seeing stars

Don’t look now, but Jarrod Saltalamacchia might be headed to Kansas City as an American League All-Star. The Mississippi Braves alumnus (2006-07) hit his fifth home run in his last 11 games on Thursday night as Boston fell to Detroit. Saltalamacchia, 27, a switch-hitting catcher, is batting .281 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs for the year. While bouncing from Atlanta to Texas to Boston, “Salty” has been slow to develop. He entered this season penciled in as the Red Sox’s No. 1 catcher but with things to prove. He batted just .235 in 2011 (to go with 16 homers and 56 RBIs). His defense is solid enough, but that’s not why he’s in the lineup. Saltalamacchia needs to hit and hit with power. This season, with what he has said is a more focused approach at the plate, he’s doing that. Kansas City, here he comes? P.S. Former M-Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons is expected to make his big league debut for Atlanta tonight in Washington. … Ex-Itawamba Community College star Desmond Jennings started a rehab assignment Thursday night in A-ball and should return soon to Tampa Bay, which appears to need him. … Weir’s Roy Oswalt will launch his “comeback” with Texas’ Triple-A Round Rock club on Saturday. … If the New York Mets decide they need outfield help — and they just might — former Mississippi Gulf Coast CC standout Fred Lewis is batting .289 with 11 extra-base hits at Triple-A Buffalo.