Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

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

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Boston Red Sox (Drive)

Legends probable pitchers: Thursday, RH Christian Binford (0-1, 5.00); Friday, LH Colin Rodgers (0-0, 3.12); Saturday, LH Daniel Stumpf (1-0, 0.00); Sunday, RH Aroni Nina (0-1, 5.63).

Mike Miller

Drive to watch: 2B/SS/3B Mike Miller (5-foot-9, 170 pounds, age 23, bats and throws right, from Concord, Calif.) is 14-for-30 (.467) over his first nine games through Tuesday. That includes five doubles and a stolen base, with two RBI and seven runs. He has a .500 on-base percentage, slugging .633. Selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of last June’s draft, Miller led Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in batting (.354 over 56 games) while earning All-Big West Conference honors. Last summer, he played for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, batting .261 over 66 games. He finished with a .337 on-base percentage, a homer, 15 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts.

Terrance Gore

Legend to watch: LF Terrance Gore (5-7, 159, 21, bats and throws right, from Macon, Ga.) leads the Legends with seven stolen bases in eight attempts, a triple and nine runs. He is 11-for-42 (.262), with three doubles and two RBI. Selected by the Royals in the 20th round of the 2011 draft, he has stolen 60 bases in 63 career attempts as a pro, including a 17-for-17 start with the Surprise Royals of the Arizona League in 2011. A 2010 graduate of Jones County (Ga.) High School, he batted .474 with 49 stolen bases as a senior, and 145 thefts in his high school career. Gore attended Gulf Coast (Fla.) Community College one season, batting .330 with 51 steals in 54 attempts. Last year, with Burlington of the Appalachian League, he hit .256 while leading the league in runs (50) and steals (36-for-38), tied for fourth in walks (36) and ninth in on-base percentage (.379). Rated by Baseball America as “Fastest Baserunner” in the Royals system in 2012 and 2013.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Promotions — Thirsty Thursday ($1 beers, soft drinks). … Friday includes a “meet and greet” event with the Cat in the Hat (tickets $12 advance, $14 at gate for kids; includes admission to the event and game, plus a meal voucher. Adult tickets, $7, include the event and game). Legends players will read stories at the meet and greet. … Saturday includes a post-game fireworks show and a Girls Scouts overnight campout. … Kids Club Sunday includes a post-game opportunity for kids to run the bases.

South Atlantic League baseball

Greenville Drive
at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

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

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Boston Red Sox (Drive)

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Miguel Almonte (0-1, 5.79) vs. RH Pat Light (0-0, 9.00); Friday, RH Christian Binford (0-1, 7.20) vs. LH Brian Johnson (0-1, 2.25); Saturday, LH Colin Rodgers (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Frank Montas (0-0, 3.18); Sunday, LH Daniel Stumpf (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Cody Kukuk (1-0, 3.60).

Braden Kapteyn

Drive to watch: RHP Braden Kapteyn (6-foot-4, 225 pounds, from Lansing, Ill., age 23) is well known to fans of the University of Kentucky, where he was a two-way player on the mound and at first base. At UK, Kapteyn went 7-3 with eight saves and 91 strikeouts over 71 2/3 inning. He batted .300 in 2011, driving in 42 runs and scoring 42. A 15th round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2011, Kapteyn appeared in 12 games in 2011 and 19 games last year for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, going a combined 0-1 with seven saves. In two relief outings this season, Kapteyn has yielded four runs over four innings, losing his only decision. He held opponents to a .176 batting average over 14 innings in 2011, .107 over 34 2/3 last year and .083 thus far this season.

