For former LSU left-hander Charlie Furbush, it was the ecstasy of performing at a very high level tempered by the agony and low of seeing his team lose in a superb performance.

For former LSU left-hander Charlie Furbush, it was the ecstasy of performing at a very high level tempered by the agony and low of seeing his team lose in a superb performance.

The 24-year old Furbush is pitching well for the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League (A ball). He struck out a career-high 13 in six and a third innings, including an astonishing eight straight Charlotte (FL) hitters—and he lost the game 2-1 this past Monday night. Furbush allowed just four hits.

The former fourth-round pick of the Detroit Tigers now has 49 strikeouts in 34 and one-third innings this year and he has struck out at least seven hitters in each of his six starts this season. He has issued just nine walks, an outstanding ratio.

On the season, the 6’5, 215 pound Furbush is now  2-3 with a 3.67 ERA. In his three seasons in the minors, Furbush is 14-11 overall with a 3.43 ERA. He missed all of the 2008 season with an injured elbow but he is completely back now and bears watching by Detroit.

Former LSU star Brad Hawpe was activated from the 15-day disabled list by Colorado this past Monday (May 10). Hawpe missed two weeks after straining his left quadriceps on April 24. He immediately paid dividends, producing 2 hits in his return to the Rockies lineup.

Meanwhile, the major league career of Xavier Paul is directly tied to one Manny Ramirez. In 2009, Paul got called up when Ramirez was suspended by major league baseball. A staph infection cut his opportunity short but he made his major league debut and hit 214 in 11 games with his first major league home run. In 2010, Paul was recalled from Triple A when Ramirez was injured.

Now, Ramirez is healthy again. He was activated this past Saturday (May 8). To make room for Ramirez, Paul was optioned back to Albuquerque. The former Slidell High and Rummel star was hitting .276 (8 of 29) with 4 doubles, 3 stolen bases and an RBI for the Dodgers in 9 games. With the Triple A Dukes, Paul is hitting .354 with 3 home runs, 4 doubles, 3 stolen bases and 9 RBI. If he continues to hit in that fashion, he will make it back to the majors for good some time soon.

HOMETOWN HEROES FOR WEDNESDAY, May 12, 2010

MAJOR LEAGUES

MIKE FONTENOT—Chicago Cubs  (LSU)  .307 Avg.  1 HR, 10 RBI, 3 doubles in 27 games

CHAD GAUDIN—Oakland A’s  (Crescent City)  0-2, 6.23 ERA in 10 appearances. 16 K’s in 13 innings

BRAD HAWPE—Colorado Rockies  (LSU)  .370 Avg. 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 doubles in 16 games

AARON HILL—Toronto Blue Jays  (LSU)  .181 Avg. 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 doubles in 21 games

TOMMY MANZELLA—Houston Astros (Hannan, Tulane)  .200 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 doubles, 1 stolen base in 32 games

MICAH OWINGS—Cincinnati Reds  (Tulane)  3-0, 4.41 ERA in 9 appearances. 20 K’s in 16.1 innings

GREG SMITH—Colorado Rockies  (LSU)  1-2, 6.35 ERA in 7 starts. 27 K’s in 34 innings

NICK STAVINOHA—St. Louis Cardinals  (LSU) .400 Avg. 2 HR, 1 double, 5 RBI in 18 games (10 for 25)

BRIAN TALLETT—Toronto Blue Jays  (LSU)  1-1, 6.11 ERA in 3 starts. INJURED—LEFT FOREARM STIFFNESS

RYAN THERIOT—Chicago Cubs  (LSU)  .329 Avg. 4 doubles, 12 RBI in 33 games

BRIAN WILSON—San Francisco Giants  (LSU)  0-0, 2.19 ERA, 7 saves in 12 appearances. 18 K’s in 12.1 innings

AAA

MICHAEL AUBREY—Norfolk  (Tulane)  .238 Avg.  2 HR, 8 doubles, 7 RBI in 23 games

BRIAN BOGUSEVIC—Round Rock  (Tulane)  .336 Avg. 4 HR, 9 doubles, 5 stolen bases, 17 RBI in 31 games

ROY CORCORAN—Round Rock  (LSU)  1-5, 2.96 ERA in 11 appearances, 2 starts. 19 hits allowed in 24.1 innings

THOMAS DIAMOND—Iowa  (Rummel, UNO)  1-0, 1.67 ERA in 6 starts. 20 hits allowed in 32.1 innings

JOEY GATHRIGHT--Norfolk  (Bonnabel)  .190 Avg. 4 doubles, 7 RBI, 10 stolen bases

J.C. HOLT—Gwinnett  (LSU)  .167 Avg.  3 RBI, 1 stolen base in 15 games

MARK HAMILTON—Memphis  (Tulane)  .325 Avg.  4 doubles, 5 RBI in 11 games

LOGAN MORRISON—New Orleans  (Northshore)  .300 Avg.  2 HR, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 10 RBI in 12 games. INJURED

XAVIER PAUL—Albuquerque  (Slidell, Rummel)  .354 Avg. 3 HR, 4 doubles, 3 stolen bases and 9 RBI.

