Injuries bound to destroy hopeful season
Rusty Nobbs, Bluegrass Roundup

4/26/2009: Lexington, KY – Welcome to baseball 2009 here in Lexington, Kentucky, home of your bewildered Thoroughbreds.  2009 came with so much hope and promise of another improved season.  The long-awaited promotion of Buddy Stephens … the continued improvement from Barry Murdock and Eduardo Molina … the hump year for Sancho Martínez … the return of Xue-qin Yuan … and of course the return of the Purple Martins.

Nothing seems to be going in favor of the Thoroughbreds thus far.  For starters, in each of their ten home games the temperature has not risen above 51 degrees.  This extended cold spring has delayed the arrival of the Purple Martins, which last year made Churchill 1 their home and mosquito-free for the very happy fans.  Maybe this is a good thing since lead poop-scooper Ignacio Lópes strained his back prior to the start of the season and has since played in only 2 games.  He reports that he will need an additional 2 weeks before he is able to wield his poop-scoopin' tools.

During Spring Training, stud reliever Gonzolo Flores herniated a disk in his back.  He has been placed on the 60-day DL and will miss most, if not all, of the 2009 season.  With the cold weather, Gonzolo has remained at home in an effort to avoid further muscle tightening.

Buddy Stephens … finally being given a chance at the ML level, he began the season in very promising fashion by batting .500.  Then the unthinkable: he has back spasms which were diagnosed as a strained back muscle.  After playing in only four games he will have to delay his rookie season another 2 months.

Next up: Barry Murdock, the rookie phenom in 2007.  Late in 2008 he began to show signs of his potential greatness.  But now after 19 games he endured a fractured foot while running the bases.  His season is also delayed two months.

Neither Buddy nor Barry has been placed on the DL due to budget restrictions and lack of fan interest thus far … plus there really isn't anyone else ready for a trial at the ML level.

Sancho Martínez went to Winter Ball and showed signs of a breakout season during Spring Training.  But thus far in his 23 games in 2009 he has not shown any progress whatsoever.  Maybe he is a bust???  The scouts everywhere think his days will come … but when?

Xue-qin Yuan began his career here in Kentucky back in 2007.  He was traded for financial reasons to San Antonio for fourth round pick Ángel García.  He was then traded to Tempe.  Midway through 2008 Tempe traded him to New Jersey, who then traded him two weeks later to Yuma.  After 2008, Yuan became a free agent and eventually signed a three-year deal back here in Kentucky.  At all of his stops in 2007 and 2008 he has amassed a record of 12 wins 31 losses and 2 saves.  So far in 2009 he is not faring any better with a 1-3 record, an ERA above 6 and more bases on balls than strikeouts.  The coaching staff is befuddled but still confident that Kentucky's commitment will correct his lack of confidence from all of the trades.

Eduardo Molina, who led this team in 2008, seems to be continuing that trend.  In 19 games so far he is leading this team in hitting (.293 average with a .337 on-base), plus he already has 1 homer and 11 runs batted in.  Kentucky faithful pray that he does not become part of the injury plague.  So far he is the only true bright spot for this dismal group that is called a team.

What's next for the Thoroughbreds?  If team physician Rafael Flores can keep these guys from causing harm to themselves, June could be a pretty scary time for the rest of the league.  But all remains to be seen as the outlook is bleak with the cards that have been dealt thus far.