Cameron Gallagher

Legend to watch: C Cameron Gallagher (6-2, 220, from Lancaster, Pa., 20, bats/throws right) is 9-for-23 (.391) through his first six games, with four doubles, an RBI and two runs. He also has gunned down four of seven runners trying to steal. A 2011 second-round draft pick of the Royals, out of Manheim Township (Pa.) High School, he batted .434 with four homers, 19 RBI, 29 runs and 10 stolen bases as a senior. In 2011, over 28 games with the Arizona League Royals and Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League, Gallagher hit .157 with two homers, nine RBI and eight runs. Last year, over 36 games with Burlington of the Appalachian League, he batted .276 with three homers, 15 RBI and 13 runs; he was rated the 20th-best prospect in the league. Gallagher’s father, Glenn, pitched in the Blue Jays organization after being selected in the third round of the 1981 draft. Cameron’s brother, Austin, was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2007 draft.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

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

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (1-1, 2.08) vs. RH Luis Diaz (0-1, 3.00); Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-2, 21.94) vs. LH Henry Owens (1-1, 12.15); Wednesday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 6.00) vs. RH Matt Barnes (1-0, 0.00)

David Renfroe

Drive to watch: 3B David Renfroe (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, from Batesville, Miss.) brings a seven-game hitting streak to Lexington. He is second on the Drive with a .355 average (11-for-31) and leads the team in hits (11), doubles (5), homers (2), total bases (22), slugging (.710) and OPS (1.138). Selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2009 draft, out of South Panola High School in Batesville, he had committed to play quarterback for the Ole Miss football team. Instead, he turned pro and hit .190 in 2010, with two homers and 13 RBI over 58 games with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League. Last year, in 107 games for Greenville, Renfroe hit .240 with eight homers, 45 RBI and 43 runs. In high school,where he batted .470 with seven homers,35 RBI and 18 stolen bases as a senior, he pitched and played shortstop. His father, Laddie, made four relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs in 1991.

Luis Cruz

Legend to watch: LHP Luis Cruz (5-9, 170, from San Juan, Puerto Rico) is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA over three relief appearances and 8 1/3 innings. After giving up four runs in his first appearance, he has been solid. He surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings at Hagerstown. Then, in Thursday’s home opener against Kannapolis, Cruz tossed four innings of one-hit shutout ball. Overall, he has 12 strikeouts and no walks. Selected by the Astros in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, Cruz made seven starts that year for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, going 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA. With the same team in 2009, he finished 1-4, 6.75. Cruz spent 2010 with the Legends, making 16 starts and finishing 8-5, 3.61. Last year, he split time between Lexington (5-4, 4.45) and the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League (0-1, 14.54).

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7 each night except Sunday, 4 p.m.)

Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Foltynewicz

Alaniz

Quevedo

Cruz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-8, 4,27) vs. RH Brandon Workman (3-6, 3.94); Saturday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.56) vs. RH Keith Couch (5-3, 2.97); Sunday, LH Luis Cruz (3-2, 4.09) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (5-4, 3.43); Monday, RH Carlos Quevedo (7-4, 3.83) vs. RH Kyle Stroup (3-5, 4.03).

Hector Rodriguez

Legend to watch: 2B/3B Hector Rodriguez (5-foot-11, 160 pounds, from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) made his Legends debut Wednesday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. The right-handed batter and thrower began the season by playing six games in the California League with the Lancaster JetHawks (.111, 2 runs), then played 17 games in the New York-Penn League with the Tri-City ValleyCats (.176, 3 RBI, 7 runs, 2 steals). Signed by the Astros as a free agent, Rodriguez broke in with the Dominican Summer League Astros in 2008, batting .214 with six RBI, 11 runs and four steals. With the same club in 2009, he improved to .269, 10 RBI, 33 runs and eight steals, earning all-star honors. Last year, with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, Rodriguez hit .303 with nine RBI, 15 runs and two stolen bases. He was Greeneville’s Defensive Player of the Month last August.

