Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

The Houston Astros Player Development Department has named Tanner Bushue, Chris Wallace and Jiovanni Mier as the Lexington Legends’ players of the month. The monthly awards are determined by the team’s field staff.

Bushue

Seven of the eight award winners at higher levels within the Astros system are Legends graduates: Jordan Lyles, Koby Clemens, Arcenio Leon, Wladimir Sutil, Kirk Clark, Jose Altuve and Jonathan Meyer.

Wallace

Bushue is Lexington’s Pitcher of the Month. The right-hander went 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA over four starts. He worked 26 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a .214 batting average.

Mier

Mier, a shortstop, is the Legends’ Defensive Player of the Month. In 22 games, he totaled five errors in 101 chances, turning 13 double plays.

Other winners, by club:

Lyles

Triple-A Oklahoma City — Lyles, pitcher (1-2 in five starts, 3.76, 19 strikeouts, five walks); Clemens, offense (.284, 5 HR, 5 doubles, 18 RBI, 20 games); catcher Carlos Corporan, defense (17 games, one error in 136 total chances, .993, caught seven base-stealers in 12 attempts).

Sutil

Double-A Corpus Christi — Leon, pitcher (0-0 in seven relief appearances, 0.00, 11 strikeouts, .211 batting average by opponents); Sutil, offense and defense (.418, 5 doubles, eight runs, seven stolen bases, 15 runs, .480 on-base percentage, 16-game hitting streak; two errors in 100 total chances at shortstop, .980, turning 17 double plays).

Altuve

Advanced A Lancaster — Clark, pitcher (1-0, 0.93, 8 saves, 0 blown saves, .182 opponent average over nine relief appearances); Altuve, offense (.435, 6 doubles, 4 triples, 12 RBI, 19 runs, 12 stolen bases, .485 on-base percentage); Meyer, defense (three errors in 53 total chances at third base, .943, 33 assists).

From the Houston Astros media relations department … former Legends Jordan Lyles and J.D. Martinez are honored.

The Houston Astros Player Development Department announced their 2010 Minor League Players of the Year Tuesday, naming right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles as Pitcher of the Year and outfielder J.D. Martinez as Player of the Year. The club also named Omar Lopez, manager of the Astros Gulf Coast League affiliate, as Player Development Man of the Year. All three will be recognized at a special pre-game ceremony at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, October 2, prior to the Astros 6:05 p.m. game against the Chicago Cubs.

“Jordan and J.D. have both moved through the system at a rapid pace and seem destined to reach the big leagues in the not-too-distant future. Not only are they talented players, but they’re solid-makeup, exceptionally dedicated kids,” said Astros General Manager Ed Wade. “Omar has impressed everyone with the work he’s done for us in player development. He’s had an impact everywhere he’s gone and is focused on making our kids better.”

Jordan Lyles

Right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles was named the Astros 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 7-12 record and a 3.57 ERA (63ER/158.2IP) in 27 games, 26 starts, between the Double A and Triple A levels. Lyles spent the majority of his season with Double A Corpus Christi, posting a 7-9 record and a 3.12 ERA (44ER/127IP) in 21 games, 20 starts. His success with Corpus Christi earned him mid-season and post-season Texas League All-Star honors, as well as a selection to the 2010 MLB Futures Game. Lyles was promoted to Triple A in early August but still managed to finish tied for fourth in the Texas League with 115 strikeouts and ranked fifth in ERA. At the time of his promotion, he became the first 19-year-old to pitch at the Triple A level in 2010. Lyles was selected by Houston in the supplemental first round, as the 38th overall selection, in the 2008 June draft.

                Jordan Lyles – Right-Handed Pitcher (combined 2A and 3A stats)

W   L   ERA   G   GS   CG   SHO   SV    IP      H   R   ER   HR   BB   SO

7   12   3.57   27   26   2       0     0  158.2   181   75   63   12   46   137

Outfielder J.D. Martinez earned Minor League Player of the Year after hitting a combined .341 (183×537) with 40 doubles, 18 homers and 89 RBI with Class A Lexington and Double A Corpus Christi. Before being promoted to Corpus Christi on July 16, Martinez posted a .362 (126×348) average with 15 homers and 64 RBI in 88 games for Lexington. His performance, in a little over half the season with Lexington, earned him the South Atlantic League’s Most Valuable Player Award and mid-season and post-season All-Star nominations. In his two years in the Astros system, Martinez has played at four different levels, hitting above .300 at each stop and placing his career minor league batting average at .343 (275×801). He was drafted by Houston in the 20th round of the June 2009 draft.

