julio in the club

Julio Borbon made his major league debut tonight as a Texas Ranger. He also became the latest Mississippian to make The Show. Borbon's connection is thin — he was born in Starkville in 1986, apparently while his father was in grad school at Mississippi State — but he's still a native. The former Tennessee All-American has been on the Rangers' prospect charts for a couple of years. He was a .300 hitter at the Class A and Double-A levels in 2008 and was batting .298 in Triple-A when the Rangers called him up. An outfielder, Borbon goes 6 feet 1, 190 pounds, hits left-handed and has plus speed. He could be a good one.

ode to '86

MLB Network aired a rebroadcast this morning of Game 6 of the 1986 National League Championship Series, the New York Mets vs. the Houston Astros at the Astrodome. It has to rank in just about everybody's Top 10 list of the best major league games. The Mets led the series 3-2 and were desperately trying to avoid having to face Mike Scott, almost unhittable in the series, in Game 7. They would win 7-6 in 16 innings — and go on to win the World Series, of course, where they played another fairly memorable Game 6. That NLCS game would have been a great one even had it been played sometime in May: the Mets score three in the ninth to force extra innings; both teams score once in the 14th; the Mets break away, or so it seems, with three in the 16th, only to see the Astros score two and leave the winning run on base. The cast of characters was rich. Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Jose Cruz, Davey Lopes, Davey Johnson ... heck, Yogi Berra was a coach for the Astros. And from a Mississippi perspective, it was off-the-charts compelling, then and now. So many connections and angles. The Mets' Double-A club had been in Jackson since 1975 — the Astros' club would move to Smith-Wills Stadium in 1991 — and the big league Mets played an exhibition game at Smith-Wills that spring. Their roster was replete with former JaxMets: Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Jesse Orosco, Kevin Mitchell, Lee Mazzilli, Wally Backman, Kevin Elster and more. Johnson, the manager, managed the JaxMets to a Texas League crown in 1981. Coach Greg Pavlick played in the first game at Smith-Wills. And Scott, the Astros' ace, was also a former JaxMet, while Jeff Calhoun, who worked the game-deciding 16th for Houston, played at Ole Miss. Watching the rebroadcast brings all that back — and reminds us why we love the game.
P.S. Wonder if anyone else noticed this: When the Braves and Red Sox hooked up Saturday, there was a former Jackson Mets shortstop coaching first base for Boston (Tim Bogar), a former Jackson Generals shortstop playing short for the BoSox (Julio Lugo), and a former Mississippi Brave playing short for Atlanta (Diory Hernandez).

still waiting

Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman expressed his frustration with his club's anemic attack after a tough loss Friday night, calling it "embarrassing" in a published report. Meanwhile, at Class A Myrtle Beach — which won 11-1 Friday — there sits left fielder/DH Cody Johnson, Atlanta's No. 1 pick in 2006, who's hitting .268 with 20 homers and 48 RBIs. As for those two Top 10 prospects, first baseman Freddie Freeman is hitting .318 with six homers and 33 RBIs and right fielder Jason Heyward is at .293, 10, 26 (in 43 games). Any of the three would be an upgrade to the M-Braves' current lineup. When will Atlanta's brass make a move with one or more of them? Sure, they're being patient, but they've got to be considering it now.
P.S. The Tampa Bay Rays have activated Chad Bradford, the submarine-style reliever from Byram, Hinds CC and Southern Miss. Bradford has been out all season after elbow surgery in February. He posted a 1.42 ERA for the American League pennant winners last season.

clouds in his coffee

Wondering what's going on with Bill Hall. The Nettleton native rarely plays anymore for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have gone to youngsters Matt Gamel and Casey McGehee and even veteran Craig Counsell at third base. That's a crowd, and it's beginning to look like Hall may not fit in. Since hitting those 35 home runs in 2006 and getting a big contract, he's been spiraling down. Currently, Hall is batting .197 with five homers and 16 RBIs — and offense is what he is supposed to bring to the table. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against Minnesota on Tuesday, his first game action since June 17. That's one appearance in eight days. Not a good sign.

