Modesto, he has no decisions and a 2.77 ERA.

Christian Friedrich

Greenville leads the Southern Division with five all-stars, including starting pitcher Casey Kelly and first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Greenville’s Kevin Boles will manage the squad, assisted by Charleston (S.C.) manager Torre Tyson and pitching coach Jeff Ware, Greenville hitting coach Billy McMillon and pitching coach Bob Kipper, and Taylor.

Asheville, Charleston and Savannah each have four players on the Southern roster, with two starters each: catcher Jordan Pacheco and center fielder Scott Robinson for the Tourists; right fielder Melky Mesa and designated hitter Daniel Brewer for the RiverDogs; and second baseman Joshua Satin and left fielder Sean Ratliff from the Sand Gnats.

Bowling Green and Augusta have two all-stars each. Bowling Green’s Tim Beckham will start at shortstop.

The Hickory Crawdads and Lakewood BlueClaws lead the Northern stars with six players each. Greensboro has four players and host West Virginia has three.

Lakewood’s Dusty Wathan will manager the Northern team, assisted by BlueClaws coach Tim Gradoville. Also assisting will be managers Gary Green of West Virginia and Ernie Young of Kannapolis, plus West Virginia pitching coach Jeff Johnson.

The 27-player rosters were selected by a vote of league managers and coaching staffs, media and front-office executives. 

Charley Taylor lifted spirits in the Lexington Legends clubhouse by making his first appearance of the season Friday.

Charley Taylor

Travis Driskill

Taylor, who has started all nine of the Legends seasons as pitching coach (he finished one season at Triple-A New Orleans), is recovering from surgery to remove his prostate and cancerous bladder. Travis Driskill, pitching coach for the rookie-league Greeneville (Tenn.) Astros, has filled in admirably in Taylor’s absence. Taylor had hoped to return to coaching this season but Friday, for the first time, said that might not be realistic.

With the Appalachian League prepared to open play June 23, the parent-club Houston Astros have taken steps to fill the void if Taylor is unable to return this season.

Driskill will remain with the Legends.

Rick Aponte

Aponte pitched six seasons (1975-80) in the Astros system, reaching the Triple-A Charleston Charlies and Tuscon Toros.

Bailey, Moore earn Pitcher of the Week honors

Homer Bailey

Cincinnati Reds prospect Homer Bailey, now with the Louisville Bats, has been named the International League’s pitcher of the week.

Tampa Bay Rays prospect Matthew Moore, with the Bowling Green Hot Rods, has earned the same title in the South Atlantic League.

Bailey made two starts last week, winning at Pawtucket and at home against Lehigh Valley. He worked 14 2/3 innings and did not allow an earned run as he improved to 6-4 overall, with a 2.52 ERA. He scattered 11 hits over those two games, striking out 14 and walking two.

Matthew Moore

Moore also pitched twice last week, getting a no-decision against Rome and a win at Asheville. In all, he worked 11 innings, did not give up an earned run, with four hits, 18 strikeouts and three walks. Moore, 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA overall, worked seven no-hit innings at Asheville, where he fanned 12 and walked two.

The Lexington Legends, coming off Thursday’s doubleheader sweep of Bowling Green, are back at home tonight (Friday).

The Greenville Drive come into Fireworks Night at Applebee’s Park on a five-game winning streak.

Tonight’s starting lineups:

GREENVILLE – 15, David Mailman, lf; 18, Tim Federowicz, dh; 25, Anthony Rizzo, 1b; 33, Ryan Lavarnway, c; 17, Mitch Dening, cf; 11, Will Middlebrooks, 3b; 22, Ryan Dent, ss; 7, Zach Gentile, 2b; 21, David Marks, rf. Pitching — 14, RH Stephen Fife (0-0, 0.00).

LEXINGTON — 4, Michael Diaz, dh; 7, Eric Suttle, rf; 24, Steve Brown, lf; 45, Brian Pellegrini, 1b; 13, Ebert Rosario, 3b; 46, Federico Hernandez, c; 15, Brandon Barnes, cf; 11, Ronnie Ramirez, 2b; 40, Jorge De Leon, ss. Pitching — 20, RH Jordan Lyles (2-5, 3.31).

UMPIRES — Jay Pierce, plate; Matt Cumbee, field.

Charley Taylor is in the house

Charley Taylor

Charley Taylor, pitching coach for each of the Legends nine seasons, made his first appearance of the season Friday.

