Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at Hagerstown Suns

What: Five-game series

When: Wednesday through Sunday (5:05 p.m. Wednesday, 7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:05 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Municipal Stadium (Hagerstown, Md.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Washington Nationals

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Wednesday, RH Carlos Quevedo (4-3, 4.24) vs. RH Alex Meyer (6-4, 3.40); Thursday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (9-2, 2.51) vs. RH Christopher McKenzie (2-2, 7.58); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (5-5, 3.71) vs. LH Kylin Turnbull (4-4, 4.88); Saturday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (2-3, 5.01) vs. RH Taylor Hill (8-4, 4.46); Sunday, RH Jonas Dufek (5-1, 5.33) vs. LH Bobby Hansen Jr. (2-0, 3.75).

Jose Fernandez

Legend to watch: SS Jose Fernandez (6-foot-1, 170 pounds, age 19, bats/throws R/R; from Loma de Cabrera, Dajabon, Dominican Republic) is 6-for-19 over his first seven games with the Legends. Included are three doubles and a homer. With five RBI and five runs scored, he has 12 total bases and a stolen base through Monday. Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent on July 17, 2009, Fernandez spent each of the last two seasons with the Gulf Coast League Astros. In 2010, he batted .232, with seven doubles, six triples, a homer, 22 RBI, 16 runs and four steals for 48 games. Last year, over 43 games, he went .245 wit six doubles, three triples, 15 RBI and 21 runs, adding 11 stolen bases. He was the GCL Astros Offensive Player of the Month last August.

Caleb Ramsey

Sun to watch: SAL all-star OF Caleb Ramsey (6-2, 215, age 23, bats/throws L/R; from Houston) is batting .298 through Monday, with five homers, seven doubles, seven triples, 44 RBI, 48 runs and 11 stolen bases. Over his last 10 games, Ramsey is 13-for-38 (.342), with a pair of three-hit games. Selected by the Nationals in the 11th round of the 2011 draft, out of the University of Houston, Ramsey broke into pro ball last summer with the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League. For 64 games, he batted .280 with a homer, 26 RBI 38 runs and 15 stolen bases. As a senior at Houston, he batted .318 and drove in 46 runs.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Asheville Tourists

What: Five-game series

When: Friday through Tuesday (7:05 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday; 1:35 Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Colorado Rockies

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Carlos Quevedo (4-2, 3.88) vs. RH Alex Gillingham (3-5, 4.31); Saturday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (9-1, 2.18) vs. RH Chris Jensen (7-2, 4.54); Sunday, LH Luis Cruz (5-5, 3.71) vs. RH Daniel Winkler (8-5, 4.75); Monday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (1-3, 5.06) vs. RH Ben Alsup (8-3, 4.58); Tuesday, RH Jonas Dufek (5-1, 4.72) vs. RH Vianney Mayo (2-3, 5.29).

Jose Rivera

Tourist to watch: 2B Jose Rivera (5-foot-10, 170 pounds, bats/throws right, age 22, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico) comes into the series batting .305 with 22 RBI and 19 runs, with 36 hits in 36 games. That includes 10 doubles and a triple. Over his last 10 games, Rivera is 13-for-36 (.361) with a .928 OPS. He’s batting .432 versus left-handed pitchers and .247 against righties. Selected by the Rockies in the 23rd round of the 2009 draft, out of Universidad Interamericana, Rivera split the 2009 season between the Domincan Summer League Rockies and the Casper Ghosts of the Pioneer League, hitting a combined .188 with four RBI over 36 games. In 2010, playing 47 games for Casper, he hit .200 with 10 RBI. Last year, also with Casper, he improved to .228, hit his first homer as a pro, and drove in nine runs over 39 games.

