Tag Archives: Itawamba Community College

10 Oct

oh so close

A champion has been crowned in college baseball. And Ole Miss just missed being the subject of this coronation. Collegiate Baseball, in its Oct. 1 issue, anointed Arizona State as the recruiting champion of 2016. Ole Miss was rated No. 2. Mississippi State was 20th, and six other SEC schools finished among the top 25. They’ll still have to play the games and stuff next spring, but it’s a good start for the Rebels and Bulldogs, a little something to fuel their fall ball workouts. Collegiate Baseball uses a rating system to produce its list, taking into account the number of players who were drafted, high school All-Americans, junior college All-Americans, etc. Arizona State brought in eight MLB draftees among its 20 signees, a group that includes an NCAA Division I transfer and four jucos. Ole Miss, which may have to rely on some newcomers in 2017, signed 18 players, five of whom were drafted. Included in the Rebels’ class are 15 freshmen, led by the bunch from Oxford High and Madison Central’s Trace Tyre, and three jucos. One to watch: Timothy Rowe, a lefty-hitting outfielder from Itawamba CC who batted .418 with eight homers, 48 RBIs and 46 runs this past season.

02 Oct

crash landings

For the second straight year, ex-Ole Miss standout Zack Cozart saw a strong season curtailed by physical woes. Cozart, Cincinnati’s shortstop, missed the last 3 1/2 months of 2015 after a knee injury that required surgery, then went down again this year in early September because of recurring pain in that knee. Cozart, who last played on Sept. 10, hit .252 with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs in 120 games. He played only 53 games last year, batting .258 with nine homers. He looked better than ever this April, hitting .361 at month’s end, and was at .303 on June 8 before starting to fade. He had 15 homers on July 18, one thereafter. Cozart, eligible for arbitration again this year, was the subject of trade rumors before and during the season. He might have played his final game for the Reds. … Aaron Barrett, another Ole Miss product, also had a rough year. Barrett, a Washington Nationals reliever, had Tommy John surgery last September and was making progress toward a possible return in late July when he suffered a fractured elbow. “It was traumatizing. It was like someone hit me in the gut, like, a million times,” Barrett told mlb.com in August. “But … I have a bionic arm now, and I’m literally going to come back stronger than ever.” … Former Itawamba Community College star Desmond Jennings battled injuries – again – in 2016 with Tampa Bay and wound up being released on Aug. 26. The toolsy Jennings was batting .200 with seven homers. A Tampa Tribune writer called Jennings’ potential “fool’s gold.” He remains unsigned, as does Jonathan Papelbon, who was released, per mutual agreement, by Washington on Aug. 13. Mississippi State product Papelbon had a 4.37 ERA at the time and had lost his closer’s job after a series of shaky outings. P.S. Jackson’s Seth Smith went 0-for-2 with a run in a wild and crazy game in Seattle on Saturday that the Mariners lost to Oakland 9-8 in 10 innings. The defeat eliminated Seattle from postseason contention, extending their drought to 15 years.

23 Sep

a funny thing happened …

For the first time in four years, former Itawamba Community College star Tim Dillard is back in The Show. Well, sorta. The 33-year-old Dillard, who pitched in Triple-A this season, was summoned to Milwaukee this week not as a relief pitcher but as a “comedic relief specialist.” That is, he joined the Brewers’ social media team (#BrewersLastCallUp), not their bullpen. Dillard has gained a certain measure of fame recently as the producer/star of hilarious videos, and the Brewers wanted to make use of his talents at the big-league level. “There’s no doubt that Tim has a skill set that you won’t find anywhere else,” Brewers GM David Stearns told mlb.com. As a pitcher, Dillard also has some ability. He has logged 527 games in pro ball, including 73 appearances in MLB, in a career that dates back to 2003. His minor league ledger shows a 79-54 record and 3.85 ERA. A graduate of Saltillo High, Dillard is the son of former Ole Miss and big league star Steve Dillard.