Travis Driskill

Travis Driskill has filled in admirably in Taylor’s absence, which came as a result of a cancerous bladder. Taylor had his bladder and prostate removed in April.

At the time of his surgery, Taylor said he hoped to be back on the job, perhaps as soon as mid-June. That timeline now looks unlikely, Taylor said. Although he looks good and has regained his appetite, he still has a way to go before he’ll be strong enough to rejoin the team.

In a class move, Driskill pulled the pitchers aside from pre-game drills so that Taylor could speak briefly with them. Having missed spring training, Taylor was meeting many of the players for the first time.

“K”iller P’s

Pitchers Jordan Lyles of the Legends and Stephen Fife of the Drive have dominated through two scoreless innings.

After giving up back-to-back singles to open the game, Lyles has retired six in a row, including four straight strikeouts.

Fife has tossed two perfect innings, striking out four (two in each inning) and getting a pair of groundouts.

Wounded warriors

Tom Lawless

Jay Austin

Five Legends are on the disabled list. Two are close to being ready to return to action, two are out long-term and the other is awaiting results of a doctor’s re-check.

CF Jay Austin, who suffered a concussion a week ago when he collided with SS Jorge De Leon, should be back in two or three days, according to Manager Tom Lawless.

Jose Trinidad

Phil Disher

RHP Jose Trinidad (strained shoulder) has resumed throwing and is “close” to being ready, Lawless said.

1B Phil Disher (hip, labrum) will have surgery in Houston and will be on the shelf for an extended time.

Ricardo Bonfante

Albert Cartwright

SS Ricardo Bonfante (dislocated left shoulder) will be heading to the Astros’ training facility in Florida to begin rehabiltation. However, Lawless said Bonfante likely is done for the season.

2B Albert Cartwright (broken forearm) was to be examined Friday, but Lawless had not received a report before game time.

Middlebrooks goes deep for Greenville; Fife still perfect

Will Middlebrooks led off the top of the fifth inning with his first homer of the season, to near-dead center.

That not only snapped a scoreless tie, but it was the first hit for either team since David Mailman and Tim Federowicz led off the game with back-to-back singles.

Legends RHP Jordan Lyles retired the next 12 batters in order. After Middlebrooks’ homer, he set the next three batters down in order. Through five innings, Lyles has 10 strikeouts — two in each inning.

His counterpart, RH Stephen Fife, has been even better, tossing five perfect innings. He has struck out seven, including all three batters in the fifth inning. He also has retired four on grounders and eight on fly balls.

Legends tie with run in seventh

The Legends finally got untracked with a hit in the sixth inning and a run in the seventh.

Greenville starter Stephen Fife, who is coming back from shoulder soreness detected during spring training, was lifted after five perfect innings. He struck out seven.

Facing another right-hander, Mike Lee, Ronnie Ramirez broke up the perfect game with a one-out single in the sixth.

Steve Brown

Brian Pellegrini

The Legends went one better in the seventh.

Steve Brown was credited with a one-out triple when he lined to left and left-fielder David Mailman had trouble making the pickup. Brian Pellegrini brought Brown in with the tying run, blooping a single to center.

That takes Legends starter Jordan Lyles off the hook. He gave up a run on three hits over six innings, striking out 11 and walking nobody.

Henry Villar is working for a second inning of relief in the eighth.

Tied 1-1 in ninth inning

Villar retires Greenville in order in the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, the Legends notch their fourth hit — Jorge De Leon’s two-out infield single — but get nothing. So we go to the ninth, tied at 1.

Legends try to win it in ninth

Tim Federowicz started the Greenville ninth with a drive to the left-field wall. Steve Brown played the carom perfectly to hold him to a long single.

Henry Villar struck out the next two batters. Manager Tom Lawless then summoned his left-handed closer, Patrick Urckfitz. He got Mitch Dening on a fly to Brown in left.

Villar finished with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief. He walked one and struck out four.

Winning run stranded at third in bottom of ninth 

Eric Suttle led off the bottom of the ninth with a bloop double down the right-field line.

Drive right-hander Mike Lee got a comebacker from Steve Brown, looked Suttle back to second and threw to first for the first out. Suttle tagged up and went to third on Brian Pellegrini’s fly to deep right.

Lee escaped by getting Ebert Rosario to ground out to shortstop.

