Kelley cuts simulated game short; Hart struggling since return from DL; Webb remains confident he will return to MLB

Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Shawn Kelley; Photo by mwlguide via Flickr

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball:

Greg Johns of MLB.com reports Louisville native Shawn Kelley, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, had to cut his simulated game short on Sunday due to tightness in his throwing elbow.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports there is nothing physically wrong with Bowling Green native Corey Hart contributing to his offensive struggles since returning from the disabled list.
Jack Magruder of Fox Sports Arizona reports Ashland native and former UK right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb remains confident he will be a productive major leaguer again despite one scout’s proclamation that he is “done” following a rehabilitation appearance last week.
Mark Maloney of the Lexington Herald-Leader profiles Lexington Legends catcher Chris Wallace, who Legends manager Rodney Linares says probably deserves a promotion after his early-season performance.
Cash Kuth of MLB.com runs down some of the Kentucky major leaguers Kentucky Derby picks. Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere, North Hardin alum Nathan Adcock and St. X alum Trever Miller all missed on the winner, but Ballard alum Kelley appears to have picked the winner according to his Twitter account.

Webb’s velocity down during rehab appearance; Miller struggling; Wellemeyer to return to action this week

High School Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Brandon Webb; Photo by SD Dirk via Flickr

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball:

Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com reports Ashland native and former UK right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb was at 78 to 81 mph during the first two innings of his latest extended spring training appearance.
Jason Frakes of the Courier-Journal runs down the high school top 25 matchups at this week’s Louisville Invitational Tournament.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Louisville native Trever Miller has been struggling recently as the Cardinals’ only left-handed reliever. Miller has not recorded an out in his last five appearances.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports Louisville native and former Bellarmine right-handed pitcher Todd Wellemeyer is scheduled to pitch this week for AAA Iowa.
Thomas Harding and Nick Kosmider of MLB.com reports Colorado Rockies right-handed pitcher Aaron Cook, who was born in Ft. Campbell, will throw a simulated game on Wednesday as he rehabs from a broken finger.
Mike Fields of the Lexington Herald-Leader profiles 16-0 Madison Central High School in his most recent high school notebook.
Herald-Leader columnist Mark Story also talked to me this week about BluGrass Baseball for his latest column.

Joe Blanton leads Kentucky major leaguers in salary

Major League Baseball

Joe Blanton; Photo via Wikimedia Commons

With Opening Day upon us its time for the annual look at the contracts of each of Kentucky’s major league players. The group added two new members in Josh Lueke and Nathan Adcock this season, but is still dominated by the familiar names. Check out the full list of 2011 salaries below with contract data via USA Today‘s MLB salary database:

Joe Blanton (Phillies) — Franklin-Simpson HS, UK — $10.5 million
Aaron Cook (Rockies) — Born in Ft. Campbell — $9.875 million
Dan Uggla (Braves) — Born in Louisville — $9.15 million
Corey Hart (Brewers) — Greenwood HS — $6.833 million
Mark Reynolds (Orioles) — Born in Pikeville — $5.333 million
Scott Downs (Angels) — PRP, UK — $5 million
Jon Rauch (Blue Jays) — Oldham Co. HS, Morehead St. — $3.5 million
Brandon Webb (Rangers) — Paul Blazer HS, UK — $3 million
Trever Miller (Cardinals) — St. X HS — $2 million
Austin Kearns (Indians) — Lafayette HS — $1.3 million
Sean Green (Brewers) — Male HS, UofL — $875,000
Tyler Clippard (Nationals) — Born in Lexington — $443,000
Jonny Venters (Braves) — Born in Pikeville — $429,500
A. J. Ellis (Dodgers) — PLD HS — $421,000
Nathan Adcock (Royals) — North Hardin HS — $414,000
Josh Lueke (Mariners) — Scott HS, NKU — $414,000

No significant differences were discovered. Race does not influence the length of enrollment in adult literacy programs.

Kentuckians on MLB Opening Day rosters

Major League Baseball

You can always see the list of Kentucky MLB players on the “Ky. in the Majors” page here, but with Opening Day upon us I thought it would be a good idea to post the list on the home page. Check out the Kentuckians starting the 2011 season on MLB rosters below:

National League

RHP Aaron Cook — Born in Ft. Campbell — Colorado Rockies (15-day DL)
C A. J. Ellis — PLD — Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Corey Hart — Greenwood HS — Milwaukee Brewers (15-day DL)
2B Dan Uggla — Born in Louisville — Atlanta Braves
RHP Joe Blanton — Franklin-Simpson HS, UK — Philadelphia Phillies
LHP Jonny Venters — Born in Pikeville — Atlanta Braves
RHP Sean Green — Male HS, UofL — Milwaukee Brewers
LHP Trever Miller — St. X HS — St. Louis Cardinals
RHP Tyler Clippard — Born in Lexington — Washington Nationals

American League

OF Austin Kearns — Lafayette HS — Cleveland Indians
RHP Brandon Webb — Paul Blazer HS, UK — Texas Rangers (15-day DL)
RHP Jon Rauch — Oldham Co. HS, Morehead St. — Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Josh Lueke — Scott HS, NKU — Seattle Mariners*
3B Mark Reynolds — Born in Pikeville — Baltimore Orioles
RHP Nathan Adcock — North Hardin HS — Kansas City Royals*
LHP Scott Downs — PRP, UK — Los Angeles Angels (15-day DL)
RHP Shawn Kelley — Ballard HS — Seattle Mariners (60-day DL)

* — Lueke and Adcock are MLB rookies and will make their MLB debuts with first appearance in 2011.

