more to come

Arodys Vizcaino's line from his Double-A debut was not pretty: 7 innings, 4 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts. The young right-hander also hit a batter and threw a wild pitch in the Mississippi Braves' 14-0 loss to Mobile on Monday. If there was a silver lining in Vizcaino's outing, it was this: All the damage came in one inning, the second, in which Mobile hit three homers, two by a pair of top-rated Arizona Diamondbacks prospects. Vizcaino, Atlanta's No. 7 prospect, didn't allow a hit in the other six innings. Tonight, the M-Braves throw Randall Delgado, the Braves' No. 3 prospect. He is 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA. On Wednesday, lefty Brett Olberholtzer (3-4, 4.03), the No. 9 prospect, gets the call, followed Thursday by J.J. Hoover (2-3, 2.27), the No. 10 prospect, and then Paul Clemens (4-1, 2.08), who checks in at No. 26 in Atlanta's chart, on Friday This series should provide a good test for the young hurlers. Mobile came in hitting .279 as a team, second in the Southern League, with 253 runs, third in the SL. If the M-Braves can get a few runs, this could be quite a good show.

who's hungry?

Don't look now, but Jones County Junior College is 2-0 in the NJCAA Division II World Series. Up next? Kellogg CC of Battle Creek, Mich., on Tuesday. The sixth-ranked Bobcats (44-15) took down No. 1 Heartland (Ill.) 10-5 today as Nick Ray homered and drove in three runs and Vito Perna and Ryan Waters combined on a six-hitter in very windy conditions. Perna won his 11th game. Jones, making its first trip to the juco World Series, seems unfazed by the big stage in Enid, Okla. The red-hot Bobcats have pitching depth, which is critical in a 10-team, double-elimination tournament.

catching on

You can never have too much pitching, or so they say. They might also say you can never have too much catching. Major league organizations are always on the hunt for catchers to stock their minor league system — and Atlanta may have found a good one in, of all places, Australia. Mississippi Braves catcher Matt Kennelly, a 22-year-old from East Freemantle in western Australia, is more than holding his own in his first Double-A season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound backstop is hitting .288 with two homers and eight RBIs in 25 games. Signed as a free agent by the Braves in 2005, Kennelly's minor league numbers were nothing to shout about until last year, when he batted .266 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in high-A ball. He made the M-Braves in the spring and has continued to swing it well. His cohort at catcher, Venezuelan Jesus Sucre, is considered the better defensive player, but Kennelly has been solid in that area. The two young catchers are charged with handling a pitching staff loaded with prospects. The staff ERA currently sits at 3.93, third in the Southern League, so they must be doing something right back there.
P.S. Newly arrived Arodys Vizcaino (see previous post) will make his Double-A debut tonight against Mobile. First pitch is 7:05 at Trustmark Park in Pearl.

reloading

The Mississippi Braves' rotation just got a shot in the arm. Right-hander Arodys Vizcaino, Atlanta's No. 7 prospect entering this season, has been promoted to the Double-A club from Class A Lynchburg. Vizcaino, a 6-foot, 189-pound Dominican, was 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings at Lynchburg. Entering this season, he had 179 K's in 172 innings over three pro years. He reportedly throws a mid-90s fastball and an excellent hard curve. The M-Braves' rotation was already pretty strong; with Vizcaino, the starting five now includes four of Atlanta's Top 10 prospects. Can't wait to see him work. The club is back in town Monday. If Vizcaino takes the demoted Matt Crim's spot, he would pitch Thursday.

chuck's up

Former Mississippi Braves left-hander Chuck James is back in the big leagues for the first time since 2008. James was promoted by Minnesota on Saturday when Joe Nathan went on the disabled list. James, who relies heavily on location and off-speed stuff, was a sensation with the M-Braves in 2005 (9-1, 2.01 ERA) and posted some impressive results in Atlanta in 2006 (11-4, 3.78) and 2007 (11-10, 4.24). But things went south for him quickly in '08; he was shipped to the minors with a 2-5 record and a 9.10 ERA. He never got back to Atlanta and was soon out of the Braves organization. Apparently, he has rediscovered his touch. He had a 1.57 ERA in Triple-A with the Twins. He'll work out of their bullpen, probably getting some of the lefty-specific work that had been going to Delta State product Dusty Hughes, who has been spotty.

land of the giants

Jones County Junior College plays its first-ever NJCAA Division II World Series game today at approximately 3:55 p.m. It's the third of four games set for today in Enid, Okla., where 10 teams will battle for the national title in a true double-elimination tournament. Jones, which won the MACJC and Region 23 titles, is very good. The Bobcats are ranked sixth with a 46-16 record. They've got a great pitching staff, with three 10-game winners and a collective ERA of 2.79. Zach Allen leads their attack with a .364 average, and Vito Perna (.358), Darion Hamilton (41 RBIs), Ryan Roberts (team-best six homers) and Chase Headrick also can rake. But it wouldn't be a shock to see JCJC go out in two games. The field in Enid is loaded. JCJC opens with Des Moines Area, which is ranked fourth with a 46-16 record and features four sluggers with six or more home runs, including 17-homer man Gabby De Verona. The top seven teams in the NJCAA poll are there, and they didn't just hop into those spots. Five of the seven were ranked in the top eight before last week's regionals. No. 1 Heartland (Ill.) is 53-9. If Jones wins today, that's probably its next opponent. Oh brother.