AA

RYAN ADAMS—Bowie  (Jesuit)  .288 Avg. 11 doubles, two stolen bases, 12 RBI in 32 games

JEREMY BLEICH—Trenton  (Newman)  2-2, 3.96 ERA in 7 starts. 29 hits allowed in 36.1 innings

JOEY BUTLER—Frisco  (UNO)  .298 Avg.  3 HR, 5 doubles, 11 RBI in 31 games

NOLAN CAIN—West Michigan  (LSU)  0-0, 3.38 ERA in 9 appearances. 10 K’s in 10.2 innings

MATT CLARK—San Antonio  (LSU)  .224 Avg. 1 HR, 7 doubles, 10 RBI in 30 games

LOUIS COLEMAN—Northwest Arkansas  (LSU)  1-0, 2.29 ERA, 1 save in 9 appearances, 1 start. 11 hits in 19.2 innings

BRAD EMAUS—New Hampshire  (Tulane)  .297 Avg.  3 HR, 4 doubles, 3 stolen bases, 19 RBI in 21 games

JOHNNY GIAVOTELLA—Northwest Arkansas  (Jesuit, UNO)  .297 Avg.  6 doubles, 6 stolen bases, 9 RBI in 30 games

LEE HAYDEL—Huntsville  (Riverside, Delgado)  .297 Avg.  8 doubles, 7 stolen bases, 11 RBI in 29 games

CHRIS PROVINCE—New Britain  (Slidell, SLU)  1-1, 7.79 ERA, 2 saves in 14 appearances

EDGAR RAMIREZ—Binghamton  (LSU)  1-0, 3.18 ERA in 10 appearances.  18 K’s in 22.2 innings

BEAU VAUGHAN—Midland  (UNO)  0-2, 3.14 ERA, 6 saves in 12 appearances. 16 K’s in 14.1 innings

A

JARED BRADFORD—Palm Beach  (LSU)  2-2, 6.82 ERA in 6 starts

BARRY BUTERA—Lancaster  (Jesuit)  .314 Avg.  1 HR, 6 RBI in 10 games

JIMMY CESARIO—Modesto  (Jesuit, Delgado)  .384 Avg.  3 HR, 7 doubles, 6 triples, 3 stolen bases, 20 RBI in 30 games

CHARLIE FURBUSH—Lakeland  (LSU)  2-3, 3.67 ERA in 6 starts. 49 K’s in 34.1 innings.

D.J. LEMAHIEU—Daytona  (LSU)  .227 Avg.  2 doubles, 14 RBI in 30 games

BLAKE MARTIN—Fort Myers  (LSU)  1-0, 3.50 ERA in 10 appearances.  14 K’s in 18 innings

SEAN OCHINKO—Lansing  (LSU)  .287 Avg.  1 HR, 13 doubles, 13 RBI in 29 games

RYAN O’ SHEA—Frederick  (Mandeville, UNO)  2-2, 4.96 ERA in 7 starts

JOSH PRINCE—Brevard County  (Tulane)  .253 Avg. 5 doubles, 6 stolen bases and 8 RBI in 22 games

ANTHONY SCELFO—Charlotte  (Jesuit, Tulane)  .222 Avg.  1 HR, 3 doubles, 7 RBI in 20 games

RYAN SCHIMPF—Lansing  (St. Paul, LSU)  .261 Avg.  1 HR, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 10 stolen bases, 19 RBI

RYAN VERDUGO—Augusta  (LSU)  0-1, 6.23 ERA, 1 save in 6 appearances. 12 K’s in 8.2 innings

CRAIG WESTCOTT—San Jose  (Hannan, Delgado)  1-0, 0.94 ERA in 6 starts. 23 hits in 28.2 innings

JOSH ZEID—Lakewood  (Tulane)  2-0, 0.86 ERA, 4 saves in 13 appearances. 11 hits allowed in 21 innings

OUT WITH INJURIES

BEAU JONES (Destrehan)

MATT LIUZZA  (Rummel, LSU)

JARED MITCHELL  (LSU)

**Closest to promotion to majors—BRIAN BOGUSEVIC—Houston, XAVIER PAUL—Los Angeles

**Stock-up—BRIAN BOGUSEVIC, XAVIER PAUL, THOMAS DIAMOND, LOUIS COLEMAN, JIMMY CESARIO, CHARLIE FURBUSH, CRAIG WESTCOTT, JOSH ZEID

If you have any other players who are from the greater New Orleans area, played at a greater New Orleans area high school or played at LSU, Tulane, UNO, SLU, Nicholls State, Loyola or Delgado, please forward them to us here in the comment section or e-mail me at trahan@neworleans.com to make sure we include everyone as we provide a service to our community for our Hometown Heroes.