Martinez delivers winning hit in 10th

Patrick Urckfitz retired Greenville 1-2-3 in the 10th.

Ronnie Ramirez

After knocking the ball out of the park, but just a bit foul down the right-field line, Federico Hernandez led off the bottomo the 10th with a single to short center. Brandon Barnes bunted Hernandez to second.

Manager Tom Lawless put speedy Marques Williams in to run for Hernandez.

Ronnie Ramirez singled to center. With Lawless waving him in all the way, Williams slid in just ahead of the throw from center fielder Mitch Dening, which was slightly up the third-base line. The final: Lexington 2, Greenville 1.

South Atlantic League Baseball

Coming up 

Lexington Legends vs. Rome Braves

Jordan Lyles

Kyle Greenwalt

What: Four-game series

When: Wednesday through Saturday (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday at 7 p.m.; Thursday at 10:30 a.m.)

Where: State Mutual Stadium (Rome, Ga.)

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Wednesday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (2-1, 0.78)

Ross Seaton

Henry Villar

vs. RH Jacob Thompson (0-2, 4.28); Thursday, RH Jordan Lyles (1-2, 4.94) vs. LH Brett DeVall (0-1, 4.91); Friday, RH Ross Seaton (4-1, 0.91) vs. RH Zeke Spruill (4-0, 2.39); Saturday, RH Henry Villar (0-0, 2.37) vs. RH Randall Delgado (1-3, 4.03).

Brave to watch: 1B Gerardo Rodriguez (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) leads the Braves in hits (28), triples (3), homers (5), RBI (15) and total

Gerardo Rodriguez

bases (54), and shares the team lead in doubles (5). Also has played error-free ball at first base. Originally signed by the Yankees after the 2004 season, when he was 17. Joined the Braves in 2008, leading Danville in homers (13) and RBI (49). the latter total ranking third in the Appalachian League. 

Arcenio Leon

Legend to watch: RHP Arcenio Leon (6-1, 162, from Maracaibo, Venezuela) has notched wins in his last three appearances, all in relief. Overall, Leon is 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA over seven appearances (one start) and 17 innings. He has held opponents to a .136 batting average. Two of his wins came last week against Rome. Signed by the Astros Feb. 7, 2005, Leon went 3-6 over two seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League. He spent the past two seasons with Greeneville of the Appalachian League, going 0-7, 4.67 in 2007 and 3-1, 3.33 in 2008.

Charley Taylor

Albert Cartwright

Also of interest: Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor continues to recover at his Northern Kentucky home after undergoing surgery to remove his prostate and  cancerous bladder. Taylor says he hopes to be able to visit the team at Applebee’s Park in early June. … Legends 2B Albert Cartwright suffered a broken ulna (left forearm) as a result of being hit by a pitch

Brian McCann

during Monday’s game at Augusta. He is expected to be sidelined six-to-eight weeks. Cartwright hit .316 (25-for-79) over 23 games, with three homers, 13 RBI and 16 runs. … Taking Cartwright’s roster spot is IF Andy Simunic, a 17th-round draft pick out of the University of Tennessee last June. Simunic, 23, had been in the Astros’ extended spring training camp. Last year, he hit .234 with 14 RBI and 20 runs over 53 games with Tri-City of the New York-Penn League. … Atlanta Braves C Brian McCann was scheduled to make a rehab start Wednesday against the Legends, but the Braves changed the assignment Tuesday night to High-A Myrtle Beach. McCann, who helped Rome to the 2003 SAL championship, has been on the disabled list since April 25 due to an infected left eye.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Astros Minor League Players of the Month

Legends Players of the Month for April, as announced by the parent-club Houston Astros, are Daniel Meszaros, Ebert Rosario and Albert Cartwright.

Daniel Meszaros

Ebert Rosario

Meszaros is the team’s Pitcher of the Month, converting all seven of his save opportunities without allowing an earned run. Over 7 1/3 innings, he struck out 12.

Rosario, a third baseman, is Offensive Player of the Month. He hit .375 (21-for-56) with seven doubles, eight RBI and 10 runs scored in April.

Cartwright, a second baseman, is the Defensive Player of the Month. Over 20 games and 112 chances, Cartwright compiled a .973 fielding percentage (three errors).

Several former Legends earned organizational Player of the Month honors:

SS Tommy Manzella is Defensive Player of the Month for 3A Round Rock (18 games, .964 fielding percentage).