every game counts

After its crushing, 14-inning loss to Houston that ended early this morning, Southern Miss cannot make the C-USA Tournament championship game. Neither can its opponent at Trustmark Park tonight, East Carolina. But this is hardly a "meaningless" game. USM, at 39-16, would certainly like to add a 40th win to its NCAA Tournament resume. ECU (38-19) is a quality foe, appearing in some national rankings. But tonight's game will test the Golden Eagles' resiliency, both the physical and mental varieties. In the 7-6 loss to Houston, which clinched a title game berth, the Eagles blew a save in the eighth inning on a two-out RBI triple. They lost it in the 14th on a two-base throwing error, a one-out single and a squeeze bunt. Hard to figure how USM, such a prolific scoring team, went seven straight innings (the eighth to the 14th) against a suspect Houston bullpen without scratching out a run. Sure, they missed Ferriss Trophy winner Tyler Koelling (hamstring injury), but the Eagles still have plenty of weapons. Plus, they had the crowd on their side. Wonder how many of those fans will be back tonight?

coming attractions

Desmond Jennings is listed in the new Sports Illustrated as one of five minor leaguers on the cusp of breaking through in The Show. The former Itawamba Community College standout, who had a brief trial with Tampa Bay in 2010, is hitting .271 with seven homers, 20 RBIs and nine steals in Triple-A. Yes, he's ready, but he's got company from several other Mississippi-connected players also banging at the big league door. In addition to Alex Presley (see previous post), Ole Miss product Zack Cozart, a shortstop, is hitting .282 with four homers in Triple-A for Cincinnati. Another ex-Rebel, Lance Lynn, is 4-3 with a 3.93 ERA with St. Louis' Triple-A Memphis club. Another step back is Justin Henry, an Ole Miss alum who is batting .330 as a second baseman in Double-A for Detroit. Southern Miss product Brian Dozier, a middle infielder who was in big league camp with Minnesota, is batting .317 with 12 stolen bases in high-A ball. Drew Pomeranz, Cleveland's first-round pick out of Ole Miss last June, is 1-1 with a 2.09 ERA in high-A. A power lefty, he'll move up swiftly.

alumni news

First, the good stuff from Wednesday. Former Mississippi Braves Mike Minor (one run over 5 2/3 innings), Jonny Venters (two scoreless innings), Craig Kimbrel (14th save) and Jordan Schafer (2-for-5 with a run) helped Atlanta beat Pittsburgh 4-2 in 11 innings. Venters, a hard-throwing lefty who was a starter in Pearl, has a jaw-dropping 0.59 ERA. Schafer, the fallen prospect thrust into the leadoff role because of Atlanta's injury issues, has played well in his two starts; his speed at the top of the order is an asset — if he continues to get on base. Ex-M-Braves catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is starting to look like he belongs in Boston's star-studded lineup. Salty hit his fourth homer in six games and is up to .240 with 15 RBIs for the season. Ex-Jackson Generals star Lance Berkman had two hits for St. Louis and lifted his average to a National League-best .350. Former Generals ace Freddy Garcia improved to 3-4 with a 3.26 ERA for the New York Yankees by beating Toronto. And that brings us to the bad stuff. Ex-M-Braves lefty Jo-Jo Reyes took the loss for the Blue Jays, stretching his streak of winless starts to a major league record-tying 28. He last won with Atlanta in 2008. Reyes, who pitched well in spring training for the Jays, is 0-4, 4.70.
P.S. Delta State product Eli Whiteside might find himself playing more regularly for San Francisco for a while after starting catcher Buster Posey suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday. Posey's injury reportedly is serious. Whiteside, the backup for the world champs last year, is hitting .208 with one homer in 25 at-bats this season.

small consolation

Former Clinton High star Phillip Chapman had a pretty good day at the plate today for Memphis in the C-USA Tournament opener at Trustmark Park. Chapman, a senior catcher, went 2-for-5 with a bunt hit and a two-run homer. However, he wasn't in a celebratory mood afterward; his Tigers were blasted 16-9 by Central Florida on a blustery day that featured 33 hits. (The TeePee is a pitcher's park, but pitchers still have to make quality pitches to get outs.) Chapman, who also played at Northeast Mississippi Community College, is hitting .312 with five homers on the year.

what parity?