Chan Jong Moon

Legend to watch: SS Chan Jong Moon (6-foot, 171 pounds, bats both, throws right, age 21, from Seoul, South Korea) is off to a solid start in the second half. In seven games since the all-star break, Moon is 8-for-26 (.308). Overall, for 31 games, he is batting .283 with two homers, 20 RBI and 17 runs, with a .381 on-base percentage. The first player in Legends history from Korea, Moon is batting .324 versus left-handed pitchers and .258 against righties. Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent Aug. 9, 2009, he made his pro debut in 2010 with the Gulf Coast League Astros. Over 33 games, he batted .215 with six RBI and 15 runs. Last year, in 43 games with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, Moon batted .207 with a homer, 12 RBI and 19 runs.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

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

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. West Virginia Power

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 each night)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Pittsburgh Pirates

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Jonas Dufek (1-0, 4.96) vs. RH Ryan Hafner (0-3, 8.24); Tuesday, RH Nick Tropeano (2-3, 2.91) vs. TBA; Wednesday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (0-1, 8.49) vx. LH Zack Dodson (1-4, 6.17).

Alen Hanson

Power to watch: Switch-hitting 2B Alen Hanson (5-foot-11, 152 pounds, from La Romana, Dominican Republic) leads the Power in games played (42), at-bats (177), average (.339), hits (60), runs (40), doubles (16), triples (6), stolen bases (13), total bases (106) and OPS (.984), and shares the team lead in walks (14). He is second on the team in homers (6) and third in RBI (21). Signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent July 14, 2009, Hanson hit .324 and had two homers, 28 RBI, 48 runs and 20 stolen bases for the 2010 Dominican Summer League Pirates. Last year, in 52 games with the Gulf Coast League Pirates, Hanson led the league in triples (7), was second in steals (24) and fourth in runs (42), while batting .263 with two homers and 35 RBI. He also played three games for State College of the New York-Penn League. This season, he’s batting .355 against left-handers, .336 versus righties; .376 at home, and .304 on the road.

Delino DeShields Jr.

Legend to watch: 2B Delino DeShields Jr. (5-9, 203, from Ocala, Fla.) leads the league in stolen bases, swiping 26 in 27 attempts. Batting .239 with two homers and 15 RBI, the 19-year-old right-hander leads the Legends with 30 runs and shares the team lead with 26 walks. His father, Delino Sr., played 13 seasons in the Major Leagues and stole 463 bases. Both father and son were first-round draft picks — Senior went 12th in the 1987 draft; the Astros selected Junior with the eighth pick of the 2010 draft, then signed him for a franchise-record $2.125 million. He played only 18 games in the summer of 2010, two for the Gulf Coast League Astros and 16 for Greeneville of the Appalachian League, batting .289 with eight RBI, 14 runs and five stolen bases. With the Legends last year, as the sixth-youngest player in the SAL, DeShields Jr. learned his new position (moving from center field) while batting .220, with nine homers, 48 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 41 attempts.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at West Virginia Power

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 each night)

Where: Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.Va.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Pittsburgh Pirates

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-1, 1.60) vs. RH Nicholas Kingham (1-2, 7.43); Tuesday, LH Luis Cruz (2-1, 3.47) vs. RH Matt Benedict (2-2, 2.89); Wednesday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 5.06) vs. RH Ryan Hefner (0-2, 6.75).

Dayan Diaz

Legend to watch: RHP Dayan Diaz (5-foot-10, 188 pounds, from Cartagena, Colombia) has been a solid performer over 12 relief appearances. Diaz is 4-2, with four saves and an 0.81 ERA over 22 1/3 innings. He has struck out 25 and walked nine, while holding opponents to a .155 batting average. Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent on Oct. 6, 2005, at age 16, Diaz spent the 2006 through 2008 seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros. He moved to the Gulf Coast League Astros in 2010, then to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last year. With Tri-City, Diaz appeared in 19 games, including one start. He wound up with a 7-3 record, two saves and a 1.98 ERA. He also struck out 70 and walked 30, holding foes to a .158 batting average.