goin' pro

It didn't make big headlines locally, but it was a pretty big deal when Ole Miss' Jordan Henry agreed to contract terms with the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Henry, who played center field and hit leadoff for the Rebels, was the SEC leader in walks and steals and generally the sparkplug for Ole Miss. The Rebels will miss him. Rated by Baseball America as the top Mississippi college player in the draft, Henry was plucked in the seventh round by the Indians. Ole Miss also lost right-hander Phillip Irwin, who signed with Pittsburgh as a 21st-round pick. The Rebels figure to lose a few more to pro ball in the coming days.
P.S. Tim Dillard walked Manny Ramirez once and retired him on a ground ball the other time the two faced off in Wednesday night's Pacific Coast League game (see previous post). Former Itawamba CC star Dillard went eight innings for Nashville (Milwaukee Brewers) in a game the Sounds won in 15.

watch for it

Tim Dillard, the former Itawamba Community College and Saltillo High star, gets to share the stage with Manny Ramirez tonight in Albuquerque, N.M. Dillard is scheduled to start for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds against Ramirez and the Isotopes in the second game of the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger's minor-league comeback from his 50-game drug suspension. ESPNews is expected to do live look-ins on Ramirez's at-bats, of which he should get at least a couple. Game time is 8:05 CDT. Dillard, who has some big league experience, is 7-3 with a 4.31 ERA for the Sounds. Ramirez went 0-for-2 Tuesday night, but we know what he's capable of.

a mississippi nine

For the first time in recent memory, we could actually field a full team of current big leaguers with Mississippi connections. Start with Eli Whiteside (Delta State) behind the plate, then it's Marcus Thames (East Central CC) at first base, Matt Tolbert (Ole Miss) at second, Edwin Maysonet (DSU) at shortstop, Bill Hall (Nettleton) at third and an outfield of Seth Smith (Ole Miss), Fred Lewis (Gulf Coast CC) and Chris Coghlan (Ole Miss). For starting pitchers, how about Cliff Lee (Meridian CC), Roy Oswalt (Holmes CC) and Paul Maholm (Mississippi State). Jonathan Papelbon (MSU) is the closer. Brandon Medders (MSU), Brent Leach (DSU) and Tony Sipp (Gulf Coast CC) can handle middle relief. There's a backup catcher in Paul Phillips (Meridian CC), but not much else for a bench until (or unless) David Dellucci (Ole Miss), Jason Smith (Meridian CC), Joey Gathright (Hattiesburg) and Jonathan Van Every (Itawamba CC) get recalled. It's not exactly an All-Star cast, or even a good fantasy team, but it might give the Washington Nationals a good series.

generations

It is appropriate on this day when fathers are feted that recognition be given to the Hairston clan, the first and to date only black three-generation major league family. The tree started with Sam Hairston, who was born in Crawford, the same Mississippi town that gave us Jerry Rice and Clarence Weatherspoon, stars of other sports. Sam Hairston was a Negro Leagues star of the 1940s who made a brief yet significant appearance with the Chicago White Sox in 1951. He was the second black Mississippian to play in the big leagues (arriving behind only Luke Easter). Sam had two sons who played in the majors, Jerry and John. Jerry also had two sons make the big leagues, Jerry Jr. and Scott. That's a truly remarkable story.

power ball

For those out there still digging the long ball — if it's OK to do that in these complicated times — please note that Marcus Thames has found his stroke. The Louisville native and former East Central CC star hit two home runs for the Detroit Tigers on Friday, giving him three in two days and five for the season. If he can do one thing on the ballfield, it's hit for power. Thames' return from a long stint on the disabled list has helped the Tigers move into first place in the American League Central. Ex-Gulf Coast CC star Fred Lewis, known more for his speed than his pop, might have topped Thames' power display on Friday, however. Lewis, with the San Francisco Giants, hit a homer into McCovey Cove, no easy feat. OK, so it bounced in. That's still impressive. Barry Bonds hit a bunch out there, but few others can do it.