 

                J.D. Martinez – Outfielder (combined Class A and 2A stats)

AVG   AB     H      R     2B   3B   HR    RBI   SB

.341   537   183   107   40    4    18     89      5

Omar Lopez, who serves at the manager of the Astros Gulf Coast League affiliate, was named as the organization’s Player Development Man of the Year after completing his second full season at the helm of the GCL Astros. In addition to his managerial duties, Lopez, who is bilingual, is given the task of guiding the organization’s Spanish-speaking prospects through their first year of professional baseball in the United States. The 2010 season was his third as a manager in the Astros organization.

Zach Grimmett

J.D. Martinez

Lexington Legends teammates Zach Grimmett, J.D. Martinez and Jake Goebbert are among 15 players named by the Houston Astros Player Development Department on Wednesday as Players of the Month for June. Monthly winners are chosen by the field staff of each team.

Former Legends honored include Jordan Lyles, Jhon Florentino, Patrick Urckfitz and Brandon Barnes.

A team-by-team breakdown follows.

Round Rock Express (Triple-A)

Pitcher: RH Josh Banks (3-1, 1.50 ERA, 30 innings pitched, four starts).
Offensive Player: OF Drew Locke (32-for-101, .317, 14 extra-base hits, 15 RBI, 28 games).
Defensive Player: C Jason Castro (15 June games before being promoted to Houston on June 22; season .994 fielding percentage, with 13 of 34 runners caught stealing).

Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A)

Jordan Lyles

Pitcher: RH Jordan Lyles (1-2, 2.10 ERA, 30 innings, five games, four starts; also named to Texas League All-Star Game and All-Star Futures Game).
Offensive: OF J.B. Shuck (35-for-101, .347 batting, .426 on-base percentage, 7 RBI).
Defensive: 3B Jhon Florentino (season totals of 70 games, .936 fielding percentage).

Lancaster JetHawks (High-A)

Patrick Urckfitz

Brandon Barnes

Pitcher: LH Patrick Urckfitz (1-0, 2.08, 21 2/3 innings, six games, one start, 25 strikeouts, three walks).
Offensive: OF Lee Cruz (32-for-80, .400, 11 doubles, 3 homers, 21 RBI).
Defensive: OF Brandon Barnes (season totals of 15 assists and .969 fielding percentage, playing primarily in right field).

Lexington Legends (Low-A)

Jake Goebbert

Pitcher: RH Zach Grimmett (1-0, 1.80, 20 innings, seven games, 0.85 WHIP).
Offensive: J.D. Martinez (36-for-101, .356, 14 extra-base hits, .420 on-base percentage, 13 RBI, 25 games).
Defensive: LF Jake Goebbert (season fielding percentage of .985).

Dominican Summer League Astros (Rookie)

Pitcher: LH Francisco Baso (3-3, 1 save, 2.93, 15 1/3 innings, 6 games).
Offensive: 2B Yonathan Mejia (26-for-84, .310, 7 RBI).
Defensive: OF Ydarqui Marte (season totals: .983 fielding percentage, 4 assists, 31 games).

Three players with Kentucky ties have been named to the United States roster for the 12th annual All-Star Futures Game, to be played July 11 at Anaheim, Calif.

Ben Revere

Lexington Catholic graduate Ben Revere, a Minnesota Twins prospect with the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League (Class Double-A) is among five outfielders on the roster.

Jordan Lyles

Christian Friedrich

The 10-man pitching staff includes Double-A right-handers Christian Friedrich and Jordan Lyles. Friedrich, out of Eastern Kentucky University, is a Colorado Rockies prospect who is with the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League. Lyles, who played for the Lexington Legends last season, is with the Texas League’s Corpus Christi Hooks.

Yonder Alonso

Phillippe Valiquette

The World roster includes a pair of Louisville Bats, Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds: Cuban-born infielder Yonder Alonso and Canadian-native left-handed pitcher Phillippe Valiquette.

No Lexington Legends were named, but the South Atlantic League will be represented by a pair of players. Hagerstown Suns outfielder Eury Perez, a Dominican, is on the World roster. Lakewood BlueClaws right-hander Jarred Cosart is on the U.S. pitching staff.

The Futures Game, held in conjunction with the Major League All-Star Game, is a showcase event for top minor-league prospects. The July 11 game is part of “All-Star Sunday” and is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and MLB.TV. The Major League All-Star Game will be played at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, July 13.

