Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Rome Braves

What: Five-game series

When: Friday through Monday (5 p.m. doubleheader Friday, 7:05 p.m. Saturday, 1:35 p.m. Sunday, 12:05 p.m. Monday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

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

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, LH David Rollins (1-2, 3.12) vs. LH Alex Wood (4-3, 2.03) and TBA vs. RH Navery Moore (7-7, 4.28) ; Saturday, RH Chris Devenski (7-7, 4.28) vs. RH Greg Ross (7-8, 4.39); Sunday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (14-3, 2.91) vs. LH Fabian Williamson (2-4, 4.38); Monday, LH Luis Cruz (9-8, 4.05) vs. LH David Starn (1-2, 5.85).

William Beckwith

Brave to watch: 1B William Beckwith (6-foot-1, 235 pounds, age 22, bats left, throws right, from Crawford, Miss.) leads Rome in homers (14) and RBI (74), and is tied for the lead in doubles (25). Not counting teammates who have played 12 games or less, he also leads Rome in batting average (.292), on-base percentage (.362), slugging (.477) and OPS (.839). Over 101 games, Beckwith has scored 49 runs, stolen 16 bases and has 173 total bases. Selected by Atlanta in the 21st round of the 2010 draft out of George C. Wallace Community College in Alabama, he hit .243 with two homers and 18 RBI over 21 games with the Gulf Coast League Braves in 2010. Last year, with Danville of the Appalachian League, he improved to .282-11-45. This season, Beckwith is batting .250 when the bases are empty, .337 with runners on base and .389 with runners in scoring position.

Chris Devenski

Legend to watch: Saturday starter Chris Devenski (6-3, 195, 21, bats/throws right, from Long Beach, Calif.) came to the Houston organization from the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 3 to complete the Brett Meyers trade. Devenski went 6-5 with a 4.23 ERA for Kannapolis before being moved to Lexington. With the Legends, he is 1-2, 4.43 over four starts and 20 1/3 innings. The White Sox selected him in the 25th round of the 2011 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. Assigned last year to the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League, Devenski had no decisions and a save in seven relief outings, striking out nine and walking one over eight innings. Over 82 innings with the Intimidators and Legends this season, he has totaled 76 strikeouts and 34 walks.

Noteworthy: Katya Cengal, author of Bluegrass Baseball: A Year in the Minor League Life, will be signing books between games Friday. Cengel followed Kentucky’s four minor-league teams — the Legends, Louisville Bats, Bowling Green Hot Rods and Florence Freedom — through the 2010 season.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Charleston RiverDogs

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: Houston Astros (Legends), New York Yankees

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (5-5, 5.22) vs. RH Brett Gerritse (4-5, 3.95); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (6-3, 5.62) vs. TBA; Saturday, LH David Rollins (1-2, 4.42) vs. RH Corey Black (1-2, 6.59); Sunday, RH Chris Devenski (7-7, 4.44) vs. RH Scottie Allen (4-7, 4.33).

RiverDog to watch: 3B Dante Bichette Jr. (6-foot-1, 215 pounds, age 19, bats/throws right, from Orlando, Fla.), son of a former Major League all-star outfielder, was a first-round supplemental draft pick of the Yankees in 2011, having batted .641 as a senior at Orangewood Christian High School in Maitland, Fla. He signed for $750,00 and, coming into the season, he was rated by Baseball America as the sixth-best prospect in the Yankees system. He earned top prospect and MVP honors in the Gulf Coast League last year, leading the Yanks to a championship while batting .342 with three homers, 47 RBI and 33 runs over 52 games. He leads Charleston with 111 games and 430 at-bats, although he is batting only .235 with three homers, 39 RBI and 61 runs. He’s batting .280 against left-handers, .216 versus righties.

Legend to watch: Saturday starter David Rollins (6-1, 195, age 22, b/t left, from Deberry, Texas) was acquired by the Astros on July 20, along with six other players, from Toronto in exchange for pitchers David Carpenter, J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon. Rollins spent most of this season with the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League, going 6-1 with a 2.78 ERA over 18 starts, striking out 75 over 77 2/3 innings. Last year, he went 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA, with 29 strikeouts and only three walks, in seven combined starts between rookie-level Bluefield and short-season A Vancouver. The Blue Jays selected him out of San Jacinto (Texas) Community College North in the 24th round of the 2011 draft. Three of Rollins’ four starts with the Legends have come on the road. That includes his win, Aug. 4 at Hagerstown, when he tossed five innings of two-hit, shutout ball, striking out two.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers

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), Miami Marlins

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Chris Devenski (7-6, 4.52) vs. RH Jake Esch (0-1, 6.17); Tuesday RH Mike Foltynewicz (14-3, 2.78) vs. RH Jose Urena (8-5, 3.38); Wednesday, LH Luis Cruz (9-6, 3.89) vs. RH Josh Hodges (7-8, 3.73).