Gregory Polanco

Power to watch: RF Gregory Polanco (6-4, 170, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) leads West Virginia in homers (7) and ranks second in runs (22), triples (2), RBI (21), total bases (66) and stolen bases (10). He also ranks third in hits (38), average (.304), slugging (.528) and OPS (.879), and is fourth in on-base percentage (.351). Signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent on April 11, 2009, Polanco hit .267 that year for the Dominican Summer League Pirates, with 24 RBI and 34 runs in 64 games. In 2010, with the Gulf Coast League Pirates, he batted .202, with three homers, 23 RBI and 21 runs in 53 games. Last year, over 48 games with the GCL Pirates and three games with State College of the New York-Penn League, Polanco hit .229, with three homers, 35 RBI and 34 runs in 51 games. Polanco, who bats and throws left-handed, is 12-for-34 (.353) in the first nine games of May. He has hits in his last seven games.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Hagerstown Suns

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10:35 a.m. Wednesday)

Where: Municipal Stadium (Hagerstown, Md.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends) and Washington Nationals

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Nicholas Tropeano (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Christopher McKenzie (0-0, 0.00); Tuesday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-1, 6.75) vs. RH Wirkin Estevez (0-0, 13.50); Wednesday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-1, 27.00) vs. RH Brian Dupra (0-1, 8.10).

Jordan Scott

Legend to watch: LF Jordan Scott (6-foot-2, 180 pounds, from Greenville, S.C.) hit 8-for-13 (.615) in a season-opening four-game series at Greensboro. Scott, 20, bats left and throws right. He was selected by the Astros in the 14th round of the 2010 draft, out of Riverside High School in Greer, S.C. He made his pro debut that year with the Gulf Coast League Astros, hitting .301 with 10 RBI, 19 runs and six stolen bases over 42 games. Last year, he split time with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League (60 games), the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League (5 games) and the Legends (14 games). Overall, he hit .323 with a homer, 43 RBI, 51 runs and 12 stolen bases.

Matthew Skole

Sun to watch: 3B Matthew Skole (6-4, 230, from Woodstock, Ga.) went 6-for-14 (.429) in Hagerstown’s season-opening four-game series. Included were two doubles, as he drove in seven runs and scored one. Like Scott, he bats left and throws right. The Nationals selected him in the fifth round of last year’s draft, out of Georgia Tech, where he clubbed 47 homers over three seasons. He made his pro debut with the Auburn Doubledays of the NYPL. He played 72 games, batting .290 with five homers, 48 RBI, 43 runs and a pair of stolen bases.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Emilio King hit .293 for Lexington. (Legends photo/Mary Lay)

The Houston Astros’ player development department has announced Most Valuable Player award winners for its eight minor-league affiliates, including the Lexington Legends.

Outfielder Emilio King is Lexington’s MVP.

Emilio King

King, 22, was promoted from extended spring training to the Legends on May 7.

A former catcher, King hit .293 (106-for-362), with nine homers, 24 doubles, 42 RBI and 50 runs in 98 games. He was the team’s offensive and defensive player of the month in August, when he hit .337.

King homered in his first two games with the Legends and finished May 30-for-75 (.400), with 12 RBI in 21 games. In Lexington’s final game of the season, he threw out a runner at the plate for his 14th outfield assist.

A native of the Dominican Republic, King signed with the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2006.

Before coming to Lexington, he played four short-season stints in the organization, totaling 159 games. During that time, he hit .214 with four homers and 44 RBI.

On the last day of the season, Manager Rodney Linares called King “hands down” his most improved player.

“He rose to the occasion and … became probably my best player, my team MVP,” Linares said. “When you look at the numbers, they’re not big numbers. But, overall, he was the guy that helped us win more games — defensively, offensively had a lot of big hits.”

Houston’s other minor league MVPs:

Anderson Hernandez — Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) infielder. Hit .300 for 136 games, including a franchise-record 30-game hitting streak (10th-longest in Pacific Coast League history). Played 2B, SS and 3B, with six HR, 52 RBI and 21 SB.

Jimmy Paredes

Jimmy Paredes — Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) infielder. The former Legend, now playing for the Astros, hit .270 with 22 2B, 10 HR, 41 RBI and 29 SB in 93 games, earning Texas League all-star honors.

Austin Wates — Lancaster JetHawks (High-A) outfielder. Hit .300 with 23 2B, nine 3B, six HR 75 RBI and 26 SB.

Matthew Duffy — Tri-City ValleyCats (Short-season A) third baseman. A New York-Penn League all-star, hit . 298 with 20 2B, a homer, 37 RBI and two SB.

Jordan Scott

Jordan Scott — Greeneville Astros (Rookie) outfielder. Scott, who also played five games with Tri-City and 14 games with the Legends, hit .337 with 12 2B, a homer, 31 RBI and 11 SB for Greeneville. Overall totals at three levels included .323, 15 2B, four 3B, 43 RBI, 79 games.

