Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic          League

Lexington Legends vs. Delmarva Shorebirds

What: Three-game series

Where: Applebee’s Park

When: Thursday through Saturday (7:05 each night)

Major League affiliations: Houston Astros (Legends), Baltimore Orioles

Tickets:   (859) 422-7867  

Jose Cisnero

Luis Cruz

Jesse Beal

Matt Hobgood

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Jose Cisnero (3-3, 4.35) vs. LH Nathan Moreau (1-2, 3.70); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (1-0, 4.73) vs. RH Matt Hobgood (3-5, 4.40); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Jesse Beal (4-3, 3.74).

Jake Smith

Shorebird to watch: LHP Jake Smith (6-foot-4, 215 pounds, from Owensboro) is 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA  and a team-high four holds over 17 relief appearances. Over 30 2/3 inngs, Smith has struck out 21 and walked nine. Selected by the Orioles in the 45th round of the 2007 draft, out of Brescia, he made one appearance with the Gulf Coast League Orioles that season, striking out four and walking one over two innings. He also make seven relief appearances for short-season Aberdeen, going 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA. In 2008, Smith was 1-1 with a 6.66 ERA over 11 games with Aberdeen. Last year, he split the season between Aberdeen (3-3, 2.15) and Delmarva (1-0, 0.00 over two games), earning mid-season all-star honors with Aberdeen in the New York-Penn League.

Brad Dydalewicz

Legend to watch: Saturday starter Brad Dydalewicz (6-1, 180, from Spicewood, Texas) made 22 starts for the Legends last season, going 8-5 with a 3.93 ERA, 78 strikeouts and 51 walks over 110 innings. This will mark is 2010 debut with the club, having started the season with the Lancaster JetHawks of the High-A California League. Dydalewicz trades places with another lefty, David Duncan, who has been promoted to Lancaster. With the JetHawks, Dydalewicz was 1-6 with an 11.39 ERA over 11 starts and 36 1/3 innings. He struggled to find the strike zone, issuing more walks (26) than strikeouts (22). Selected by the Astros in the eighth round of the 2008 draft, out of Lake Travis (Texas) High School, Dydalewicz appeared in four games that season with the Greeneville Astros, with no decisions and a 2.70 ERA.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Hickory Crawdads

What: Four-game series

Where: L.P. Frans Stadium (Hickory, N.C.)

When: Saturday through Tuesday (7 Saturday night, 5 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. Monday and Tuesday)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Texas Rangers

Luis Cruz

David Duncan

Robby Donovan

Juan Minaya

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Saturday, LH Luis Cruz (0-0, 5.40) vs. RH Joe Wieland (4-3, 4.06); Sunday, LH David Duncan (3-1, 3.86)  vs. LH Robbie Ross (7-4, 1.96); Monday, RH Robby Donovan (5-4, 2.44) vs. LH Robbie Erlin (1-1, 1.34); Tuesday, RH Juan Minaya (0-7, 5.68) vs. RH Matt Thompson (4-3, 3.51).

Robbie Ross

Crawdad to watch: Sunday starter Robbie Ross (5-foot-11, 185 pounds, from Nicholasville) passed on the University of Kentucky and signed with the Rangers for $1.575 million after being selected in the second round of the 2008 draft. The former Lexington Christian Academy standout is tied for second in the SAL in wins (7), tied for third in innings pitched (64 1/3) and is ninth in ERA (1.96). In 11 starts, he has struck out 46, walked 14 and hit four batters. He is holding opponents to a .230 batting average and is the only Crawdad starter yet to allow a home run. Ross has a decision in all 11 games and has won six of his last seven. In five home games, he is 4-1 with a 0.30 ERA. Rated by Baseball America as the seventh-best prospect in the Rangers system, Ross will turn 21 on June 24. He earned all-star honors in the Northwest League last season with Spokane, going 4-4 with a 2.66 ERA over 15 starts, while striking out 76 and walking 17. He ranked second in the league in strikeouts per nine innings (9.2) and fourth in ERA.