RH Brad James is Pitcher of the Month for 2A Corpus Christi (1-0, 2.81, 16 innings). 

Lexington Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor “is doing extremely well,” according to an e-mail sent by his wife Pam, as he continues to recover from surgery.

Charley Taylor

Taylor was operated on Friday at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. During the nearly five-hour procedure, Taylor had his cancerous bladder removed, as well as prostate, and added a conduit leading to an exterior ostomy, which takes the place of his bladder.

According to Pam Taylor, Charley has “progressed from semi-alert to ‘extremely on top of it all’ and is getting a little ‘antsy’ now. He had the tube from his stomach removed Monday and was allowed to have half a cup of ice chips every four hours until (Tuesday) night. Then he progressed to a popsicle twice a day!”

Pre-surgery pain from the cancer and infection are gone. There is signficant pain, “but it’s a pain from the surgery and we know that’s going to go away,” Pam wrote.

Charley was up to taking a short walk less than 24 hours after surgery and has progressed to where he may be doing too much — his sides hurt Wednesday and his incision was pulling, Pam wrote.

Although no discharge date has been indicated by doctors, the Taylors are hoping for Sunday or Monday.

If all goes well, Charley hopes to join the Legends in June.

Some sunny news on a rainy day, Lexington Legends style.

Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor is recovering after undergoing surgery Friday at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati.

Taylor, diagnosed with bladder cancer, had his bladder and prostate removed, and had his small intestine “re-wired.”

Before going into surgery, Taylor said that doctors told him that his bone scan looked good — no apparent sign of cancer — and that his prognosis is good.

Pam Taylor, Charley’s wife, reports via e-mail that he took his first walk to a nurses station less than 24 hours after the near-five-hour surgery. She says the urologist/surgeon “says he’s doing really well.”

Fans with tickets for Sunday’s game may exchange them at the Legends’ box office for any home game on the 2009 schedule, based on availability.

PITCHERS

Robert Bono

Robert Bono
Bats/throws:  R/R              Height/weight:  6-2, 175
Birthdate: 12-12-88         
Hometown: Waterford, Conn. 

Notes: Will open the season as No. 4 in the starting rotation, looking for his first professional victory.  Selected by the Astros in the 11^th round of the 2007 draft, out of Waterford High School. Went 0-4, 7.34 for Greeneville in 2007; 0-4, 4.68 for Tri-City last year. Walked 20 and struck out 18 at Greeneville. Corrected that at Tri-City, with 11 walks to 46 whiffs. He was Tri-City’s  Pitcher of the Month in July.

Brad Dydalewicz

Brad Dydalewicz

B/T:  L/L                              Ht./wt.:  6-1, 180
D.O.B.:  3-24-90                  
Hometown:  Spicewood, Texas

Notes:  Opens the season at No. 3 in the starting rotation. An eighth-round draft pick out of Austin High School last June, Dydalewicz is listed by Baseball America as the 14^th-best prospect in the Astros system, armed with the “best changeup.” BBA notes that he signed for an above-slot $425,000 bonus and “throws a live fastball and plus curveball, with enough arm strength to suggest his heater will consistently sit in the low 90s as he advances. He was 90-94 mph in the spring, an encouraging sign considering he tore his ACL in 2007 while playing football.”  He worked 10 innings over four appearances with Greeneville last year, with no decisions, a 2.70 ERA, six strikeouts and three walks.

Kyle Greenwalt

Kyle Greenwalt
B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 200
D.O.B.:  9-29-88                  
Hometown: Sellersville, Pa. 

Notes:  Scheduled to start the Legends’ fifth game of the season, the April 13 home opener vs. Kannapolis. Selected by the Astros in the 20^th round of the June 2007  draft, out of Souderton (Pa.) Area High School. Made his pro debut with Greeneville,  going 0-7 with a 7.53 ERA, 28 strikeouts and 12 walks. Settled in nicely in 2008, earning team MVP honors at Greeneville by going 6-4, 3.14, 53 strikeouts and 14 walks over 13 starts. Also won his lone start for Tri-City. Has a 90-92 mph fastball with sink, slider and changeup. Ranked by Baseball America as 31^st-best prospect in the Houston system.