The first 11 editions of the Futures Game has produced 62 Major League all-stars, including Bowling Green native Corey Hart and former Legends slugger Hunter Pence. There are 201 Futures Game graduates currently on big-league rosters, including Hart, Pence, University of Kentucky product Joe Blanton and former Legends John Buck and Fernando Nieve.

A pair of Legends Hall of Famers attended the home opener: Charley Taylor (left), long-time pitching coach; and J.J. Cannon, manager the team's first two seasons, including the championship year of 2001. (Photo by Mark Maloney.)

Jose Cisnero

Waking up from a furlough* week. (* — A week off the job, not to be mistaken for vacation.)

The Lexington Legends still have two games left in a four-game series at Greenville, Monday and Tuesday nights at 7. Probable pitching matchups have Lexington RH Jose Cisnero (1-0, 7.11) vs. RH Roman Mendez (0-1, 15.26) Monday, and a Legend “to be announced” vs. RH Ryan Pressly (0-0, 3.00) on Tuesday.

The bigger – and encouraging – news comes from Legends Hall of Fame pitching coach Charley Taylor, who is sitting out a second season as he battles cancer.

Taylor, was on hand for the team’s April 16 home opener, has since been checked by doctors in Houston. In an e-mail, Taylor said he was told “the scan looked really good and that there isn’t any new cancer at this time, and some of the previous spots that were seen had either gotten smaller or were gone. He also said that some of those could have been scar tissue from surgery, but the bottom line is the scan looks good.”

Taylor, who overcame prostate cancer before coming to Lexington in 2001, writes that he knows he is not “out of the woods by any means, but tis is someting to certainly celebrate and feel good about.” He thanks all who have prayed for and offered support to him and his family.

University of Kentucky basketball standout Patrick Patterson was captured on the new video board at Applebee's Park when he threw a ceremonial first pitch during the Legends' opening homestand of the season. (Photo courtesy of Gary Durbin, Lexington Legends.)

• Speaking of the Legends, here’s a “two thumbs up” for the new video board in left-center field. How many big-league teams, let alone minor-league clubs, have two video boards?
• Former Legends RHP Sammy Gervacio was activated from the Houston Astros’ 15-day disabled list over the weekend. Gervacio, 25, had been on the DL due to an inflamed rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. In three rehab appearances with Triple-A Round Rock, Gervacio worked three innings with a 3.00 ERA. Before going on the DL, Gervacio pitched 1 1/3 innings over two relief appearances for the Astros (0-1, 6.75).
• Can’t get too much lowdown on Astros prospects, including Legends and former Legends? Super blogger Mike Tauser is on the spot again this season at: 
  http://farmstros.blogspot.com.
  His “Farmstros Five” Players of the Week include a pair of Legends (Robert Donovan and Jonathan Meyer) and three former Legends (Doug Arguello, Kyle Greenwalt and Tauser’s Top Performer, Jordan Lyles). Legends catcher Jonathan Fixler is an occasional contributor with diary entries labeled the “Fixler Files.”
• The South Atlantic League Hall of Fame will induct three new members June 21 as part of the 51st SAL All-Star Game festivities. The game will be played June 22 at Greenville, S.C. The HOF inductees: Mike Dunn, general manager of the Rome Braves and the team’s predecessor in Macon; John Purdin, who pitched the only perfect game in SAL/Western Carolinas League history, for the Salisbury (N.C.) Dodgers on Aug. 8, 1964, and who went 14-3 with a 1.91 ERA and 182 strikeouts over 137 innings; and three-time World Series champion Curt Schilling, who led the SAL in 1987 with a still-standing club-record 189 strikeouts for the Greensboro Hornets.

Fans attending Eastern Kentucky University’s home basketball games this week are invited to take part in the fifth annual Colonel Holiday Toy Drive.

The drive, operated by the EKU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Salvation Army, opened Monday at the Alumni Coliseum ticket office. Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily through Friday.

Wednesday night, when the EKU men (6-2) play host to Ohio Valley (1-4) at 7 p.m., fans who donate to the Toy Drive will gain free admission.

Friday, when the EKU women (4-4) meet Davis & Elkins at 6 p.m., donations will earn free admission.

Bluegrass tinge to USATF annual meeting

Award winners at the USA Track & Field annual meeting in Indianapolis include several Kentucky connections.

Lexington native Tyson Gay won both the Harrison Dillard and Jesse Owens awards.