Legends lefty David Duncan (monkeyalarm.com photo)

Legend to watch: Sunday starter David Duncan (6-9, 230, from New Richmond, Ohio) has decisions in all four of his starts. A fifth-round draft pick out of Georgia Tech in 2008, he is coming off his worst outing of the season — Tuesday’s six-inning, five-run loss to West Virginia. After starting the season on the disabled list due to a sore arm, Duncan has struck out 13 and walked only one. He has given up five homers, but four have been solo shots and the other came with only one man aboard. Duncan split last season between Tri-City, Lexington and Lancaster, going a combined 4-14. With the Legends, Duncan was 4-4 with a 4.29 ERA, 52 strikeouts and nine walks over 56 2/3 innings.

Brandt Walker

Tanner Bushue

Coming and going: The Legends have activated RHP Brandt Walker from the disabled list. Moving from the rotation to the DL is RH Tanner Bushue. Walker is 1-3 with a 9.72 ERA over six starts, with more walks (18) than strikeouts (16). Bushue is 3-3 with a 3.95 ERA over 11 starts, leading the team in strikeouts (55) while issuing 21 walks.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. West Virginia Power

What: Four-game series

When: Tuesday through Friday (7:05 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights; 10:05 Wednesday morning)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Pittsburgh Pirates

Tickets: Call         (859) 422-7867        

David Duncan

Robby Donovan

Brand. Holden

Phillip Irwin

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, LH David Duncan (3-0, 2.40) vs. RH Phillip Irwin (1-0, 1.50); Wednesday, RH Robby Donovan (4-4, 2.55) vs. RH Brandon Holden (0-3, 3.72); Thursday, RH Juan Minaya (0-7, 6.22) vs. LH Nathan Baker (4-3, 3.27); Friday, RH Jose Cisnero (3-2, 4.82) vs. RH Kyle McPherson (3-5, 4.00).

Juan Minaya

Jose Cisnero

Kyle McPherson

Nathan Baker

Aaron Baker

Power to watch: 1B Aaron Baker (6-foot-3, 232 pounds, from Denton, Texas) leads West Virginia in RBI (28), hits (47), doubles (16), total bases (79) and slugging percentage (.470) (all statistics through Sunday). He ranks second in OPS (.804) and third in batting (.280), homers (4) and triples (2).  A 2009 11th round draft pick out of Oklahoma University, Baker led the New York-Penn League last season with seven triples, while batting .247 with three homers and 32 RBI over 62 games. Baseball America rates him as the “best power hitter” in the Pirates’ 2009 draft class. A left-handed batter, he is hitting .316 against right-handers and .196 versus lefties.

Andy Simunic

Legend to watch: IF/OF Andy Simunic (6-0, 170, from Collierville, Tenn.) is 5-for-11 (.455) in three games against West Virginia. Overall, he’s hitting .218 with five RBI, 16 runs and six stolen bases in seven attempts. A 2008 17th round draft pick out of the University of Tennessee, he hit .234 with 14 RBI in 53 games with Tri-City of the NYPL in 2008. Last year, Simunic played 55 games with the Legends (.287, 6 RBI) and 21 games with High-A Lancaster (.286, 4 RBI). After hitting only .152 in April, Simunic is hitting .259 in May. The Legends have used him at every position except pitcher and catcher, primarily in right field, left and at third base.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. West Virginia Power

What: Four-game series

Where: Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.Va.)

When: Monday through Thursday (7:05 Monday and Thursday nights; 11:05 Tuesday and Wednesday mornings)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Pittsburgh Pirates

Juan Minaya

Jose Cisnero

David Duncan

Tanner Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Jose Minaya (0-5, 6.19) vs. LH Nathan Baker (2-3, 3.99); Tuesday, RH Jose Cisnero (2-2, 5.70) vs. RH Kyle McPherson (2-4, 4.32); Wednesday, RH Tanner Bushue (3-2, 2.88) vs. RH Jason Erickson (3-3, 2.96); Thursday, LH David Duncan (2-0, 1.80) vs. RH Victor Black (0-0, 9.64).

