observations

On the day he was officially reassigned to minor league camp, Pascagoula’s Joey Butler hit a called-shot, game-tying, ninth-inning home run for Tampa Bay. Butler’s homer Monday against Baltimore was his second of the spring. He is batting .257 (after an 0-for-3 today) with six RBIs. Butler was a non-roster invitee to the Rays’ camp, and he surely made an impression. Expected to start the season in Triple-A, the right-handed hitting outfielder may yet get another big league opportunity. … Meanwhile, Rays outfielder Desmond Jennings, the ex-Itawamba Community College star who had a down year in 2014 that ended with an injury, has been in rare form this spring. He has 17 hits in 38 at-bats (.447). … For the second straight day, Billy Hamilton hit seventh in Cincinnati’s lineup. The Taylorsville High product, who batted leadoff and hit .250 last season, is struggling to hit his weight (160) this spring. … Paul Maholm had a 2.19 ERA in five appearances for Cincinnati, but the 34-year-old former Mississippi State standout wasn’t going to make the rotation and apparently didn’t want to go to the bullpen. Hence, his release on Monday. Another club might have need for a “crafty” left-hander with 77 career wins and a 4.30 ERA. … Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan might be hearing footsteps. He is the Chicago Cubs’ starting left fielder, a job he won with a strong 2014. But reports are that mega-prospect Kris Bryant will see time in left field as well as third base in Triple-A this year. Some believe Bryant, who appears big-league ready as a hitter, might be better suited to left field when he returns to the Cubs, which will be soon. … Silento Sayles, the ex-Port Gibson High star who set the prep stolen base record with 103 in 2013, got an at-bat for Cleveland this spring. Unfortunately, Sayles didn’t get to flash his speed – he struck out. Sayles hit .262 with 16 bags in the rookie-level Arizona League in 2014. Other minor leaguers with Mississippi ties who got a brief look in big league camps include Bobby Bradley, Adam Frazier, Ti’Quan Forbes, D.J. Davis, Colin Bray, Angel Rosa and Travious Relaford.