parting shots

Chris Cody, Zeke Spruill, Luis Avilan, Aaron Shafer and Jose Lugo. That’s the Mississippi Braves’ announced rotation for the Huntsville series that starts tonight at Trustmark Park. Who are those guys? Cody was signed last month out of an independent league. Spruill and Shafer are recent call-ups from A-ball. Avilan and Lugo are erstwhile relievers. Among the five, only Lugo has an ERA under 4.00. The rotation that many thought might lead the M-Braves to a playoff berth in 2011 is long gone. At 22-28, 12 1/2 games out of first in the Southern League South with 20 games left, there isn’t much for the M-Braves to play for as a team. But Atlanta’s minor league brass will want to see a strong finish from individual players, especially those that are on the prospect radar. And the players know this. They won’t be just going through the motions. Fans at the TeePee might want to keep a sharp eye out for the performance of strong-armed relievers Brett Butts and Billy Bullock. First baseman Ernesto Mejia is one homer away from breaking the M-Braves’ record; that would be a nice feather in his cap. Outfielders Cory Harrilchak (.248) and Mycal Jones (.239) are due, overdue actually, for a breakout. Third baseman Donell Linares (.275, seven homers, 58 RBIs) appears to still have a future in the organization. Only 10 home games left, but that’s plenty of time to leave a lasting impression.