Christian Vazquez

Drive to watch: C Christian Vazquez (5-9, 195, from San Juan, Puerto Rico), in seven games against the Legends this season, is 7-for-26 (.269) with a double, four homers, seven RBI, six runs and a gaudy 1.091 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages). He earned SAL Player of the Week honors on June 27. Overall, Vazquez is hitting .268 with 13 homers, 60 RBI, 57 runs and an .804 OPS over 82 games. Selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2008 draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy high school, the right-hander broke in with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, batting .190 with five RBI and seven runs over 21 games. In 2009, playing 10 games for the GCL Sox and 21 with the NYPL’s Lowell Spinners, Vazquez totaled two homers, 16 RBI and nine runs, batting .178. Last year, over 79 games with the Drive, he hit .263 with three homers, 32 RBI and 34 runs.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball (REVISED Greenville pitching rotation)

                                    South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 5:05 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Alaniz

Cruz

Sogard

Quevedo

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-4, 4.78) vs. RH Keith Couch (2-1, 3.34); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (1-0, 2.04 vs. RH Chris Martin (4-0, 2.74); Saturday, RH Carlos Quevedo (5-3, 4.62) vs. RH Miguel Celestino (5-4, 4.43); Sunday, LH Alex Sogard (1-2, 4.58) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (4-3, 3.75).

Brandon Jacobs

Drive to watch: All-star LF Brandon Jacobs (6-foot-1, 225 pounds, from Snellville, Ga.) is batting .323 with nine homers, 39 RBI, 36 runs and 14 stolen bases over 57 games. He also has a .397 on-base and .529 slugging percentage. Selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2009 draft out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga., he had been committed to play football (running back) for Auburn University. As a high school senior, he hit .511 with seven homers 16 RBI and a 1.307 slugging percentage. The Red Sox offered $750,000 to win out over Auburn and assigned him to their Gulf Coast League team, where he went 6-for-24 (.250) in eight games. Last year, with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, Jacobs hit .242 with a team-leading six homers and 18 doubles. He also had 31 RBI and 30 runs over 64 games. Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him as the 27th-best prospect in Boston’s system.

Jorge DeLeon

Legend to watch: RHP Jorge DeLeon (6-0, 182, from La Cega Azua, Dominican Republic) saved 10 of the Legends’ 35 first-half wins. With a 1-3 record and 2.43 ERA, DeLeon has worked 29 2/3 innings over 21 games, with a 1.04 WHIP and 25 strikeouts to six walks. All this while holding opponents to a .214 batting average. His last eight appearances, spanning nine innings, he has not given up an earned runs, striking out nine and walking two. DeLeon has been toughest at home, where he is 1-1-4 with a 0.71 ERA. Signed by the Astros on May 30, 2006, as a non-drafted free agent, DeLeon played shortstop for his first four pro seasons before moving to the mound last year. His infielder days included a 43-game tour with the Legends in 2009, when he hit .187 and drove in nine runs. With the New York-Penn League’s Tri-City ValleyCats last season, DeLeon went 2-1 with six saves and a 0.64 ERA over 23 relief appearances. Armed with a top-end 98 mph fastball, he struck out 29, walked 12 and earned a spot on Houston’s 40-man roster. Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him as the 20th-best prospect in the Astros system.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

                                      South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

When: Sunday through Tuesday (4 Sunday afternoon, 7 Monday and Tuesday nights)

Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Sogard

Quevedo

Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (5-1, 3.57) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (4-1, 3.83); Monday, RH Carlos Quevedo (4-3, 5.27) vs. RH Miguel Celestino (3-3, 4.70); Tuesday, LH Alex Sogard (1-1, 3.14) vs. RH Keith Couch (0-1, 3.86).

Drive to watch: CF/RF Henry Ramos (6-foot-2, 187 pounds, from Maunabo, Puerto Rico) is a right-handed-throwing, switch-hitter who is equally versatile in a variety of sports — having been a member of Puerto Rico’s junior national soccer and tennis teams. With the Drive, Ramos is batting .277 with a homer, seven RBI and seven runs scored over 12 games. A 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Alfonso Casta Martinez High School, broke into pro ball last year with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox (43 games) and the New York-Penn League’s Lowell Spinners (7 games). In the Gulf Coast League, Ramos hit .309 with eight doubles, a triple, three homers, 26 RBI and 18 runs, while stealing 12 bases in 18 attempts. He also had a .370 on-base percentage and .449 slugging percentage. With Lowell, he went 3-for-24 (.125) with two RBI and a run scored.

