altered state

The Mississippi Braves' rotation was gutted in the organization's recently completed trade for Houston's Michael Bourn, a left-handed hitting center fielder with speed. (Is that really what the Braves needed?) M-Braves Paul Clemens (6-5, 3.73 ERA) and Brett Oberholtzer (9-9, 3.74 with five straight W's) are off to the Astros, along with former M-Braves reliever Juan Abreu and outfielder Jordan Schafer. Curious to see what the M-Braves' new rotation will look like for the five-game series at Jackson, Tenn., that begins today. Perhaps Arodys Vizcaino and/or J.J. Hoover will switch back from the bullpen to starting spots, or maybe there are some arms at Class A Lynchburg ready to make the jump. At 16-19, 10 games out of first place at the midpoint of the second half, the M-Braves were going nowhere with Clemens and Oberholtzer. Losing them doesn't help but doesn't really hurt, either.

changing places

Drew Pomeranz, the former Ole Miss star and 2010 first-round pick of the Cleveland Indians, was one of the key pieces in one of the biggest MLB trades today. The big left-hander will be moving to the Colorado Rockies' organization as part of the Tribe's deal for Ubaldo Jimenez. Pomeranz was 3-2 with a 1.87 ERA in 15 starts in A-ball and 0-1 with a 2.57 in three starts in Double-A. He was pulled from a scheduled start tonight. Someday soon, Pomeranz will be pitching in Coors Field, which may or may not be something to get excited about.

in the swing

After a rough start in the month of July (see previous post), Mitch Moreland appears to have found his stroke in the month's last week. Since Monday, the former Mississippi State standout is 10-for-25 (.400). He homered today, his 13th of the year and 22nd career, off Toronto left-hander Brad Mills, propelling the first-place Rangers to a 3-0 victory. It was the left-handed hitting Moreland's first "official" homer off a lefty hurler. He hit one in the World Series last year and another, a grand slam, that was washed out by a rainout earlier this season. His recent tear has lifted his season average to .274.

going south

There is no white flag flying over Trustmark Park today, but the Mississippi Braves certainly don't appear to have much fight left in them. They dropped their third straight game to Mobile on Thursday night, ensuring that the BayBears will win what had begun as a crucial five-game series for the M-Braves. The M-Braves entered the series at 15-15, 7 games back of the first-place BayBears. They're now 15-18 and 10 games out. Poor pitching and shoddy defense cost the M-Braves in a 14-6 loss in the series opener. In Game 2, they wasted a strong pitching performance by Paul Clemens and lost 2-1 when Mobile got the clutch hits in the ninth inning. On Thursday, they squandered a lead in the seventh inning and fell 5-3. The M-Braves have lost eight in a row to Mobile overall and are 5-17 against the BayBears this season. What's worse, they play Mobile seven more times. The M-Braves have some talent, but the sum of the parts is not adding up to a championship in 2011. What's Lynchburg got?
P.S. Wise career choice by Desmond Jennings. The Itawamba Community College product, once a budding football star bound for Alabama, has been given his first real chance to play in the big leagues and is showing out for Tampa Bay. He hit his first career homer on Thursday and is batting .500 with seven RBIs and four steals since arriving from Triple-A on Saturday. At 6 feet 2, 200 pounds, Jennings has the power/speed package that could make him a true star in what some considered his second-best sport. ... Ole Miss alumnus Matt Tolbert was recalled by Minnesota on Thursday and responded with two hits. ... Nettleton's Bill Hall has been designated for assignment by San Francisco, a likely precursor to his being released for the second time this season. Sadly, he may be done at 31.

