Mark Maloney on sports

University of Kentucky baseball fans know all about the 2008 big-league successes of Brandon Webb, Joe Blanton and Scott Downs.

But, to start the new year, how about a look at the old year for UK products in the minor leagues?

Brent Ingram, UK baseball’s sports information guru, has the scoop:

Andrew Albers

After a stellar four-year career at Kentucky, Andrew Albers signed with the San Diego Padres as a 10th round pick. Albers pitched in five games last season for the AZL Padres of the Rookie Arizona League, finishing with a 1-0 record and giving up no earned runs. Albers pitched seven innings, allowing only three hits and striking out seven. He only walked three and opponents batted only .196 against him.

Andy Green

Lexington native Andy Green had a successful 2008 campaign in the minor leagues. He played 71 games for triple-A Louisville in the Cincinnati Reds organization before moving to the Florida Marlins triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. The middle infielder and former big leaguer, struggled early in the season with Louisville, hitting only .233 with 19 RBI and five home runs, but came on strong after moving to the Marlins organization. There he had a .331 batting average hitting eight home runs, four in his last 10 games, and had 28 RBI. He also posted a .448 on-base percentage. He is currently a free-agent.

Antone DeJesus

Playing in the Class A Advanced Florida State League, Antone DeJesus had a successful 2008. A speedy and above-average centerfielder, DeJesus hit .278 in 2008, scoring 41 runs and posting an on-base percentage of .405. The Amherst, Ohio, native had 71 hits with the Palm Beach Cardinals with four doubles and four triples. DeJesus hit better late in the season with 16 hits in 33 at-bats in his last 10 games of the season.  He finished the season on the teams top-ten list in batting average, triples, walks, sacrifices, hit-by-pitch and on-base percentage. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals Class A Palm Beach Cardinals.

Caleb Stewart

A native of Ashland, Ky., Caleb Stewart had a very successful season in 2008 playing for the Birmingham Mets. Stewart finished the year with a batting average of .279 with the Mets, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 57 RBI. Stewart also hit 29 doubles and stole seven bases with the double-A team. The corner outfielder had an on-base percentage of .365 and he played in 112 games in 2008. 

Collin Cowgill

After being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2008 MLB Draft, former first-team All-American Collin Cowgill had an impressive start to his minor league career. He played for two teams in 2008, making an impressive rise through the Diamondbacks system. Cowgill began his professional career with the Yakima Bears out of the Northwest League, playing in 20 games, hitting 11 home runs with a .304 batting average and 28 RBI. Although only playing in 20 games, he still had more home runs than anyone else on the Bears roster for the entire season and led the Northwest League in home runs. After earning a promotion, the Lexington native advanced to the South Bend Silver Hawks, where he was reunited with former UK teammate Sean Coughlin. Cowgill’s hot hitting cooled a bit for the Silver Hawks as he posted a .249 batting average and hit only one home run in 50 games. Cowgill was also chosen as a Northwest League Player of the Week twice in his stint with the Yakima Bears.  

Greg Dombrowski

After exiting his UK career as the all-time record holder in winning percentage, Greg Dombrowski signed a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Playing in the Gulf Coast League for the Reds, the Rome, N.Y., native pitched in four games in the 2008 season. He posted an ERA of 2.25 in four innings. He allowed only five hits and one earned run while striking out six. The right hander was lights out against right-handed batters this year, allowing only two hits and no earned runs, continuing to show excellent command and poise on the mound.   

John Shelby

Tabbed as the seventh-best prospect in the White Sox organization by Baseball America, John Shelby had a very impressive 2008 season. Playing for the Winston-Salem Dash in high class A, Shelby posted a batting average of .295, hitting 15 home runs with 80 RBI. He had 132 hits on the year with 37 doubles and nine triples. More impressive, Shelby stole 33 bases this season, only getting caught stealing five times. He had an on-base percentage of .331 and a slugging percentage of .510. The right-handed batter showed consistent hitting against both right and left-handed pitchers, hitting .293 against lefties and .296 against righties. His best month of play came in August where he hit .342 with five homers, 22 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He was also chosen to be a Carolina Coast League Post Season All-Star.

Michael Bertram

A native of Lexington, Ky., Michael Bertram had a successful 2008 season with the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Playing alongside former UK teammate Ryan Strieby, Bertram was the team leader in batting average, hitting .285 with eight home runs and 55 RBI. Bertram was a recipient of the Florida State League Player of the Week award. Bertram stepped up his play after the All-Star break. He hit .294 with seven home runs and 35 RBI after the all-star break, after totaling one home run and 20 RBI in the first half of the season. Bertram improved his numbers from last year, when he tallied two homers and hit for a .251 average.