Tyler Burnett

Legend to watch: 1B Tyler Burnett (6-0, 205, from Murfreesboro, Tenn.) batting .286 with six doubles, a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 19 runs scored over 38 games. The left-handed hitting, right-handed thrower has drawn 13 walks to 15 strikeouts and is 6-for-8 in stolen-base attempts. He is 10-for-25 (.400) when leading off an inning. Over his last four games (through Friday), Burnett is 6-for-13 (.461), with a three-hit game Friday. Also a quarterback and punter in high school, he attended his hometown university, Middle Tennessee State. As a Blue Raiders senior last year, Burnett earned all-Sun Belt Conference honors by hitting .351 with 12 homers, 46 RBI and 56 runs. A 17th round draft pick, he was assigned by the Astros to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL, where he hit .250 with six homers, 31 RBI and 39 runs over 71 games. An NYPL all-star, he also stole six bases and had 45 walks versus 56 strikeouts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Sunday through Wednesday (2:05 p.m. Sunday; 10:05 a.m. Monday and Wednesday; 7:05 p.m. Tuesday)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Affiliations: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Tanner Bushue

David Duncan

Robby Donovan

Juan Minaya

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (2-1, 2.04) vs. RH Kendal Volz (3-2, 3.34); Monday, LH David Duncan (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (2-2, 2.73); Tuesday, RH Robby Donovan (2-3, 3.60) vs. RH Pedro Perez (2-2, 5.40); Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (0-5, 5.94) vs. RH Pete Ruiz (4-2, 4.25).

Chris McGuiness

Drive to watch: 1B Chris McGuiness (6-foot-1, 210 pounds, from Charleston, S.C.) is hitting .282 with a team-leading five homers and 24 RBI over 33 games. He also leads the team in hits (33), total bases (58) and walks (23), and carries a lofty .904 OPS. Selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round of last June’s draft, out of The Citadel, where he hit .367 with 15 HR and 59 RBI in 59 games his junior season, leading the country in walks (65) and leading the team with a .520 on-base percentage. He then played 60 games of pro ball in 2009 — six games with Greenville and 54 with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, hitting a combined .245 with six HR and 39 RBI. He earned mid-season all-star honors in the NYPL.

Tanner Bushue

Legend to watch: Sunday starter Tanner Bushue (6-4, 180, from Kinmundy, Ill.) ranks ninth in the league with his 2.04 ERA. He leads the Legends with 39 2/3 innings pitched and 36 strikeouts. He has issued 12 walks over his seven starts. Over his last four starts (26 innings), he has yielded three earned runs and four walks while striking out 20. Selected by the Astros in the second round (69th overall) of last June’s draft, out of South Central High School, Bushue is the youngest player on the Lexington roster, 18. As a high school senior, Bushue 8-3 with an 0.62 ERA over 13 games and 68 1/3 innings. He struck out 140 and walked 22. Once signed by the Astros last year (for $530,000), he tossed five games for the Gulf Coast League Astros, going 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA, 19 strikeouts and five walks over 22 innings. Coming into this season, Baseball America ranked Bushue No. 7 among Astros prospects.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Coming up

South Atlantic League baseball

Greenville Drive at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

Where: Applebee’s Park

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday, Saturday and Monday nights; 2:05 p.m. Sunday)

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867  

Jose Cisnero

Brandt Walker

Tanner Bushue

Juan Minaya

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Jose Cisnero (0-0, 1.93) vs. RH Roman Mendez (0-1, 21.60); Saturday, RH Brandt Walker (1-0, 1.80) vs. RH Ryan Pressly (0-0, 6.00); Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-0, 4.15) vs. RH Yeiper Castillo (1-0, 2.53); Monday, RH Juan Minaya (0-1, 7.50) vs. LH Drake Britton (0-1, 2.00).