Arcenio Leon

Arcenio Leon
B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-1, 162
D.O.B.:  9-22-86                  
Hometown: Maracaibo, Venezuela

Notes:  Signed as a non-drafted free agent Feb. 7, 2005. Went 3-6 over two seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros, striking out 30 and walking 30. Spent the last two seasons with Greeneville, improving from 0-7, 4.67 in 2007 to 3-1, 3.33 in 2008. Also improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio from 43-27 to 42-19.

Jordan Lyles

Jordan Lyles

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-4, 185
D.O.B.: 10-19-90                 
Hometown:  Hartsville, S.C.

Notes: A first-round supplemental draft pick (38^th overall) last June, out of Hartsville (S.C.) High School, Lyles is scheduled to start Thursday’s season opener at West Virginia. Baseball America ranks him sixth among Astros minor-league prospects and projects him as Houston’s No. 4 starter in 2012. Signed for $930,000 on the night of his high school graduation. Baseball America on Lyles: “He shelved his cutter once in pro ball, and saw an immediate improvement in his fastball as it jumped from 86-88 mph in the spring to 90-96 all summer. He had good command of it even with the added velocity. His curveball has rotation and shape to it, and he has show a feel for a changeup.”  Went 3-3, 4.23 with 68 strikeouts and 17 walks over 15 games with Greeneville (13 games) and Tri-City last season.

Daniel Meszaros

Daniel Meszaros

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 170
D.O.B.: 9-6-85                     
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla. 

Notes: Selected by the Astros in the 48^th round of the June 2008 draft, out of the College of Charleston. Made his pro debut last summer with Tri-City, finishing 1-3, with one save and a 4.44 ERA. He worked 26 1/3 innings over 12 relief appearances, striking out 46 and walking eight. Opens this season as a late-inning reliever. 

Ross Seaton

Ross Seaton
B/T: L/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-4, 190
D.O.B.: 9-18-89                   
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas

Notes: A third-round supplemental draft pick last June, out of Second Baptist High School in Texas, where he was class valedictorian.  With a fastball touching 96 mph, he signed for $700,000 Baseball America ranks him as the Astros’ third-best prospect, armed with “best curveball” in the system.  Starts the season as Lexington’s No. 2 starter. Had no decisions and a 13.50 ERA at Greeneville last season, but that came over a total of four innings.  Baseball America: “He has a smooth and easy delivery that’s repeatable, allowing his fastball to sit consistently at 90-94 mph. His slider can be devastating to young hitters, and his changeup is a nice weapon.”

Jack Tilghman

Jack Tilghman

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-2, 205
D.O.B.: 5-19-87                    Hometown: Telford, Pa.

Notes: Signed to a minor-league contract last Aug. 5, Tilghman finished the 2008 season by making nine relief appearances for the Legends: 1-0, 2.70, five strikeouts, nine walks, 13 1/3 innings. Out of Walters State (Tenn.) Community College, he also worked 13 2/3 innings for the Rookie League Phillies in 2007, going 1-1 with a 2.63, six strikeouts and seven walks.

Jose Trinidad

Jose Trinidad

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 5-11, 150
D.O.B.: 7-13-87                   
Hometown: Sabana Grande de Palenque, D.R.

Notes: Signed as a non-drafted free agent, Feb. 22, 2006, Trinidad led all Astros minor-leaguers last season with a 2.73 ERA at Greeneville. He went 3-2 over 10 starts and 56 innings, striking out 40 and walking six. He spent 2006 and 2007 with the Dominican Summer League Astros, going a combined 6-6, with 69 strikeouts and 41 walks. 

Patrick Urckfitz

Patrick Urckfitz

B/T: L/L                               Ht./wt.: 6-3, 190
D.O.B.: 7-21-88                   
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

Notes: Signed as non-drafted free agent out of Monroe (N.Y.) Community College last June 29. Worked 15 games in relief for Greeneville, going 1-0 with one save and a 1.40 ERA. Had 23 strikeouts and nine walks over 19 1/3 innings. Starts this season as a late-inning reliever. 

Henry Villar

Henry Villar

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 5-11, 150
D.O.B.: 5-24-87                   
Hometown: Bonao, Dominican Republic

Notes: Signed as a non-drafted free agent, July 19, 2005. Made 13 relief appearances with Greeneville last season. Over 65 1/3 innings, he went 3-6 with a 4.41 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 12 walks. His 2006 and 2007 seasons were spent with the Dominican Summer League Astros, where he was a combined 5-5, with 101 strikeouts and 21 walks. 