Ryan Strieby

Playing in the Florida State League with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, Ryan Strieby had an amazing 2008 season for the Detroit Tigers Class A affiliate. The former All-American and UK’s first ever Southeastern Conference Player of the Year led the team in home runs with 29 and RBI with 94. Strieby hit .278 in 112 games last year with 19 doubles and seven triples, despite missing the final month of the season due to injury. Like his former Kentucky teammate and current Flying Tiger teammate Michael Bertram, Strieby’s bat really came alive after the All-Star break. He hit an impressive .308 after the break with 21 home runs and 56 RBI. He was chosen as a Florida South League Mid-Season All-Star.   

Ryan Wilkes

Playing in only eight games for the Staten Island Yankees, Ryan Wilkes put up decent numbers in his short stint in with the team. A 2008 first-team All-SEC selection at second base and Rawlings Gold Glove winner, posted a batting average of .227 with two runs scored, five hits and one RBI. The Harrison, Tenn., native played in the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League.  

Sawyer Carroll

Drafted in the third round by the San Diego Padres in the 2008 MLB Draft, Sawyer Carroll played for two teams during the 2008 season, following Collin Cowgill’s path through the beginnings of the minor leagues. Carroll began his professional career with the Eugene Emeralds out of the Northwest League, hitting .299 with eight home runs and 39 RBI. Although he only played in 46 games with the Emeralds, Carroll still was the team’s leading home run hitter for the 2008 season. Carroll’s second team to play for was the Fort Wayne TinCaps from the Class A Midwest League. The former consensus first team All-American at Kentucky, hit .219 with the TinCaps, totaling 14 hits. Carroll went homerless with the TinCaps, but had three doubles. The Stillwater, Okla., native was also chosen as a Northwest League Post-Season All-Star.

Scott Green

UK highest draft pick since World Series champion Joe Blanton was selected in the first round in 2002, Scott Green had a successful rookie campaign for the Detroit Tigers, pitching for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Green, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound righty, pitched in 15 games for the Whitecaps and posted a 3.57 ERA. He pitched 17.2 innings, allowing seven earned runs on 14 hits while striking out 15. The Louisville, Ky., native gave up one home run while only walking five batters. Green finished the 2008 season with a 1-2 record.

Sean Coughlin

Catcher Sean Coughlin had a very successful 2008 season, playing part of the year with former UK teammate Collin Cowgill on the South Bend Silver Hawks. Coughlin hit .240 with 15 home runs and 81 RBI. A former first-team All-American in 2006 ripped an impressive 24 doubles. He hit extremely well with runners on-base posting a .269 average and driving in 75. He posted an on-base percentage of .341 and played in 103 games for the Silver Hawks. Coughlin was also named Midwest League player of the week once and was a Midwest League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star. The Morrison, Colo., native is in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and was selected as one of the most improved position players in the organization.  

Tyler Howe

Former UK catcher and reliever Tyler Howe played in 14 games for the Gulf Coast League Mets in 2008 after getting drafted in the 41st round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He posted a batting average of .306, hitting five doubles and driving in six runs. Howe, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound backstop, also had a strong on-base percentage of .444. His best month of play came in July where he hit .300 with six RBI and two doubles. Howe hit .375 with runners in scoring position and .344 against right-handed pitching. 

Zach Dials

Playing for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Zach Dials had a good 2008 season, after advancing to double-A in his first year as a professional. He pitched in 36 games for the Fisher Cats gathering 36.2 innings pitched. In those innings, he posted a 4.91 ERA, allowing 20 earned runs while striking out 36. He only gave up three home runs and walked only 14 batters. He finished the season with 15 saves and a 2-3 record.

The Lexington Legends aren’t alone among South Atlantic League teams in changing managers (Tom Lawless in, Gregg Langbehn out).

Other new bosses in 2009 include Matt LeCroy (Hagerstown), Dusty Wathan (Lakewood), Ernie Young (Kannapolis) and Aaron Holbert (Lake County). West Virginia, switching affiliations from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh, also will have a new manager.

Young, part of the 2000 Olympic gold-medal team, will work on occasion with a man familiar to Reds fans. Ron Oester is the roving infield instructor in the White Sox organization.

Ex files

Off-season moves by the Astros include the release of right-handers Raymar Diaz, Jake Leonhardt and Luis Pardo, catcher Kevin Carceek, second baseman Greg Buchanan, shortstops Bryan Brown and Tim Torres and outfielder Cesar Quintero. All are ex-Legends.

Pitchers Doug Arguello, Chance Douglass, Paul Estrada, Mark McLemore became free agents, as did shorstops Osvaldo Fernando and Roberto Mena, and outfielder-turned-hitting-coach Todd Self. Arguello has since re-signed with the Astros.