Derrik Gibson

Drive to watch: 2B Derrik Gibson (6-foot-1, 170 pounds, from Seaford, Del.), a 2008 second-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, turned down a scholarship to North Carolina and turned pro. A  senior at Seaford (Del.) High School, he hit .636 with five HR and 29 RBI. He also pitched, winning 15 games over his junior and season seasons. Gibson broke in to pro ball with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, batting .309 with nine RBI and 15 runs over 27 games. Called up to the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, he hit .086 over 14 games. For the season, he finished 16-for-16 in stolen-base attempts (14 in the GCL, two in the NYPL). Last year, spending a full season with Lowell, Gibson batted .290, with 25 RBI and a league-leading 54 runs. He was named a league all-star, as well Red Sox minor-league baserunner of the year (28-for-33 steals). Baseball America rates him the 10th-best prospect in the Boston system and describes him as “a classic leadoff hitter” with “plus-plus speed and supreme control of the strike zone.” Gibson is off to a strong start in 2010, opening with a five-game hitting streak. Through Wednesday, he leads the Drive with a .348 average (8-for-23).  

Rene Garcia

Legend to watch: C Rene Garcia (6-1, 172, from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico) was selected by the Houston Astros in the 35th round of the June 2008 draft, when he was 18. He hit .295 for Greeneville of the Appalachian League in 2008, .202 for Tri-City of the NYPL last year. In his first four games as a Legend (through Wednesday), Garcia is second on the team with a .389 average (7-for-18). He also has three RBI and has scored five times. He shares backstop duties with veteran Jonathan Fixler.

Opening night – Friday: Poster Giveaway, Little Legend of 2010, ADI Fireworks. … Throwing ceremonial pre-game pitches will be J.J. Cannon and Charley Taylor. Cannon managed the Legends in 2001 and ’02, guiding the initial club to the best record in the minors, winning 96 games and a South Atlantic League championship. Taylor, pitching coach in each of the Legends’ first eight seasons and a fellow Legends Hall of Famer, continues to recover from bladder cancer. … Legends players will be in “formal” attire, clad in specially designed “tuxedo” jerseys. … Team president and CEO Alan Stein has a pair of opening night guarantees. First, he guarantees that game-time temperature will be 60 degrees or warmer and, second, that the Legends will win. If the temperature is below 60, fans in attendance will receive a voucher for a ticket to a later Legends game. If the Legends lose, Stein will shave off his mustache for the first time in 40 years. … Friday is “Dollar Day,” featuring Pepsi, beer and hot dogs for $1 each.

Other series promotions —  Saturday: Magnet Giveaway (first 1,000 fans); Dave The Horn Guy. Sunday: Kids Club Day, presented by JIF; Monday: Kids Eat Free, presented by Member’s Heritage.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

When: Saturday through Monday (7:05 Saturday and Monday nights, 2:05 Sunday afternoon)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Saturday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (8-12, 3.85) vs. RH Stolmy Pimental (9-7, 3.76); Sunday, RH Jordan Lyles (6-11, 3.23) vs. LH Fabian Williamson (10-4, 2.30); Monday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (7-5, 3.87) vs. RH Jeremy Kehrt (1-1, 3.51).

Will Middlebrooks

Drive to watch: 3B Will Middlebrooks (6-foot-3, 197 pounds, from Wake Village, Texas) took a 12-game hitting streak into Friday’s game against Kannapolis. Overall, Middlebrooks is batting .265 with seven homers and 54 RBI over 94 games. He has scored 49 runs and stolen five bases. Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2007 draft, he was 61-for-110 (.555) with five homers, 48 RBI and 22 steals in 38 games that year for Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas, and also went 13-0 pitching. With the Lowell Spinners last year, Middlebrooks hit .254 and led the team with 17 doubles. He also ranked second or third on the team in games (59), steals (10-for-10), hits (53) and extra-base hits (20). He led third basemen in the New York-Penn League with a fielding percentage of .927. Rated by Baseball America as having the “best infield arm” in the Red Sox system the last two years.

