Monthly Archives: September 2016

15 Sep

one more time

In his short time on the Mississippi Braves’ roster, Patrick Weigel has had a big impact. The 6-foot-6 right-hander pitched into the ninth inning and notched his first Double-A win against Biloxi on Sept. 1, when the M-Braves were still fighting for a playoff berth. In Game 2 of the Southern League South Division series last week, Weigel threw seven shutout innings as the M-Braves beat host Pensacola and evened the series at 1-all. Tonight at Trustmark Park, Weigel takes the hill in a do-or-die Game 3 of the SL Championship Series against the Jackson (Tenn.) Generals. Weigel, a seventh-round pick out of Houston in 2015, won 10 games at low Class A Rome this year before getting the promotion to Mississippi, where he had a 2.18 ERA in his three regular season starts. The M-Braves need a pick-me-up. They were done in by a three-run eighth inning in Monday’s opener at Jackson, losing 6-4. They managed just five hits in Game 2 on Tuesday and lost 2-0. The team’s hottest hitter in the series is another recent arrival, infielder Dylan Moore, acquired from Texas last month. He is 4-for-7 with an RBI and a run. The M-Braves must win three straight – at home — to claim the club’s second pennant. Based on recent results, they should feel confident with Weigel taking the ball. P.S. Former M-Braves and Ole Miss star Chris Ellis was named Baseball America’s pitcher of the day after throwing six hitless innings for Gwinnett on Wednesday night in the International League finals. (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, managed by former Jackson Mets shortstop Al Pedrique, rallied to win the game and even the Triple-A series 1-1.) Ellis, who had a rough go with the G-Braves, has tossed 13 shutout innings in the postseason. … Mississippi State alum Brandon Woodruff from Wheeler made BA’s Minor League All-Star team. The right-hander was 14-9 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.02 WHIP at two levels in the Milwaukee system. He was 10-8, 3.01 at Biloxi.

15 Sep

better late …

The Corey Dickerson the Tampa Bay Rays thought they were getting in an off-season trade has emerged the last few weeks. The former Meridian Community College star from McComb has 15 hits in his last 27 at-bats and is batting .315 with five home runs and 19 RBIs over his last 30 games. Dickerson went 3-for-4 with his 20th homer of the year on Wednesday as the Rays – long ago reduced to the role of spoiler in the American League East – beat Toronto 8-1. Dickerson, a lefty-hitting outfielder acquired from Colorado in the Jake McGee trade, batted .299 in three seasons with the Rockies, playing half his games at hitter-friendly Coors Field. His recent hot streak has lifted his 2016 average to .247. On June 20, he was at .198. Tampa Bay, which has had myriad problems, was expected to be much better than its 62-83 record — and maybe there is hope for 2017. Dickerson’s homer on Wednesday was the 200th for the team, a single-season club record. “It’s something we can build off of,” Dickerson told mlb.com. P.S. Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier hit his 41st homer on Wednesday (for a Minnesota team that has 54 wins), moving a bit closer to the long-standing MLB record for homers by a player who was primarily a second baseman. Davey Johnson – the old Jackson Mets manager – hit 43 bombs in 1973 for Atlanta. With 81 extra-base hits, Dozier needs three more to match Tony Oliva’s Twins record, set in 1964. … A rough season in Cincinnati has been made even more frustrating of late for Mississippians Billy Hamilton, Zack Cozart and Cody Reed, all forced to sit because of injuries. Taylorsville’s Hamilton has an oblique, Ole Miss product Cozart a knee and ex-Northwest Mississippi CC star Reed a back problem.