* More on ex-Legends: catcher Danny Fatheree signed with the Cubs, and left-hander Phil Barzilla with the Padres. Catcher Hector Gimenez was granted free-agency by Tampa Bay, right-hander Cory Doyne by Baltimore.

* Two former Kentucky Wildcats have come or gone with New York teams. Second baseman Andy Green, out of Lexington Christian Academy, signed with the Mets. Shortstop Ryan Wilkes was released by the Yankees.

Young Wildcats rank high

We recently went over Kentucky’s fall signing class, which projects for the 2010 season. Of course, there’s always the danger (likelihood?) of losing committments to the Major League draft.

So what of the 2007 fall class — the first-year players who actually made it on to campus and are eligible to play for the Wildcats this season?

The class of 11 players, which includes five high school all-Americans, is ranked No. 4 in the nation by Baseball America. That’s the best ranking ever for a UK class – and not a bad way for former pitching coach Gary Henderson to start out his first season as head coach. Four of the top five teams and six of the top 11 are from the Southeastern Conference. Louisville is No. 20.

“We are very excited about our new group,” Henderson said in a UK press release. “These young men are very gifted physically, but even more impressive as people and competitors. Despite losing some signees to the 2008 MLB Draft in June, we are ecstatic about this group and we expect several of them to contribute in SEC play immediately.”

The high school all-Americans in the class are right-handers Alex Meyer and Braden Kapteyn, catcher Michael Williams, middle infielder Andy Burns and outfielder Cory Farris. According to Baseball America’s Aaron Fitt, the 6-foot-7 Meyer is “the (Southeastern) conference’s best recruit.”

Five recruits are from Kentucky – Farris (Boone County), outfielder Chad Wright (Heath) and three right-handers: Chase Greene (West Jessamine), Sean Bouthilette (Elizabethtown) submarining junior-college transfer Nick Kennedy (Paducah). Wright is the brother of Cats outfielder Brock Wright.

Two more Cats are JUCO transfers: Gunner Glad and Will Campbell.

Only three recruits from the fall 2007 signing period didn’t make it to Lexington — pitchers Robbie Ross and Seth Lintz signed as second-round draft picks and Daniel Webb landed in junior college.

The rankings and the players are listed below. 

Baseball America’s Top-25 Recruiting Classes (SEC team in bold)

1. Arizona State; 2. Vanderbilt; 3. Georgia ; 4. KENTUCKY; 5. Florida; 6. Texas A&M ; 7. UCLA; 8. Arkansas; 9. Texas Christian; 10. Oregon; 11. Mississippi; 12. Texas; 13. Clemson; 14. Virginia; 15. Cal State Fullerton; 16. Wichita State; 17. Fresno State; 18. Stanford; 19. Oklahoma State; 20. LOUISVILLE; 21. Pepperdine; 22. Southern California; 23. North Carolina State; 24. Florida State; 25. Duke. 

2009 UK Baseball Newcomers

Name, POS.        B/T          Ht./Wt.          Cl.           Hometown/School

Michael Williams , C             R/R          6-2 /210          FR           Knoxville, Tenn./Farragut HS

Andy Burns, IF             R/R          6-2/185          FR           Ft. Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain HS

Nick Kennedy, RHP        R/R          6-1/170          R-SO       Los Angeles/East Los Angeles

Alex Meyer, RHP        R/R          6-8/205          FR           Greensburg, Ind./Greensburg HS

Sean Bouthilette, RHP        R/R          6-2/195          FR           Elizabethtown, Ky./E-town HS

Gunner Glad , IF/RHP    R/R          6-0/190          R-JR        Tulsa, Okla./Tulsa Union/E. Okla.

Chad Wright , OF           L/R          5-10/180          FR           Paducah, Ky./Heath HS

Chase Greene, RHP/IF    R/R          6-1/180          FR           Nicholasville, Ky./W.Jessamine HS

Braden Kapteyn, IF/RHP    R/R          6-4 /205          FR           Lansing, Ill./Illiana Christian

Will Campbell, 1B/OF      R/R          6-5/265          JR            Seattle/Bellevue CC

Cory Farris, C/OF       L/R          6-1/195          FR           Florence, Ky./Boone County HS

Sure, it’s December, time for football bowls and the NFL homestretch, with college hoops and the NBA gathering steam.

But it’s never too cold to talk baseball.

So, let’s consider three teams with ties to Central Kentucky: Houston Astros (parent club of the Lexington Legends); Cincinnati Reds, and University of Kentucky.

Astros

Good guy and former Legends pitcher Chris Sampson will be Dave Raymond’s guest on the Astroline call-in show tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m.

