May 26, 2009

ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington baseball program started the 2009 Major League Baseball season with 11 former players who are either currently in the big leagues, as a player, coach or manager, or are trying to reach the big leagues from the Double or Triple-A level.

Throughout the Major League season, UT Arlington sports information will provide weekly updates on former Mavericks competing in the major leagues and high minor league level.

Trey Hillman (Manager, Kansas City Royals), Dave Owen (3rd Base Coach - Kansas City Royals)
- Hillman, Owen and the Kansas City Royals are four games back in the American League Central, as they own a 22-23 overall record while currently sitting alone in second place. After opening a home series against Cleveland with a 6-5 victory, Kansas City dropped its next four games - including the final two against the Indians and first two against St. Louis - before taking the I-70 series finale over the Red Birds, 3-2 on Sunday. The Royals are winning this season behind their pitching staff that owns the American League's second best ERA (3.99). Kansas City is also tied for the league's most complete games (4) and shutouts (4). In addition, among the best pitchers in the major leagues this season is Zack Greinke, who leads the big leagues in ERA (0.82) and ranks second in wins (7) and is sixth in strikeouts (73).

Steve Foster (Bullpen Coach - Florida Marlins)
- Foster and the Marlins are currently 21-25 overall and in fourth place in the National League East. The Fish have a 4-6 record in their last 10 games. Last week Florida dropped 3-of-4 to Arizona and lost 2-of-3 against Tampa Bay. The Marlins pitching staff leads the N.L. in strikeouts (376) and their offense ranks sixth in the N.L. in RBI (203).

Hunter Pence (Right Fielder - Houston Astros)
- Pence is enjoying an All-Star caliber season batting .358 with five homers, five stolen bases and 19 RBI. Pence is batting .432 (35-for-81) in the month of May which includes 16 runs, five doubles, two triples, a homer and nine RBI. Pence has an on-base percentage of .511 with a .580 slugging percentage during the month. He has hit safely in 16 of his last 18 games and is currently riding an eight-game hit streak that includes five multi-hit games. Pence is batting .538 (14-for-26) during his eight-game streak. Pence ranks third in the N.L. in batting (.358) and tied for eighth in triples (2).

John Lackey (Starting Pitcher - Los Angeles Angels)
- Lackey has made three starts since coming off the disabled list and is 1-0 with two no decisions. Lackey's first appearance was brief after being ejected following just two pitches in his season debut against his hometown Texas Rangers. Lackey, a native of Abilene, earned his first victory of the season in a 5.0 inning performance with three strikeouts while allowing seven hits and four earned runs. He made his most recent outing on Saturday on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers where he earned a no decision in a seven-inning start. Lackey allowed seven hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts and a walk against the Dodgers. Lackey has a 6.00 ERA in 12.0 innings pitched with eight strikeouts and one walk. Lackey and the Angels are currently three games behind the Rangers for first place in the American League West.

Mark Lowe (Relief Pitcher - Seattle Mariners)
- Lowe had went five straight appearances without allowing an earned run before giving up five in his most recent outing against the San Francisco Giants on May 23. Lowe is 0-2 this season with a 5.32 ERA in 21 appearances. Lowe has allowed 28 hits and nine walks with 18 strikeouts in 22.0 innings pitched. In his first appearance against San Francisco on Friday, Lowe pitched two innings with a strikeout and didn't allow a run or base hit. Lowe needs only three appearances to mark the 100th of his career while he crossed the 100 career-inning plateau earlier this month.

Ryan Roberts (Utility Player - Arizona Diamondbacks)
- Roberts made starts at second and third base last week and continued hitting the ball well as he is now batting .324 (12-for-37) on the season. Roberts hit two doubles while batting in the 2-hole for the Diamondbacks against the Florida Marlins on Thursday. Roberts entered against the Oakland A's as a pinch runner and stayed in the game to go 1-for-3 on Friday before starting at third base and hitting leadoff against the A's on Sunday. Roberts has played in 28 of the Diamondbacks' 45 games this season and has recorded three doubles and three RBI with two stolen bases. The Diamondbacks are currently in fourth place in the National League West with a 19-26 overall record, leaving them 11.5 games behind first-place Los Angeles (31-15).

Daniel Ortmeier (First Baseman - Colorado Rockies -Triple-A - Colorado Springs Sky Sox)
- Ortmeier is batting .319 with two homers and 26 RBI this season. He has hit safely in seven of his last 10 games played, including a 2-for-4 performance against Round Rock. Ortmeier and the Sky Sox are leading the Pacific Coast League's North Division with a 27-16 overall record. Ortmeier ranks 16th in the Pacific Coast League with a .319 batting average.

Dillon Gee (Starting Pitcher - New York Mets - Triple-A - Buffalo Bisons)
- Gee is 1-3 with a 4.10 ERA in nine starts in Triple-A Buffalo this season. Gee has pitched 48.1 innings and has 42 strikeouts with only 16 walks this season. Gee has thrown in at least five innings in six of his nine starts and has tallied five or more strikeouts in six outings. His last two starts has seen him strikeout eight batters while allowing seven hits and four runs.

Adam Moore (Catcher - Seattle Mariners - Triple-A - Tacoma Rainiers)
- Moore was promoted to Triple-A Tacoma on May 14 and has since batted .273 with a pair of doubles and four RBI in his first Triple-A stint. Moore has hit safely in seven of 10 games in Triple-A and went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI in his most recent game on Monday, May 25. Moore played 27 games in Double-A this season while hitting .263 with 14 runs, five doubles, three homers and 13 RBI. Moore entered the season as the No. 6 prospect in the Seattle Mariners organization by Baseball America.

Matthew Sartor (Relief Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers - Double-A - Chattanooga Lookouts)
- Sartor is 0-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 16 appearances this season for Double-A Chattanooga. Sartor made two appearances last week where he logged four innings, allowed four hits, one run and one walk with six strikeouts. Sartor has at least one strikeout in nine of his last 10 outings. Sartor has allowed opponents to bat just .178 and has pitched in 29 innings this season.

source: MLB.com & MILB.com