Brian Wabick

Brian Wabick

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 180
D.O.B.: 8-3-87                     
Hometown: Des Plaines, Ill.

Notes: Selected by the Astros in the 34^th round of the June 2007 draft, out of Oakton (Ill.) Community College.  Pitched the last two seasons at Greeneville, going 1-3 over 28 games (one start), with six saves, 44 strikeouts and 22 walks. Also spent part of 2008 with Tri-City, where he was 2-1 with two saves and a 2.14 ERA over 11 relief outings. Over 21 innings with Tri-City, he struck out 23 and walked only one.

CATCHERS

Jonathan Fixler

Jonathan Fixler

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.:  6-1, 205
D.O.B.: 6-13-86                   
Hometown: Park Ridge, Ill.

Notes: Among six players who spent all or part of last season with the Legends. Hit .248 with eight homers and 50 RBI over 80 games. Also played three games for 2A Corpus Christi, going 1-for-7 with an RBI. Selected by the Astros in the 19^th round of the June 2007 draft, out of Indiana University. Played seven games for Tri-City in 2007, with one double in 16 at-bats. 

Federico Hernandez

Federico Hernandez

B/T: S/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 170
D.O.B.: 2-9-88                     
Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela

Notes: Hernandez is rated by Baseball America as 20^th among Astros prospects. Over three seasons - two with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros and last year with Greeneville - Hernandez hit .291 with six homers. Defense is what impresses Baseball America, though: “A cousin of Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez, he was regarded by Rookie-level Appalachian League managers as the top defensive catcher in the league last year. That’s an impressive feat, considering he did not take up the position until signing. He has a good arm and good accuracy, and he showed 1.95-second pop times consistently in instructional league. His receiving skills, feet, soft hands and ability to call a game also got hit marks. Hernandez also blocks balls well, with good range behind the plate, and always shows good hustle.”

INFIELDERS

Ricardo Bonfante

Ricardo Bonfante

B/T: S/R                               Ht./wt.: 5-9, 140
D.O.B.: 10-21-88                 
Hometown: Cartegena, Colombia

Notes: Signed as a non-drafted free agent, July 2, 2005.  A shortstop, he hit .261 (36-for-138) with 12 RBI, 19 runs scored and 10 stolen bases over 43 games with Greeneville last season. Hit .308 versus left-handers and batted .361 for the month of June.  Played for the Venezuelan Summer League Astros in 2006 and 2007. 

Albert Cartwright

Albert Cartwright

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 5-10, 180
D.O.B.: 10-31-87                 
Hometown: Winter Haven, Fla.

Notes: A June 2007 36^th round draft pick, out of Polk (Fla.) Community College. Second baseman played 57 games over the last two seasons at Greeneville. Last year, over 39 games, hit .306 (37-for-121) with three homers, 17 RBI, 23 runs and 13 stolen bases (caught four times). Had a .410 on-base percentage over the last 39 games. Batted .373 against lefties and .333 at home. In August, hit .351 and had an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.019.

Phil Disher

Phil Disher
B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-2, 215
D.O.B.: 6-17-85                    Hometown: Cary, N.C.

Notes: With Justin Smoak (11^th overall draft pick) at first base, Disher played catcher for the University of South Carolina. The Astros selected him in the 15^th round last June and moved him to first. He played 71 games for Tri-City, hitting .304 (85-for-280) with 13 homers, three triples and 20 doubles. He drove in 56 runs and scored 40, with a .381 on-base percentage and .536 slugging percentage. Baseball America, which pegs him as the 27^th best prospect in the Houston system, says the Astros also may want to look at Disher in left field.

Kody Hinze

Kody Hinze

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 225
D.O.B.: 7-29-87                    Hometown: Houston

Notes: Signed as a non-drafted free agent, Oct. 5, 2007, out of Angelina (Texas) College. First baseman made his pro debut last season with Greeneville, hitting .269 (53-for-197) with eight homers and 32 RBI over 55 games. Had 34 walks (second in the Appalachian League), 46 strikeouts.  His first game, against Kingsport, he drew four walks, scored three runs and drove in two. 

Kyle Miller

Kyle Miller

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-1, 200
D.O.B.: 9-1-86                     
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.