For all the chatter about parity in this week’s Conference USA Tournament, Southern Miss is in the best position to shut everybody up. Before a pitch is even thrown, USM has to like its chances of at least making it to Saturday’s championship game. First of all, the Golden Eagles (38-15) aren’t sneaking up on anybody. Ranked in three major polls, they’ve got cred. They also tied for the C-USA regular season title with Rice, which earned the tiebreaker for No. 1 tournament seed because it won two of three in Hattiesburg last weekend. The tournament site, Trustmark Park in Pearl, is a neutral site in name only. The Eagles play two games there every season, against rivals Mississippi State and Ole Miss. They know the place. USM fans, in their unmistakable black-and-gold garb, will be plentiful at the TeePee; there is a large contingent of USM alums in the greater Jackson area, and Hattiesburg is just a 90-minute drive away. Plus, the format seems almost to have been drawn up to favor USM. The tourney is divided into two four-team pods; each team will play the other three in its pod. The teams with the best record in each pod advance to the title game. Head-to-head breaks a two-way tie. If there is a three-way tie, the top seed advances. USM, seeded second overall behind Rice, is the top seed in its pod. Because tournament officials want to maximize its drawing potential, USM gets to play the late game (7:30 first pitch) each of the first three days, thus avoiding the midday heat as well as early morning wakeup calls, which no college kid enjoys. Of course, there are more tangible reasons to like the Eagles in this event. They’ve got a bounty of quality hitters. The Eagles lead the league in runs and are second in average and homers. Tyler Koelling is hitting .367, one of six Eagles at .303 or better. B.A. Vollmuth has 12 homers and 47 RBIs. Marc Bourgeois is hitting .352 with seven homers and 35 RBIs. Perhaps more importantly, USM also has a strong pitching staff, headed by starters Todd McInnis, Geoffrey Thomas and Jonathan Thompson and capped by closer Collin Cargill. Keep in mind that the TeePee is a pitcher’s park, a big yard with deep power alleys. It’ll be humid and the ball won’t carry well — unless the wind is blowing out, as it sometimes does to left field. USM has incentive, too, in this event. The Eagles, who likely have an NCAA bid locked up, could earn the right to host a regional if they win the C-USA tournament, which they have done twice, including last season. The tournament begins Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. with Memphis playing Central Florida in the first of four games. The Eagles will come out at night, facing Tulane. Expect their presence to be felt the rest of the week.

oh the pain

So ... Atlanta put Jason Heyward on the disabled list today with a shoulder problem. One has to begin to wonder, is the supremely talented 21-year-old outfielder — who is hitting .214, by the way — going to be one of those guys who is constantly hurt? Braves fans surely hope not, but the concern must be there. It's been one pain after another, going back a while. Mississippi Braves fans might recall that Heyward missed time with an injury when he was in Pearl in 2009. With Nate McLouth also going on the DL, the Braves recalled former M-Brave Jordan Schafer, who was batting all of .256 at Triple-A Gwinnett. Interested to see what he does back in The Show. And another former JADAP, ex-Jackson Generals shortstop Julio Lugo, has signed a minor league deal with Atlanta. Lugo, 35, is a .270 career hitter and can play just about anywhere. If he's got anything left, he'll be on Atlanta's bench before too long.

eagle fever

Southern Miss has seen so many hitters emerge with big numbers this year that it seems only fitting that a Golden Eagle — finally — won the 2011 Ferriss Trophy. Tyler Koelling certainly isn't the highest profile USM player, but his stats are legit. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior outfielder batted .367 with 18 doubles, four homers, 46 RBIs and 43 runs. In the field, he made just two errors and had five assists. Koelling, from Luling, La., and Archbishop Rummel High, was a juco All-American in his one year at Meridian Community College, hitting .348 with 12 homers and 43 RBIs in 2008. USM's first Ferriss winner will be on display this week in the C-USA Tournament, which starts Wednesday at Trustmark Park in Pearl. See what you think. We know the pro scouts like him.

major observations

Mitch Moreland, the ex-Mississippi State standout, figures to return to regular duty at first base for Texas. He has been playing a lot of right field but that's likely to end with the return to duty of injured outfielders Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. Moreland is hitting .276 in his second big league season. ... Scuffling Bill Hall of Nettleton reportedly will become a platoon player at second base for Houston, which is going to use Angel Sanchez against right-handers. The right-handed Hall is hitting .194 against righties and hasn't shown the power the Astros were looking for either. ... Also slumping is Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan, whose average has dipped from .274 on May 10 to .239 as of today. He's scored only six runs for Florida this month, not good for a leadoff batter. ... Delta State product Dusty Hughes returned to the big leagues from a stint in the minors and tossed a scoreless inning for Minnesota on Sunday. ... Former Holmes Community College star Roy Oswalt suffered his first home loss for Philadelphia on Sunday, yielding eight hits, two walks and one run against Texas. He is 1-2 in his last four starts and now stands just 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA for the year. ... Mississippi Gulf Coast CC alumnus Fred Lewis has been given a lot of at-bats by Cincinnati since coming off the DL and is batting .257. But he couldn't help the Reds avoid being swept in the Ohio Series against Cleveland over the weekend.

lost and found

It was a lost weekend for the state's Big 3 — and Jackson State, as well. But never mind them. Alcorn State and Jones County Junior College found their way into the history books. Alcorn beat Southern University 12-6 today to win the SWAC Tournament title, its first ever, and qualify for the NCAAs, also a first for the program. Barret Rey's Braves went 4-0 in the event and outscored their opposition 51-16. Jones pulled off a pair of dramatic wins over second-ranked LSU-Eunice on Saturday to claim the NJCAA Division II Region 23 title and make the juco World Series for the first time in school history. The 12th-ranked Bobcats also won the state championship last week for the first time in nine years, a tough double dip by Christian Ostrander's Bobcats. Elsewhere, the news was not so good: Ole Miss squandered a chance to make the SEC Tournament; Mississippi State failed on a shot at winning the SEC West (but did get back into the SEC tourney); Southern Miss, hurt by sloppy defense, let an outright C-USA title slip through its grasp, having to settle for a share with Rice; and JSU coughed up a big lead with a chance to make the SWAC final and play old rival Alcorn for the crown.