Yonathan Mejia — Gulf Coast League Astros second baseman. Hit .329 with eight 2B, 25 RBI and two SB in 40 games.

Teoscar Hernandez — Dominican Summer League Astros outfielder. Hit .274 with 13 2B, seven 3B, seven HR, 35 RBI and 16 SB over 65 games.

Mark Michael in control with Calgary

Mark Michael

Former Lexington Catholic and University of Kentucky pitcher Mark Michael recently wrapped up his ninth season of minor-league ball.

Michael finished 8-2 in the regular season, 1-0 in the playoffs for the Calgary Vipers of the North American Independent League. He finished fourth in the 10-team league with a 4.17 ERA, third in wins and 15th in strikeouts (69) – leading his team in all those categories. Over 15 starts, he worked 82 innings.

Former Legends pitcher Rory Shortell shared the league lead in regular-season wins, 11 to help the Edmonton Capitals to a championship.

Baseball

                             South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

When: Monday through Thursday (7:05 each night)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Chicago White Sox

Alaniz

Cruz

Bushue

Quevedo

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.80) vs. RH Dexter Carter (3-5, 6.51); Tuesday, LH Luis Cruz (3-2, 4.27) vs. RH Phil Negus (2-0, 2.52); Wednesday, RH Carlos Quevedo (6-4, 4.05) vs. RH Matt Heidenreich (9-6, 4.25); Thursday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-2, 3.49) vs. LH Spencer Arroyo (7-7, 3.70).

Trayce Thompson

Intimidator to watch: All-star CF Trayce Thompson (6-foot-3, 195 pounds, from Ladera Ranch, Calif.) leads Kannapolis in homers (17), runs (72) and walks (48) — as well as strikeouts (126) through Saturday’s games. Batting .232, he also has 62 RBI, 25 doubles, a pair of triples and five stolen bases. Selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 draft, out of Santa Margarita High School (Calif.), and signed for $625,000, Thompson is the son of former No. 2 overall NBA draft pick Mychal Thompson. Trayce played 32 games in his pro-debut year – 25 with Bristol of the Appalachian League and seven with the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League, combining for a .198 average, 10 RBI and 10 runs. With Kannapolis last year, Thompson batted .229 with eight homers, 31 RBI and 28 runs over 58 games (a pitch shattered his right thumb in late May, knocking him out for three months). Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him the No. 9 prospect in the White Sox system. This season, the right-handed batter and thrower has been at his best when face lefties and playing at home. He is batting .315 vs. left-handers, .206 against righties; .254 at home, .209 on the road.

Delino DeShields Jr.

Legend to watch: 2B Delino DeShields Jr. (5-9, 203, from Ocala, Fla.) has raised his average from .192 on June 24 to .235 through Saturday. He took an 11-game hitting streak into Sunday’s game and had hits in 14 of his last 15 games. For July, DeShields is 31-for-93 (.333) with two doubles, 14 RBI, 13 runs, nine walks and 10 stolen bases. Overall, to go with his .235 average, DeShields has six homers, 41 RBI, 50 runs and 25 stolen bases. No. 2 in Baseball America’s pre-season rankings of Houston prospects, he was selected by Houston in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2010 draft and signed for an Astros draft-record $2.125 million out of Woodward Academy (Fla.). His father, Delino Sr., also was a first-round pick (12th overall in 1987) and stole 463 bases over 13 seasons in the big leagues. Delino Jr. debuted last season with two games in the Gulf Coast League and 16 with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, combining to hit .289 with eight RBI, 11 runs, six doubles, a triple and five stolen bases in six attempts. Baseball America also rates him as Houston’s fastest runner, best athlete and best pure hitter in the 2010 class. He also was recruited for football by Georgia and Ole Miss.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

                                 South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Rome Braves

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 5:05 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Atlanta Braves

Cruz

Quevedo

Foltynewicz

Sogard

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, LH Luis Cruz (2-2, 4.27) vs. RH Aaron Northcraft (3-6, 3.18); Friday, RH Carlos Quevedo (6-4, 4.28) vs. RH Caleb Brewer (5-8, 5.26); Saturday, LH Alex Sogard (1-4, 4.60) RH Gary Moran (4-1, 3.11); Sunday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-8, 4.43) vs. LH Carlos Perez (4-7, 5.02).

