Greenwood High School

Hart gets wish: signs three-year extension with Brewers

Major League Baseball

Corey Hart; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Bowling Green native Corey Hart didn’t have to wait long to see if the Milwaukee Brewers were serious about keeping him around after the team chose to not trade him before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The team announced this morning it had signed the Greenwood High School alum to a three-year extension that will keep him with the Brewers through 2013, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwuakee Journal Sentinel reports. Hart is batting .288 with 23 home runs and 72 RBI on the season and was named an All-Star in July.

No financial terms of the deal were announced, but Haudricourt speculated the deal is worth somewhere around $25 million total. The Brewers drafted Hart in the 11th round of the 2000 draft out of Greenwood and he made his MLB debut on May 25, 2004. His 90 career home runs rank 14th among all players born in Kentucky, and he is one of only 12 Kentuckians named to multiple all-star games. (Read more)

BluGrass Baseball MLB Midseason Awards

Major League Baseball

Corey Hart; Photo by Steve Paluch via Flickr

The second half of the MLB season kicks off tonight so it’s a perfect time to dole out mid-season awards. We’ll start with the Kentucky major leaguers before looking at minor league players later:

First half hitter of the season — OF Corey Hart (Brewers)

  • Bowling Green native and Greenwood High School alum Corey Hart capped his first half with an All-Star selection which turned into a starting role after injuries. Hart batted .288 with 21 home runs and 65 RBI in the first half. His 21 home runs rank third in the National League and his 65 RBI are tied for the league lead. Hart also ranks fourth in the National League in slugging percentage (.569).
  • Honorable Mention: Dan Uggla (Marlins), Austin Kearns (Indians)

First half pitcher of the season — RHP Jon Rauch (Twins)

  • Louisville native and former Morehead State University right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch was thrust into the Twins’ closer position after perennial All-Star Joe Nathan went down with a likely season-ending injury in Spring Training. Rauch has done better than anyone could have expected with a 2-1 record, 2.38 ERA and 20 saves in 24 save opportunities. Rauch has struck out 25 and walked just five in 34 innings pitched, and his 20 saves are tied for fourth most in the American League.
  • Honorable Mention: Scott Downs (Blue Jays), Tyler Clippard (Nationals), Jonny Venters (Braves)

KHSBCA Region Players of Year

High School Baseball

In the last of the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association 2010 awards we’ll look at the players of the year from each of the 16 regions. You can also see the coach and assistant coach of the year for each region here.

    • Region 1 — Brock Downey (Murray)
    • Region 2 — Kyle Gibson (Henderson County)
    • Region 3 — Cole Sturgeon (Owensboro Catholic)
    • Region 4 — Ty Downing (Greenwood)
    • Region 5 — Aaron Schwoebel (Campbellsville)
    • Region 6 — Brandon Alphin (Bullit East)
    • Region 7 — Corey Littrell (Trinity)
    • Region 8 — A.J. Knezevich (Oldham Co.)
    • Region 9 — Austin Pugh (Conner)
    • Region 10 — Jared Martin (Harrison Co.)
    • Region 11 — Trevor Gott (Tates Creek)
    • Region 12 — Aaron Watts (McCreary Central)
    • Region 13 — John Wilson (Clay Co.)
    • Region 14 — Kevin Smith (Perry Central)
    • Region 15 — Chandler Shepherd (Lawrence Co.)
    • Region 16 — Joe Hunt (Fleming Co.)

KHSBCA All-State Teams

Uncategorized

Check out the first and second Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State teams:

First Team

  • Brock Downey — Murray High School
  • Justin Hageman — Hopkinsville High School
  • Kyle Gibson — Henderson County High School
  • Cole Isom — Christian County High School
  • Cole Sturgeon — Owensboro Catholic High School
  • Ty Downing – Greenwood High School
  • Shane Waldrop — Warren Central High School
  • Brandon Alphin — Bullitt East High School
  • Corey Littrell – Trinity High School
  • John Fidanza – Ballard High School
  • Kyle Cornett – Eastern High School
  • Brian Doering – Manual High School
  • Jared Martin — Harrison County High School
  • Trevor Gott — Tates Creek High School
  • J.T. Riddle — Western Hills High School
  • Lucas Witt — Lexington Christian Academy
  • Louie Helmburg — West Jessamine High School
  • Duran Elmore — Danville High School

Second Team

  • Tyler Saltsman — Grayson County High School
  • Mikey Scott — Grayson County High School
  • Matt Bowles — Bullitt East High School
  • Taylor Banks — Pleasure Ridge Park
  • Ryan Messex — Louisville Male High School
  • Matt Spalding — St. X
  • Spencer Drake — Eastern High School
  • Corey Bays — Henry Clay High School
  • Eric Standafer — Shelby County High School
  • Austin Pugh — Conner High School
  • Brice Smallwood — Dixie Heights High School
  • Logan Dailey — Harrison County High School
  • Taylor Martin — Lexington Catholic High School
  • Evan Stephens — Lexington Christian Academy
  • Aaron Watts — McCreary Central High School
  • Noah Smallwood — West Jessamine High School
  • Chandler Shepherd — Lawrence County High School
  • Gavin Miller — Pikeville High School

You can see the honorable mention team with player’s from each region here.