wow

Ole Miss is done. Swept by Arkansas at Fayetteville in a twinbill today, the Rebels finish 13-17 in the SEC and will miss next week's tournament and, presumably, the NCAAs, as well. What a wild confluence of events took place with Ole Miss leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth of the second game, needing just to hold on to make the SEC field. But then there was a walk. A hit batsman. A controversial balk call. A 15-foot squeeze bunt. A bloop single and a bad throw home. A sac fly. Arkansas leads 5-3. With two on and none out in the top of the seventh and final inning, the Hogs call on Thursday night starter D.J. Baxendale. A sac bunt puts the runners at second and third. Then an errant pitch results in a 2-1 putout at the plate. After a walk, a grounder to first ends it. Arkansas wins the SEC West at 15-15 and goes to Hoover, Ala. Ole Miss trudges back to Oxford, its season having skidded off the rails.

arm strength

Logan Riddell, Jones County Junior College's No. 3 starter, went eight innings and allowed just one earned run as the Bobcats won an elimination game against Holmes CC 11-5 late Friday night in the NJCAA Division II Region 23 Tournament. Riddell improved to 10-4. The No. 12 Bobcats will have to beat No. 2 LSU-Eunice twice today in Goodman to advance to the Juco World Series. Earlier Friday, JCJC's No. 2 starter, Vito Perna, won his 10th game with a 5-0 shutout of Northwest in another elimination game. The depth of the Bobcats' staff will be tested today; perhaps ace Andrew Pierce, who pitched Thursday, can can work again on short rest.
P.S. Props to Alcorn State, which blew through its half of the SWAC Tournament and will meet Southern University on Sunday in a one-game championship. ESPNU will show the game from Shreveport on Monday at 7 p.m. It's worth a look. The Braves have some players.

welcome mat

Trustmark Park, the spacious home of the Double-A Mississippi Braves, has a reputation as a pitcher's park. On Thursday, a handful of high school hurlers settled in and made that rep ring true. To wit: Luke Lowery threw a no-hitter (11 strikeouts, one walk) as Sumrall beat Mooreville 8-0 to win the MHSAA 3A state title, its fourth in a row. Ridgeland's Nick Johnson tossed a three-hitter (nine strikeouts, one walk) as the Titans beat Long Beach 1-0 to claim the 5A crown. Nanih Waiya's Colby Eaves, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound sophomore who must have scouts drooling, fanned 10 in an 8-0 shutout of Falkner that clinched the 1A championship. And Tupelo got three scoreless innings of relief from Ben Aldridge in a gritty 4-3 win over Petal that forced a Game 3 in the 6A series. Bottom line: When the other guy can't score, you've got to like your chances of winning.

of anthony and eunice

The game within the games this weekend in Hattiesburg is the Southern Miss pitching staff vs. Rice slugger Anthony Rendon. USM's pitching is very good, from starters Todd McInnis, Geoffrey Thomas and Jonathan Thompson (23-4 combined!) to closer Collin Cargill. But so is Rendon, Baseball America's national player of the year in 2010 and the potential No. 1 pick in the June draft. The right-handed hitter's Triple Crown numbers might not leap off the page — .326, five homers, 33 RBIs — but he's also walked 72 times, scored 50 runs (for an outstanding 83 RAF) and stolen 10 bags. Oh yeah, he's been bothered by ankle and shoulder injuries, which he says are improving. USM (37-13, 15-6 C-USA) might have more offensive weapons than Rice (36-17, 14-7), which also has a fairly strong rotation. But Rendon's performance could be a difference-maker in this compelling showdown for the C-USA regular season title. Game 1 is tonight at Taylor Park. ... Meanwhile, at Donald Field in Goodman, the NJCAA Division II Region 23 Tournament starts today with the shadow of LSU-Eunice looming large. The second-ranked Bengals (43-13) are the defending national champs. In fact, they've won two of the last three national titles and finished third in 2009. They've got 10 .300 hitters and a deep stable of arms, capped by closer Kaleb Manuel (nine saves, 1.25 ERA). And yet, the Mississippi schools ought to put up a good fight. MACJC champion Jones County Junior College (38-14 and ranked No. 12) might have better pitching than LSU-E with a staff led by Andrew Pierce (10-1, 1.20 ERA) and Vito Perna (9-1). Chase Headrick and Darion Hamilton have shown a knack for clutch hitting. Regional host Holmes CC (31-19) didn't play well in the state tourney but can't be overlooked. Reggie O'Briant is a fearsome slugger, and Rafiel Johnson (eight wins on the mound, .324 hitter) does a little of everything for the Bulldogs. Northwest (31-19) surged late in the year to catch Holmes in the North Division (settling for second on a tiebreaker) and then reached the title round in the state tournament. Jeremy Carlisle (eight homers), Drew Griffin (.389, four saves) and Garrett Radicioni (6-3) are players to watch for the Rangers, who get the first crack at LSU-E at 2 p.m. Holmes and JCJC play at 6.

next?

