Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

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. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

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

Where: Lake Olmstead Stadium, Augusta, Ga.

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Ross Seaton (6-6, 2.57) vs. RH Eric Stolp (2-1, 2.61); Wednesday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (5-7, 3.74) vs. RH Kyle Nicholson (4-6, 3.72); Thursday, RH Jordan Lyles (4-7, 3.27) vs. LH Eric Surkamp (5-2, 3.59); Friday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (4-2, 2.64) vs. LH Art Ronick (5-4, 2.58).

Josh Mazzola

GreenJacket to watch: 1B Josh Mazzola (6-foot-2, 195 pounds, from San Diego) took a 12-game hitting streak (17-for-50, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 12 R) into Monday night’s game at Rome. Overall, he is hitting .284 over 65 games. He leads Augusta in homers (8), RBI (league-leading 54), hits (69) and total bases (113), and ranks second in runs (35), doubles (16), triples (3), slugging (.465) and OPS (.812). Mazzola is batting .336 at home, .226 on the road. After attending Grossmont College and Missouri State University, he signed a free-agent contract with the San Francisco Giants in 2008. Mazzola hit .324 with five homers and 35 RBI last year over 47 games with the Arizona League Giants.

Kyle Greenwalt

Legend to watch: RHP Kyle Greenwalt (6-0, 200, from Sellersville, Pa.) is gunning for a second consecutive win. At 5-7, 3.74, he will be making his 15th start of the season. Over 79 1/3 innings, he 44 strikeouts to 13 walks. Selected by the Houston Astros in the 20th round of the 2007 draft, out of Souderton Area High School, Greenwalt went 0-7 with a 7.53 ERA with Greeneville in 2007. He also spent most of 2008 with Greeneville, improving to 6-4 with a 3.14 ERA. He also appeared in two games for the Tri-City ValleyCats, going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300