Ky seniors named Rawlings All-Americans

High School Baseball

Earlier today we linked Perfect Game USA‘s underclassmen high school All-American teams. Perfect Game partnered with Rawlings Sporting Goods to release the senior All-American team a few weeks ago, but several Kentucky high schoolers and in-state college signees were honored, so the list is still worth passing along. I’ve included those players with school and college commitment below, but you can see the full team here.

3rd Team All-American

  • LHP Corey Littrell — Trinity — University of Kentucky
  • C Jake DePew — Granite City (Ill.) — University of Louisville
  • RHP Kim Dace — Defiance (Ohio) — UofL

High Honorable Mention

  • RHP Patrick Maronde — Lexington Catholic — Coastal Carolina
  • LHP Joel Bender — Oak Hills (Ohio) — UofL
  • INF Alex Chittenden — Lawrence Central (Ind.) — UofL
  • RHP Chad Green — Effingham (Ill.) — UofL
  • P Jeffrey Thompson — Floyd Centrall (Ind.) — UofL
  • RHP Trevor Gott — Tates Creek — UK
  • OF Gavin Patton — IMG Academies (Fla.) — UK
  • RHP Blake Perry — Danville, IMG Academies (Fla.) — UK
  • SS Matt Reida — Russiaville (Ind.) — UK
  • OF G. J. Strauss — Chesterfield (Mo.) — Western Kentucky University

Hit the jump for players honored on regional teams

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Hart wins arbitration hearing; Salary set at $4.8 million

Major League Baseball

Corey Hart; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Bowling Green-native and Greenwood alum Corey Hart won his arbitration hearing with the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday and will make $4.8 million in 2010, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. Haudricourt learned of the news via text message from Brewers negotiator Teddy Werner. The Brewers had offered $4.15 million in the hearing. Hart’s name was mentioned in trade talks earlier this offseason, and now his higher-than-expected 2010 salary might provide more incentive for Milwaukee to move him. (Read more)

New UK stadium; WKU and EKU sign one each

College Baseball, High School Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

 

UK Athletics Wallpaper

Major league hot stove, minor league prospects, college signees and high school commitments all in some Thursday links for your pleasure:

 

  • UK Athletics provides an update on the progress of filling contracts to upgrade its facilities including a new baseball stadium.
  • J. J. Cooper at Baseball America answers a number of Louisville Bats questions during the Reds top prospects chat. (Subscription required)
  • EKU Sports reports the baseball Colonels have signed Fairfield, Ohio, corner infielder Mitchell Durbin as part of the 2011 freshman class.
  • Chad Bishop of the Bowling Green Daily News reports Greenwood outfielder Hunter Thompson has signed his LOI to play college baseball at Western Kentucky.
  • Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com includes Louisville-natives Paul Byrd and Todd Wellemeyer on the list of free agent veteran pitchers the Indians might look at this offseason.

Ky. High School Record Book: Batting Average

High School Baseball

rockcastle coWe’ve looked at stolen bases and home runs, now we’ll move on to batting average. As always the KHSAA keeps its entire baseball record book online here.

Career Batting Average Leaders

  1. David Owens — Rockcastle Co. — 1975-78 — .584
  2. Noah Welte — St. Patrick — 1997-2000 — .568
  3. Soren Wolfe — Monticello — 1998-2001 — .526
  4. Corey Hart — Greenwood — 1997-2000 — .519
  5. Rich Witten — Danville — 2003-07 — .503

Single Season Batting Average Leaders

  1. Noah Welte — St. Patrick — 2000 — .737
  2. David Owens — Rockcastle Co. — 1977 — .683
  3. Keith Butler — Butler Co. — 2007 — .630
  4. David Owens — Rockcastle Co. — 1978 — .614
  5. Rich Witten — Danville — 2006 — .607

Ky. High School Record Book: Home Runs

High School Baseball, Major League Baseball
Corey Hart; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Corey Hart; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

We kicked off the new high school record book series with stolen bases on Saturday. Now we’ll move on to home runs. As always, you can see the complete KHSAA baseball record book here.

Career Home Run Leaders

  1. Paul Morse — Danville High School — 1988-92 — 65
  2. Rich Witten — Danville High School — 2003-07 — 63
  3. Shon Walker — Harrison Co. — 1989-92 — 52
  4. Corey Hart — Greenwood — 1998-2000 — 48
  5. Kendall Withers — Harrison Co. — 1995-99 — 48

Single-Season Home Run Leaders

  1. Walker — Harrison Co. — 1992 — 29
  2. Witten — Danville — 2006 — 25
  3. Morse — Danville — 1992 — 23
  4. K. W. Sexton — East Carter — 1999 — 23
  5. 4 Tied at 21 (Hart, Robby Williams, Dion Newby, Brad Allison)