Victor Black

Power to watch: Thursday starter Victor Black (6-foot-4, 220 pounds, from Amarillo, Texas) has pitched all of 4 2/3 innings over two games with the Power, having started the season rehabbing a left oblique injury. He made his first appearance with West Virginia on May 16. A supplemental first-round draft pick (49th overall) last June, out of Dallas Baptist and signed for $717,000, he is rated by Baseball America as the 12th-best prospect in the Pirates system. According to Baseball America, “Black’s fastball sitas at 91-95 mph and resisters a tick higher when he reaches back for more. He throws his slider at 84 mph and it completely locks up hitters when he has command of it. His changeup is lacking, which leads some scouts to wonder if his hard stuff would better serve him as a late-inning reliever.” Black broke in last season with the State College Spikes of the New York-Penn League, going 1-2 with a save and a 3.45 ERA. He struck out 33, walked 15 and held opposing batters to a .213 average.

Brian Kemp

Legend to watch: OF Brian Kemp (5-9, 180, from East Rockaway, N.Y.) played two games this season before suffering an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month. He returned to the lineup May 7. In 10 games since returning, Kemp has hit safely in seven games and reached safely in nine. Overall, he is batting .302 with four RBI over 12 games. Drafted by the Astros in the 19th round of last June’s draft, Kemp hit .379 with three homers, 35 RBI and as many walks as strikeouts (25) as a junior at St. John’s University. He also stole 16 bases in 20 attempts, spread over 52 starts. He hit .360 as a sophomore and .348 when he was a Louisville Slugger freshman All-American. He made his pro debut last summer with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL, hitting .259 with 11 RBI and 16 stolen bases over 66 games. He earned league all-star honors and was Tri-City’s Offensive Player of the Month in July.

Also of note: Legends C Jonathon Fixler has been promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi to fill in for J.R. Towles (broken hand). Jordan Comadena has been reassigned from High-A Lancaster to give the Legends a second catcher.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Where: NewBridge Bank Park (Greensboro, N.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Florida Marlins

Jose Cisnero

M. Montgomery

Bryan Evans

Tanner Bushue

 

David Duncan

Erick Carrillo

Curtis Petersen

Rob. Donovan

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Jose Cisnero (2-1, 4.88) vs. RH Matt Montgomery (3-4, 3.45); Friday, RH Tanner Bushue (2-2, 2.45) vs. RH Bryan Evans (4-1, 5.03); Saturday, LH David Duncan (1-0, 0.00) vs. RH Erick Carrillo (1-3, 5.32); Sunday, RH Robby Donovan (3-3, 3.07) vs. RH Curtis Petersen (1-3, 6.92).

Alejandro Ramos

Grasshopper to watch: RHP Alejandro Ramos (5-foot-10, 210 pounds, from Lubbock, Texas) shares the league lead, through Wednesday’s early games, with nine saves. Ramos, 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA, has pitched 16 innings over 14 games. He has finished 13 games, with 14 strikeouts and seven walks. Over his last five outings, he has allowed no runs and only two hits. Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Texas Tech University, Ramos went 2-2 with nine saves and a 2.14 ERA over 25 games last season with the Jamestown Jammers of the New York-Penn League. Over 33 2/3 innings, he struck out 50 and walked 14.

Luis Cruz

Legend to watch: LHP Luis Cruz (5-9, 170, from San Juan, Puerto Rico) made his Legends debut Wednesday with 1 1/3 innings in relief. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out two. Selected by the Astros in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, Cruz played for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League the past two seasons. In 2008, he was 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA over seven starts. Last year, he finished 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA over 12 games, including 10 starts.

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

After beginning the season with an eight-game road trip, the Lexington Legends will play their 2010 home opener Friday night at Applebee’s Park. The Legends will take on the Greenville Drive at 7:05 p.m.

Here’s a Who’s Who of the home team.