Sampson retired after his first season of pro ball, 1999, as a shortstop for short-season A Auburn. He began his comeback as a pitcher for the Legends in 2003, going 4-3 with a 1.39 ERA over 22 games, including 14 starts. Those results earned him a mid-season promotion to Salem.

Sampson, 30, made a career-high 54 appearances last season, including 11 starts. He finished 6-4 with a 4.22 ERA; in his 43 relief assignments, Sampson was 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA. After the season, he had surgery to repair a tear in a tendon in his right elbow.

The show airs in Houston on KTRH-AM 740 and is streamed live at www.astros.com.

Reds

Great gift idea — Jerry Dowling, retired sports cartoonist for the Cincinnati Enquirer (has assembled a book of his drawings that dealt with Pete Rose, on and off the field, over four decades. Baseball Hall of Fame writer Hal McCoy wrote the introduction to Drawing Pete!

For more details, check out: http://www.edgecliffpress.com/pages/ECP_Drawing_Pete_Release.pdf

   *   Redsfest XI will take place Friday and Saturday (Dec. 12-13) at The Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati. Proceeds benefit the Reds Community Fund. Two-day tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for kids (12 and younger). One-day tickets are $15 and $7. Children under 3 will be admitted free. Tickets are available online at www.reds.com/redsfest/ or by phone (513) 381 REDS, as well as at the door.

Free player autographs and photos come with admission; nine autograph and photo booths will be staffed all weekend. The Reds indicate 50-plus current or former players will attend.

Current Reds include Bronson Arroyo, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Keppinger and Edwin Encarnacion, as well as Manager Dusty Baker.

Former Reds scheduled to attend include Mario Soto, Eric Davis, George Foster, Lee May and Tom Browning.

Also attending will be Reds TV and radio personalities: Marty and Thom Brennaman, Jeff Brantley, Chris Welsh, George Grande, Jim Day and Jeff Piecoro.

Main-stage activities include introduction of Reds players, past and present, Friday at 6 p.m. Also on Friday, music will be provided by Team Cincinnati Choir and The Bronson Arroyo Band. Both days will feature kids-only press conferences. Team awards, including Phillips’ Gold Glove Award, will be presented Saturday.

    * In case you missed it, the Cincinnati chapter of the Baseball Writers of America made Votto a unanimous pick for team MVP. Volquez was voted Pitcher of the Year and Aaron Harang won the Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award.

Wildcats

Left-handed starter Chris Rusin, Kentucky’s first pitcher to earn all-Southeastern Conference first-team honors in 11 years, has been named to the Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year Watch List. (Scott Downs did so in 1997.)

UK outfielder Sawyer Carroll was among eight semifinalists for the award last season.

As UK’s Friday night starter, Rusin, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, went 6-3 with a 3.33 ERA over 83.2 innings. He led the staff with 65 strikeouts and was later selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 23rd round of the draft. Two of his three losses came in complete-game SEC road games, with a two-game total of 18 strikeouts.

Rusin’s final start of the season, when he tried to pitch through an injury against No. 13 Michigan in NCAA regional play, was the worst outing of his career and lasted only 1.1 innings. Throw that game out and his final line would have been 6-2, 2.84 and 82.1 innings.

UK, coming off a school-record 44-win season, opens play in 2009 Feb. 20 at Myrtle Beach, S.C., under new head coach Gary Henderson. The Coastal Carolina pre-season tournament field also includes Troy and James Madison.

   *   Henderson’s first fall signing class appears impressive.

Six pitchers and one catcher signed letters of intent.

“We’re excited about this group,” Henderson said in a UK press release. “Going into the summer, our two priorities were to improve our pitching depth and to keep the best players in the state of Kentucky at home, and we felt like we did just that. All of these kids are extremely projectable and we expect them to be very good players in the Southeastern Conference. This group, along with the 2008 class (current freshmen), should enable us to continue to compete for an SEC championship annually.”

Here is a brief look at the recruits, courtesy of UK’s sports information director for baseball, Brent Ingram. 

Jon Carlson, LHP, 6-5, 200 (Rolling Meadows, Ill., Rolling Meadows H.S.)

A participant in the Perfect Game National Showcase in Minneapolis, Minn. … Named All-Conference and All-Area in 2008 … Led Rolling Meadows High School to the 2008 MSL East Championship … As a junior this past spring, he went 3-1 with two saves, while striking out 59 in 50.2 innings … Coached by Jim Lindeman … A three-year member of the “B” Honor Roll. … Henderson on Carlson: “Jon is a very talented left-handed pitcher from Illinois. He has a strong body, a very good slider, is a very good competitor and is a very good student.” 