marquee matchup

Tommy Hanson, the former Mississippi Braves ace, goes against former Ole Miss star Matt Maloney in a matchup of prized rookie hurlers today when Atlanta takes on Cincinnati. Both have had mixed results to date. Atlanta, which has lost four straight, including the last two against Cincinnati, is approaching the desperation stage. Don't know if that's a good thing or not for Hanson, who is carrying a heavy burden as the Braves' anointed future ace.
P.S. Waiting for word on changes to the M-Braves' roster. First baseman Freddie Freeman would seem to be the logical choice to be promoted first. The M-Braves certainly need a power bat at that position. Outfielder Jason Heyward played again Wednesday night for the first time in a couple of weeks; he may get a shot here soon enough. Outfielder Cody Johnson also may rate a look, and third baseman Donell Linares is yet another possibility. The second half starts on Monday at Trustmark Park. Maybe the new bodies will arrive at the same time.

feel the rath

Gary Rath, a former pitcher whose pro career took him far and wide, takes over for Cooper Farris as head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Rath, a Long Beach native who played at Mississippi State, spent 15 years in the pros, including stints in the big leagues here and in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. He was an assistant this past season to Farris, who retired after 20 years — mostly good ones — at Gulf Coast. Rath knows what he's getting into. Specifically? Well, he's taking over a team with a bevy of returning players for a program with high expectations that competes in a very tough league. That's about it.

encore, encore?

The Mississippi Braves reached a low point Monday night, losing 10-0 to Birmingham for their fifth straight loss to the Barons. It was a humbling if not humiliating series for the M-Braves, who may already have been looking ahead to the start of the second half next Monday. (Of course, Birmingham comes in for a six-game series to kick it off, so ... .) The M-Braves' amazing turnaround last season, from first-half flop to Southern League champion, was largely a by-product of a revamped starting rotation. If the club is going to pull off a similar stunt this season, it needs bats more than arms. Leadoff hitter Gorkys Hernandez is gone to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and manager Phillip Wellman freely admits the team hasn't had a true No. 3 or 4 hitter all season. That makes it tough. What's more, trades and injuries have left the Atlanta system thin at every level. There are some talented hitters at Class A Myrtle Beach, most notably outfielder Jason Heyward. But Heyward's been hurt and may not be ready. The Braves won't rush him just to try to pump up the Double-A club's record. Freddie Freeman could help at first base and in the middle of the order, but he, too, has only half a season of high-A ball under his belt. Outfielder Cody Johnson, who can really rake, reportedly has defensive issues. The M-Braves do need something to compete in the second half. The question is, where will it come from?
P.S. David Dellucci, signed as a free agent last week by the Toronto Blue Jays, is hitting .273 with an RBI in his first three games at Triple-A Las Vegas. Wonder how long the Jays will wait to summon the former Ole Miss star. Still wondering why Cleveland cut him loose. A left-handed hitter with Dellucci's credentials would seem to be a valuable commodity. Maybe there's something we don't know about.

the chosen one

The honor of first Mississippian drafted in 2009 goes to ... Billy Hamilton, the versatile star from Taylorsville High. Hamilton went in the second round to the Cincinnati Reds, the 57th pick overall and much higher than Baseball America had projected him. An outfielder/shortstop who has signed to play football with Mississippi State, Hamilton has drawn comparisons to former Nettleton star Bill Hall, now with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hamilton will get a nice offer from the Reds, so he'll likely never see the field at State. But he is a so-called "raw talent," one who could take a long time to reach the major leagues.
P.S. David Renfroe, a shortstop/pitcher from South Panola High, was the only other Mississippian picked on Day 1, going to Boston in the third round, 107th overall. The Ole Miss signee reportedly has a preference for hitting. Wonder if that's what the Red Sox have in mind?

