MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
* Name: Gregg Zaun
* Team: Houston Astros
* Local Ties: St. Francis, 1989
* This Season: Zaun is batting just .231 in 53 games this season.
He has 22 hits in 102 at-bats. Zaun has scored eight runs, none since
July 9, and has contributed six doubles and 12 runs batted in.
* Latest News: Zaun has only played in two of Houston's past nine
games. He was two for 21 (.095) in July, scoring two runs. He also
had a .259 on-base percentage.
* Looking Ahead: Zaun, a member of the Florida Marlins team that
won the 1997 World Series, and the Astros began a three-game series
Friday against the Florida Marlins at home. Houston sits atop the
National League's Central Division, ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals
and Chicago Cubs.
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
* Name: Jordan Olson.
* Team: Princeton Devil Rays (rookie ball).
* Local Ties: Crescenta Valley, 1999.
* This Season: The former USC left-hander, a 33rd round selection
(968th overall) by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 2003 Major League
Baseball first-year player draft, has pitched 15 2/3 innings and has
a 3.45 earned-run average in 11 appearances for Princeton.
* Latest News: In his last appearance, a 10-5 loss to the Pulaski
Blue Jays on July 26, Olson was roughed up in 1 1/3 innings, as he
allowed four runs and three hits, in addition to walking three
batters. Prior to that outing, Olson (1-0) had yielded five runs and
six hits in 14 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .176 against
him.
* Looking ahead: Entering Friday's doubleheader against the
Bristol Sox, Princeton (14-26) was in last place in the Appalachian
League's East Division, 9 1/2 games behind the Martinsville Astros.
Princeton will start a five-game series with the Bluefield Orioles on
Sunday.
*
* Name: Fernando Valenzuela.
* Team: Eugene Emeralds (single A).
* Local Ties: St. Francis, 2000; Glendale Community College, 2002.
* This Season: The first baseman, who helped the Vaqueros win two
Western State Conference South Division championships before
transferring to UNLV, has cooled off since exploding onto the single
A scene. He's batting .243 (35 for 144) with 22 runs batted in.
Although, he's walked 21 times in 41 games.
* Latest News: Valenzuela, who was chosen in the 10th round of the
2003 Major League Baseball first-year player draft, has one hit in
his past 11 at-bats, stretching three games. He's also two for his
past 15.
* Looking Ahead: The Emeralds, an affiliate of the San Diego
Padres, were in second place in the Northwest League's West Division