time has come

For the Mississippi Braves, it’s time to make a move. The M-Braves, 15-15 in the second half of the Southern League season, are hosting a five-game series against SL South Division leader Mobile. Game 1 is tonight at 7:05 at Trustmark Park. Mobile, an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate, is 22-8, 7 games up on the M-Braves. There are 40 games left in the second half, so there’s time for the M-Braves to climb in the standings. But this is a big series, one the M-Braves can ill afford to lose. They are just 5-14 against the BayBears and were swept in a four-game set at Mobile just a couple of weeks ago. At the very least, the M-Braves need to show they can play with these guys. Ernesto Mejia has swung a hot bat for the M-Braves lately; he’s up to .302 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs. Antoan Richardson (.302) also has been heating up. But the M-Braves still need more production from the likes of Willie Cabrera (.269), Donell Linares (.265) and Cory Harrilchak (.243). The M-Braves’ rotation isn’t the prospect-packed group it once was, with J.J. Hoover and Arodys Vizcaino having moved to the bullpen. But Randall Delgado, Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect who goes tonight, Brett Oberholtzer (No. 9) and Paul Clemens (No. 26) still provide a solid core. Luis Avilan and Jose Lugo are filling the other two spots. Pitching will be huge in this series for the M-Braves. Mobile leads the league in runs scored; the M-Braves are dead last.

got one

Louis Coleman, the pride of Schlater and Pillow Academy, notched his first major league win on Monday night. The rookie right-hander tossed two scoreless innings as Kansas City topped Boston 3-1 in a 14-inning affair at Fenway Park. Coleman, up with the Royals for two months now, is 1-2 with a 1.88 ERA and a save in 32 appearances. He has fanned 43 in 38 1/3 innings. That's good work for a mediocre team.
P.S. Seth Smith has got to be looking over his shoulder. It's been a tough year for Ole Miss products in the majors. With Alex Presley going on the disabled list on Monday, there are now four ex-Rebels sidelined with injuries. Zack Cozart, Chris Coghlan and Matt Maloney are the others. Coghlan, the 2009 rookie of the year in the National League, is rehabbing in the minors for Florida and could be close to returning.

dig the long ball

Time to issue a record watch at Trustmark Park. Ernesto Mejia has 17 home runs, two shy of the Mississippi Braves' single-season record of 19, set by Matt Esquivel in 2007. The M-Braves start a five-game homestand on Tuesday. The TeePee isn't a homer-friendly yard as a rule, but Mejia, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound right-handed slugger, hasn't had much trouble reaching the fences there. Nine of his bombs have come at home. The record could fall there this week. Mejia, a 25-year-old Venezuelan in his seventh pro season, isn't listed among Atlanta's top prospects. He strikes out a lot (100 times already in 2011), and his defense at first base is average at best. But he has to have raised some eyebrows this year — and not just with his power. He's hitting .302 overall and has 64 RBIs (the team record is 80) and 57 runs. He left the Braves' organization in 2010 and played in the Kansas City system before re-signing with Atlanta last off-season. The Braves have Freddie Freeman at first base in the big leagues and Mauro Gomez, another right-handed slugger, at that position in Triple-A, so Mejia's chances of advancement with Atlanta appear slim. But he might make a valuable trading piece down the road. In the meantime, fans at the TeePee will be digging the long ball.

on the outside

Baseball is holding its Hall of Fame induction ceremonies today, so it seems like an appropriate time to point out — again — that there are no Mississippi-born former major leaguers in Cooperstown. Cool Papa Bell is in, but he never played in the major leagues, only the Negro Leagues. Red Barber was a broadcaster. With apologies to the likes of Guy Bush and Dave Parker and Frank White, no Mississippi native has a stronger case for inclusion in the HOF than Buddy Myer, a 1930s era infielder. Born in Ellisville in 1904, Myer played in the majors, primarily at second base, from 1925-41 and batted .303 for his career with 850 RBIs and 1,174 runs. He won a batting title in 1935, when he hit .349 with 100 RBIs and 115 runs for the Washington Senators. He also won a stolen base title. He had nine .300 seasons and was considered a standout on defense. And for what it's worth, his 2,131 hits are the most ever by a Jewish big leaguer. There really ought to be a place in Cooperstown for a guy with those credentials.