Notes: Selected by the Astros in the 21^st round of the June 2007 draft,  out of Central Florida Community College. Third baseman broke in with Greeneville in 2007 (.234, 7 HR, 23 RBI, team-leading 74 total bases and team second-best 22 runs), then split 2008 between Greeneville and Lexington. Played 32 games for the Legends, batting .234 (30-for-128) with seven homers and 24 RBI, but also with 50 strikeouts to only eight walks. 

Ronnie Ramirez

Ronnie Ramirez
B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 5-11, 165
D.O.B.: 1-30-86                   
Hometown: Cartegena, Colombia

Notes: Middle infielder signed as a non-drafted free agent Jan. 13, 2003. Played three years in the Venezuelan Summer League, then came to the U.S. in 2006 with Greeneville (.314, all-star and team MVP over 57 games) and Lexington (2-for-10, three games).  Split last two seasons between Tri-City and the Legends. Minor-league career totals: 310-for-1,248 (.248), 10 HR, 135 RBI and 43 SB. 

Ebert Rosario

Ebert Rosario
B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-3, 165
D.O.B.: 5-27-87                   
Hometown: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Notes: Third baseman was Greeneville’s Defensive Player of the Month last July. In his second season with Greeneville, hit .304 (51-for-168) with two homers and 18 RBI. In 2007, led Greeneville in average (.273), RBI (26), hits (60), total bases (86), games (59) and tied for the lead in doubles (14).  Signed as a non-drafted free agent Aug. 31, 2005, then spent one season in the Dominican Summer League. 

OUTFIELDERS 

Jay Austin

Jay Austin
B/T: L/L                               Ht./wt.: 5-11, 170
D.O.B.: 8-10-90                    Hometown: Atlanta

Notes: Now 18, Austin cranked out 50 homers in high school and committed to Southern Cal, but a $750,000 bonus swayed him to sign with the Astros, who took him in the second round of last June’s draft. Broke in with Greeneville last summer, hitting .198 with 14 RBI and no homers. Baseball America, which rates him the 10^th-best prospect in the Astros system, notes that he was one of the youngest players in the league. BBA continued: “While Houston has a few toolsy outfielders in its system, none have the same all-around potential as Austin. A left-handed hitter and center fielder, he has the range to patrol the middle garden, the bat to handle leadoff and speed that could make him a major base-stealing threat.” BBA also designates Austin as “Best Athlete” and “Fastest Base-runner” among Astros prospects. 

Brandon Barnes

Brandon Barnes

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-2, 210
D.O.B.: 5-15-86                    Hometown: Orange, Calif.

Notes: A June 2005 draft pick out of Cyprus College, Barnes was the Legends’ Defensive Player of the Month last July. Over 87 games, he hit. 241 (75-for-311) with two homers, 19 RBI and seven stolen bases. Barnes began his pro career with two seasons at Greeneville, then moved up to Tri-City in 2007. There, he was the ValleyCats’ MVP and team leader in homers (10) and RBI (41). His 10 homers ranked second in the New York-Penn League. 

Steve Brown

Steve Brown

B/T: R/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-0, 180
D.O.B.: 9-3-86                     
Hometown: San Andres Island, Colombia

Notes: Signed Dec. 1, 2003 as a non-drafted free agent, Brown was Legends Defensive Player of the Month last June. Over 102 games with Lexington, he hit .212 (72-for-340) with 10 homers, 31 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Began his pro career in the Venezuelan Summer League (2004, ‘05), then a season at Greeneville and one at Tri-City. Five-season totals include a .267 average, 19 homers, 128 RBI and 55 stolen bases. 

Russell Dixon

Russell Dixon

B/T: L/R                               Ht./wt.: 6-2, 205
D.O.B.: 8-28-85                    Hometown: Houston

Notes: Selected by the Astros in the seventh round of the June 2007 draft, out of Auburn, Dixon hit .237 (96-for-405) for the Legends last season, adding three homers, 33 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts. Hit .278 before the all-star break, .185 after that. Broke in with Tri-City in 2007, hitting .256 (57-for-223) with 40 RBI, five homers and four stolen bases. 

FIELD STAFF

Travis Driskill

Tom Lawless

Pete Rancont

Manager: Tom Lawless

Pitching coaches: Charley Taylor and Travis Driskill*

Hitting coach: Pete Rancont

Trainer: John Patton

Strength and conditioning: Dan Barmantje

* Driskill is interim pitching coach while Taylor is on medical leave.

 PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARY LAY

Fernando Nieve

Hard to tell in snowy Central Kentucky, but baseball season soon will be here. (Not soon enough, though!)

The Houston Astros, parent club of the Lexington Legends, open spring training at Kissimmee, Fla., on Feb. 14, when pitchers and catchers are due to report. Position players report for the first full-squad workout on Feb. 17.

Eleven Astros are on provisional rosters for the World Baseball Classic, including former Legends pitchers Wandy Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) and Fernando Nieve (Venezuela). Rodriguez, known as Eny Cabreja during his time in Lexington, recently signed a one-year deal worth $2.6 million, plus incentives.

Spring training invitees include past Legends Sergio Perez, Chris Johnson, Lou Santangelo and Bud Norris.

Watch out for camels

Meanwhile, the Legends annual radio caravan will visit Cynthiana, Somerset, Richmond, Danville and Lexington, Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 10-12.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Josh Anderson, a former Legend and Eastern Kentucky University standout, will join the Caravan for its visit to Somerset. Anderson is a native of nearby Eubank.

Another former EKU Colonel, Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor, will be along for Caravan stops at Somerset and Richmond.

The final stop, at Applebee’s Park, will feature Lexington’s Michael Bertram, Doug Flynn, Ben Revere and John Shelby.

Bertram, a third baseman, hit .285 with eight homers, 55 RBI and 51 runs over 102 games last year with the Detroit Tigers’ Class A Lakeland, Fla., team. Bertram has risen through the minors with Ryan Strieby, a teammate on Kentucky’s 2006 Southeastern Conference co-championship team.

Flynn won World Series titles with Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” in 1975 and ‘76. He also won a Gold Glove in 1980 as second baseman for the New York Mets.

Minnesota Twins prospect Revere earned MVP honors in the Midwest League last season, leading all of minor-league ball with a .379 average for the Class A Beloit Snappers. He also had a homer, 43 RBI, 51 runs and 44 stolen bases (57 attempts) over 83 games. He had nearly as many walks (27) as strikeouts (31).

Shelby, a Chicago White Sox prospect, was a teammate of Bertram on UK’s SEC co-championship team. He hit .295 with 15 homers, 80 RBI and 81 runs over 114 games for High-A Winston-Salem last season. In addition, he stole 33 bases in 38 attempts. His father, a former big-league outfielder of the same name, is first-base coach for the Baltimore Orioles.

The Legends note that other guests may be added, and that the schedule of guests is subject to change.

The schduled stops:

Tuesday, Feb. 10 – Live broadcast (8-9 a.m.) of Coffee Break with Rick Chasteen on WCYN-AM 1400, Biancke’s Restaurant, 102 South Main, Cynthiana. Harrison County High School coach Mac Whitaker will be a special guest.

Wednesday, Feb. 11 – Backyard Burgers (3-4 p.m.), Highway 27, Somerset; and

Powell Building (5:15-6:15 p.m.), Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond.

Thursday, Feb. 12 — Danville (details incomplete); and

Maker’s Mark Club (5:30-6:30 p.m.), Applebee’s Park, Lexington.

Talking Legends baseball

Keith Elkins hosts a weekly radio show, Legends Inside Scoop, on WLXG-AM 1300, Tuesdays from 7:20-8 p.m.

Recent guests include Manager Tom Lawless, pitching coach Charley Taylor and Astros “Scout of the Year” Nick Venuto.

* The Legends will host their annual national anthem tryouts Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, at Lexington’s Fayette Mall.

The auditons will take place in the mall wing nearest Dick’s Sporting Goods, noon-3 p.m. Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

For details, or to reserve an audition time, call the Legends at   (859) 252-4487  . Walk-up entrants also are welcome.

* You say you’ll save the fans from your vocals, but you’d still like to be at the park?

Well, senior slugger, the Legends have a pitch to make to you about the Silver Sluggers Club.

SSC membership, for fans 55 and over, costs $30. That will get you “a special package of gifts,” as well as Sunday tickets for half price, meal vouchers for Sunday games and “exclusive sale opportunities at the Legends Locker merchandise store.” Those registering before April 1 will receive a free box seat to the April 13 home opener.

Club members who attend six Sunday home games will receive a dinner for two in the Maker’s Mark Club. Those who attend all 10 Sunday home games will receive an autographed set of team cards. More details are available from the Legends:   (859) 252-4487  .