no free rides

Getting to the big leagues is hard, the sage baseball man will tell you, but staying in the big leagues is harder still. Jarrod Dyson, the McComb native and former Southwest Mississippi Community College standout, defied the odds by making it to the majors as a 50th-round draft pick. The dash-fast Dyson hit just .211 in his 18 games with Kansas City in 2010, but he made an impression with his speed, stealing nine bases. He made the club out of spring training this year but didn’t stay. Dyson was sent down after batting just .172 in 22 games. (He did, however, swipe nine bases in nine tries.) Dyson is bidding for a return to The Show. He’s hitting .298 at Triple-A Omaha and has stolen 34 bases in 35 tries. He’s scored 50 times in 63 games. He will likely get a call-up in September, but he’s going to have to hit better to stick. Dyson’s hardest work is ahead of him.

P.S. Four former Mississippi Braves pitchers started in big league games on Sunday, and all four coulda, shoulda come away with victories. Only Jo-Jo Reyes, now with Baltimore, managed to get a W (with former Mississippi State star Craig Tatum behind the plate). Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy, Texas’ Matt Harrison and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton watched their bullpens blow saves.