it ain't easy

Life as a backup catcher in the big leagues has to be a tough job. You prepare everyday like everyone else, but when the game starts, you spend most of your time watching from the bench or the bullpen. You know you'll only get to play once every five or six days. It ain't easy to find a rhythm in that routine. But some do. Hattiesburg native Craig Tatum is making it work this season, his second as the backup to young Baltimore star Matt Wieters. Tatum has played in just 15 games and had only 36 at-bats. But he's hitting .333 with three RBIs and five runs. On Saturday, Tatum went 2-for-3 and scored the go-ahead run in the Orioles' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He also threw out two runners attempting to steal. That's one thing a backup catcher must be good at: defense. And Tatum is. He's nailed 4 of 15 runners attempting to steal this year with no passed balls and just one error. Drafted by Cincinnati in the third round out of Mississippi State in 2004, Tatum rose through the minor leagues — even passing through Trustmark Park as a Chattanooga Lookout — on the strength of his catching abilities. He made it to the big leagues with the Reds in 2009 and was claimed on waivers by the Orioles prior to the 2010 season. He got into 43 games last year and hit .281, though his defensive stats weren't as good as this year's. The Orioles have had a tough season, another in a series, but Tatum has filled his difficult role quite capably.

updates

Desmond Jennings filled up the box score tonight in his 2011 debut with Tampa Bay. The Itawamba Community College product led off the game against Kansas City with a triple, then added a double and two walks, scored twice, drove in a run and stole a base. He even made an error in left field. Alas, the Rays blew a ninth-inning lead and lost to the Royals in 10. ... Former Ole Miss star Zack Cozart, playing so well for Cincinnati since his call-up this month, suffered a hyperextended elbow against Atlanta today. He left the game in a lot of pain. According to reports, X-rays were "negative" but it was unclear how long Cozart might be out.

overdue call

Finally, Tampa Bay has recalled Desmond Jennings to the big leagues. The former Itawamba Community College standout was hitting .278 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases at Triple-A Durham this season, his third tour at that level. He got a 17-game trial with the Rays last year and was penciled in as the opening day left fielder for 2011 when Carl Crawford departed as a free agent. But a bad spring and the signing of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez pushed Jennings back to Triple-A. He's certainly made his case for another shot, possibly in left field, possibly in center. Scuffling B.J. Upton, the regular center fielder, was pulled early from Friday night's game and might be traded very soon. Jennings has center-field speed and could also help the Rays as a leadoff batter.
P.S. Marcus Thames, recently cut loose by the Los Angeles Dodgers, has signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. The Louisville native hit 12 homers for the Yanks in 2010. He never got it going with the Dodgers, hitting just two home runs while battling injuries. Don't know what he's got left at this point.

cool

Way back in 1984, he was 6 feet 3 and about 190 pounds — cut like an athlete, which he was. A multi-sport star from California, as a matter of fact. Billy Beane, the Jackson Mets right fielder in ’84, also had movie star looks. He was cool, without trying. He even rode his bike from his Jackson apartment to Smith-Wills Stadium on occasion. Now that’s cool. He was also a nice guy, one of the most approachable members of the ’84 JaxMets, even though that was his third year at the Double-A level. He had an unforgettable moment that summer, hitting a walk-off homer at Smith-Wills to win the Texas League All-Star Game. Again, cool. He hadn’t been picked for the game originally but returned from a beach trip with some buddies to participate when another player dropped out. He said he owed it to the fans in Jackson to play, and he was sincere. Very cool. He also returned a phone call from a Jackson sports writer to talk about it 24 years later. A first-round draft pick, Beane didn’t pan out exactly as the New York Mets had hoped, but he was a good player. Good enough, ultimately, to make the big leagues. But he’s done a better job as the general manager of the Oakland A’s, fielding a consistently competitive club in a market where it’s tough to win. That’s what the movie “Moneyball” is all about. Seen the promos for it yet? It’s due out in September. Playing the part of Billy Beane? Brad Pitt. Now how cool is that?