bright spots

Zack Cozart, continuing to shine at Double-A Carolina in the Cincinnati system, was named the Southern League hitter of the week for the period June 1-7. The former Ole Miss shortstop hit .345 with four homers and seven RBIs in seven games. He hit safely in all seven. Cozart was in Pearl when the Mudcats played the Mississippi Braves to open the season, but the two teams don't meet again until the last series of the year, at Zebulon, N.C. Too bad. ... Highlights from Sunday's games in the big leagues: Former Meridian Community College star Paul Phillips went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a homer for Colorado; East Central CC product Marcus Thames returned from 43 days on the DL to go 2-for-5 for Detroit; and Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan hit his second homer of the year — off Tim Lincecum, no less — for Florida.

ouch

Ole Miss loses. Southern Miss wins. Talk about your cruel twists of fate. Ole Miss, nationally ranked all year, gets a regional at home and a super regional at home yet comes up short — again! — of reaching the College World Series for the first time since 1972. And then, to add insult to this injury, USM is packing for Omaha. The Golden Eagles didn't even expect to get into the NCAA Tournament, but they went to Atlanta and won the regional and went to Gainesville, Fla., and won the super regional. They are truly living a dream. This season will forever belong to Corky Palmer, who'll retire as coach whenever it finally does end. But USM fans should also tip a cap to Hill Denson. Denson, now the coach at Belhaven, is largely responsible for turning the USM program into a viable Division I entity. Starting way back in the early '80s, he upgraded the schedule, the talent, the budget and the facilities. And he hired Palmer from Meridian Community College. Certainly one of them called the other soon after tonight's dramatic win.

debut alert

Ole Miss fans have enough on their minds today with Game 2 of the super regional against Virginia slated for an 11 a.m. start. But here we go: Former Ole Miss standout Matt Maloney will make his big league debut today for the Cincinnati Reds. The big left-hander, who has been impressive at Triple-A (see previous post), will face the Chicago Cubs at 6:10 p.m. at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Believe it or not, the Reds and Cubs are in a virtual tie for third place in the NL Central. So it's a big game for Maloney in more ways than one. Stay tuned.

draft watch

Mississippi will be quiet during the first round of the major league draft on Tuesday and possibly the second round, too. Heck, maybe the whole first day, which includes the first three rounds. At least Baseball America thinks so. The highest-rated draft prospect in the state is South Panola High's David Renfroe, checking in at No. 67. And Renfroe, a pitcher-shortstop, has signed with Ole Miss, where his dad, Laddie, played, and pro teams might not want to pay what it'll take to lure him away from the Rebels. The next highest rating goes to Taylorsville infielder Billy Hamilton at No. 98. Still, the draft will be compelling. It always is, often because of unheralded junior college players who get plucked. This year, keep an eye or ear out for Mississippi Gulf Coast CC pitchers Drew Granier and Clint Dempster. The latter, a lefty, struck out 113 hitters in 69 2/3 innings this year. Scouts love that kind of power arm. Granier also has high-octane stuff. Meridian CC has two intriguing hitting prospects in Corey Dickerson, an outfielder, and Tyler Vick, a third baseman. Both have uncommon power, and Vick comes by his skills naturally. He is a distant relative of former New York Yankees outfielder Sammy Vick, a Batesville native remembered by some as the man who was displaced in right field when the Yanks acquired Babe Ruth in 1920.
P.S. Sorry to see that Cooper Farris retired as Gulf Coast CC coach shortly after the Bulldogs' season ended in the state playoffs. Farris' program was consistently one of the best in the state and produced a number of big leaguers, including one-time All-Star Matt Lawton. Farris was 698-376-1 in 20 years at Perk. His clubs won 15 division titles, including one this season, and two state titles and made one national tournament appearance. His successor, not yet picked, may have a tough time matching that resume.

