Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic
    League

Lexington Legends
                                vs. West Virginia Power

What: Five-game series

When: Thursday through Monday (7:05 each night except Sunday, 2:05 p.m.)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call     (859) 422-7867    

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

Juan Minaya

Jose Cisnero

Luis Cruz

Zach Grimmett

Tanner Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Juan Minaya (4-10, 5.16) vs. RH Quinton Miller (2-2, 6.23); Friday, RH Jose Cisnero (6-6, 4.03) vs. RH Jason Erickson (7-5, 3.82); Saturday, LH Luis Cruz (5-3, 3.25) vs. RH Kyle McPherson (6-9, 3.87) or TBA; Sunday, RH Zach Grimmett (5-2, 3.59) vs. RH Brett Lorin (1-1, 4.50); Monday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-7, 4.31) vs. RH Phillip Irwin (5-2, 3.44).

David Rubinstein

Power to watch: All-star RF David Rubinstein (6-foot-2, 190 pounds, from Fountain Valley, Calif.) is hitting .291 with a homer, 39 RBI and 44 runs scored trhough 91 games. He also has 29 doubles and 18 stolen bases. A 2008 11th round draft pick of the Pirates, out of Appalachian State, Rubinstein spent his first two pro seasons with State College of the New York-Penn League. In 2008, hit .249 with a homer and 14 RBI over 47 games. A year later, his average climbed to .267, with three homers and 36 RBI over 65 games.

Ben Heath

Legend to watch: C Ben Heath (6-2, 220, from Martinsville, Va.) joined the Legends last Sunday to fill in for Rene Garcia, who is on the seven-day disabled list due to soreness in his right elbow. In his first three games with the Legends, Heath is 5-for-12 (.417), with two RBI and a run scored. Before joining the Lexington club, Heath hit .248 with six homers, 21 RBI and 20 runs scored over 37 games with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL. Selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the draft this year, Heath batted .369, with 19 homers, 57 RBI and 53 runs scored for Penn State University last spring. A second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten, Heath led the Nittany Lions in average, homers, RBI, runs, total bases (148), slugging (.747) and on-base percentage (.451), and tied for the team lead in doubles (16). His 19 homers set a school record.

Note: Yordany Ramirez also has joined the Legends, although not yet on the active roster. As he makes the transition from outfielder to pitcher, Ramirez will be throwing bullpen sessions and simulated games before being activated.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Coming up

South Atlantic League baseball

Greenville Drive at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

Where: Applebee’s Park

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday, Saturday and Monday nights; 2:05 p.m. Sunday)

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867  

Jose Cisnero

Brandt Walker

Tanner Bushue

Juan Minaya

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Jose Cisnero (0-0, 1.93) vs. RH Roman Mendez (0-1, 21.60); Saturday, RH Brandt Walker (1-0, 1.80) vs. RH Ryan Pressly (0-0, 6.00); Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-0, 4.15) vs. RH Yeiper Castillo (1-0, 2.53); Monday, RH Juan Minaya (0-1, 7.50) vs. LH Drake Britton (0-1, 2.00).

Derrik Gibson

Drive to watch: 2B Derrik Gibson (6-foot-1, 170 pounds, from Seaford, Del.), a 2008 second-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, turned down a scholarship to North Carolina and turned pro. A  senior at Seaford (Del.) High School, he hit .636 with five HR and 29 RBI. He also pitched, winning 15 games over his junior and season seasons. Gibson broke in to pro ball with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, batting .309 with nine RBI and 15 runs over 27 games. Called up to the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, he hit .086 over 14 games. For the season, he finished 16-for-16 in stolen-base attempts (14 in the GCL, two in the NYPL). Last year, spending a full season with Lowell, Gibson batted .290, with 25 RBI and a league-leading 54 runs. He was named a league all-star, as well Red Sox minor-league baserunner of the year (28-for-33 steals). Baseball America rates him the 10th-best prospect in the Boston system and describes him as “a classic leadoff hitter” with “plus-plus speed and supreme control of the strike zone.” Gibson is off to a strong start in 2010, opening with a five-game hitting streak. Through Wednesday, he leads the Drive with a .348 average (8-for-23).  

Rene Garcia

Legend to watch: C Rene Garcia (6-1, 172, from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico) was selected by the Houston Astros in the 35th round of the June 2008 draft, when he was 18. He hit .295 for Greeneville of the Appalachian League in 2008, .202 for Tri-City of the NYPL last year. In his first four games as a Legend (through Wednesday), Garcia is second on the team with a .389 average (7-for-18). He also has three RBI and has scored five times. He shares backstop duties with veteran Jonathan Fixler.

Opening night – Friday: Poster Giveaway, Little Legend of 2010, ADI Fireworks. … Throwing ceremonial pre-game pitches will be J.J. Cannon and Charley Taylor. Cannon managed the Legends in 2001 and ’02, guiding the initial club to the best record in the minors, winning 96 games and a South Atlantic League championship. Taylor, pitching coach in each of the Legends’ first eight seasons and a fellow Legends Hall of Famer, continues to recover from bladder cancer. … Legends players will be in “formal” attire, clad in specially designed “tuxedo” jerseys. … Team president and CEO Alan Stein has a pair of opening night guarantees. First, he guarantees that game-time temperature will be 60 degrees or warmer and, second, that the Legends will win. If the temperature is below 60, fans in attendance will receive a voucher for a ticket to a later Legends game. If the Legends lose, Stein will shave off his mustache for the first time in 40 years. … Friday is “Dollar Day,” featuring Pepsi, beer and hot dogs for $1 each.

Other series promotions —  Saturday: Magnet Giveaway (first 1,000 fans); Dave The Horn Guy. Sunday: Kids Club Day, presented by JIF; Monday: Kids Eat Free, presented by Member’s Heritage.

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.