Jordan Cooper, RHP, 6-3, 190 (Shelbyville, Tn., Shelbyville Central H.S.)

The No. 1 pitching prospect in the state of Tennessee and the 81st best prospect in the nation by Baseball America … Participated for Team Tennessee in the Junior Sunbelt Classic in McAlester, Okla. … Was on the New York Yankees team at the East Coast Professional Showcase in Lakeland, Fla. … Was on the Oakland Athletics team at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif. … Earned all-district honors as a junior … Led baseball team to the district championship and basketball team in 2008 to the district title. … Posted a 5-2 record while collecting 48 strikeouts and a 1.31 ERA in 2008. Henderson on Cooper: “Jordan is a tremendous athlete who has excellent arm strength and a quality second pitch. We are extremely excited about Jordan, who has the potential to help us early in his career.”

Joe Devine, RHP, 6-2, 180 (Mount Carmel, Ill., Wabash Valley College)

Rated as the 13th-best junior college prospect in the nation and the best in Illinois by pgcrosschecker.com … Led Wabash Valley to a 40-15 record and the 2008 GRAC Championship … Named first-team All-Conference … Earned a 7-2 record and a 2.83 ERA in 67 innings, striking out 60, walking 20 and allowing 49 hits. … Henderson on Devine: “Joe is an extremely talented Kentucky native (Owensboro Catholic) who has the ability to step in and contribute very early in his career. Joe has an outstanding frame and we expect him to only get better.” 

Sam Kidd, RHP/OF, 6-2, 170 (Hartford, Ky., Ohio County High School)

Second-team All-State selection as a junior and participant in the KHSAA Junior East/West game … While leading Ohio County to the district title in 2008, posted a 0.88 ERA and a 9-2 record, striking out 97 in 64 innings … Earned a 7-1 record and a 1.88 ERA in 52 innings, striking out 62 during 2007… Hit .527 eight doubles, two homers and 30 RBI, stealing eight bases in 2008 … In 2007, hit .337 with five doubles and 27 RBI, stealing nine bags … Owns school records for wins, strikeouts and ERA … Named academic honorable mention from 2006-08 … Played football junior season. … Henderson on Kidd: “We expect Sam to be a very good two-way player. Sam is a legitimate pitcher/hitter talent, is an extremely good competitor and an outstanding student-athlete.” 

Luke Maile, C, 6-3, 200 (Crestview Hills, Ky., Covington Catholic H.S.)

First-team All-State as a junior, Maile is considered the top prospect in the state of Kentucky … Maile, the two-time Northern Kentucky Player of the Year was named a first-team All-American by MaxPreps.com as a junior, after hitting .554 with 62 hits, 62 runs scored, six homers and 40 RBI, while hitting leadoff for Covington Catholic … Played for the Chicago White Sox team at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif., and for the Kentucky Colonels during the 2008 summer … As Covington Catholic’s cleanup hitter in 2007, hit .486 with eight homers and 66 RBI … Owns school records for season batting average (.554), RBI (66), runs scored (62), totaling the second-most walks (37) and hits (62) in program history … The career record holder for batting average, triples and RBI, ranking third in hits, second in doubles, fourth in homers, second in runs scored, third in walks and seventh in at bats … Named the team MVP in 2007-08 … Named all-state in 2007 and 2008, earning Cincinnati Enquirer All-Star honors in 2008 … Helped lead Covington Catholic to a region runner up finish in 2007 and 2008 … Has played four  years of basketball and two seasons of golf … Coached in baseball by Bill Krumpelbeck … Has earned the Mt. St. Joseph College writing award and the Northern Kentucky University writing award while maintaining a 3.2 GPA. … Father, Rich, played football for UK (1986-87) … Grandfather, Dick, was an all-American basketball player for LSU. … Henderson on Maile: “Luke is the top prospect in Kentucky. He is a strong, smart leader who plays with a tremendous amount of poise and confidence. Luke is an outstanding student who will be a very good player for us.” 

Taylor Rogers, LHP, 6-3, 170 (Littleton, Colo., Chatfield Senior H.S.)

First-team All-State as a junior in 2007 while playing at Chatfield Senior High School in Littleton, Colo. … Earned a 1.98 ERA and a 5-2 record, while striking out 82 batters in 53 innings … Tallied one save in 2007, while leading team to the state final four … Coached by Mike Yansak … Played for the Colorado Slammers during the fall of 2008 … Has played basketball for four seasons and football as a freshman. … Henderson on Rogers: “Taylor is a late-blooming athlete with tremendous potential. Taylor has a frame to add additional size and strength. He has an above-average moving fastball and a solid curveball.” 

