Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Mississippi Braves may have solved their power problem. Evan Gattis, promoted from A-ball earlier this week when Christian Bethancourt went out with an injury, blasted a home run at Mobile on Thursday — in his second game with the M-Braves. The rest of the team has four (three belonging to Ian Gac) in 28 games. If Gattis sticks around, he’s a good bet to hit some more bombs. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound catcher (who can also play outfield) hit nine in 21 games at Class A Lynchburg this spring after belting 22 (to go with a .322 average) at low-A Rome in 2011. Gattis’ story is an interesting one. A highly touted high school player in Texas, he was out of the game for roughly four years battling personal issues. He finally wound up at Texas-Permian Basin and was drafted in the 23rd round by Atlanta in 2010. He is 25 years old and, judging from the early returns, looks ready for the rigors of Double-A ball. He’s hitting .417 in his three games. The M-Braves, scuffling along at 10-18, return to Pearl on Sunday.

If momentum means anything in baseball — and surely it does — then watch out for good things this weekend from Delta State, Mississippi College, Itawamba Community College and Jones County JC. DSU, ranked No. 8 in NCAA Division II, rolls into the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a nine-game win streak. The Statesmen (35-11) won the regular season title and are the top seed; they’ll take on their traditional punching bag, Christian Brothers, in the first round Friday at 4:30 in Rome, Ga. The Statesmen are seeking a 12th GSC title but more importantly a long-awaited return to the NCAAs. DSU is led offensively by Michael Vinson (.347, four homers, 36 RBIs) and Jon Carnahan (.347, 4, 35). Aaron Newcomb (8-2, 2.66 ERA) and Mr. Perfect Game Colton Mitchell (7-0, 3.03) head a staff that posted a 3.08 ERA. Mississippi College is just 20-22 overall but has shown some true grit of late. The D-III Choctaws won four of their last six American Southwest Conference games just to make the postseason and then went on the road to take two of three from Texas Lutheran to reach the double-elimination tournament. MC faces McMurry on Friday at 3 in Austin, Texas. Mike Kerdock batted .416, and Brett Hightower has five homers and 46 RBIs. The team ERA is an unsightly 5.68, but Scott Trousdale carries a 3.58 and Austin Trehern came up huge in last weekend’s rubber game against Texas Lutheran. In the state junior college postseason, which starts with four best-of-3 series, watch out for eighth-ranked Itawamba (35-9), which has won eight of 10 and claimed the MACJC North title. The Indians will host East Central on Friday. Jones County (29-17), ranked No. 2 at the start of the year, rallied late to win its last six games, including three over Hinds, and took the South title. The Bobcats welcome Mississippi Delta to Ellisville on Friday. Hinds (29-16) was ranked 17th in the April 25 NJCAA Division II poll but limps into the postseason having lost its last five South Division games. The Eagles slipped to the No. 3 seed and must travel to North No. 2 Northwest on Friday. Uncle Mo won’t be on that bus.

Buck Showalter notched his 1,000th win as a major league manager tonight when Baltimore beat the New York Yankees. Former Mississippi State standout Showalter’s managerial career started with the Yankees. He has also managed Arizona and Texas. He is in his third season with the Orioles, who were one of MLB’s surprise teams in April with a 14-9 record. … The best April by a Mississippi-connected player in the big leagues is a tough call between MSU alum Jonathan Papelbon, who had eight saves for his new Philadelphia club, and Ole Miss product Lance Lynn, who went 4-0 as a new member of the St. Louis rotation. … The worst first month surely belonged to ex-Rebels star Chris Coghlan, the former rookie of the year who was recently sent to the minors (again) by Miami with a .143 average. What has happened to him? … Former UM standout Seth Smith finished a tough first month with Oakland (.197) by fanning four times — a “golden sombrero” — against Boston on Monday. … Ned Yost, the former Jackson Mets catcher now managing in Kansas City, hasn’t seen the preseason buzz about his team carry into the regular season. The young and (supposedly) talented Royals were a mess in the first month, going 6-15. … Scuffling Mitch Moreland has started to perk up for Texas, which had the best record (17-6) in MLB in April. MSU product Moreland is on a 6-for-19 tear with two homers, boosting his average to .214. … Here’s a good Did You Know? with a Mississippi angle. The last Detroit Tigers player to hit for the cycle was former Jackson General (and recently retired) Carlos Guillen in 2006 and the last Pittsburgh Pirates player to do it was ex-General Daryle Ward in 2004.

Jackson Generals fans may remember Mike Walter, the Pearl police officer killed in the line of duty today, as a hard-throwing reliever for Houston’s Double-A team from 1997-99. Walter also pitched for the Jackson DiamondKats, the independent team that played one season (2000) at Smith-Wills Stadium. Walter, 37, leaves behind a wife and young daughter.