Matt Smith

Grasshopper to watch: All-star 1B Matt Smith (6-foot-3, 230 pounds, age 24, bats/throws right, from Milan, Ga.) leads Greensboro with a .495 slugging percentage and is tied for fourth in the league with 17 home runs. Batting .278 over 78 games, he has driven in 65 runs and scored 57. Thirteen of his 82 hits have been doubles, and he has 146 total bases to go with an .852 OPS.  Smith wrapped up a four-year career at Ole Miss in 2011. Over 228 games, he batted .321 for the Rebels, with 41 homers, 183 RBI and 185 runs scored.

Brandon Meredith

Legend to watch: OF Brandon Meredith (6-2, 230, 22, b/t right, from San Diego) is having a solid season, batting .284 with 15 homers, 48 RBI and 52 runs over 82 games. Included are 18 doubles, four triples and 156 total bases. He also has stolen 11 bases in 14 attempts, while compiling a .385 on-base percentage, .522 slugging and .906 OPS. For 16 games this month, Meredith is batting .310 with four homers, 13 RBI and 14 runs. Selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2011 draft out of San Diego State University, he played 35 games last year for Tri-City of the New York-Penn League. He wound up batting .244 with a homer, 10 RBI, 24 runs and seven stolen bases.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at Rome Braves

What: Four-game series

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

Where: State Mutual Stadium, Rome, Ga.

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

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (5-4, 5.25) vs. LH Fabian Williamson (1-3, 3.82); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (6-2, 5.05) vs. LH David Starn (1-1, 5.64); Saturday, LH David Rollins (1-1, 3.65) vs. RH Greg Ross (5-8, 4.66); Sunday, RH Chris Devenski (7-6, 4.52) vs. LH Alex Wood (3-2, 1.38).

Zach Johnson

Legend to watch: 1B Zach Johnson (5-foot-11, 200 pounds, bats/throws right/right, age 24, from San Ramon, Calif.) leads the SAL with 104 RBI, a franchise record. He broke the Legends record of 98 RBI, set by Jake Goebbert in 2010. Johnson shares the team lead in home runs, 15, with Mike Kvasnicka. In addition, Johnson is batting .246 with 57 runs, 62 walks, 193 total bases, a .338 on-base percentage, .423 slugging and .762 OPS. Selected by the Astros in the 15th round of the 2011 draft, out of Oklahoma State University, he played for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last year. Over 72 games, Johnson batted .262 with five homers, 40 RBI and 31 runs. A mid-season all-star for the Legends, he is hitting .255 versus right-handers, .222 against lefties.

William Beckwith

Brave to watch: 1B William Beckwith (6-1, 235, B/T L/R, turns 22 Sunday, from Crawford, Miss.) leads Rome with 13 homers, 65 RBI and 96 hits. Batting .296 with a .363 on-base percentage, .485 slugging and .847 OPS, he is high on the team rankings with 44 runs, 22 doubles, 157 total bases and 14 stolen bases. Selected by Atlanta in the 21st round of the 2010 draft, out of George C. Wallace (Ala.) Community College, Beckwith played 21 games with the Gulf Coast League Braves that year, batting .243 with two homers, 18 RBI and eight runs. He played for Danville (Va.) last year, batting .282 with 11 homers, 45 RBI and 41 runs. He has been consistent throughout this season, reaching a high point in July when he batted .324 with six homers and 29 RBI over 28 games.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

When: Tuesday through Friday (7:05 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights, 12:05 p.m. Wednesday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

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

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (9-2, 2.74) vs. RH Erik Johnson (1-1, 2.54); Wednesday, LH Luis Cruz (5-5, 3.75) vs. RH Chris Devenski (5-3, 4.19); Thursday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (2-3, 5.43) vs. LH Scott Snodgress (3-3, 3.80); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (5-2, 5.67) vs. RH Myles Jaye 3-6, 5.70).

Chris Curley

Intimidator to watch: 3B Chris Curley (6-foot-1, 210 pounds, age 25, from Fort Mitchell, Ky., bats/throws R/R) joined the team over the weekend, signed from the independent Florence Freedom. The former Campbellsville University standout went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI and two strikeouts Sunday against Greensboro. Originally signed by the Braves three years ago, Curley played for the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League in 2009, then for Danville, the SAL’s Rome Braves and Carolina League’s Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 2010.  Most of his experience came with Rome, where he hit .214 with three homers, 23 RBI and 23 runs over 61 games. With Florence this season, Curley hit .356 with 10 homers, 44 RBI, 35 runs, 12 doubles, two triples and seven stolen bases in 42 games.

Ruben Sosa

Legend to watch: 2B Ruben Sosa (5-7, 160, age 21, from Lawrence, Mass., bats/throws S/R) is 4-for-9 (.444) with two RBI and a run since moving from the Greeneville Astros of the Appy League to the Legends on June 30. Selected by the Astros in the 23rd round of the 2011 draft out of Oklahoma City University, the native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, played 39 games for Greeneville and 11 for the Legends. For the 50 games combined, hit batted .239 with 20 RBI, 31 runs, nine doubles, a triple and 14 stolen bases.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300