spring-trigue
Questions to ponder as major league spring training sails along toward Opening Day:
What will Billy Hamilton do in his second full MLB season? The ex-Taylorsville High star was all the rage early on last year as Cincinnati’s leadoff batter, but he faded late. He wound up at .250 with 56 steals and a .292 on-base percentage. Adjustments may be necessary.
What will Corey Dickerson do for an encore? In his first full season, the Meridian Community College product batted .312 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs, taking over as the regular left fielder in Colorado. He won’t sneak up on any pitchers in 2015.
What will Brian Dozier do for an encore? The Southern Miss alumnus put up 23 homers and 21 steals and scored 112 runs for Minnesota. He no doubt would like to boost his .242 average.
How will Seth Smith adjust to yet another new team and environment? Now with Seattle, the ex-Ole Miss star will be playing for a third team in three years. Smith batted .266 with 12 homers for San Diego in 2014. Those would be good numbers in Seattle, which also plays in a pitcher’s park.
How will Chris Coghlan and his Chicago Cubs teammates handle increased expectations? The Ole Miss product, and former rookie of the year, bounced back from several injury-plagued seasons to bat .283 with nine homers. The left fielder is a veteran presence on a young team that some expect to contend in 2015 under dynamic manager Joe Maddon.
What will Tyler Moore’s role be with Washington? The Nationals are loaded, but the former Mississippi State standout certainly has the potential to contribute as a pinch hitter/bench player. A right-handed power hitter, Moore got just 91 MLB at-bats in 2014, hitting .231 with four homers. He hit .265 with 10 bombs in 167 ABs in 2013.
Will Cliff Lee and/or Jonathan Papelbon be traded by Philadelphia? Lee, a former Meridian CC star, was 4-5 with a 3.65 ERA in an injury-curtailed campaign, while MSU product Papelbon notched 39 saves for a weak team. The guess here is both will go, possibly before the end of spring training.
Can T.J. House nail down a spot in Cleveland’s rotation? The Picayune High product went 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) as a rookie in 2014. Still, the left-hander faces a lot of competition for a job on an improving Indians club.
How will Mitch Moreland bounce back from injury in Texas? A troublesome ankle that required surgery derailed the MSU alum after just 52 games. He batted .246 with two homers a year after batting .232 with 23 bombs in 147 games.
And, finally, can Ed Easley crash The Show? Former MSU catcher Easley made St. Louis’ 40-man roster in the off-season, but he faces long odds in his quest to make the big leagues for the first time. Yadier Molina, the Cardinals’ starting catcher, is one of the best in the game. No. 2 on the current depth chart is Tony Cruz, who gained experience last season. Three other catchers, including Easley, will try to snatch the backup job this spring. Most clubs only carry two catchers. Easley is entering his ninth pro season but is coming off a very good 2014, when he batted .296 with 10 homers at Triple-A Memphis.