being there

Ex-Ole Miss star Chris Ellis is among the contingent (27, all told) of non-roster players invited to big league camp by the Atlanta Braves. Right-hander Ellis, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in the Andrelton Simmons trade, went 7-4 with a 3.92 ERA in 15 Double-A starts in 2015. He was a third-round pick in 2014, one of the nine Rebels drafted that summer. Ellis likely will open 2016 at Triple-A Gwinnett, but when you check out the rotation candidates from the Braves’ 40-man roster – Julio Tehran, Bud Norris, Matt Wisler, Williams Perez, Ryan Weber – you have to think there are opportunities there. Also getting camp invites are 2015 Mississippi Braves Rio Ruiz, Lucas Sims and Ryan Kelly (who was in the big leagues for a period last year) and potential 2016 M-Braves Joseph Odom, Braxton Davidson, Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson. P.S. The lack of support Billy Wagner, the former Jackson Generals star, received in the Hall of Fame voting is hard to fathom. He was named on just 46 ballots, 10.5 percent, barely enough to stay on the ballot. Said Hall of Famer John Smoltz to mlb.com: “I was a little surprised by that. Billy was an incredible left-handed closer.” Wagner posted 422 saves, a 2.31 ERA, averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings and made seven All-Star Games. Fellow closer Trevor Hoffman, also a first-timer on the ballot, was named on 67.3 percent; 75 percent is needed for induction. The third closer on the ballot, Lee Smith, was named on 34.1 percent. Little-known fact: Smith pitched in two games for the 1998 Generals during a comeback attempt at age 40. That was his final pro season.