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.

dsu's big day

Three former Delta State stars appeared in big league games on Sunday, not bad for a small-town Division II school. Catcher Eli Whiteside made his 2009 debut with the San Francisco Giants, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Edwin Maysonet, recently recalled by the Houston Astros, played some third base in Sunday's game, and pitcher Brent Leach worked a third of an inning for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
P.S. Former Mississippi Brave Diory Hernandez got his first big league hit on Sunday in Atlanta's win over Toronto. He went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs while filling in at shortstop for Yunel Escobar. Hernandez can play; we haven't seen the last of his impact for the Braves.