21 Sep

he’s got name

There is something about the name that gets your attention: Delvin Zinn. Some clever headlines in that name. Of course, he’s got game, too. The Chicago Cubs certainly seem to think so, having drafted Pontotoc native Zinn twice. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound shortstop, who made his pro debut on July 28 for the Arizona League Cubs, is still in Arizona for the Instructional League season. His numbers in the AZL weren’t much to shout about. In just 11 games, he batted .182 with one extra-base hit. Zinn was chosen in the 23rd round in June out of Itawamba Community College, where he batted .411 as a freshman this past season with 34 RBIs, 41 runs and seven steals. Scouting reports rave about his defense. Drafted by the Cubs in the 28th round in 2015 out of Pontotoc High, Zinn opted to go to Mississippi State, where he took part in fall ball before transferring to ICC, where he was eligible to be drafted again after his freshman season. Zinn, just 19, isn’t yet among the Cubs’ rated prospects, but he is one to watch in an organization that appears to be set up for long-term success. … Also on the Cubs’ IL roster are left-handers Wyatt Short, drafted out of Ole Miss this year, and Justin Steele, a 2014 fifth-rounder from George County. Southaven native Short (see previous post) had a very good debut in the Northwest League. Steele, the highest-drafted prep pitcher from Mississippi since Matt Butler in 1999, went 5-7 with a 5.00 ERA in the Class A Midwest League this season. Scouting reports say the Cubs’ No. 23 prospect is still harnessing command of his three pitches. P.S. Former DeSoto Central All-Stater Austin Riley is on Atlanta’s IL roster; the third baseman is coming off a 20-homer year at low Class A Rome. Outfield prospect Braxton Davidson, who could be with the Mississippi Braves in 2017, also is in Florida, along with pitchers Carlos Salazar and Chad Sobotka, two other likely candidates for Pearl next year.

28 Aug

stepping up

In a really big game on Saturday at Globe Life Park, Mitch Moreland came up with a really big hit for the Texas Rangers. The ex-Mississippi State standout capped the Rangers’ five-run first inning with a grand slam that propelled them to a 7-0 victory over visiting Cleveland. The win clinched the season series for the Rangers (76-54), who are battling the Indians (73-55) for best record in the American League. Stay tuned there. Moreland’s slam was the second of his career and gives him 22 homers on the season, one short of his career-high. It came on a hanging slider, the first pitch the lefty slugger saw from Carlos Carrasco. “I actually told myself, ‘Treat it like any other at-bat,’” Moreland told mlb.com. It was just his second homer since Aug. 12. Indians manager Terry Francona called it a “crushing” blow. P.S. Former Ole Miss star Zack Cozart returned to Cincinnati’s lineup Saturday for the first time since Aug. 17 and hit his 16th home run. … UM alum Alex Presley was designated for assignment by Detroit; he was 1-for-5 since his call-up on Aug. 18. … With Adam Jones ailing, Baltimore has recalled Starkville native Julio Borbon for a second time this season. … Itawamba Community College product Desmond Jennings is expected to be released by Tampa Bay, but the transaction has yet to be officially announced. Jennings, suffering through a second straight injury-wrecked season, is a career .245 hitter with 55 homers and 95 steals in 567 games. At 29, he’ll get another shot somewhere. … Former Ole Miss star Lance Lynn threw three scoreless innings in his rehab appearance at Double-A Springfield last week. He’ll be in St. Louis soon enough. … Ex-Rebels standout Chris Coghlan is now on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs’ system. … Though there has been reported interest from “several” teams, ex-State star Jonathan Papelbon remains unsigned since being released by Washington on Aug. 13. He apparently is not going back to Boston. …. And down on the farm, Ole Miss product J.B. Woodman, drafted in the second round by Toronto in June, went 3-for-3 with a homer in his debut in the Class A Midwest League. He had been playing at short-season A Vancouver.

07 Aug

ups and downs

The Cleveland Indians, who have been making a flurry of moves with pitchers, recalled former Picayune High standout T.J. House from Triple-A Columbus on Saturday. Left-hander House previously had some success as a starter for the Indians but is now working out of the bullpen. In 14 appearances as a reliever in Columbus, House had a 1.98 ERA. … Itawamba Community College alum Desmond Jennings has gone back on the disabled list for Tampa Bay with a left knee contusion. Jennings fouled a ball off of the knee early last week; he had surgery on that knee last year. The outfielder is batting just .200 in 65 games for the Rays. … Ex-East Central CC star Tim Anderson was back in the Chicago White Sox’s lineup on Saturday after missing a game with a hand injury. Anderson, hitting leadoff, went 1-for-3 with a run in the win against Baltimore and is batting .265 for the season. … Mississippi Gulf Coast CC product Tony Sipp gave up an eighth-inning home run to Jonathan Lucroy on Saturday in Houston’s 3-2 loss to Texas. The Astros trailed just 2-1 at the time in the American League West showdown. Sipp’s ERA jumped to 4.85. … Former Ole Miss star Cody Satterwhite is off to an inauspicious start in Japan. The minor league veteran has a 4.50 ERA in four appearances for Hanshin. He had a 1.50 with the Los Angeles Angels’ Triple-A Salt Lake club before signing with Hanshin.

