Manzella gets call to majors

Waynesboro Generals alum Tommy Manzella will begin the 2011 season with the Houston Astros as the team’s starting shortstop.

Manzella, who played in Waynesboro in 2002, will replace Clint Barmes at shortstop after Barmes broke his left hand in spring training last week.

Barmes was hit by a pitch in a spring-training game by New York Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova on March 25.

Manzella was a third-round draft pick of Houston in 2005 and was brought up to major-league camp in February.

Manzella was an All-Valley League shortstop in Waynesboro in 2002, hitting .313 and leading the Generals with nine stolen bases that summer.