COACHING STAFF

Rick Aponte

Stubby Clapp

Rodney Linares

Rodney Linares, 32, becomes the eighth manager in the Legends’ 10th season, succeeding Tom Lawless. Linares, a Dominican native, spent the last three seasons as manager of the Greeneville Astros in the Appalachian League, going 74-127. He served as hitting coach for the Legends in 2005 and 2006. Before coming to Lexington, Linares spent six seasons with the Astros’ Dominican Republic operations, serving as a scout and hitting coach. Before joining the Astros coaching staff in 1999, he played three seasons of minor-league ball as an infielder in the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros organizations. His father, Julio, has been in the Astros organization since 1973 and is in his sixth season as special assistant to the general manager, for Dominican scouting and development. … Stubby Clapp, 37, returns to the Legends after spending one season on Linares’ staff at Greeneville. In 2008, his stay with the Legends was cut short so that he could play second base for Team Canada in the Beijing Summer Olympic Games. He also played for Canada in the 2004 Athens Olympics. From Windsor, Ontario, Clapp played for Texas Tech University. As a pro, he played from 1996 through 2004, reaching the big leagues in 2001 for 23 games with the St. Louis Cardinals. His No. 10 was retired in 2007 by the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. … Rick Aponte, 54, joins the staff after serving one season as pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Astros. The previous two seasons, he was pitching coach for the Washington Nationals. Before going to Washington, he spent 32 years with in the Astros organization as a player, coach or scout, including 10 seasons as a minor-league pitching coach.  

Outfielders (Ht., wt., bats/throws, age, hometown, acquired)

Jake Goebbert

Grant Hogue

Jake Goebbert (6-0, 200, L/L, 22, Hampshire, Ill., 13th round June 2009 draft) hit .238 with 18 RBI over 59 games for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last season. Played for Northwestern University. … Grant Hogue (6-1, 190, S/R, 23, Hattiesburg, Miss., 35th round June 2009 draft) is familiar to University of Kentucky fans. He patrolled center field for Mississippi State before turning pro. Hogue hit .284 with a homer, 14 RBI and 17 SB over 53 games with the Greeneville Astros last season. He was the team’s Defensive Player of the Month in July and August …

J.D. Martinez

Brian Kemp

Brian Kemp (5-9, 180, R/R, 21, East Rockaway, N.Y., 19th round June 2009 draft), out of St. John’s University, earned New York-Penn League all-star honors last year. In 66 games with Tri-City, he hit .259 with 11 RBI, 35 runs and 16 SB. He was Tri-City’s Offensive Player of the Month for July. … J.D. Martinez (6-3, 215, R/R, 22, Pembroke Pines, Fla., 20th round June 2009 draft) led the New York-Penn League in batting (.326) and OPS (.920 combined on-base and slugging percentages). Out of Nova Southeastern University, he earned NYPL all-star honors, with seven HR and 33 RBI over 53 games with Tri-City. He began the season at Greeneville, hitting .403 with five homers and 23 RBI in 19 games.

Infielders (Ht., wt., bats/throws, age, hometown, acquired)

Jose Altuve

Miguel Arrendell

Jose Altuve (5-5, 148, R/R, 19, Maracay, Venezuela, non-drafted free agent September 2006) was an Appalachian League all-star and MVP of the Greeneville Astros last season. He batted .324 with three HR, 18 RBI and 21 SB over 45 games. He had more walks (26) than strikeouts (16), and 25 of his 58 hits were for extra bases. He also played 21 games with Tri-City, batting .250 with seven RBI and seven SB. Overall, he led all Astros minor-leaguers with 28 SB. … Miguel Arrendell (6-0, 165, L/R, 22, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, non-drafted free agent July 2006) hails from his manager’s hometown. In 2008, Arrendell was MVP of the Dominican Summer League, hitting .284 with 14 RBI, 37 runs and 20 SB over 57 games. He drew nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts (57-30). Last year, he hit .235 with three HR, 14 RBI, 24 runs and four SB for Greeneville. His .394 on-base percentage ranked No. 5 among Astros minor leaguers. …

Kody Hinze

Aaron Bray

Aaron Bray (6-0, 187, L/R, 22, Charlotte, N.C., 27th round June 2009 draft), out of N.C.-Charlotte, was Greeneville’s Offensive Player of the Month last August. Over 48 games with the team, he hit .278 with 20 RBI and 28 walks. … Kody Hinze (6-0, 225, R/R, 22, Houston, non-drafted free agent October 2007), out of Angelina College (Texas), split last season between the Gulf Coast League Astros and the Legends. In 32 GCL games, Hinze hit .262 with a homer and 14 RBI. In 27 games with the Legends, he .175 with four HR and 14 RBI. Including 2008 at Greeneville, Hinze’s career totals: .247, 13 HR, 60 RBI, 114 games. …

