April 27, 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)
- Kansas City is 4-6 during its last 10 games and is currently a game out of first place and tied with the Chicago White Sox for second place in the American League Central with a 9-9 overall mark. The Royals were swept in a three-game series in Cleveland (April 21-23) and picked up one win in a three-game set at home against Detroit to close out the week. Shortstop Alberto Callaspo is leading the team and ranked fifth in the A.L. with a .377 batting average.

Steve Foster (Bullpen Coach - Florida Marlins)
- Foster and the Florida Marlins started the season with an 11-1 record - the best in MLB - but have since dropped six in a row, but still lead the National League East by 1.5 games with an 11-7 record. The Marlins were swept at Pittsburgh earlier in the week and lost three straight at home against the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Hunter Pence (Right Fielder - Houston Astros)
- Pence recorded his fourth home run of the season, tallied two multi-hit games and batted .291 (7-for-24) last week with three runs scored and a pair of RBI. On Wednesday, Pence scored the game-winning run for the Astros on an RBI single up the middle by Ivan Rodriguez while leading the Astros to a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pence finished the game going 2-for-4, which included hitting his fourth home run of the season - a two-run shot - to center field giving the Astros a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. He is fourth on the team with a .299 average, ranks second with 20 base hits and is tied for second with four home runs. In addition, Pence is tied for fifth in the National League with five stolen bases.

Mark Lowe (Relief Pitcher - Seattle Mariners)
- Lowe made three appearances this past week throwing a total of two innings. He threw an inning against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (4/22) and made two appearances against the Los Angeles Angels (4/25, 4/26). Lowe has dominated opposing right-handed batters this season allowing a .133 batting average. He is tied for the team lead with eight appearances and owns a 3.68 ERA and has tallied six strikeouts in 7.1 innings.

Ryan Roberts (Utility Player - Arizona Diamondbacks)
- Roberts came up big in a pinch-hit at-bat against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday as he drove a single into center field in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a scoreless tie. The Diamondbacks went on to win 2-0. Roberts had a pinch hit at-bat against the San Francisco Giants on Friday (struck out) and then scored the game-winning run on Sunday, as he entered in the bottom of the 12th inning as a pinch runner. Roberts is 2-for-7 this season - with both hits in pinch-hit situations - with an RBI and two walks. Arizona is 7-11 overall this season and in fourth place in the National League West.

Daniel Ortmeier (First Baseman - Colorado Rockies -Triple-A - Colorado Springs Sky Sox)
- Ortmeier is batting .328 this season in Triple-A with 13 RBI and one home run. He hit his first homer of the season on Sunday while going 1-for-4 with two RBI against the Tacoma Rainiers. He posted two multi-hit games and drove in six runs last week. Ortmeier's 13 RBI rank third on the team. Colorado Springs is currently in first place of the Pacific North league with a 12-5 overall record.

Dillon Gee (Starting Pitcher - New York Mets - Triple-A - Buffalo Bisons)
- Gee made two starts this past week while posting 12 strikeouts. Gee started against Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday where he allowed five hits and three earned runs with seven strikeouts and didn't allow a walk in the no-decision. He gave up nine hits and four earned runs with five strikeouts against Syracuse on Sunday. Gee is 0-3 this season with a 5.40 ERA in 20 innings pitched. He has struck out 21 batters while allowing 24 hits and seven walks.

Adam Moore (Catcher - Seattle Mariners - Double-A - West Diamond Jaxx)
- Moore batted .333 (8-for-24) last week with at least one base hit in five of his six starts. Moore went 3-for-5 with a run scored against Tennessee on April 21 and ended the series against Tennessee with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Moore is batting .293 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBI this season in Double-A.

Matthew Sartor (Relief Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers - Double-A - Chattanooga Lookouts)
- Sartor made three relief appearances last week for the Lookouts. Sartor pitched two innings and recorded three strikeouts against Mississippi on Tuesday and pitched two scoreless innings against Mississippi on Thursday. He finished the week pitching 2.1 perfect innings with one strikeout against Huntsville on Sunday. Sartor is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings this season with 13 strikeouts and two walks.

source: MLB.com & MILB.com