on the rise

The first Mississippi-connected player picked in the 2010 draft, left-hander Drew Pomeranz out of Ole Miss, is rising swiftly in the Cleveland organization. Pomeranz, the fifth overall selection last year, made his second Double-A start today for Akron and went five innings, allowing three hits and one run with two walks and six strikeouts. His ERA over 9 2/3 innings at this level is 1.86 with 11 K's. Pomeranz was 3-2 with a 1.87 ERA at Class A Kinston this season. He'll almost certainly be in the big leagues by 2012.

mettle test

The Texas Rangers are hot: 12 straight wins. Mitch Moreland is not: a .133 average in July. The second-year first baseman from Amory and Mississippi State is facing some real adversity for the first time as a big leaguer. Dealing with slumps and figuring a way out of them is how players prove their worth in The Show. Every player goes through it. This is Moreland's time. It'll be interesting to watch how he responds. He's still getting playing time; the Rangers haven't given up on him by any means. He hit a three-run homer Sunday, possibly a good sign. For the year, the lefty hitter is batting .262 with 12 homers and 27 RBIs. The RBI total is low in part because Moreland hits low in a power-packed order. But he needs to step it up. Odds are he will.
P.S. Props to the Hattiesburg Black Sox, who came through the loser's bracket to win the Mississippi Baseball Congress (semi-pro) state tournament at Smith-Wills Stadium on Tuesday night. The top-seeded Sox's Trey Jones was named MVP and two of his teammates, Tony Phillips and Josh Sherman, also made the MBC All-State team.

back on form?

Roy Oswalt threw today for the first time in almost a month. And the Weir native, on the disabled list for Philadelphia, reportedly threw without pain or stiffness in his back. "I actually felt great," he told philly.com after tossing 50 pitches in a bullpen session at Wrigley Field in Chicago. "Probably felt as good as I did in spring training." Oswalt is on his second DL stint because of the back problems. His numbers to date aren't what he typically puts up: 4-6, 3.79 ERA. Indications are he's going to try to pitch again for the Phillies next month, and maybe he'll bounce back with a strong stretch run. That's the hope in Philly. But there must also be the fear that the back could go balky again.

movin' on up

If you didn't get out to Trustmark Park this summer to see Tyler Pastornicky, well, you missed your chance. The young shortstop was promoted from the Double-A Mississippi Braves to Triple-A Gwinnett today. Don't expect to see him in Pearl again. Pastornicky, rated Atlanta's No. 14 prospect heading into this season, was hitting .299 with six homers and 36 RBIs for the M-Braves. He had 20 stolen bases and five triples, plus he only struck out 30 times in 355 at-bats. His defense was solid; his arm looked strong. His father, Cliff, played in The Show, so baseball is thick in his blood. He reminds one of a slightly larger version of David Eckstein. Considering the struggles veteran Alex Gonzalez has had at the plate this season in Atlanta, Braves brass, thinking of 2012 if not this season, is surely eager to see how Pastornicky fares against the more savvy pitching he'll encounter in Triple-A. His future looks bright.
P.S. Tee Relaford, the highly touted shortstop at Hinds Community College, has signed with the San Francisco Giants. Relaford, from Georgia, hit .280 for the Eagles and reportedly stood out with his glove. The Giants drafted him in the 44th round.