Walter Wijas, RHP, 6-3, 200 (Elk Grove Village, Ill., Conant High School)

One of the top pitchers in Illinois, Wijas posted a staggering 0.76 ERA and a 2-1 record while striking out 40 in 28 innings in 2008 for Conant … As a sophomore, earned a 6-1 record and a 0.42 ERA, working 33 innings, with 66 strikeouts … Owns the single-season ERA mark at Conant … Hit .482 with seven doubles, two homers and 17 RBI as a sophomore and .419 with four doubles and 11 RBI as a freshman … Coached by Jerry Song … Played for the McHenry County Hurricanes during the summer of 2008. Henderson on Wijas: “Walter is one of the best pitchers in the state of Illinois. He has a strong body and has outstanding movement on his fastball.”

   *   Former UK lefty Andrew Albers has been named to the first-team All-Canada collegiate team, and junior pitcher James Paxton has been named to the third team.

Albers, from North Battleford, Saskatchewan, worked as a weekend starter, reliever and closer during his career, appearing in 81 games from 2004 through 2008. His 20 career wins are tied for fourth all-time at UK and his 12 saves rank third all-time. Last season, Albers was 7-4 with five saves and a 2.40 ERA, striking out 64 over 56.1 innings.

The San Diego Padres selected him in the eighth round of last June’s draft.

Paxton, from Ladner, British Columbia, went 4-2 with a 2.92 ERA last season. A 6-4, 215-pounder, he worked 52.1 innings, striking out 43 and yielding 46 hits over 17 games. His complete-game shutout of Ole Miss, in the final regular-season weekend of SEC play, clinched a conference tournament berth for the Cats.

All-Canada selections are compiled from a voting panel of 42 experts from Canada and the U.S., including 14 coaches, eight executives, eight scouts, three scouting directors, three former players, three writers and one broadcaster, in addition to the Canadian Baseball Network staff.

The Lexington Legends introduced their new director of broadcasting and media relations Thursday, Keith Elkins.

Elkins replaces Rob Gidel, who left to take a broadcasting position with the University of Akron. The only other full-time play-by-play voice in the Legends’ eight seasons belongs to Larry Glover, who called games from 2001 through 2007.

The Legends also announced the addition of five other front-office employees: Ty Cobb, director of creative services; Chris Wohlgamuth and Maura Kennedy, group sales; Paul Scanlon, corporate sales; and Justina Wright, staff accountant.

Cobb was named after and born on the same day as Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.

Elkins, who filled in for Gidel several times last season, is a former Lexington television sports reporter and anchor and public relations officer at the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University. In addition to play-by-play duties, he will serve as the South Atlantic League team’s primary media contact. Legends games are heard on flagship station WLXG in Lexington and 34 affiliates across the Commonwealth, making up the largest radio network in minor league baseball.

From the men’s basketball gold-medal game at the Beijing Olympics, Sunday at Wukesong Olympic Basketball Gymnasium …

The United States held off a valiant effort by world-champion Spain to take the Olympic gold with a 118-107 victory.

Dwyane Wade led Team USA with 27 points. He made four of seven three-point attempts and also had four steals.

Kobe Bryant had 20 points and six assists. LeBron James added 14 points, six rebounds and three steals. Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony each scored 13, and Paul also handed out five assists. Chris Bosh led the team in rebounds with seven, and also scored eight points.

Former University of Kentucky standout Tayshaun Prince logged 8:25 of playing time. He made all three of his field-goal attempts, finishing with six points and two rebounds.

Rudy Fernandez made five of nine three-point attempts en route to a 22-point game for Spain. Pau Gasol had 21 points and six rebounds. Also scoring in double figures: Juan Carolos Navarro, 18; Carlos Jimenez, 12; Marc Gasol 11; and Felipe Reyes, 10 (plus seven rebounds).

Boy wonder point guard Ricky Rubio, 17, finished with six points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

* The U.S. lead over Spain is 111-104 with 2:02 left.

After Spain pulled to within 91-89 early in the quarter, Team USA scored 12 of the next 15 points to lead 103-92.

The lead was cut to four, 108-104, before Dwyane Wade hit a three-pointer for the seven-point edge.

* A Rudy Fernandez three-pointer has pulled Spain to within 91-89, the U.S. leading with 8:13 to play.

* Trailing 69-61 at halftime, Spain cut Team USA’s lead to four points several times during the third quarter but could get no closer. Heading into the final 10 minutes, the U.S. leads 91-82.

* The U.S. leads Spain 69-61 at halftime of a foul-fest.

Dwyane Wade has 21 points for Team USA and Chris Paul has 10. Former Kentucky Wildcat Tayshaun Prince has six points and two rebounds.