Edward Salcedo

Brave to watch: 3B/SS Edward Salcedo (6-foot-3, 195 pounds, from La Vega, Dominican Republic), leads the Braves in runs (64), hits (99), doubles (25), RBI (48) and totals bases (166), shares the team lead in triples (6), ranks second in walks (32) and stolen bases (14), and is third in homers (10) and slugging percentage (.451). Signed by Atlanta for $1.6 million, the most they’ve ever payed to a foreign amateur, in 2010, the right-handed batting and throwing teen — he’ll turn 20 on Saturday — played 23 games for the Dominican Summer League Braves and 54 games for Rome last year. He finished with combined totals of three homers, 27 RBI, 39 runs and 14 stolen bases, while batting .225. Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him as the 16th-best prospect in the Braves system. He is batting .269 through 96 games and has committed a team-high 33 errors.

Roberto Pena

Legend to watch: C Roberto Pena (6-0, 210, from Caguas, Puerto Rico) has raised his average 22 points this month, from .199 to .221. He is 13-for-44 (.295) in July. Overall, he three homers, 23 RBI and 21 runs over 58 games. He ranks third in the league in throwing out base-stealers, catching 22 of 56 (39.3 percent) runners. Pena, who bats and throws right-handed, was selected by the Astros in the seventh round of the 2010 draft. Baseball America rated him as the best defensive player in Houston’s 2010 draft class, noting that he “shows flashes of plus-plus arm strength and threw out 44 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. He’s also intelligent and bilingual, and he has a feel for game-calling.” His father, Bert, is a former major leaguer. Roberto played four games for the Legends last year, plus 23 with the Gulf Coast League Astros and 12 games with the Greeneville Astros. Overall last season, he hit .227 over 39 games and drove in 17 runs.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

                                     South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Charleston RiverDogs

What: Three-game series

When: Wednesday through Friday (7:05 each night)

Where: Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, a.ka. The Joe (Charleston, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), New York Yankees

Cruz

Alaniz

Foltynewicz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Wednesday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-7, 4.19) vs.  RH Jose Ramirez (4-3, 4.50); Thursday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-7, 4.74) vs. RH Zach Nuding (6-6, 4.58); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (1-2, 4.27) vs. RH Nathan Forer (1-4, 4.50).

Bryce Lane

Legend to watch: OF Bryce Lane (6-foot, 180 pounds, from Phenix City, Ala.) is having his best month at the plate, batting .286 (8-for-28), with two homers, three RBI and nine runs scored over nine games. Lane, who has seen action at all three outfield positions this season, is batting .222 overall over 43 games and has stolen five bases in six attempts. He also played five games for the High-A Lancaster JetHawks during a late May/early June callup, going hitless in 14 at-bats. A right-handed batter and thrower, Lane was selected by the Astros in the 41st round of the 2010 draft. A junior-college All-American for Gulf Coast Community College, he opted to sign with the Astros rather than continue college ball at Auburn. With Gulf Coast, he set school records of 26 homers and 90 RBI his sophomore season. Last year, he played for three Astros affiliates – Gulf Coast League Astros (.333 over eight games), Greeneville Astros (.202 over 37 games) and Lancaster (.356 over 15 games. His overall totals for 2010 included a .268 average, a homer, 20 RBI, 17 runs and four stolen bases.

Gary Sanchez

RiverDog to watch: 18-year-old C Gary Sanchez (6-2, 220, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is batting .243 with nine homers, 34 RBI and 35 runs over 65 games. Sanchez, who bats and throws righty, came into the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees system. MLB.com put him No. 32 among the top 50 prospects. Sanchez signed for $3 million — the largest bonus ever given by the Yankees to a teenager — in July 2009. He made his pro debut last year, playng 31 games with the Gulf Coast League Yankees and 16 games with Staten Island of the New York-Penn League. Combined, he batted .329 with eight homers, 43 RBI and 33 runs scored, earning GCL all-star honors.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300