Greene has hot August on the diamond
I know it's football season, but Todd Greene had quite a stretch on the diamond during August.
The former Evans High School star now plays minor league baseball, and he went on a tear last month. In nine of 11 games, the right-handed slugger had at least two hits. For that span, he was 22 for 45, with five doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
For the year (while splitting time between teams in Las Vegas and Oklahoma), Greene's stats were solid: 71 games; 277 at-bats; 90 hits; 48 runs; 21 doubles; 17 home runs; 70 RBI; .585 slugging percentage; .325 batting average.
Keep in mind that those numbers were posted in less than a full season. Had Greene kept up that kind of production for a full, 140-game minor league campaign, his power numbers would have been outstanding - approximately 34 homers and 140 RBI.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one taking notice, as Greene was called back up to the majors in late August. His first start with Texas was on Labor Day, and he homered to help the Rangers beat Baltimore.
Johnson nursing injury
Former Lakeside High School football player Brian Johnson, who now plays at Georgia Tech, has been hampered by injuries this season, according to Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey.
Johnson hurt his ankle in preseason workouts and just can't seem to get healthy.
Coming out of spring practice, it appeared the 6-3, 240 lb. redshirt freshman was going to be a fixture in the Tech backfield.
Johnson got in on just a few plays during Tech's 45-3 win over Vanderbilt last weekend, but when he does get over the injury problem, he should get plenty of playing time, and possibly a starting spot.
"Brian just can't get that ankle sprain better," Gailey said. "If he does, he's going to be a good football player for us."
Wandless focuses on baseball
You may have noticed the name "Wandless" missing from the Greenbrier High School football team's roster this season.
Nick Wandless graduated, but where's younger brother Scott?
As a sophomore linebacker with the Wolfpack last year, Scott Wandless was a standout player, and in baseball, he was even better.
After playing summer baseball in Ohio, on a team filled with big-time college signees, Wandless has become a big-time diamond prospect as well. His coach in Ohio went so far as to say that Wandless is one of the country's premier high school junior outfield prospects.
That's one reason why Wandless isn't playing football for Greenbrier this year. He is another in a rapidly growing list of prep athletes who have decided to focus on their best sport.