Russell Dixon

Legend to watch: RF Russell Dixon (6-2, 205, from Houston) has come alive at the plate, with hits in seven consecutive games until going 0-for-4 Thurday. Over those seven games, Dixon went 10-for-25 (.400), with six RBI and four runs scored. Included in that span were a two-hit game and a three-hit game — all five hits being doubles. Dixon struggled early in the season, hitting .134 over 30 games with the Legends. That earned him a demotion to extended spring training. He then moved to Tri-City of the New York-Penn League, where he hit .302 with a homer and 11 RBI over 38 games. In 12 games since rejoining the Legends, Dixon is hitting .244. Selected by the Houston Astros in the seventh round of the 2007 draft, out of Auburn University, Dixon hit .237 for the Legends last season, with three homers, 33 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Travis Driskill

Also of note: CF Jay Austin and LHP Michael Hacker have been activated from the disabled list. OF Steve Brown has been promoted to High-A Lancaster, while LHP Antonio Noguera moves to the inactive list. … The Astros have ticketed 10 Legends for Instructional League work, starting in mid-September: Austin, 2B Albert Cartwright, LHP Brad Dydalewicz, C Federico Hernandez, RHP Arcenio Leon, RHP Jordan Lyles, RHP Matt Nevarez, RHP Ross Seaton, RHP Henry Villar and SS Brandon Wikoff. Also scheduled to attend is LHP Patrick Urckfitz, who was recently promoted to High-A Lancaster. Instructors include Legends pitching coach Travis Driskill and two former Lexington staffers: Stubby Clapp (hitting coach) and Mike Smith (strength and conditioning coordinator). Pitching coach Charley Taylor, who missed this season due to bladder-cancer surgery, also plans to attend. … Mike Tauser’s most recent “Farmstros Five” players of the week is topped by Corpus Christi OF Drew Locke. The other four: Wikoff, Greeneville RHP Abraham Gonzalez and a pair of former Legends — Round Rock LHP Josh Muecke and Lancaster DH/OF/C Koby Clemens. For more details, see http://farmstros.blogspot.com/

South Atlantic League baseball

UPDATED ROTATION

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Tuesday through Friday (7 o’clock each night)

Where: Fluor Field at the West End (Greenville, S.C.)

Probable pitcher (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (7-10, 3.89) vs. RH Mike Lee (3-4, 4.15); Wednesday, RH Jordan Lyles (6-9, 3.42) vs. LH Fabian Williamson (7-2, 2.13); Thursday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (6-4, 3.12) vs. RH Stolmy Pimentel (9-6, 3.14); Friday, TBA vs. RH Brock Huntzinger (7-8, 4.17).

Ryan Lavarnway

Drive to watch: C Ryan Lavarnway (6-foot-4, 225 pounds, from Woodland Hills, Calif.) leads the team in doubles (27), homers (14), RBI (56) and total bases (153), and is tied for the lead in hits (80). Hitting .278 over 74 games (.299 since the all-star break), he also is slugging .531, has scored 43 runs and hit four sacrifice flies. Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 draft, out of Yale University, Lavarnway made his pro debut a year ago this week with the short-season A Lowell Spinners, for whom he hit .211 (15-for-71) with two homers, nine RBI and 10 runs over 22 games. At Yale, Lavarnway became the Ivy League career leader in homers, socking 33 over three seasons.

Jordan Lyles

Legend to watch: Wednesday starter Jordan Lyles (6-4, 185, from Hartsville, S.C.) gets another start in his home state coming off a sparkling effort Friday against the Charleston RiverDogs — six innings of three-hit, shutout ball in an 11-0 victory, with eight strikeouts to two walks. Lyles has set career bests across the board, including wins (6), ERA (3.42), games (20) and strikeouts (133). His 110 2/3 innings pitched are exactly double his 2008 total, and he has given up only 32 walks. Selected by the Houston Astros in the supplemental first round of the 2008 draft (38th overall), Lyles came into this season rated by Baseball America as the sixth-best prospect in the Houston syste, projected as the Astros’ 2012 No. 4 starter. Last year, in 13 starts with the Greeneville Astros and two starts for the Tri-City ValleyCats, Lyles was a combined 3-3 with a 4.23 ERA, 68 strikeouts and 17 walks.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300