Rudy Fernandez has 13 points for Spain and Pau Gasol has nine.

Spain has three players with three fouls each and three more with two each as the Americans have made 17 of 20 free throws.

Team USA has six players with two fouls apiece. Spain has made 18 of 21 free throws.

Spain led by as many as five points in the first quarter, but the U.S. scored nine points in a row to take a 26-22 lead.

Team USA’s advantage reached 14 points, 58-44, when LeBron James knocked down a three-pointer.

Spain pulled to within six points, 67-61, in the final minute of the half.

* Team USA leads Spain 38-31 after one quarter.

The Spaniards led 22-17 before Team USA ran off nine consecutive points to take the lead.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant spent most of the quarter on the bench, as each had two fouls within the first 5 1/2 minutes.

Dwyane Wade led the U.S. with 13 first-quarter points. Chris Paul added six and Tayshaun Prince had four.

Pao Gasol had seven points for Spain and Juan Carlos Navarro had six.

From semifinals of the Beijing Olympics men’s basketball tournament Wukesong Olympic Basketball Gymnasium …

The Redeem Team is in the gold-medal game.

Team USA dispatched defending champion Argentina 101-81 Friday night

So it’s USA vs. world-champion Spain for the gold, Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (a.m. EDT).

Carmelo Anthony, 13-for-13 at the free-throw line, led the U.S. with 21 points. LeBron James added 15. Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul each scored 12. Chris Bosh added 11 and Dwight Howard 10.

Tayshaun Prince, the former Kentucky standout, played only 3:52 and grabbed one rebound.

Luis Scola of the Houston Rockets led Argentina with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Carlos Delfino scored 19, Paolo Quinteros 12 and Andres Nocioni 10.

* Team USA leads 78-64 through three quarters. Up nine at the half, the Americans matched their largest first-half lead of 21 points at 76-55. Argentina, with Manu Ginobili sidelined by injury, closed the quarter with a 9-2 run.

Carmelo Anthony had eight third-quarter points for the U.S. Dwight Howard had seven.

* Team USA leads Argentina 49-40 at halftime.

Argentina got only two points from Manu Ginobili, who left the game midway through the first quarter due to a leg injury and has not returned.

The U.S. used an 18-0 run to take a 21-4 lead and built the margin to 21 points a couple of times, the last at 34-13.

The Argentines outscored the U.S. 27-12 to pull to within six points, 46-40. Carmelo Anthony’s three free throws gave the U.S. a 49-46 lead.

Anthony leads U.S. scorers with 13. Kobe Bryant has 12 and Chris Paul has 11.

Luis Scola paces Argentina with 12 points and seven rebounds. Andres Nocioni has eight points.

* Argentina is on an 11-0 run midway through the second quarter, cutting the U.S. lead to 37-29.

The U.S. has led by as many as 21.

* An 18-0 run carried Team USA from a 4-3 deficit to a 21-4 lead over Argentina. Through one quarter, the U.S. leads 30-11.

Kobe Bryant led the 18-point surge by scoring seven. Chris Paul had five. Chris Bosh, Jason Kidd and LeBron James had two points each.

* Team USA leads Argentina 9-4 with 4:47 left in the first quarter. Kobe Bryant has four points.

* Pau Gasol scored 19 points and Rudy Fernandez had 18 as Spain rallied to defeat Lithuania 91-86 Friday night (a.m. in the U.S.).

Spain will face the winner of the U.S.-Argentina game for the gold medal Sunday. Lithuania will play the bronze-medal game for a fifth consecutive Olympics.

Spain trailed by as many as six points and was down 74-73 when it fired the decisive volley, an 8-0 run.

The Spaniards made 35 of 44 free throws. Lithuania was 22-for-26.

Felipe Reyes added 13 points for Spain. Carlos Jiminez had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Simas Jasaitis and Sarunas Jasikevicius had 19 points each for Lithuania. Robertas Javtokas added 15, Ksistof Lavrinovic 13 and Rimantas Kaukenas 11.

BEIJING — University of Kentucky senior Mikel Thomas, competing for his native Trinidad and Tobago, placed sixth in his heat Tuesday night (a.m. U.S.) in quarterfinals of the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium.

Thomas ran in the first of four heats. The first three in each heat, plus the next three fastest finishers, will advance to the semifinals. After two heats, it was clear that Thomas would not qualilfy on time.

Thomas ran a personal-best wind-legal time of 13.62. (UK had listed his 13.57 as a school record, but that race was wind-aided.)

David Payne of the U.S. won the heat in 13.24, followed by Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic and Shi Dongpeng of China. In fourth, Konstadinos Douvalidis set a Greek national record of 13.46. Jamaica’s Richard Phillips was fifth, followed by Thomas, Igor Peremoto of Russia and Hector Cotto of Puerto Rico.