Jonathan Meyer

Andy Simunic

Jiovanni Mier

Jonathan Meyer (6-1, 195, S/R, 19, Simi Valley, Calif., supplemental third round June 2009 draft), in his first season beyond high school ball, hit .190 with three HR and 27 RBI over 62 games with Greene-ville. Yet, he led the Appalachian League with 36 walks. Baseball America likes his potential, rating him the 18th-best prospect in the Astros system. … Jiovanni Mier (6-2, 175, R/R, 19, Pomona, Calif., first round (21st overall) June 2009 draft) signed out of Bonita (Calif.) High School for a $1.358 million bonus. He played 51 games for Greeneville last season, batting .276 with seven HR, 32 RBI and 10 SB. While earning Appalachian League Player of the Year and all-star honors from Baseball America, he led the league in triples (6). Baseball America also tagged Mier as the second-best prospect in the Houston organization, best defensive player and best pro debut by a high school draft pick. … Andy Simunic (6-0, 170, R/R, 24, Collierville, Tenn., 17th round June 2008 draft) played 1B, 2B, 3B, LF and RF for the Legends last season. He hit .287 with six RBI and eight SB. He finished the year with Lancaster of the High-A California League, playing 21 games, hitting .286, with four RBI and two SB. His combined on-base percentage of .398 ranked fourth among Astros minor-leaguers. The former Tennessee Vol was team Defensive Player of the Month in July of the last two seasons — with Lexington in 2009 and Tri-City in 2008.

Catchers (Ht., wt., B/T, age, hometown, acquired) & Staff

Jonathan Fixler

Rene Garcia

John Patton

James Farrar

Jonathan Fixler (6-1, 205, R/R, 23, Park Ridge, Ill., 19th round June 2007 draft) divided last season among Lancaster, Corpus Christi and Round Rock. He played 80 games for the Legends in 2008, batting .248 with eight HR and 50 RBI. He was Lexington’s Defensive Player of the Month in April 2008. His three-year totals after leaving Indiana University: .223, 18 HR, 85 RBI, 147 games. … Rene Garcia (6-1, 172, R/R,20, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, 35th round June 2008 draft) hit .295 for Greeneville in 2008 and .202 for Tri-City last year. Over 70 professional games, Garcia is batting .221 with two HR and 15 RBI. … James Farrar, 28, joins the Legends as strength and conditioning coach. From Templeton, Mass., and a graduate of Lasell (Mass.) College, he has worked five years as a personal trainer. This is his second season in the Astros organization, having been with Tri-City in 2009. … “General” John Patton returns for his third season as Legends trainer and his seventh year in the Astros organization. He served one season with former Astros affiliate Martinsville, then three seasons with Tri-City. Before joining the Astros, he spent one season as an intern in the Baltimore Orioles organization. A graduate of Manchester (Ind.) College, he works during the off-season for Orthopedics Northeast in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Pitchers (Ht., wt., bats/throws, age, hometown, acquired)

Wander Alvino

Tanner Bushue

Jose Cisnero

Kirk Clark

Wander Alvino (5-11, 166, R/R, 23, Nizao, Dominican Republic, non-drafted free agent February 2006) spent two seasons with the Dominican Summer League Astros, then one each with Greeneville and Tri-City. Over those four seasons, he is 8-19 with a 4.37 ERA. He has 157 strikeouts to 70 walks over 204 innings. … Tanner Bushue (6-4, 180, R/R, 18, Kinmundy, Ill., second round June 2009 draft), out of South Central High School in Illinois, was named by Baseball America as the ninth-best prospect in the Gulf Coast League last season. In five starts for the GCL Astros, Bushue went 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA, with 19 strikeouts to five walks over 22 1/3 innings. Baseball America rates him the seventh-best prospect in the Astros system. … Jose Cisnero (6-3, 185, R/R, 21, Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic, non-drafted free agent December 2007) won back-to-back Pitcher of the Month honors (July-August) at Greeneville last season. Overall, he made starts, going 4-2 with a 3.56 ERA, 64 strikeouts and 30 walks over 55 2/3 innings. … Kirk Clark (6-2, 202, R/R, 21, Moline, Ill., free agent August 2009) made 10 relief appearances spanning 19 innings for Tri-City last season. He finished 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA, 24 strikeouts and three walks. …