double dip

Caught a Smith-Wills Stadium/Trustmark Park double feature on Monday night: the Hattiesburg Black Sox vs. the Mossy Oak Bucks in the Mississippi Baseball Congress (semi-pro) state tournament and the Mississippi Braves vs. the Tennessee Smokies in a Double-A Southern League contest. The Bucks beat the Sox 2-1 in a matchup of undefeated teams; Mossy Oak moved into tonight's championship round. The most compelling figures in the MBC game were Hattiesburg pitcher Tony Phillips, the 41-year-old former Triple-A hurler, and DH Wendell Magee, the 38-year-old former major league outfielder. The crafty Phillips, working for the second straight day, pitched well enough to win but didn't get enough offensive support. Magee, who hit .247 with 24 homers over parts of seven big league seasons, went 1-for-3 but was picked off first base by the catcher and hit into a double play (after failing to get a bunt down) in the seventh and final inning. At the TeePee, the M-Braves won 4-1 behind the brilliant, three-hit pitching of lefty Brett Oberholtzer and a clutch three-run double by Cory Harrilchak. The M-Braves had lost the first game of the night 2-1, completing a contest suspended from Sunday by weather. The M-Braves still aren't hitting enough. They're 12-13 heading into a five-game road trip to Jacksonville — but they're already 7 games out in the SL South.

update

Scott Diamond's debut wasn't a gem, but it wasn't a lump of coal, either. The former Mississippi Braves standout took the loss for Minnesota tonight, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-3 defeat against Cleveland. Diamond, who had a losing mark in Triple-A this season, was a tough-luck pitcher for the M-Braves in 2009 and '10. He was 9-16 despite a 3.50 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 233 innings. He's got a chance to be a good one for the Twins, who took Diamond in the Rule 5 draft last December and then swung a trade to keep the tall lefty. Billy Bullock, current M-Braves reliever, was the player dealt by Minnesota.

catching up (yet again)

What a day it was Sunday for players with Mississippi ties, a day so filled with noteworthy items it's worthy of a Top 10 list:
1) Scott Diamond was summoned to the big leagues by Minnesota, and the former Mississippi Braves left-hander will make his major league debut today against Cleveland. Diamond will be the 54th M-Braves alumnus to advance to The Show, the sixth to do so this season.
2) Former Mississippi State star Mitch Moreland homered to supply all the runs for Texas in its 3-1 win over Seattle, the 11th straight victory for the Rangers. Ex-M-Brave Matt Harrison got the W.
3) Ole Miss product Zack Cozart hit his first major league homer — off former Rebels teammate Lance Lynn — to help Cincinnati beat St. Louis 3-1.
4) Ex-Rebels standout Alex Presley had three hits, three RBIs, a run and a stolen base in Pittsburgh's 7-5 win against Houston in 11 innings.
5) MSU alum Jonathan Papelbon nailed down his 21st save with a 1-2-3 16th inning as Boston beat Tampa Bay 1-0.
6) Carlos Guillen, the former Jackson Generals star who came off the DL on Saturday, had a big RBI hit for Detroit in its 4-3 win over Chicago. It's been 12 years since the Gens last played at Smith-Wills Stadium, but several alums of those Astros clubs are still contributing, including Lance Berkman, Bobby Abreu, Freddy Garcia, Ramon Castro and Julio Lugo.
7) Berkman, having an MVP-caliber season, belted his 25th homer in St. Louis' loss to Cincy.
8) Former M-Brave Jeff Francoeur homered, his 13th, in Kansas City's 4-3 loss to Minnesota.
9) Ex-Ole Miss star Seth Smith had two hits and an RBI for Colorado in a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee.
10) Freddie Freeman, former M-Braves standout, got the game-winning hit for Atlanta in the bottom of the ninth against Washington. Seven of Atlanta's nine runs were scored by M-Braves alums, and Brian McCann — another MVP candidate — drove in three of them with his 16th home run.
P.S. Ole Miss product Matt Tolbert was sent to the minors by the Twins, who added ex-M-Brave Chuck James to their bullpen. Tolbert can play a lot of positions but hasn't hit much this year (.181 in 55 games).