Wondering when the Pittsburgh Pirates might decide it's time to give Alex Presley a call. The Ole Miss product is hitting .349 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 39 games at Triple-A Indianapolis. He's slugging .507, has scored 26 runs and swiped 11 bases. You might say he's hot. And worthy of a call-up to Pittsburgh, which has lost six in a row and fallen to 18-23, already well off the pace in the National League Central. Presley, a left-handed hitting outfielder, got a cup of coffee at the end of 2010. The Pirates really ought to give him another, longer look.

braves new world

Southern University leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in hitting, slugging and home runs and ranks second (to Grambling) in runs. Jackson State tops the loop in ERA. Mississippi Valley State has, statistically, the best defense. Color all of them contenders in the SWAC Tournament. But Alcorn State, which has never won the SWAC championship, looks like the team to beat in the eight-team event that starts today at Shreveport's Fair Grounds Field. The Braves handily won the SWAC East with a 19-4 mark. They've got a couple of outstanding hitters (Kilby Perdomo, Eduardo Gonzalez) and decent pitching. And the Braves have speed, which never goes into a slump. The one category in which Alcorn leads the league is stolen bases, sparked by individual steals leader Brandon Hollins. JSU's pitching is impressive, and two-way star Desmond Russell or the dynamic Kendall Logan could emerge as a scene-stealer. But don't be surprised if Barret Rey's Braves run away with this thing and earn their first NCAA invitation. Alcorn opens with Texas Southern at 3 p.m. today. Valley plays Grambling at 9 a.m. and J-State meets Prairie View at noon.

on the lookout

Curious to see what kind of outing Roy Oswalt has tonight. The ex-Holmes Community College star returns to the mound for Philadelphia against St. Louis for his first start since April 26. Oswalt got knocked around for six hits, a walk and five runs in three innings in a loss to Arizona. He then left the club to help his family in Weir clean up from the tornadoes that ripped through his home state on April 27. When he returned to the Phils, he went on the DL with a back problem. Oswalt is 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA; he faces Jaime Garcia (5-0, 1.89) and a pretty solid Cardinals lineup tonight. ... Tim Dillard, the Itawamba CC product from Saltillo, was recalled to the big leagues by Milwaukee on Saturday but has yet to make an appearance. The tall right-hander last pitched in the majors on July 31, 2009. The Brewers altered Dillard's delivery to a sidearm style in the spring of 2010. He went 5-7 with a 4.12 ERA in 41 games (eight starts) for Triple-A Nashville last season and was 3-1, 3.51 there this year before getting the call, which he said was a pleasant surprise.

just a glimpse

It was mid-August 2009. For most of that season, the Mississippi Braves had been using a closer-by-committee approach to finishing games. But that seemed to be changing with the arrival of a certain rosy-cheeked right-hander from Alabama. "Kimbrel has sort of taken over the closer's role, I guess?" an intrepid reporter asked M-Braves manager Phillip Wellman after watching another dominant outing. "Uh, yeah," Wellman responded. "When you throw 98 with command, you get the job." Craig Kimbrel, now the Atlanta Braves closer, was with the M-Braves for just a brief time. In 12 appearances (11 2/3 innings), Kimbrel posted a 0.77 ERA, a 2-1 record, six saves and 17 strikeouts. Kimbrel has the look of a rising star in Atlanta, the real deal as a big league closer. He notched his third save in as many nights (and 11th of the year) tonight, striking out the side in the ninth inning in a 3-2 win over Houston. If you saw him in Mississippi, you saw a glimpse of this stuff. And you remember.

the nominees are ...

The three finalists for the Ferriss Trophy — the state's big individual prize for senior college players — weren't a total surprise. Southern Miss' B.A. Vollmuth and Tyler Koelling and Mississippi State's Jarrod Parks are having great seasons. But all three are position players. Seems a little odd that in this season of the toned-down bats that no pitchers made the final three. There were certainly some worthy candidates out there. Surprising, too, that Ole Miss didn't have a finalist. Alex Yarbrough is having a pretty good year. The bigger surprise is that Millsaps' Will Hawkins, who had a monster season, didn't get any votes from the scouts, coaches and media representative who do the nominating. The winner will be named next Monday in a ceremony at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