Sprinter Tyson Gay (Lafayette High School/Univ. of Arkansas) received both the Jesse Owens and Harrison Dillard awards. World-champion long-jumper Dwight Phillips (Univ. of Kentucky) took the Jim Thorpe Award.

Gay, the World Championships silver medalist at 100 meters, equaled or bettered his own American record three times in 2009. Other finalists for the award were Phillips, Christian Cantwell, Kerron Clement, Trey Hardee, Bernard Lagat and LaShawn Merritt.

USATF’s chairman and president, Stephanie Hightower (Louisville Stuart H.S./Ohio State), commended the board of directors who, over the last 11 months, have developed a ”comprehensive strategic plan.”

Also, five new members were inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame — four-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs; Olympic long jump gold-medalists Randy Williams and Willie Steele; Olympic gold-medalist 400-meter hurdler Andre Phillips; and one of the all-time coaching greats, Dr. Ken Foreman.

Updating Charley Taylor’s recovery

Charley Taylor

Long-time Lexington Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor’s post-surgery cancer treatment is running ahead of the schedule that was posted on this blog Tuesday.

He already has returned to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy. All indications are that his recovery is going well five weeks after the surgery.

Here’s hoping Charley is back tutoring young pitchers soon on a bullpen mound.

Lyles, Clemens honored by Astros

Jordan Lyles

Koby Clemens

RHP Jordan Lyles, who went 7-11 with a 3.24 ERA for the Legends last season, is Pitcher of the Year in the Houston Astros organization.

Lyles, who turned 19 in October, ranked fourth in minor-league baseball and set a Legends record by striking out 167. He fanned 10 or more batters in four games and walked only 38 over 144 2/3 innings. The Astros landed Lyles with a 2008 supplemental first-round draft pick (38th overall).

Former Legend 3B Koby Clemens is Offensive Player of the Year in the Astros organization.

Clemens, now a catcher, hit .345 with 22 homers and 121 RBI for the Lancaster JetHawks of the High-A California League.

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods

What: Four-game series (Final series of the 2009 season)

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday and Saturday nights; 5:05 Sunday; 1:05 Monday)

Where: Bowling Green Ballpark, Bowling Green, Ky.

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (8-13, 4.10) vs. RH Chris Andujar (10-4, 2.74); Saturday, RH Jordan Lyles (6-11, 3.31) vs. TBA; Sunday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (7-5, 3.87) vs. LH Frank De Los Santos (4-10, 3.79); Monday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.41) vs. TBA.

Chris Andujar

Hot Rod to watch: All-star RHP Chris Andujar (6-foot, 182 pounds, from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) gets the start Friday. Andujar’s 10 victories are tied for third-best in the league (through Tuesday) and his 2.74 ERA ranks fourth. Over 30 appearances, including 16 starts, Andujar has worked 115 innings, striking out 76 and walking 39. Signed by Tampa Bay as a free agent on April 25, 2006. With Hudson Valley of the New York-Penn League last year, Andujar went 3-4 with a 5.65 ERA. He averaged nearly a strikeout per inning, fanning 57 over 65 2/3 innings.

Brian Pellegrini

Legends to watch: 1B/LF/DH Brian Pellegrini (6-1, 240, from Willoughby, Ohio) smashed the franchise records for career homers (28, by Tommy Whiteman and Justin Humphries) earlier this season and needs just one more to take sole possession of the team’s single-season record. He goes into the series with 46 bombs as a Legend. His 25 this season lead the league and match the single-season record set by Beau Hearod and tied by Hunter Pence. Pellegrini played his first 30 games of the season for High-A Lancaster, hitting another seven homers. Through Wednesday, Pellegrini is hitting .290, with 68 RBI and 60 runs scored, over 98 games with the Legends. He was selected by the Houston Astros in the 12th round of the 2007 draft, out of St. Bonaventure University, where he was the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in 2006. He played five games for Tri-City in 2007. Last year, in 87 games with the Legends, Pellegrini hit .226 with 21 homers 69 RBI and 50 runs scored. Despite his linebacker-type build, Pellegrini is surprisingly quick. He stole 13 bases last season and has nine this year. 