As it turned out, Thomas needed to run faster than 13.51 in order to qualify on time.

U.S. champion David Oliver, in the last heat, had the fastest time, 13.16.

World record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was next, a heat winner in 13.19.

Payne ranked third.

BEIJING — One Wildcat in and one Wildcat out at the Beijing Olympic Games.

University of Kentucky seniors Mikel Thomas and Jose Acevedo made their Olympic debuts Monday morning (Sunday night EDT) in National Stadium, also known as Bird’s Nest.

Thomas, running for Trinidad and Tobago in the 110-meter hurdles, Thomas finished sixth in his heat. Only the top four from each of six heats automatically advanced, but the eight next-fastest also moved on. Thomas made it through, based on his time of 13.69 seconds. That ranked fourth among the “eight next-fastest” and 27th overall.

U.S. Trials champion David Oliver won the heat with the best time of the day, 13.30, followed by European champion Jackson Quinonez of Spain in 13.41. David Payne of the U.S. won his heat in 13.42.

Two hurdlers of note did not finish: Terrence Trammell, silver-medalist at the last two Olympics and at two World Championships, pulled up after one barrier due to a hamstring injury. Defending Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who came in with hamstring injuries, took only a few steps in his heat, which was called back because of a false start. Liu did not line up for the restart.

Acevedo, competing for Venezuela, drew a 200-meter heat that included the heavy favorite, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

Acevedo did not get out of the blocks well. He finished fifth in his heat and tied for 42nd overall in 21.06. Trinidad and Tobago’s Rondell Sorillo won the heat in 20.58. Bolt, who set a world record in winning Saturday’s 100-meter finals, ran easily and finished second in 20.64.

Fastest time of the day went to Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe in 20.25.

All three Americans advanced: Wallace Spearmon (20.46), 2004 gold-medalist Shawn Crawford (20.61) and Walter Dix (20.77).

BEIJING — David Freeman, a personal trainer at the Lexington YMCA and a former University of Kentucky standout, finished 10thin his heat of the Olympic men’s 1,500 meters Friday night.

Freeman, running for Puerto Rico, turned in his best time of the season, 3:39.70, but it wasn’t enough to move on. Only the top five finishers in each of three heats automatically advance.

Mehdi Baala of France won the first heat in 3:35.87. Then came Nicholas Willis of New Zealand, Daham Naim Bashir of Qatar, Tarek Boukensa of Algeria and Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia. Sixth, but qualifying on time, was Leonel Manzano of Team USA.

World champion Bernard Lagat of the U.S. cruised in the second heat, which went to Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop in 3:41.28. Second was Canada’s Nathan Brannen, followed by Spain’s Juan Carlos Higuero. Lagat took fourth in 3:41.98, followed by Antar Zerguelaine of Algeria.

Freeman’s heat was won by Juan Van Deventer of South Africa in 3:36.32. Also qualifying from the heat was U.S. flag bearer Lopez Lomong, who finished fifth.

BEIJING — Heat and lane assignments have been made for the quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s 100-meter dash, set for 9:52 p.m. local time (9:52 a.m. EDT).

Lexington’s Tyson Gay will run out of lane four in the second of five heats.

The top three finishers in each heat, plus the next-fastest time, will advance to Saturday’s 16-man semifinals.

Fifteen of the 40 quarterfinalists have sub-10-second personal bests.

Two of them will be in lanes five and six in Gay’s heat.

Gay is the reigning World Champion and is the American record-holder at 9.77 seconds.

Next to him will be Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasubi, fourth at last year’s Worlds, who has a personal best of 9.85.

Next to Fasuba will be LSU’s Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, who has run 9.93 this season.

Also in the heat are Andrew Hinds of Barbados (10.16 PB), Daniel Grueso of Colombia (10.24), Martial Mbandjock of France (10.06), Jose Carolos Moreira of Brazil (10.16) and Simone Collio of Italy (10.14).

World record-holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica will run in the fourth heat, which includes Team USA’s Darvis Patton and 2004 Olympic silver-medalist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal.

The final heat includes former world champion Asafa Powell of Jamaica, Team USA’s Walter Dix and 2007 Worlds runner-up Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda.

Also on tap tonight is the first round of the men’s 1,500 meters. Heat three includes Lexington’s David Freeman, the former University of Kentucky standout, who will represent Puerto Rico out of lane one. That race is scheduled to go off at 7:28 p.m. (a.m. EDT).

Louisville native Reese Hoffa, the world champion, will compete in finals of the men’s shot put at 9 p.m. (a.m. EDT).