Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs.
Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights; 1:35 Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

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

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-1, 27.00) vs. RH Daniel Webb (0-1, 15.00); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 9.00) vs. LH Scott Snodgress (0-0, 13,50); Saturday, RH Nicholas Tropeano (0-0, 1.80) vs. RH Kevin Vance (0-0, 2.25); Sunday, LH Kyle Hallock (0-0, 54.00) vs. LH Brandon Parrent (0-0, 6.23).

Daniel Webb

Intimidator to watch: Thursday night starter Daniel Webb (6-foot-3, 210 pounds, from Paducah) was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2010 draft. Out of Heath High School, he had plans to attend Kentucky until John Cohen left to coach Mississippi State. Webb wound up at Northwest Florida State College, then spent the last two seasons in the Blue Jays system. The White Sox acquired him during the off-season. In 2010, Webb split time between the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League and Lansing of the Midwest League, going a combined 1-7 with a 4.74 ERA over 15 starts and 68 1/3 innings. He struck out 43 and walked 32. Last year, he played one game for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and 18 games for Lansing. With the Lugnuts, Webb went 4-5 with a 5.59 ERA, with 51 strikeouts and 24 walks over 18 games (12 starts) and 66 innings. In one appearance this season, against Hickory, Webb gave up seven runs, five earned, on eight hits over three innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Zach Johnson

Legend to watch: 1B/DH Zach Johnson (5-11, 200, from San Ramon, Calif.) is 10-for 25 (.400) through six games, with two homers, 11 RBI, a pair of doubles and two runs scored. A 15th-round draft pick of the Astros last June, out of Oklahoma State University, Johnson spent last season with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL. He played 72 games, batting .262 with five homers, 40 RBI, 12 doubles, a triple and 31 runs scored. In Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Hagerstown, Johnson led the Legends with a single, double and two RBI. The Oakland Athletics drafted Johnson in the 48th round in 2010, but were unable to come to terms. Johnson bats and throws right-handed. His father, not to be mistaken for the PGA Tour’s Zach Johnson, is a former professional golfer who went on to create a golf domain known as protourgroup.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

First Jodie Meeks. Now Clint Tilford.

Clint Tilford

A day after Meeks announced that he won’t be returning to the University of Kentucky for his senior season, comes word that Tilford also won’t be back, having agreed to terms with the Colorado Rockies.

Of course, we’re talking apples and oranges here. Meeks is pursuing professional basketball, Tilford pro baseball.

And, Kentucky basketball being what it is, you no doubt know all about Meeks. Tilford, for most, not so much.

Nevertheless, the loss of Tilford will have impact the baseball Wildcats, who graduated weekend starters James Paxton and Chris Rusin.

A right-handed pitcher from West Paducah and Heath High School, Tilford was selected by the Rockies in the 31st round (931 overall) of last week’s Major League draft. The 6-foot, 195-pounder was one of four Cats drafted, along with seven players signed by UK for next season.

The Rockies have assigned Tilford to their rookie-league team in the Pioneer League, the Casper (Wyo.) Ghosts. Casper opens its season in one week, June 23, with a seven-game road trip. 

“First, I want to thank Coach Brad Bohannon and Coach Gary Henderson for recruiting me and giving me an opportunity to play at Kentucky,” Tilford said in a statement released by UK. “I really enjoyed my time at Kentucky and wouldn’t change anything about my time there. I learned a lot about the game of baseball during my three years and hope to do my best to represent the program in the future.”

Tilford pitched in 23 games this season, including eight starts. He was used mostly in late-inning relief against Southeastern Conference teams, and as a mid-week starter in non-conference play. He wound up 1-4 with a 7.05 ERA over 52 1/3 innings. He walked 24 and struck out 34, and opposing teams hit .332 against him. But he showed enough flashes to indicate that, with maturity and more work, he may have what it takes to pitch at a higher level. Through his first nine appearances, Tilford had an ERA of 3.16.

He got the start April 28 against in-state rival Louisville. Tilford worked 5 1/3 innings that day, holding the Cardinals to one earned run on seven hits. He struck out five and did not issue a walk. Perhaps his best outing came against Indiana State on March 8, when he fired five innings of two-hit, shutout relief, striking out three.

Tilford’s three-year totals include 50 games, 19 starts, a 5-4 record and 5.85 ERA. He struck out 76 and walked 58 over 112 1/3 innings.

Clint Tilford’s statistics with Kentucky
Year      ERA   W-L   G   GS   CG   SHO   Sv     IP        H     R     ER   BB   SO   2B   3B   HR    BF   Avg.   WP   HB   Bk   SFA   SHA
2007      5.21   1-0  11      3      0       0       0    19.0        31    13     11      7    13      5      0     1     98   .356       3      1     0       1        2
2008      4.61   3-0  16      8      0       0       0    41.0        42    26     21    27    29      5      1      3  187   .271       5      1     0       0        4
2009      7.05   1-4  23      8      0       0       0    52.1        75    48     41    24    34    13      0      6  265   .332       8      7     1       3        5
Totals    5.85  5-4  50    19      0       0       0  112.1      148     87    73    58    76     23      1   10  550   .316     16      9     1       4      11