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Bud Norris

Henry Villar

Matt Nevarez

Also of note: Former Legend RHP Bud Norris, now with the Astros, has been named Pitcher of the Year in the Pacific Coast League, where he played for the Round Rock Express. Norris went 4-9, but led the PCL with a 2.63 ERA over 19 starts. Since being called up by the Astros, Norris is 3-3 with a 6.61 ERA over six starts. … Mike Tauser’s “Farmstros Five” for the week, all RHPs, includes Legends Henry Villar and Matt Nevarez. Corpus Christi’s Chia-jen Lo tops the list, joined by Jose Cisnero of Greeneville and Kirk Clark of Tri-City. For more on the Farmstros, see Tauser’s blog: http://farmstros.blogspot.com/

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

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday, Saturday and Monday nights; 4:05 p.m. Sunday)

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

Probable pitching matchups (Legends listed first): Friday RH Ross Seaton (8-9, 2.82) vs. LH Brad Hand (6-12, 5.35); Saturday, LH David Duncan (2-3, 4.39) vs. RH Kyle Kaminska (8-8, 3.96); Sunday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (7-12, 3.89) vs. RH Sandy Rosario (2-0, 2.41); Monday, RH Jordan Lyles (6-10, 3.15) vs. RH Graham Johnson (5-7, 5.02).

Ben Lasater

Grasshopper to watch: 1B Ben Lasater (6-foot-3, 195 pounds, from Las Vegas, Nev.) leads Greensboro in games (109), at-bats (417), RBI (65), hits (117) and total bases (191) through Wednesday. Batting .281, he shares the team lead in homers (15). He also has 29 doubles and has scored 60 runs. Selected by the Florida Marlins in the 29th round of the 2007 draft, out of the College of Charleston (S.C.), Lasater split last season between Jamestown and Greensboro. He earned mid-season all-star honors in the New York-Penn League, hitting .324 with nine homers and 41 RBI over 59 games with Jamestown. In 33 games with the Grasshoppers, he batted .229 with seven homers and 24 RBI.

Steve Brown

Legend to watch: LF/CF Steve Brown (6-0, 180, from Cartagena, Colombia) is 21-for-66 (.318) in August, with three homers and 16 RBI. Overall, in 81 games through Wednesday, Brown is hitting .254 with six homers, 42 RBI, 43 runs scored and eight stolen bases. He has not committed an error. Signed by the Houston Astros as a non-drafted free agent on Dec. 1, 2003, Brown’s minor-league career began with two seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League, followed by a season with Greeneville of the Appalachian League (2006), another with Tri-City of the New York-Penn League (2007) and the past two seasons with the Legends. Totals for his first five seasons include: .267 average, 19 homers, 128 RBI, 55 stolen bases.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends
vs. Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

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

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

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (7-11, 3.90) vs. RH Nevin Griffith (2-4, 4.24); Tuesday, RH Jordan Lyles (6-10, 3.27) vs. LH Joey Serafin (1-1, 2.70); Wednesday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (7-5, 3.91) vs. RH Stephen Sauer (6-5, 3.27); Thursday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.39) vs. LH Charlie Leesman (12-4, 2.97).

Jared Mitchell

Intimidator to watch: CF Jared Mitchell (6-foot, 195 pounds, from New Iberia, La.) was a first-round draft pick (23rd overall) of the Chicago White Sox in the June draft. In 24 games with the Intimidators (through Saturday), he is 24-for-78 (.308), with nine doubles, two triples, six RBI, eight runs scored, four stolen bases and a .443 on-base percentage. Mitchell hit .327, with 11 homers, 50 RBI, 64 runs and 35 stolen bases this year to help LSU win its sixth NCAA title. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series. Mitchell led the Tigers in steals, walks and on-base percentage. Baseball America tabbed him as Best Athlete and Fastest Runner among draft-eligible collegiate players. Mitchell also played on LSU’s national championship football team (2007). Over three seasons at wide receiver, he caught 24 passes for 274 yards.

Patrick Urckfitz

Legend to watch: LHP Patrick Urckfitz (6-3, 190 pounds, from Rochester, N.Y.) has developed into a dominant closer. Over 48 1/3 innings and 41 games, he is 4-0, with 13 saves and a 2.61 ERA. He has struck out 40 and walked 13. At the all-star break, he was 3-0, seven saves, 3.00 ERA. Since then, he is 1-0, six save, 1.96 ERA. Signed with the Houston Astros as non-drafted free agent out of Monroe (N.Y.) Community College on June 29, 2008. Worked 15 games in relief for Greeneville last year, going 1-0 with one save and a 1.40 ERA. Had 23 strikeouts and nine walks over 19 1/3 innings.   

Radio: WLXG AM-1300