June 4, 2010
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Several UCF baseball players are preparing to get their summer wood-bat seasons underway in six different leagues this year. Meanwhile, former Knight Drew Butera continues to help the Minnesota Twins hold on to first place in the American League Central, and southpaw Mitch Herold was dominating in the Boston Red Sox system that he was recently promoted to Double-A.
Most collegiate summer leagues kick off their seasons this week. Two Knights will be experiencing life in the prestigious Cape Cod League in outfielder Ronnie Richardson and catcher Beau Taylor. Closer to home in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, Jack Sterritt, Ryan Breen and Alex Friedrich all will be suiting up for Winter Park, while D.J. Hicks will play for Orlando and J.M. Blake is set to compete for Leesburg.
In the professional ranks, Butera is busy backing up all-star Joe Mauer behind home plate for the Twins, and the 2005 fifth-round pick by the New York Mets has gone 1-for-3 in each of his last two games.
Down in the minors, several Knights are flourishing with their respective clubs. After going 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA in 25.2 innings for the Class A Salem Red Sox, Boston promoted him to Double-A. He made his debut with the Portland Sea Dogs May 23 and following a rough outing, Herold's last two appearances have resulted in 4.2 innings of work with just one run against and two strikeouts.
Double-A is also where Clay Timpner is spending time, and the outfielder owns a .354 batting average with 15 RBI for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco). And Tim Bascom is dominating hitters for the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore), going 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 40 while only walking eight in 10 starts.
Meanwhile, Matt Fox and Mike Maroth are teaming up with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota). Fox is putting up strong numbers in a run to reunite himself with Butera, as the duo served as the UCF battery during their collegiate careers from 2003-04. After recovering from early injuries as a professional, Fox is motoring along in Triple-A, going 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 46.0 innings. He began as a reliever for the Red Wings but has started five-straight games. That includes allowing just one earned run in his last 13.2 innings. However a line drive off his leg limited Fox to just 1.2 innings in his start June 2.
And Maroth is looking to get back into the Majors following several unfortunate injuries. The southpaw started three games this year for the Red Wings and posted a 1.64 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 11.0 innings, but once again the injury bug got him and he is currently on the disabled list.
Several other former Knights are working in the Class A ranks, and for more information check out the below stats.
Current Knights in Collegiate Summer LeaguesCape Cod LeagueCF Ronnie Richardson - HarwichC Beau Taylor - Y/D
Florida Collegiate Summer LeagueRHP Jack Sterritt - Winter ParkC Ryan Breen - Winter ParkOF Alex Friedrich - Winter ParkIF/RHP D.J. Hicks - OrlandoRHP J.M. Blake - Leesburg
Valley LeagueLHP Brian Adkins - WaynesboroLHP Johnny Sedlock - Luray1B Jonathan Griffin - LurayLHP Nick Cicio - Staunton
California LeagueRHP Chase Bradford - Team Vegas
Cal Ripken LeagueRHP Gregg Cooke - HerndonIF/C Chris Taladay - HerndonLHP Joe Rogers - Youse
New England LeagueRHP Bryan Brown - North Adams
Coastal Plains LeagueRHP Brennan Dobbins - WilsonIF Michael Holmes - Outer BanksOF Kevin Vasquez - Martinsville
Former Knights in Professional BaseballHittersTyson Auer - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Class A+, LAA) - 49 GP, .299 BA, 5 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 43 R, 17 RBIDwayne Bailey - Cedar Rapids Kernels (Class A, LAA) - 8 GP, .063 BADrew Butera - Minnesota Twins - 10 GP, .179 BA, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBIRobert Lara - Lake Elsinore Storm (Class A+, S.D.) - 23 GP, .273 BA, 4 2B, 3 HR, 13 R, 10 RBIClay Timpner - Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A, S.F.) - 43 GP, .354 BA, 10 2B, 14 R, 15 RBI, 2 SB
PitchersTim Bascom - Bowie Baysox (Double-A, BAL) - 3-3, 3.10 ERA, 10 GP, 10 GS, 58.0 IP, 8 BB, 40 KMatt Fox - Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, MIN) - 4-2, 2.35 ERA, 17 GP, 6 GS, 46.0 IP, 13 BB, 33 KMitch Herold - Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A, BOS) - 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 3 GP, 6.2 IP, 3 KMitch Herold - Salem Red Sox (Class A+, BOS) - 2-0, 1.05 ERA, 11 GP, 1 SV, 25.2 IP, 4 BB, 17 K*Mike Maroth - Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, MIN) - 0-2, 1.64 ERA, 3 GS, 11.0 IP, 3 BB, 11 K* - Disabled List ="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>