14 Sep

stretch run

At the moment, Mitch Moreland is probably the only Mississippian who knows he’ll be playing in the MLB postseason. The Mississippi State product from Amory, who has 22 home runs, has helped Texas take a commanding lead in the American League West. Ex-Ole Miss star Chris Coghlan and Greenwood native Louis Coleman are also on first-place clubs with secure leads, but neither can be certain he’ll be on the postseason roster. Coghlan is a versatile reserve for the Chicago Cubs, Coleman a middle reliever for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the three battles still being furiously waged – AL East, AL wild card and NL wild card – there are a bunch of Magnolia State products clinging to hope. The hottest team in the big leagues is Seattle, which has won seven straight to stay in the AL wild card hunt. Former Ole Miss standout Seth Smith is swinging it well – a .381 average with three homers, including a grand slam on Tuesday, over his last seven games. Boston currently leads, by a slim margin, the AL East, and UM alum Drew Pomeranz has been a good addition to the Red Sox’s rotation even though his numbers (2-5, 4.60 ERA) aren’t great. MSU product Jonathan Holder is now in the bullpen of the resurgent New York Yankees – the Baby Bombers – who are very much alive in the AL East and wild card races. Jarrod Dyson, the ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College standout, has helped keep Kansas City in the playoff chase, batting .290 with 12 runs, nine steals and solid defense in the outfield in his last 15 games. Rookie JaCoby Jones, the former Richton High star, doesn’t play a lot for Detroit – he is 4-for-18 – but has value as a late-inning sub at several positions. Houston, also still lurking in AL playoff race, would love to see Mississippi Gulf Coast CC alum Tony Sipp (5.45 ERA) regain his career form (3.68) down the stretch. In the National League, former State standout Adam Frazier has been a bright spot (.333, two homers, nine RBIs, 14 runs in 99 at-bats) on a Pittsburgh team that seems to be fading away. UM alum Mike Mayers is on St. Louis’ expanded roster but, having allowed 15 runs in three appearances, doesn’t figure to get a lot of significant work. P.S. Mississippi is well-represented on Baseball America’s Classification All-Star teams. Hunter Renfroe (Mississippi State) made the Triple-A team, Bobby Bradley (Harrison Central High) the high Class A team and Austin Riley (DeSoto Central) the low-A team. Ozzie Albies of the Mississippi Braves is on the Double-A team. … Ex-MSU star Dakota Hudson, the first Mississippian chosen in this year’s draft (in the first round by St. Louis), only pitched 14 2/3 innings as a pro but fared rather well. The right-hander allowed only one earned run and struck out 19 over three different levels. He started with four games in the rookie Gulf Coast League, moved to Palm Beach in the Class A Florida State League (0.96 ERA in eight games) and finished with two scoreless appearances and a save for Springfield in the Texas League playoffs.

12 Sep

numbers to ponder

As the Mississippi Braves and Jackson (Tenn.) Generals square off in the 2016 Southern League Championship Series, here’s a Mississippi minor league postseason primer:
1 – Number of Southern League pennants won by the Mississippi Braves, who arrived in Pearl in 2005 and won the title three years later at Trustmark Park.
1 – Number of SL pennants won by the Jackson Generals, the Tennessee version, who took the title 16 years ago when they were known, regrettably, as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
2 – Number of Texas League pennants won by the Jackson Generals, the Mississippi version, who claimed those crowns in 1993 and 1996.
1 – Number of pennants won by the Jackson Senators, who captured the independent Central League title at Smith-Wills Stadium in 2003.
3 – Number of pennants won by the Jackson Mets, who took Texas League championships in 1981, 1984 and 1985.
8 – Streak of Texas League playoff appearances reeled off by the Jackson Mets from 1980-87.
4 – Southern League postseason appearances by the M-Braves.
3 – Number of Southern League awards won by the 2016 Jackson Generals: Tyler O’Neill was MVP, Ryan Yarbrough was pitcher of the year and Daren Brown was manager of the year.
1 – Number of M-Braves who made the SL postseason All-Star team: outfielder Dustin Peterson.
9 – Wins, in 15 games, by the M-Braves against the Generals this season.
5 – Number of Southern League starts in 2016 by M-Braves lefty Michael Mader (0-3, 2.40 ERA), slated to go in Game 1 of the SL Championship Series tonight at Jackson, Tenn.
9 – Number of wins, in 12 decisions, this season by Andrew Moore, the Generals’ scheduled starter in Game 1. He has a 3.16 ERA over 19 starts.
6 – RBIs by Carlos Franco, on 7-for-15 hitting, in the M-Braves’ South Division series win against Pensacola.
7 – Hits, in two postseason games, by M-Braves newcomer Kade Scivicque, the former Southwest Mississippi Community College (and LSU) star.
152 – Strikeouts this season, most in Double-A, by M-Braves lefty Sean Newcomb (8-7, 3.86 ERA), who is slated to start Game 2 against Jackson.
8 – Number of players from the 2016 M-Braves’ original 25-man roster who are still on the club.
1 – Number of former M-Braves on the Generals’ current roster: pitcher Ryne Harper.
Photo: Carlos Franco of the M-Braves heads for home. Joe Culpepper/Shuttergig.com