Robert Donovan

Arcenio Leon

David Duncan

Robert Donovan (6-5, 195, R/R, 23 next week, Royal Palm Beach, Fla., 23rd round June 2009 draft), out of Stetson University, debuted with Tri-City last season. In 19 games, including four starts, Donovan was 2-5 with four saves, 3.74 ERA, 28 strikeouts and 21 walks over 33 2/3 innings. He was the team’s Pitcher of the Month in August. … David Duncan (6-9, 230, L/L, 23, New Richmond, Ohio, fifth round June 2008 draft), out of Georgia Tech, begins the season on the disabled list due to a sore arm. He split last season between Tri-City, Lexington and Lancaster, going a combined 4-14. With the Legends, Duncan was 4-4 with a 4.29 ERA, 52 strikeouts and nine walks over 56 2/3 innings. … Arcenio Leon (6-1, 162, R/R, 23, Maracaibo, Venezuela, non-drafted free agent February 2005) appeared in 41 games, including four starts, for the Legends in 2009. He finished 4-2 with a 5.86 ERA, 52 strikeouts and 49 walks spanning 70 2/3 innings. He spent the previous two seasons with Greeneville, which came after two years in the Venezuelan Summer League. His five-season totals: 10-16, 13 saves, 4.42 ERA, 167 K, 125 BB, 228 IP. Baseball America pegs him as the 19th-best prospect in the Astros system, noting “He sits at 93-95 mph with his fastball, topping out at 96. He mixes a slider than can be an electric pitch at 86-88 mph, a swing-and-miss offering with sharp, late break and depth.” …

Juan Minaya

Colton Pitkin

Daniel Sarisky

Juan Minaya (6-4, 185, R/R, 19, Maimon, Dominican Republic, non-drafted free agent September 2008) broke in last season with the GCL Astros, making 12 starts. Over 52 2/3 innings, he went 3-3 with a 4.27 ERA, while striking out 18 and walking 30. … Colton Pitkin (6-3, 210, R/L, 20, Baytown, Texas, 41st round June 2007 draft), selected out of Sterling High School in Texas, was Greeneville’s Pitcher of the Month in June and August of 2008. After two seasons with Greeneville, Pitkin moved up to Tri-City last year, compiling a 4-8 record with a 4.21 ERA. In 14 games, including 13 starts and one complete game, he worked 68 1/3 innings, striking out 49 and walking 32. … Daniel Sarisky (6-1, 175, R/R, 21, Duluth, Ga., 40th round June 2009 draft), out of Oglethorpe University, made 10 relief appearances for Greeneville and 10 for Tri-City last season. At Greeneville, he was 2-1 with a 4.73 ERA, 17 strikeouts and four walks over 13 1/3 innings. With Tri-City, he had no decisions, a 3.27 ERA, 24 strikeouts and nine walks over 22 innings. …

Michael Schurz

Jose Trinidad

Brandt Walker

Michael Schurz (6-2, 205, R/R, 23, Portsmouth, Va., 44th round June 2009 draft), out of the University of Iowa, sparkled in 23 relief outings last season. In 15 games with the GCL Astros, Schurz was 2-0 with six saves and a 2.25 ERA. He struck out 22 and walked six over 16 innings. Then, in eight outings for Tri-City, Schurz was 1-0 with a 0.66 ERA, 15 strikeouts and seven walks in 13 2/3 innings. … Jose Trinidad (5-11, 150, R/R, 22, Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic, non-drafted free agent February 2006) led all Astros minor-leaguers in 2008 with a 2.73 ERA (17 earned runs in 56 innings). With the Legends last year, he was shut down after 13 relief stints and 21 innings due to injury. He was 0-3 with a save and a 4.71 ERA. His four-season minor-league totals, beginning with two years in the DSL: 9-11, 10 saves, 2.92 ERA, 134 strikeouts, 51 walks, 160 1/3 innings. … Brandt Walker (6-1, 165, R/R, 22, Austin, Texas, eighth round June 2009 draft), in his first season out of Stanford University, went 1-7 with a save and 7.92 ERA for Tri-City last season. He pitched in 16 games, including 11 starts, and totaled 50 innings, 39 strikeouts and 36 walks.

Coming up

South Atlantic League baseball

Lexington Legends at Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

Where: Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium (Kannapolis, N.C.)