surprise, surprise

Two of the biggest surprises of the first half in MLB are Cleveland and Pittsburgh. And, yes, there are Mississippi connections of note in both clubhouses. Pascagoula native and former Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College star Tony Sipp has posted a 2.72 ERA, 17 holds and a 4-1 record as a lefty relief specialist for the Indians, who are 47-42 and battling for first place in the American League Central. For the Pirates, 47-43 at the break and just a game off the pace in the National League Central, the managerial work of Clint Hurdle has been a key in this moribund club's sudden ascent. Hurdle, a former Jackson Mets manager, took Colorado to the 2007 World Series. He's a vocal, take-charge, no-nonsense kind of guy, and his style seems to have perked up the Bucs at long last. Former Mississippi State ace Paul Maholm has won three of his last four starts to help in Pittsburgh's climb. He has a 2.96 ERA but just a 6-9 record; he hasn't gotten consistent run support from what is a young lineup. And then there's Alex Presley, the Ole Miss product who recently got the call from Triple-A and has hit .365 with a homer, six RBIs and nine runs in 13 games. Pittsburgh has a tough decision to make when injured Jose Tabata, the regular left fielder, returns after the break.

ouch

Pain has been a recurring theme for Mississippians in the big leagues this season. The latest "ouch" was uttered by Nettleton's Bill Hall, who was spiked on a play at second base Thursday night and required stitches to close the deep cut. He may miss a few days for San Francisco. Chris Coghlan, who went on the disabled list with a knee injury (and avoided a demotion to the minors) last month, was expected to begin a rehab assignment this weekend and rejoin Florida after the All-Star break. Roy Oswalt is on the DL for the second time with back trouble and may not pitch again for Philadelphia until August (if then). Matt Maloney is on Cincinnati's extended disabled list with an oblique injury. Fred Lewis started the season, his first with the Reds, on the DL, and Jarrett Hoffpaiur also was hurt in the spring and was shipped to the minors by San Diego when he was activated. Marcus Thames has had a rough first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, going on the DL with one injury and doing little but pinch hitting since suffering another. Julio Borbon went on the DL for Texas, lost his center field job and is now in the minors.
P.S. Props to: Ole Miss alumnus Zack Cozart, who got his first hit in his debut with the Reds on Thursday; Eli Whiteside, the Delta State product who homered (his third) in the Giants' win; Pascagoula native Tony Sipp, who cherry-picked a win (his fourth in five decisions) when Travis Hafner hit a walk-off grand slam for Cleveland; and former Mississippi Braves closer Craig Kimbrel, who notched his 27th save, a record for a rookie before the All-Star break. Ex-Mississippi State star Jonathan Papelbon held the old record.

debut alert

Cincinnati, unhappy with the production it was getting from shortstops Paul Janish and Edgar Renteria, has called up former Ole Miss star Zack Cozart. Cozart, who was hitting .310 with seven homers, 32 RBIs and 57 runs at Triple-A Louisville, figures to be in the lineup tonight when the Reds take on National League Central rival Milwaukee. Cozart was a second-round pick by the Reds in 2007 and entered this season rated as the organization's No. 8 prospect (by Baseball America). He deserves this chance, and he's jumping into the heat of a division race. Can't get much better than that.

let's go cycling

Tyler Pastornicky, looking more and more like the Atlanta Braves' shortstop of the future, grabbed a little more attention on Tuesday night when he became the first player in the Mississippi Braves' seven seasons to hit for the cycle. It's quite a feat. Consider that fewer than 300 cycles have been recorded in the long history of major league ball. Only two Atlanta Braves have ever turned the trick: Albert Hall in 1987 and Mark Kotsay in 2008. The last Mississippian to do it in The Show was former Stone County High star Fred Lewis in 2007. Only three other Mississippi natives have managed the feat in modern MLB history: Frank White (1979), Harry Craft (1940) and Gee Walker (1937). On the local front, Vince Faison of the independent Jackson Senators cycled in 2005, and Russ Johnson of the Double-A Jackson Generals pulled it off in 1996. (Johnson's feat happened to come on a day, May 9, when his photo was given out pregame as part of a club promotion.) It takes a good combination of speed and power — plus a little good fortune — to hit for the cycle. And Pastornicky has those tools. For the year, he's hitting .298 with six homers, 36 RBIs, 11 doubles, five triples and 19 stolen bases. Yes, he's going places.

spotlight on ...

