Gaynor picked as Tigers best MiLB performer; Playoff previews; Calhoun named pitcher of week

Minor League Baseball

Jacob Goebbert; BluGrass Baseball photo

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball:

Lynn Henning of The Detroit News highlights the best 2010 performances from Detroit Tigers minor leaguers and picks former WKU infielder Wade Gaynor as the standout offensive performer. Henning highlighted former UK infielder Ryan Strieby‘s balky wrist as the most ominous injury.
MiLB.com previews the Southern League playoffs and spotlights former UK outfielder Collin Cowgill in the series between Mobile and Jacksonville.
Jason Stella of the Louisville Bats‘ media relations department previews the team’s playoff series with Durham.
Mark Maloney of the Lexington Herald-Leader recaps the Lexington Legends season, highlighting standout performances including outfielder Jacob Goebbert‘s RBI and doubles records.
Former Murray St. right-handed pitcher Daniel Calhoun was named Midwest League pitcher of the week after going 3-0 without giving up a run for Quad Cities.

Miller’s contract option vests; Lobstein named Midwest League pitcher of week; A.J. Ellis returns to minors

Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Trever Miller; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball:

Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors reports Kentucky’s oldest major leaguer Trever Miller‘s 2011 contract option with the Cardinals vested with his 45th appearance of the season Saturday.
Bowling Green Hot Rods left-handed pitcher Kyle Lobstein was named the Midwest League pitcher of the week.
Evan Drellich of MLB.com reports Paul Laurence Dunbar alum and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A. J. Ellis was optioned to AAA Albuquerque to make room for recently acquired Rod Barajas. Ellis will likely be recalled with MLB rosters expand on Sept. 1.
Jason Stella of the Louisville Bats media relations department profiles outfielder Dave Sappelt and his contributions since his promotion from AA.
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reports Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, born in Louisville, is asking for a five-year contract extension worth between $55 and $65 million.

Kentuckians among MiLB All-Stars

Uncategorized

Ben Revere; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

With today’s announcement of the AAA All-Star game rosters each of the full-season Minor Leagues has unveiled its All-Star roster. I’ve listed the Kentucky-related players below on each team with links to the full roster:

International League (AAA)

2B — Chris Valaika — Louisville Bats*
LHP — Travis Wood — Louisville Bats

Pacific Coast League (AAA)

OF — Brian Bogusevic — Former Lexington Legend — Round Rock

Texas League (AA)

RHP — Jordan Lyles — Former Lexington Legend — Corpus Christi
1B — Koby Clemens — Former Lexington Legend — Corpus Christi*

Eastern League (AA)

RHP — Trystan Magnuson — UoL — New Hampshire
OF — Ben Revere — Lexington Catholic HS — New Britain

Carolina League (High A)

RHP — Jose Duran — Former Lexington Legend — Frederick

California League (High A)

OF — Jay Austin — Former Lexington Legend — Lancaster

Florida State League (High A)

RHP — Joshua Satow — Former Bowling Green Hot Rod — Charlotte
RHP — Marquis Fleming — Former Bowling Green Hot Rod — Charlotte
LHP — Neil Schenk — Former Bowling Green Hot Rod — Charlotte
OF — Isaias Velasquez — Former Bowling Green Hot Rod — Charlotte
DH — Henry Wrigley — Former Bowling Green Hot Rod — Charlotte

Midwest League (Low A)

RHP — Alexander Colome — Bowling Green Hot Rods
RHP — Wilking Rodriguez — Bowling Green Hot Rods

South Atlantic League (Low A)

LHP — Robbie Ross — Lexington Christian Academy
RHP — Kirk Clark — Lexington Legends
1B — Kody Hinze — Lexington Legends
2B — Jose Altuve — Lexington Legends
OF — J. D. Martinez — Lexington Legends
3B — Chris Dominguez — UofL — Augusta

Bowling Green Hot Rods May Awards

Minor League Baseball

May’s standout performances from the Bowling Green Hot Rods:

Hitter of the month: SS Tyler Bortnick

Stats: 31-94 (.330), 2 HR, 12 RBI, 18 R, 6 SB
Honorable Mention: Christopher Murrill, Brett Nommensen, Tyler Morrison

Pitcher of the month: RHP Alexander Colome

Stats: 4-1, 0.93 ERA, 5 GS, 26 SO, 29 IP
Honorable Mention: Jason McEachern, Shane Dyer, Kirby Yates, Scott Shuman

Anderson starts slow for Bats; Gaynor returns to Kentucky

Minor League Baseball

Josh Anderson; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Some MiLB links and updates to pass along for your Monday morning:

Michael Grant of the Courier Journal profiles Somerset native, Lexington Legends hall of famer and Eastern Kentucky University alum Josh Anderson‘s slow start for the Louisville Bats.
Michael Compton of the Bowling Green Daily News profiles Western Kentucky University alum Wade Gaynor and his return to Bowling Green with the West Michigan Whitecaps. Gaynor was 3-15 in the three-game set against the Hot Rods.
Mark Maloney of the Lexington Herald-Leader recaps the Lexington Legends home opener. Be sure to check out the photo gallery from the game to see the Legends “tuxedo jerseys.”
Standings Update: The Bats currently sit in last place of the International League west division at 4-7. The Hot Rods are seventh in the Midwest League eastern division at 3-8, and the Legends are third in the South Atlantic League southern division at 6-5.
Outfielder Daniel Dorn leads the Bats with a .343 average, four home runs and seven RBI. Third baseman Jonathan Meyer leads the Legends with a .386 average, first baseman Kody Hinze leads the team with three home runs and outfielder Jacob Goebbert leads Lexington with 12 RBI. Catcher Mark Thomas leads the Hot Rods with a .417 average in six games, two home runs and five RBI.

Battle of the BluGrass

Uncategorized

The minor league season ends this weekend for two of the three Kentucky teams, and fittingly they play each other. Barring a league change, this will be your last chance to see Bowling Green and Lexington will meet for the foreseeable future. The Hot Rods’ short stint in the South Atlantic League will end after only one season as Bowling Green moves to the Midwest league in 2010. The action gets started tonight when overlooked starting pitchers Kyle Greenwalt and Chris Andujar match up. Both prospects are having fine seasons, but have been overshadowed by more heralded teammates.

I’d break down the series further, but Mark Maloney of the Herald-Leader has already done a wonderful job.

Maloney on Kentucky sports.