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

Probable starters (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Brandt Walker (season debut) vs. RH Justin Collop (season debut); Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Matt Hopps (0-0, 0.00); Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (0.0, 2.70) vs. RH Joe Serafin (0-1, 6.00); Thursday, RH Robert Donovan (0-0, 1.80) vs. RH Terry Doyle (0-1, 1.50).

Intimidator to watch: 2B Daniel Wagner (6-feet, 185 pounds, from Kannapolis) is off to a solid start with his hometown team. A 16th-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in last June’s draft, Wagner is a left-handed hitter out of Belmont University. Through four games, he is 6-for-15 (.400), with two RBI and a stolen base. All of his hits have come in a pair of three-hit games. Last season, Wagner hit .258 over 56 games for Bristol of the Appalachian League, with a homer, 26 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He also hit .293 and homered over 11 games with Kannapolis.

Kirk Clark

Legend to watch: RHP Kirk Clark (6-2, 202, from Moline, Ill.) has come out of the bullpen in two of the team’s first four games. Over 2 2/3 innings he has given up three hits and two walks, but no runs. He has struck out four and was the winner in Saturday’s win over Charleston. Signed by the Houston Astros as a non-drafted free agent last August, Clark played for Creighton University. He made 10 relief appearances for Tri-City of the New York-Penn League last season, going 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA. Over 19 innings, he struck out 24 and walked three

Wander Alvino

Roster move: RHP Wander Alvino was added to the Legends roster Sunday, called up from extended spring training. He takes the place of LHP David Duncan, who moves to the disabled list, retroactive to Thursday, due to a sore arm. Alvino surrendered three runs over three innings in relief Sunday. Last season with Tri-City, Alvino was 4-7 with a 5.17 ERA over 13 starts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Asheville Tourists

What: Three-game series

When: Tuesday through Thurday (7:05 each night)

Where: McCormick Field (Asheville, N.C.)

Robert Bono

Legends RHP Ross Seaton is set to start Wednesday. (Staff photo/Mark Cornelison)

David Duncan

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.41) vs. RH Alan DeRatt (2-3, 4.91); Wednesday, RH Ross Seaton (8-10, 3.31) vs. RH Carlos Luna (0-0, 7.56); Thursday, LH David Duncan (4-3, 4.24) vs. RH Juan Nicasio (8-3, 2.41).

Tourist to watch: Switch-hitting CF Delta Cleary Jr. (6-foot-3, 180 pounds, from Jonesboro, Ark.) entered the season as the 11th-best prospect in the Rockies system, according to Baseball America. Through Sunday, he is hitting .258 with seven homers and 43 RBI over 100 games. He has stolen 31 bases in 42 attempts and scored 50 runs. He had three hits in each game, Saturday and Sunday, at Bowling Green. Rated by Baseball America as “best athlete” in the Rockies system, Cleary is a cousin of NBA pro Shawn Marion. Cleary, a guard, averaged 13 points a game to help his high school to the Arkansas Class 6A state title. He also quarterbacked the football team. Cleary then led his junior-college baseball team to the Division II national championship. Selected by Colorado in the 37th round of the 2008 draft, out of Louisiana State-Eunice JC, Cleary broke in to pro ball last year with Casper of the Pioneer League. There, he hit .276 with three homers, nine RBI and four stolen bases in 27 games.

Michael Hacker

Legend to watch: LHP Michael Hacker (5-9, 175, from Folsom, Calif.) struck out two Saturday in a scoreless inning of relief against the Hickory Crawdads. That was his first appearance since July 16 and bodes well after a horrendous season up to that point. His numbers: 0-1, 2.69 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 15 walks. Selected by the Houston Astros in the 25th round of the 2008 draft, out of Cosumnes River (Calif.) Junior College, Hacker played for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last year. Over 23 appearances, all in relief, Hacker went 1-3 with five saves and a 2.73 ERA. He worked 26 1/3 innings, striking out 27 and walking 17. He held opposing batters to a .187 average and did not allow an earned run in his first 17 games. He was especially tough on the road, with an ERA of 1.08.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