12 Sep

waiting game

The El Paso Chihuahuas’ season goes on, which apparently means Hunter Renfroe’s much-anticipated big league debut is on hold. Former Mississippi State star Renfroe, the Triple-A Pacific Coast League MVP, hit a go-ahead home run on Saturday that propelled El Paso into the PCL Championship Series, which will begin on Tuesday. When San Diego traded Melvin Upton and Matt Kemp in late July, it appeared it was clearing space in the outfield for prospects like Renfroe, who is among the Padres’ most highly regarded. The 2013 first-round pick has had a big year with the bat in the hitter-friendly PCL: .306, 30 homers, 34 doubles, 105 RBIs, .557 slugging percentage. And he’s also a good right fielder with a plus arm. If the Padres wait until El Paso’s playoff run is over to promote Renfroe, he’d still have a couple of weeks to audition for a regular job in 2017. Eight Mississippians (natives or college alums) have debuted in MLB in 2016: Chad Girodo, Chris Stratton, Tim Anderson, Cody Reed, Adam Frazier, Mike Mayers, JaCoby Jones and Jonathan Holder. P.S. Former Southern Miss standout Bradley Roney got the save in Saturday’s clincher as Triple-A Gwinnett beat Columbus 5-4 to advance to the International League finals. Roney is 4-for-4 in save chances with a 3.57 ERA and three wins in 27 games for the G-Braves this season. He had a 2.82 in 17 games for the Double-A Mississippi Braves, who are now in the Southern League title series. Atlanta’s low-A Rome club reached the South Atlantic League finals, fueled in part by DeSoto Central product Austin Riley, who went 3-for-10 with four RBIs in the first round series. Riley, Atlanta’s top pick in 2015, is batting .270 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs.

10 Sep

on the brink

The Mississippi Braves were wounded and backed into a corner earlier this week. Having already lost their highest-rated prospect (Dansby Swanson to promotion in mid-August) and one of their top power hitters (Jacob Schrader to injury) down the stretch, the M-Braves lost sparkplug Ozzie Albies to a season-ending injury during Game 1 of the Southern League South Division playoff series. Then they lost the game to Pensacola in the bottom of the ninth, stung by an error and two walks. But things can change quickly in the postseason, and here are the M-Braves today, leading the series 2-1 and aiming to win it in Game 4 at Trustmark Park. Pick a hero; there have been many. In Game 2 on Thursday, Patrick Weigel was brilliant on the mound and Carlos Franco mashed a three-run homer in a 5-0 victory. Back at the TeePee on Friday, the M-Braves used four pitchers and 17 hits to crush the Blue Wahoos 9-2. Mallex Smith, a 2015 M-Braves star back on a big-league rehab assignment, provided three hits and three runs. Southwest Mississippi Community College alum Kade Scivicque, acquired in a recent trade with Detroit, went 4-for-4 with an RBI. Franco, now 6-for-11 in the series, and Joey Meneses added three hits each, and Keith Curcio, a recent call-up from Class A Carolina, hit an inside-the-park home run. The spotlight is now on right-hander Lucas Sims, Atlanta’s first-round pick in the 2012 draft who gets the start tonight. Sims, still a highly rated prospect, is 36-36 with a 3.91 ERA in an uneven minor league career. It’s a huge game for many reasons. A lot of people, in Atlanta and elsewhere, are paying attention. A berth in the SL Championship Series — where the M-Braves haven’t been since 2008 — is on the line, and there’s nothing like celebrating on your home field. If there is a Game 5, the series goes back to Pensacola. … Meanwhile, in Lawrenceville, Ga., on Friday, former Mississippi State star Tyler Moore hit a grand slam to help the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves pound Columbus 11-1 in the International League playoffs. Ex-Ole Miss standout Chris Ellis, who began this season in Mississippi, threw seven shutout innings for the G-Braves, who lead the series 2-1.

08 Sep

that’ll work

Slumping Seattle tried something different on Wednesday. Slumping Seth Smith, the former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss standout, batted leadoff for just the second time this season. He responded with three hits, including his 13th homer, and three runs to help the Mariners beat Texas 8-3. The Mariners moved to 71-68 and are 5 games out of an American League wild card spot. Mariners manager Scott Servais told mlb.com that he was just trying to get Smith going by putting him in the top spot in the order: “He hasn’t really been the true Seth Smith in the second half.” The left-handed hitting Smith, who bats almost exclusively against right-handers, was at .280 with 10 homers on July 3. After going 3-for-3 on Wednesday, he is now batting .263. The homer was his second in as many nights, and he has 51 RBIs. Seattle, facing a steep climb in the postseason chase, needs his bat. … In another MLB game of note, former Pillow Academy star Louis Coleman was one of seven – count ’em, seven — relievers used by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-1 win against Arizona. Coleman struck out the only batter he faced, was credited with his 10th hold and trimmed his ERA to 3.59. P.S. Minor highlights: Stone County High product D.J. Davis scored the go-ahead run in the 15th inning as Dunedin beat Tampa 8-4 in the Florida State League playoffs. Davis reached on a passed ball strikeout, went to second on a walk, took third on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Former Petal High star Anthony Alford had two hits and scored three times for Dunedin, a Toronto affiliate. … Southern Miss alum Bradley Roney struck out eight of the 10 batters he faced in a scoreless relief appearance, helping the Gwinnett Braves beat Columbus 5-4 in an International League playoff opener.