faded green

This is officially a drought for Delta State. The Statesmen, national champions in 2004, have now missed the NCAA Division II postseason for three straight years. The South Regional field was announced late Sunday night and it included seven of the top eight teams ranked in the midweek region poll. DSU (30-19), ranked No. 8, was bumped from the regional field by Stillman College, which earned an automatic bid as the SIAC champion. The Statesmen beat Stillman twice back in March, but that hardly matters. DSU can't really cry foul here. The Statesmen won four fewer games than they did in 2010. They made a nice run at season's end, sweeping Arkansas Tech, taking two of three from Harding and going 1-1 against Henderson State. But DSU went just 1-2 in the Gulf South Conference Tournament, which carries an automatic bid. The Statesmen were 14-6 in the GSC regular season, finishing third in a strong Western Division. The four GSC teams that got in the South Regional all had better conference records. A season that saw coach Mike Kinnison become the school's all-time leader in victories thus ends on a somber note. The start of fall ball must feel like it's a long ways off.
P.S. High five to Jones County Junior College, which went undefeated in the MACJC Tournament to claim its first state title since 2002. And a high five to Jonathan Papelbon, the Mississippi State alumnus who retired Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in the ninth on Sunday to notch his seventh save and secure a three-game sweep for Boston over New York. And yet another high five to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the ex-Mississippi Braves catcher who homered for the Red Sox on Sunday, his first big-league bomb in almost two years.

wanted: runs

The Mississippi Braves rounded second and headed for home on Saturday night with a lively step, a 2-0 win over Jacksonville fueled by Randall Delgado’s brilliant pitching. Unfortunately for the M-Braves, they’re still lagging far behind the field in the Southern League South. They reached the halfway point in the 70-game first half on Friday night (an 8-6 loss to Jackson) and stood at 14-21, last in the five-team division and 6 games out of first place. Not an impossible dream to win the first-half crown but a daunting challenge just the same. To make it happen, they’ve simply got to get more production from more hitters. The pitching has been stellar; the M-Braves lead the league in ERA (3.57) and strikeouts. Three of the top four starters have ERAs of 2.38 or better. The bullpen has steadily improved as roles have been refined. But despite the emergence of several hitters, the offense is tied for last in the 10-team league in runs (148) and tied for eighth in average (.253). It’s not a team with a lot of power (21 homers — six by Ernesto Mejia) or speed (17 steals). This team is going to have to work counts, bunch hits, move runners and cash in consistently on scoring opportunities. Donell Linares, a player with some intriguing potential, has returned from the DL with six hits in two games and boosted his average to .320. He’s also got three homers and 19 RBIs. Kudos also go out to prospect Tyler Pastornicky (.313, three homers, 18 RBIs, six steals), Mejia (.303, 20 RBIs) and Matthew Kennelly (.275). But that group needs more help from the likes of Willie Cabrera (.254), Cory Harrilchak (.228), Antoan Richardson (.211) and Mycal Jones (.174 in seven games before his DUI-related suspension). The M-Braves’ pitching is good enough to win. The hitting, at least at the moment, is not. They’re back on the field at Trustmark Park today at 1:05, with Brett Oberholtzer (2-3, 3.61) taking the bump and hoping for some runs to work with.

update

Belhaven's bid for a second straight trip to the NAIA World Series ended Saturday night with a 15-0 loss to Oklahoma City in the championship phase of their opening round tournament. Belhaven, playing its second game of the day, apparently ran out of steam — not to mention offense (five hits), defense (six errors) and pitching (21 hits allowed). The Blazers ended the year at 45-18, a school record for wins. ... And Northwest Mississippi Community College beat Holmes 9-8 in the MACJC Tournament to advance to today's championship round against host Jones County in Ellisville. The Rangers will have to win twice to claim the state title.

staying power

The drama continues for Belhaven in the NAIA playoffs. The Blazers, who slipped into the loser's bracket at Oklahoma City on Friday, stayed alive today with a 7-6, 12-inning win over Fresno Pacific. It was the third straight extra-inning, one-run game for Belhaven. The Blazers play again today against Oklahoma City in the championship round. Anthony Doss, who went 5-for-6, doubled in the go-ahead run in the 12th and Jon Patino made it stand up by throwing the third of his three scoreless innings in bottom half. Doss, Derek Tortorich and Tyler Wrinkle had two RBIs apiece for the 20th-ranked Blazers. ... In the MACJC Tournament at Ellisville, host Jones County Junior College got yet another strong pitching performance — a five-hitter by Vito Perna, who also drove in a run — to defeat Holmes 6-1 in a winner's bracket game today. The Bobcats, ranked 14th in NJCAA, will play the winner of a later game between Holmes and Northwest for the championship on Sunday. All three have earned spots in the Division II Region 23 Tournament next week at Goodman. ... Meanwhile, William Carey's season ended in the NAIA opening round on Friday; the Crusaders join Millsaps and Mississippi College as postseason duds. Also done is Meridian Community College, which went 2-and-out in the NJCAA Division I Region 23 Tournament in New Orleans. Delta State, which was ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II South Region poll, will learn Sunday if its season is over after a 1-2 showing in the Gulf South Conference Tournament. Eight teams get regional bids; the Statesmen are clinging to the proverbial bubble.

a wrong turn

The day after hitting his first Double-A home run, Mycal Jones of the Mississippi Braves was suspended today for "a violation of organizational policy." That could mean anything. No timetable for his return was given. So, this much we do know: It's another setback for a promising young player in Atlanta's system. Jones, who was converted from middle infield to center field this season, began the season on the disabled list. He has played in seven games, batting .174 with three RBIs. He was rated Atlanta's No. 19 prospect in preseason by Baseball America. The former fourth-round pick blends a nice mixture of power (15 homers in A-ball in 2010) and speed (41 steals in his first two pro years). This is a key season for Jones, who could play his way into the Braves' center field picture in the near future. But first, he's got to get back on the field.