Cory Harrilchak, the Mississippi Braves right fielder, enjoyed perhaps his best day at the plate this season on Sunday at Huntsville. The left-handed hitting Harrilchak, 5 feet 11, 180 pounds (or so), went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs in the M-Braves' 6-2 win, which gave the club a 5-6 record entering a four-game homestand that starts tonight at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Braves have been waiting for fireworks from Harrilchak; maybe Sunday's effort was the fuse that'll get him going. He entered this season, his first in Double-A, as Atlanta's No. 29 prospect (by Baseball America). A 14th-round pick in 2009 as a senior out of Elon in North Carolina, Harrilchak hit .299 with five homers and 88 RBIs (plus 36 doubles, 13 triples and 41 steals) at three levels of A-ball in his first two pro years. He also played well in the Arizona Fall League last season. But the 23-year-old Harrilchak's adjustment to Double-A has been sluggish. He's at .232 with five homers, 25 RBIs and 23 runs in 71 games. His plate discipline has been OK (44 strikeouts/23 walks), his defense solid. Surely the Atlanta brass would like to see a stronger finish, as would M-Braves fans. The club needs more production from several players, Harrilchak among them.

take three

Jarrett Hoffpauir made big league appearances with St. Louis in 2009 and Toronto in 2010. Now, he's bidding for another shot with yet another team. The Natchez native and Southern Miss alumnus is hitting .321 for San Diego's Triple-A Tucson club. A waiver claim by the Padres this past off-season, Hoffpauir was hurt in spring training and began the season on the disabled list. Since being activated and assigned to Tucson, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound infielder, who can play second, short or third, has been in 40 games and has two homers, 17 RBIs and 27 runs. He also had a club-record 18-game hitting streak that was broken Saturday (by Kyle Blanks). Hoffpauir, whose trials with the Cardinals and Blue Jays were limited, could get a longer look from the Padres, who appear to need some help.

calmer seas

Since returning to duty following a two-game suspension in mid-June, Jonathan Papelbon has been rock solid for Boston. The Mississippi State product, who has endured some stormy times the last couple of years, has worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings and notched three saves, including one on Friday night, in four appearances since sitting June 17 and 18. The suspension was the result of an umpire-bumping tirade in a June 4 game. Papelbon is 16-for-17 in saves this season — he's up to 204 career — and has reduced his ERA to 3.69. It had climbed to 4.50 at one point last month. The fiery right-hander comes under intense scrutiny in Red Sox Nation, but they have to like what they've seen of late.

switching gears

Stephen Head's new career path has taken a positive turn. The former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss standout, who flamed out as a hitter in the Cleveland organization, is now a pitcher in the Colorado system. And he's made it to the Class A level. The 27-year-old left-hander worked a 1-2-3 inning in his South Atlantic League debut on Wednesday. He had pitched six innings (one hit, one run, four walks, seven strikeouts) at the advanced rookie level prior to his promotion. Head was a good pitcher at Ole Miss, posting a 2.25 ERA over 210 innings. But the Indians drafted him in the second round in 2005 as a power-hitting first baseman. Head advanced steadily in the Cleveland system, reaching Triple-A in 2009. He hit .246 with six homers that year, not the kind of production the Indians were seeking. He was released. He tried independent ball in 2010 and produced good numbers. But, as is often the case, that was a dead end. So he switched gears. Convinced he could still pitch, Head managed to get a tryout this past spring with the Rockies, the organization that employs his good friend Seth Smith as its big league right fielder. The Rockies signed Head. He's a long way from the big leagues, but he's getting a second chance. And he's making progress.