07 Sep

homer happy

Chris Maloney has shook a lot of hands this season. The Jackson native and former Mississippi State player is the third-base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, so virtually every time one of them hits a home run, Maloney greets them as they make the turn for the plate. And, boy, has that happened a lot this season. The Cardinals have hit 201 bombs, most in the National League. They hit five on Tuesday night, three in the ninth inning en route to a stunning, 9-7 victory at Pittsburgh. St. Louis is in the thick of the NL wild card scrap. The Pirates are fading from view. A beneficiary of the Cardinals’ rally was Mike Mayers, the former Ole Miss standout who had such a rough big league debut (nine runs in less than two innings) back in July. Mayers worked a 1-2-3 eighth on Tuesday and got the win, lowering his ERA to 34.71. … In another meaningful game, ex-UM star Seth Smith hit a pinch homer – his 12th of the year and first in two months – for Seattle, but the wild card-hopeful Mariners fell short, 10-7, against American League West leader Texas. … The amazing Brian Dozier (see previous post), the former Southern Miss standout, tied the AL record for homers by a second baseman with his 39th in Minnesota’s loss to Kansas City. … And Mississippi Braves alum Dansby Swanson hustled his way to his first MLB homer, circling the bases on a ball off the center-field wall at Washington. The last Atlanta player to hit an inside-the-parker for his first homer was Paul Runge in 1985. Swanson also hit an inside-the-park home run for the M-Braves.

07 Sep

september’s game

It’s September in the minor leagues, and the herd has been cut. Only the best teams are moving forward. The best players on those teams now get to perform in a different arena. The Mississippi Braves head into the Southern League playoffs with a passel of Atlanta prospects on the roster, and how those players fare could go a long way in determining the M-Braves’ postseason fate. The best-of-5 SL South Division series begins tonight at Pensacola with left-hander Sean Newcomb, Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect (by mlb.com), going to the mound to face Rookie Davis, Cincinnati’s seventh-best prospect. Ozzie Albies is Atlanta’s No. 2. Projected by many to be the Braves’ second baseman in 2017, Albies hit .321 in Double-A this season (and won the SL batting title with an “adjusted” average of .315). Dustin Peterson (No. 18) was an SL MVP candidate after batting .282 with 12 homers and 88 RBIs. Those two are key hitters in an M-Braves attack plagued by dry spells. With a chance to win the division title, the M-Braves scored only one run in their final two games, lost both and entered the playoffs as a wild card, meaning if there is a Game 5 in the division series, it’ll be in Pensacola. The Blue Wahoos won both halves, winning 10 of their last 11 to overtake the M-Braves in the second half. Still, the M-Braves’ pitching looks good enough to win a title. Following Newcomb (8-7, 3.86) in the posted rotation is Patrick Weigel (1-2, 2.18 in three starts) on Thursday and Max Povse (4-1, 2.93) on Friday back at Trustmark Park. Weigel is the No. 28 prospect, Povse No. 20. If there is a Game 4 in Pearl, No. 14 Lucas Sims (5-5, 2.67) will get the nod. Ten teams started out in April chasing a Southern League pennant. Four are left. Every game is big now. It’s September.

06 Sep

name-dropping

Here is a name to know today: Alfonso Soriano. He is the only American League second baseman to hit more home runs (39) in a season than Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier has hit in 2016 (38). Here’s another: Davey Johnson. He holds the all-time record for homers in a season by a second baseman (43). And yet another: Mark Trumbo. He is the only player in MLB with more homers (41) this season than Dozier. And still some more: Max Kepler, Justin Morneau, Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva. They are the only players in Minnesota Twins history with a three-homer game, a feat Dozier accomplished on Monday at Target Field. Killebrew holds the Twins’ single-season record with 49 homers, which might seem out of Dozier’s reach until you consider that he has hit 21 bombs in his last 35 games. There’s roughly a month left in the season. Alas, the Twins lost again on Monday, 11-5 to Kansas City, to fall to 51-87. “It would be a lot better if we were on the winning side of it,” said Dozier, who took an awkward curtain call after his third clout. P.S. Jarrod Dyson, the ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College standout, helped fuel the Royals’ win with three hits, three runs and a steal (No. 26). KC, the defending World Series champ, is hanging around in the American League wild card race.