star search

So many heroes on an eventful Thursday. Here's a Top 10 list:
1. Andrew Pierce, Jones County Junior College. Threw a three-hit shutout in an MACJC Tournament win over Northwest.
2. Caleb Reed, Mississippi State. Nailed down a 7-6 win over Ole Miss with his 10th save.
3. Jimmy Gilford, Belhaven. Rapped three hits, including the game-winner in the 10th, in an NAIA tourney win over Fresno Pacific.
4. Andrew Alexander, Jackson Academy. Fired a two-hitter vs. Parklane for the MAIS AAA/Division I state title.
5. Paul Clemens, Mississippi Braves. Allowed one run and fanned eight in seven innings in a win over Jackson.
6. Mycal Jones, M-Braves. Belted a leadoff homer in the Double-A game at Trustmark Park.
7-8. Nick Johnson and Mark Varnado, Ridgeland. Combined for six hits and three runs in a 5A playoff win over Oxford.
9. Cody Shrewsbury, Tupelo. Struck out the side in the ninth to preserve a 6A playoff win over Madison Central.
10. Tyler Simmons, Sumrall. Drove in five runs in a 3A playoff win against Southeast Lauderdale.

just score, baby

There's batting average and slugging percentage and ERA and WHIP. There's fielding percentage and various other defensive ratings. All of those numbers tell you something. But the only stat that really matters in baseball is runs. The team with the most at the end of the game wins! And runs accounted for (RAF) is a pretty darn good measure of a player's value. Just add the runs scored and RBI totals together. (Yes, this counts home runs twice, but that's OK. Homers are an automatic run, requiring no help from any teammates, and a player deserves a bonus for hitting one.) Entering this week, the best RAF by a player at one of Mississippi's so-called Big 3 belonged to Southern Miss' B.A. Vollmuth: 88. No surprise, really. Vollmuth is arguably the best position player in the state, even at less than 100 percent (he has battled a hip injury this season). USM, which is 36-11 and nationally ranked, has five players with RAFs of 68 or higher, which helps explain the Golden Eagles' success. Ole Miss' top performer in RAF is Alex Yarbrough at 74. Misssissippi State's leader is Jarrod Parks at 71. State visits Ole Miss this week — Game 1 is tonight in Oxford — for what could be a crucial SEC series between teams that have had rollercoaster seasons. Ole Miss has more pop (39 homers), but State has scored more runs (296 to 267) in basically the same number of games. State has also done a better job of preventing runs from scoring, having the better ERA (4.02 to 4.27). Even playing on the road, the Bulldogs just might have the edge in this series.
P.S. Belhaven and William Carey open NAIA postseason play today. The nationally ranked Blazers meet Fresno Pacific in Oklahoma City and the Crusaders battle Edward Waters in Daytona Beach, Fla. Don't bet against Belhaven making a return trip to the NAIA World Series. Hill Denson's club appears to have all the right pieces.

foot soldier

Jarrod Dyson started in center field and in the leadoff spot for Kansas City tonight, but that has not been his usual role. The McComb native and former Southwest Mississippi Community College star has been used as a pinch runner in 10 of the 15 games he has played this season. Going into today's game, the speedy Dyson was 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts and had scored six runs. The Royals like what Dyson's feet can provide. "It's like having a solid closer that you can count on in the bullpen," KC manager Ned Yost, the former Jackson Mets catcher, told the Kansas City Star. "You've got a weapon on the bench that's gonna help you win a game late." Dyson made his big-league debut late last season and stole nine bases in just 18 games. His 2011 role brings to mind that of another Mississippi native, Herb Washington. The onetime sprint champion, who was born in Belzoni, was used exclusively as a pinch runner by the 1974-75 Oakland A's in another of Charlie Finley's quirky innovations. Washington played in 105 games but never batted once. He was 31-for-48 on steal attempts, not really a great percentage, and scored 33 times. Washington was famously, or infamously, picked off first base in the 1974 World Series, which may have hastened the end of his career. He was released early on in 1975.
P.S. Former Mississippi State standout Mitch Moreland hit his first career grand slam today. But it won't count. Rain forced the postponement of the Texas Rangers' game and erased Moreland's homer from the books. Also lost was a hit by Starkville native Julio Borbon that extended his hit streak to 11 games. Borbon's streak goes back to 10.

same old

The change of scenery hasn't helped former Mississippi Braves outfielder Cody Johnson. The former first-round pick, who scuffled mightily in Pearl last summer, was sold to the New York Yankees in the off-season. Through 24 games at Double-A Trenton — all as a DH — Johnson is hitting .185 with three homers and 45 strikeouts in 92 at-bats. Sounds familiar, huh? Johnson, who had big-time power numbers in A-ball, hit 10 bombs for the M-Braves in 2010 but batted just .189 and struck out 114 times in 233 at-bats. Beyond that, his defense never really improved either. He was demoted late in the season as his strikeout total mounted. It looks like the end may be near for Johnson.