MVP Jordan Pacheco

Derek Norris, top prospect

Also of note: Former Lafayette High School and University of Kentucky standout Michael Bertram is the Eastern League Player of the Week. Bertram, a third baseman for the Double-A Erie (Pa.) SeaWolves, went 9-for-26 (.346) with two doubles, two triples and two homers. He drove in 11 runs, scored eight times, walked three times and finished with an .808 slugging percentage for six games. … No Legends were on the annual list of SAL all-stars revealed Monday. The Charleston RiverDogs led the way with three selections: RHP David Phelps, 3B Corban Joseph and Melky Mesa (utility OF). West Virginia’s Rudy Owens was named Most Outstanding Pitcher, going 10-1 with a 1.70 ERA over 19 games before being promoted to Lynchburg of the Carolina League. Hagerstown Suns catcher Derek Norris, batting .288 with 122 hits and 23 homers in 121 games, was tabbed Most Outstanding Major League Prospect. Asheville catcher Jordan Pacheco, batting .325 with 139 hits and 13 homers through 111 games, was named MVP. Selections came from a vote of SAL field managers, general managers, sportswriters and broadcasters. Lakewood’s Dusty Wathan was selected as manager, Greenville’s Bob Kipper as coach. Other players picked: Asheville’s Scott Robinson (OF); Hagerstown’s Stephen Lombardozzi (2B); Augusta’s Josh Mazzola (1B); Bowling Green’s Tim Beckham (SS); Delmarva’s Ronnie Welty (OF); Hickory’s Erik Morrison (utility IF), and Lakewood’s Anthony Gose (OF).

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Hickory Crawdads

What: Four-game series

When: Tuesday through Friday (7:05 each night)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (7-5, 4.02) vs. RH Wilfredo Boscan (6-7, 3.51); Wednesday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.40) vs. RH Joe Wieland (4-5, 5.53); Thursday, RH Ross Seaton (8-10, 3.39) vs. RH Wilmer Font (7-2, 3.32); Friday, LH David Duncan (3-3, 4.50) vs. RH Jake Brigham (2-8, 5.42).

Matthew West

Crawdad to watch: 3B Matthew West (6-foot-1, 215 pounds, from Bellaire, Texas) is hitting .234 with five homers, 50 RBI and 10 stolen bases over 120 games (through Sunday). He leads active Crawdads in hits (97), runs (59), walks (48), doubles (24) and total bases (140). Selected by the Texas Rangers in the second round of the 2007 draft, when he was 18, West hit .301 and hit 17 homers in 29 games for the Arizona Rangers that year. However, he also was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. In 2008, with Spokane of the Northwest League, West hits .258 with four homers and 30 RBI over 67 games.

Matt Nevarez

Legend to watch: RHP Matt Nevarez (6-5, 220, from San Fernando, Calif.) was assigned to the Legends last week after the Houston Astros acquired him from Texas as part of the deal that sent C Ivan Rodriguez back to the Rangers. Through Sunday, Nevarez has pitched twice for the Legends, giving up no runs and two hits over 1 1/3 innings, striking out three. Selected by Texas in the 10th round of the 2005 draft, out of San Fernando High School, Nevarez had been with the Crawdads all season prior to the trade. With Hickory, he was 1-4 with nine saves and a 2.83 ERA. In 34 relief appearances covering 35 innings, he walked 15 and struck out 50, holding opponents to a .177 batting average. Besides being ranked among the top 200 draft prospects by Baseball America in 2005, Nevarez was an all-city football players and all-league basketball player in high school. Last season, with Spokane, Nevarez compiled a 4-2 record and 4.36 ERA over 16 games, including seven starts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Also of note: The four-game series against the Crawdads is the start of Lexington’s final homestand of the season. The home season closes with a three-game series against the Greenville Drive, Saturday through Monday. … Hitting coach for the Crawdads is Brian Dayett, who held the same position with the Legends in 2004, when Ivan DeJesus served as manager. … The Legends are on track to surpass 300,000 in home attendance for the ninth year in a row (every season since joining the SAL).

Promotions during the final homestand:

Tuesday — Quarter Hot Dog Night and Kraft Singles Night

Wednesday — Ladies Night

Thursday — Thirsty Thursday

Friday — AT&T Advertising Solutions Game Day and Champion Window Giveaway

Saturday — Fireworks Night; Bucket Boys; Fan Appreciation Night

Sunday — Kids Club Sunday

Monday — Dollar Day and Kids Eat Free