Spring roundup: Austin Kearns reaches base four times; Trever Miller, B. J. Rosenberg post scoreless outings

Major League Baseball

Austin Kearns; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Stats and highlights from Sunday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Lexington native Austin Kearns was 3-3 with one walk and one run scored for the Cleveland Indians.
Louisville native Trever Miller was credited with a hold after pitching a scoreless inning for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Elizabethtown native Nathan Adcock was credited with a hold despite surrendering two runs in two innings for relief for the Kansas City Royals.
PLD alum A. J. Ellis was 0-1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After being added to the MLB roster for the game former UofL right-handed pitcher B. J. Rosenberg pitched two scoreless innings for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was 0-2 versus the Phillies.
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, was 1-4 versus the Red Sox.

Spring roundup: Nathan Adock surrenders three runs in start

Major League Baseball

Nathan Adcock; Photo by mwlguide via Flickr

Stats and highlights from Thursday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Elizabethtown native Nathan Adcock‘s scoreless spring came to an end after he surrendered three runs on four hits in two innings for the Kansas City Royals.
Louisville native Trever Miller surrendered two runs on one hit in one inning for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Offseason Louisville resident Matt Maloney pitched a scoreless inning for the Cincinnati Reds.
Atlanta Braves left-handed pitcher Jonny Venters, who was born in Pikeville, struck out two batters in a scoreless inning versus the Marlins.
In that same game Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, was 0-3 and is batting just .196 this spring.

Spring roundup: Jon Rauch, Trever Miller, Josh Lueke and Trystan Magnuson post scoreless innings

Uncategorized

Jon Rauch; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Stats and highlights from Sunday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Louisville native and former Morehead St. right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch was credited with his first save of the spring after pitching a scoreless inning for the Blue Jays.
Louisville native Trever Miller pitched a scoreless inning for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Highland Heights native and former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke was credited with a hold after pitching a scoreless inning for the Seattle Mariners.
Former UofL right-handed pitcher Trystan Magnuson was credited with a save after pitching a scoreless inning for the Oakland Athletics.
Former UK right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton was charged with a loss after surrendering four runs on eight hits in six and one-third innings for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, was 2-4 with one strikeout versus the Rays.
Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Tyler Clippard, who was born in Lexington, surrendered two hits and a walk in a scoreless inning versus the Tigers.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was 0-3 versus the Astros.

Spring roundup: Miller, Rauch, Lueke post scoreless outings

Major League Baseball

Trever Miller; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Stats and highlights from Thursday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Louisville native Trever Miller struck out two batters in a perfect inning for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Louisville native and former Morehead St. right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch struck out one batter in a perfect inning for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Highland Heights native and former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke surrendered three hits but did not give up a run in one and one-third innings for the Seattle Mariners.
Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere was 1-5 with one triple and one RBI for the Minnesota Twins.
Lexington native and former UK outfielder John Shelby made an appearance as a pinch runner and defensive replacement for the Chicago White Sox in a split-squad game.
Lexington native Austin Kearns was 0-3 with two strikeouts for the Cleveland Indians.
PLD alum A. J. Ellis was 0-1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was 1-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored.

Spring roundup: Lueke, Miller post scoreless appearances; Cowgill, Kipnis, Kearns and Reynolds tally hits

Major League Baseball

Trever Miller; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Stats and highlights from Sunday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Highland Heights native and former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke struck out one batter in a perfect inning for the Seattle Mariners.
Louisville native Trever Miller retired both batters he faced for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lexington native and former UK outfielder Collin Cowgill singled and scored a run in his only at-bat for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
One-time UK outfielder turned second baseman Jason Kipnis was 1-4 with one run scored for the Cleveland Indians.
In that same game Lexington native Austin Kearns was 1-3 for the Indians.
Louisville native and former UofL right-handed pitcher Sean Green was credited with a hold despite surrendering one run in one inning of work for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Former Kentucky Wesleyan right-handed pitcher Corey Wade surrendered one run in one inning of work for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Former UK first baseman Ryan Strieby was hitless in three at-bats for the Detroit Tigers.
Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere was hitless in four at-bats for the Minnesota Twins.
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, was 2-3 with one strikeout versus the Tigers.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was hitless in three at-bats versus the Astros.

Spring roundup: Nathan Jones gets win for White Sox; Nathan Adcock, Trever Miller post scoreless apperances

Major League Baseball

Nathan Adcock; Photo by mwlguide via Flickr

Stats and highlights from Thursday Kentucky Spring Training action:

Covington native and former NKU right-handed pitcher Nathan Jones earned a win after surrendering one unearned run on two hits in two innings for the Chicago White Sox.
Elizabethtown native Nathan Adcock pitched another scoreless inning for the Kansas City Royals and has not surrendered an earned run this spring.
Louisville native Trever Miller struck out both batters he faced in a relief appearance for the St. Louis Cardinals.
In that same game Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla, who was born in Louisville, was 1-3 with one RBI.
Highland Heights native and former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke was credited with a blown save after surrendering two runs on one hit in one inning for the Seattle Mariners.
Former UK first baseman Ryan Strieby was 1-4 with one run scored for the Detroit Tigers.
Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere was 1-3 with a double for the Minnesota Twins.
Former UK outfielder Collin Cowgill struck out in his only at-bat for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
One-time UK outfielder turned second baseman Jason Kipnis was 0-1 for the Cleveland Indians.
Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Tyler Clippard, who was born in Lexington, surrendered four runs, three of which were earned, on three hits in one inning while striking out two batters and walking none.
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, was 0-4 with two strikeouts versus the Pirates.