survive and advance

The obvious favorites in the MACJC Tournament, which starts Thursday in Ellisville, are 14th-ranked Jones County Junior College and Holmes CC. They were the division champions in the regular season. Jones has the edge of playing at home, in its sparkling new facility, Community Bank Park. But anything can happen in postseason baseball. Just look at what went down in the best-of-3 opening round series. Three of the four series went three games, including those involving Jones and Holmes. Jones won the rubber game of its series with East Mississippi when it erupted for four runs in the fifth inning — Chad Guice had a clutch two-run double — to pull away for a 10-4 victory. Holmes had to win twice on Saturday to survive its series with Pearl River. Strong pitching from Taylor Burrell (five shutout innings) and Rafiel Johnson (now 8-2 after winning the clincher) and a pair of home runs by Reggie O'Briant in the decisive game helped the Bulldogs pull it off. Northwest Mississippi also had to win twice Saturday to top East Central. The Rangers cranked up the offense, scoring 20 runs on 26 hits on the day. The biggest blow was a grand slam by Drew Griffin that capped a decisive five-run fifth inning in a 10-5 victory in the rubber game. Gulf Coast got past Itawamba in two games but needed a two-out error in the bottom of the ninth of the second game to make it happen. Gulf Coast plays Holmes and Northwest meets Jones in Thursday's opening round. The double-elimination tournament should be a doozy.
P.S. Belhaven has to feel like it got shafted when the NAIA sent the Blazers — champions of the mighty Southern States Athletic Conference — to Oklahoma City for its regional. William Carey has to feel blessed to get into the regional in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Crusaders scrambled late just to make the SSAC Tournament, then reached the title game. The worst feeling right now belongs to Delta State, which went down in three games in the Gulf South Conference Tournament. The Statesmen, who have missed the NCAA Division II postseason the last two years, are anxiously awaiting the release on Wednesday of the new South Region poll. If they fall out of the top eight, which is a real possibility, they'll likely be left out again when the regional fields are announced on Sunday.

treasure

Here's a note that only another old Smith-Wills Stadium denizen could appreciate: Pulled from a pack of 1991 Fleer Ultra cards, four former Jackson Mets (Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Dave Magadan and Shawn Abner) plus a Jackson State alumnus (Wes Chamberlain). What are the odds? Why do we care? We just do.
P.S. For the record, Julio Teheran became the 52nd former Mississippi Brave to reach the big leagues when the young right-hander made his debut on Saturday, taking the loss in a spot start against Philadelphia. Teheran shared in a no-hitter last year at Trustmark Park.

dsu's quest

Delta State's Michael Niemann, a senior outfielder from Washington state, kept a neat streak alive this week when he earned All-Gulf South Conference first-team honors for the third straight season. Niemann, who was joined on the first team by DSU first baseman Kellen Bozeman and pitcher Josh Branstetter, is likely more focused today on another streak, one he would like to see snapped. DSU opens GSC Tournament play against North Alabama this morning seeking to earn its first NCAA Division II regional berth since 2008. DSU is 29-17 and ranked seventh in the latest South Region poll; the Statesmen need a good run in the tourney to get a bid. Never count them out, of course. They've won the title a record 11 times. Niemann (.312, six homers, 46 RBIs, 22 steals), Bozeman (.377, 56 RBIs) and Branstetter (7-2 record) could play pivotal roles in getting DSU back on the regional track in Millington, Tenn., this weekend.
P.S. If the latest addition to the Mississippi Braves' roster sounds familiar, it could be because outfielder Jeff Fiorentino has spent a fair amount of time in the big leagues, batting .270 in 58 games over four seasons. Atlanta acquired the former third-round pick from Baltimore for cash. He doubled twice and scored three runs Thursday night in his M-Braves debut. Note: He doesn't really belong in Double-A. ... Fred Lewis, the former Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College star, homered Thursday in just his second at-bat since coming off the disabled list for Cincinnati.

noteworthy

William Carey had quite the day at the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament in Columbus, Ga. The Crusaders won twice Tuesday in do-or-die circumstances to advance to the championship game today against old rival Belhaven. Quin Stokes, who has swung a big bat for Carey all season, hit a grand slam that propelled the Crusaders to a 9-6 win over Shorter and Daniel Hall beat Brewton-Parker 8-2 with a gutsy 148-pitch complete game. ... The MACJC first-round playoff matchups are set for this weekend: South Division champ Jones County Junior College will host East Mississippi; North champ Holmes hosts Pearl River; Itawamba is at Gulf Coast; and East Central goes to Northwest. All the best-of-3 series start Friday; the four winners advance to the state tournament, a double-elimination affair. ... Former Ole Miss star Matt Tolbert had an assist and two putouts in the ninth inning, including snagging the final out off the bat of Adam Dunn, as Minnesota ace Francisco Liriano threw the big leagues' first no-hitter on Tuesday night, beating Chicago 1-0. ... Marcus Thames, the Louisville native and East Central CC alum, went on the disabled list for the Los Angeles Dodgers with a quad strain. He could be out until mid-June. The power the Dodgers were hoping to get from the free agent signee hasn't been there. And now he's been shut down.