makin' me dizzy

What a whirlwind day for the Atlanta Braves and their devoted fans. Tom Glavine released. Nate McLouth acquired in a trade. Tommy Hanson penciled in for his big league debut on Saturday. Jorge Campillo to the DL, and Brian Barton called up. Did we miss something? As the dust settles, it's clear that Gregor Blanco's shot at the center field job is essentially over after two days. McLouth, a dynamic player with speed and power, takes over in center. With Barton joining the outfield mix, Blanco may be squeezed out of the organization entirely. The ripple effect of the McLouth trade also impacts the Mississippi Braves, who lost star center fielder Gorkys Hernandez (off to the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization). Now the speculation here begins: Is the highly touted Jason Heyward, who has good numbers at Class A Myrtle Beach, bound for Pearl? He's a right fielder, but the struggling M-Braves can certainly work him in. Some significant move will have to be made; it's probably already in motion.

defining moment?

Tuesday was an eventful day for the Atlanta Braves, and three former Mississippi Braves were in the middle of the action. Atlanta sent Jordan Schafer down to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday — a move that seemed long overdue — and recalled Gregor Blanco, who deserved another look. Then, the Braves went out and rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Chicago 6-5 in 12 innings, with Jeff Francoeur hitting a clutch two-run homer in the ninth to force extras. Chipper Jones, who got the game-winning hit, called it "a special moment for a guy who needed a special moment." Very true. Francoeur has performed better than he did a year ago, when he wound up getting shipped back to Pearl, but still has come under a lot of heat for his lack of thump. Tuesday might have been a turning point, a defining moment for the Braves that we'll look back on later this season. At the very least, the changing of the guard in center field is something to make note of. Blanco isn't as good defensively as Schafer, but he's every bit as fast and he'll hit better. He showed flashes last year as a rookie. The bottom third of the Braves' order should improve its production. Mark the date June 2. Atlanta was 26-25 and 3 1/2 games out in the NL East after beating the Cubs. Check back in a month and see where they stand.

more happy trails

Is it over for David Dellucci? The Cleveland Indians released the 35-year-old former Ole Miss standout on Monday after he cleared waivers. No other team was interested in picking up the lefty-hitting outfielder even for the major league minimum. Dellucci, who has been in pro ball since 1995, was contributing much to the Indians' offense, hitting .275 with one RBI in 40 at-bats this season. He hit just .238 last season for the Tribe, though he did provide 11 homers. Maybe someone will take a flier on Dellucci, hoping some of that power is still there. Maybe, but it doesn't look good.

happy trails

Clint Hurdle, fired last week by the Colorado Rockies, is remembered in Jackson as the manager of the last Jackson Mets team in 1990. That club, not packed with prospects, made the Texas League playoffs but lost in the first round. Hurdle was known even then as a fiery, outspoken manager, traits he carried with him to the big leagues. On more than one occasion at old Smith-Wills Stadium, Hurdle would sit in his office and rant about his team, loudly enough that the players in the adjoining clubhouse could hear. His tenure with the Rockies included that remarkable World Series run in 2007. But the club was also well under .500 during his time, and the slow start this year made the change seem almost inevitable. Hurdle is a good baseball guy; he'll likely get another chance to manage in the majors.
P.S. Former Ole Miss star Matt Maloney is knocking on the door for a call-up with the Cincinnati Reds. The left-hander threw a three-hit shutout Monday for Triple-A Louisville. He is now 4-3 with a 2.00 ERA. He's got power stuff that the Reds, hanging around in the NL Central, could surely use. Stay tuned there. ... A belated high five for Edwin Maysonet, the ex-Delta State standout who had a career day last week for the Houston Astros. The second baseman went 4-for-4 with his first career home run and four RBIs as Houston snapped a seven-game losing streak on Friday. Maysonet, a native of Puerto Rico, was a 19th-round pick by the Astros in 2003 and toiled for six years in the minors before finally making his big league debut last summer. He'll get a chance to play now with Kaz Matsui on the DL. It'll be interesting to see how he does.