Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

What: 4-game series

When: REVISED after Thursday’s rainout: Friday through Sunday (5:05 p.m. doubleheader Friday, 7:05 Saturday night, 2:05 Sunday afternoon)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, game one, RH Kyle Greenwalt (4-7, 3.87) vs. LH Frank De Los Santos (3-5, 4.08); Friday, game two, RH Jordan Lyles (4-6, 3.09) vs. RH Nick Barnese (1-1, 1.59); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (4-1, 2.59) vs. LH Matt Moore (3-3, 3.41); Sunday, RH Robert Bono (6-4, 2.27) vs. RH Shane Dyer (1-5, 4.65).

Anthony Scelfo

Hot Rod to watch: CF Anthony Scelfo (5-foot-10, 195 pounds, from New Orleans) leads Bowling Green in runs (33), walks (26) and stolen bases (7). Over 62 games, he’s batting .247 with two homers and 17 RBI. After batting .195 in May, he has improved to .289 this month. Selected by Tampa Bay in the eighth round of the 2008 draft, out of Tulane University, where he was on a football scholarship. He started in both sports his final academic year, 2007-08. He quarterbacked in all 12 football games, including eight starts over the last nine games, and finished with 1,396 yards and six touchdowns on 111-for-205 passing. He also was second on the team with 171 rushing yards and a score on 57 carries. The following spring, he hit .322 and led the Green Wave in homers (12), triples (7), runs (72), total bases (133), walks (54), slugging (.578) and on-base percentage (.453). Scelfo was named to the New York-Penn League all-star team in his first pro season, last year with Hudson Valley. He hit .281 with four homers and 24 RBI over 61 games, and led the league with eight triples.

Michael Diaz

Legend to watch: IF/DH Michael Diaz (5-10, 180, from Bridgeport, Conn.) has hits in nine of his last 10 games (12-for-35, .343). Overall, he’s hitting .264 with three homers, 10 RBI, eight runs and four stolen bases over 36 games. With runners in scoring position, he’s 11-for-26 (.423). Selected by the Houston Astros in the 30th round of the 2008 draft, out of Southern Connecticut State, he played 48 games for Tri-City in the New York-Penn League last summer. He went 50-for-177 (.282) with five homers, 22 RBI, 29 runs and six stolen bases. This season, he played one game with Double-A Corpus Christi (0-for-1) before being assigned to the Legends. Oddly, he is hitting .348 on the road and .169 at Applebee’s Park. The same was true with Tri-City, as he hit .351 on the road and .205 at home.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Also of interest: Blogger Mike Tauser has named his “Farmstros Five” for the week: Top performer LHP Luis Cruz of Greeneville; RHP Jordan Lyles of Lexington; OF T.J. Steele of Lancaster; and a pair of former Legends, LHP Polin Trinidad of Corpus Christi and RHP Bud Norris of Round Rock. You can find the blog at: http://farmstros.blogspot.com/

The Houston Astros announced Saturday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with SS Tommy Manzella.

Manzella is the fifth player with past ties to the Lexington Legends — South Atlantic League affiliate of the Astros — to come to terms in the last three days. He joins OF Brian Bogusevic, RHP Chris Sampson, IF Drew Sutton and C J.R. Towles.

Tommy Manzella

Manzella, 25, agreed to a deal with a corresponding Major League value of $400,000. He hit .259 (117-for-452) while splitting last season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock. He was named a Texas League All-Star and earned Defensive Player of the Month awards with both the Hooks (April) and Express (August). A third-round draft pick out of Tulane in 2005, he was a non-roster invitee to big-league training camp last year, going 6-for-19 (.316) in 11 games with the Astros.

* Astros pitchers and catchers had their first spring training workout Saturday at the Osceola County Stadium complex in Kissimmee, Fla. Of 35 players due Saturday, only RHP Jose Capellan did not show, due to a travel delay. All 27 pitchers in camp threw a 15-minute bullpen session.

The first full-squad workout is scheduled for Tuesday. Grapefruit League play begins Feb. 25, against the Washington Nationals at Kissimmee. Houston’s first road game in Florida will be Feb. 26, at Orlando, against the Atlanta Braves.

The Astros will finish pre-season work with a pair of exhibitions at Houston, April 3, vs. the Cleveland Indians. Houston opens the regular season at home, April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.

* Cincinnati Reds pitchers and catchers also reported Saturday, at the City of Sarasota (Fla.) Sports Complex Of 37 players due, only C Humberto Cota was absent. He is en route from Mexico. Position players are due Tuesday.

* Thanks to Sally Gunter of the Astros and Rob Butcher of the Reds for providing information for this entry.