02 Aug

hard knocks

It has been a disappointing season for reigning World Series champion Kansas City, and Desmond Jennings added a little to it on Monday night. Former Itawamba Community College standout Jennings broke up Danny Duffy’s no-hit bid with a leadoff double (on a 1-2 pitch) in the eighth inning. It was the only hit Tampa Bay got against the Royals, who won 3-0 behind Duffy’s 16-strikeout effort. The Royals’ last no-hitter was thrown by Bret Saberhagen in 1991. KC is 50-55, fourth in the American League Central. For the record, it has been a disappointing season for Jennings and the Rays, as well. Jennings, whose 2015 season was wrecked by injuries, was playing his first game since June 30 because of a hamstring issue. A toolsy talent, he is batting .204 with seven homers, 19 RBIs and two steals. Tampa Bay, expected by many to contend for a playoff berth, is an awful 42-62. Meridian CC product Corey Dickerson, acquired from Colorado in the off-season to add some thump to the lineup, has hit 15 homers but is batting just .235. Rotowire.com projected Dickerson as a .286 hitter this season. He hit .304 in 65 games for the Rockies in 2015 and .312 in a full season in 2014. P.S. Orlando Arcia, who led Biloxi to a Southern League division title in 2015, is expected to make his MLB debut tonight as the starting shortstop for Milwaukee. Arcia, rated the No. 13 overall prospect by mlb.com, is batting .268 with eight homers, 53 RBIs and 15 steals for Class AAA Colorado Springs. He hit .307 with eight homers, 69 RBIs and 25 steals for the Double-A Shuckers last season, and he is a top-shelf defensive player.

28 Jun

good times roll

Hunter Renfroe’s good year keeps getting better. The Mississippi State product from Crystal Springs produced a four-hit game that included a grand slam on Monday night, powering Triple-A El Paso to a 13-3 win against Reno. Renfroe, 24, a right fielder, leads all of Triple-A in home runs with 18 and is second in RBIs with 67. Renfroe now has 65 homers in roughly three seasons in the minors. He has hit .351 over his last 10 games to boost his average to .324. “He’s learning with every at-bat now, which is good for him,” El Paso manager Morgan Burkhart told milb.com. San Diego brass must be seriously considering a promotion. Some in the San Diego media have been calling for it for some time. P.S. In the big leagues, Desmond Jennings, the former Itawamba Community College star, is showing some signs of coming around for Tampa Bay. Jennings homered for the second straight day on Monday, helping the Rays snap their 11-game losing streak with a 13-7 victory over Boston. Jennings, getting more playing time of late for the injury-plagued Rays, has hit .261 over his last seven games to move his long-suffering average to .200 with seven homers and 18 RBIs. … Taylorsville High alum Billy Hamilton, slumping since his return from a concussion, had a productive night for Cincinnati in a loss to the Chicago Cubs (and the amazing Kris Bryant). Hamilton had a hit, two walks, a sac bunt, two steals and two runs. He is batting .258 with 19 bags and 32 runs in 62 games. His defense in center field is about as good as it gets.

07 Jun

feel the power

Itawamba Community College alumnus Desmond Jennings, in a slump and under fire in Tampa Bay, broke out with a 3-for-4 game on Monday that included his fourth home run of the year. Jennings, whose playing time has diminished of late, is batting .189 with 13 RBIs for the last-place Rays, who beat Arizona 6-4 for a fourth straight win. … In his first game in Triple-A, former Richton High star JaCoby Jones went deep for Toledo. Jones, one of Detroit’s hottest prospects, batted .312 with four bombs and 20 RBIs at Double-A Erie after starting the year on the suspended list. … Tim Anderson, the East Central CC product, belted his fourth homer of the season for Triple-A Charlotte in the Chicago White Sox’s system. Anderson is hitting .300 with 20 RBIs, 38 runs and 10 steals. … Harrison Central High product Bobby Bradley, who has been scuffling, hit a grand slam, plus a two-run double, for Class A Lynchburg. Cleveland’s No. 3 prospect, who turned 20 on May 29, is hitting .232 with 14 homers and 53 RBIs. P.S. The Indians, somewhat strapped for outfield help, have former Mississippi Gulf Coast CC star Joey Butler at Triple-A Columbus, but he hasn’t been hitting enough (.222 with three homers) to rate a call-up. Butler batted .276 with eight bombs in 88 games for Tampa Bay in 2015, the first year he had gotten extended big league time.

24 May

times are tough

In a 3-for-27 skid that has dropped his average to .199, Brian Dozier was given a day off on Monday and might get extended downtime. “We’ve got to fix Brian Dozier,” Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said in a piece on mlb.com. “It’s not working right now, so we’ve got to adjust.” The Southern Miss product was an All-Star in 2015, when he batted .236, belted 28 homers, drove in 77 runs and scored 101. In 39 games this year, he has four homers, 14 RBIs and 18 runs. He hasn’t driven in a run since May 4. Dozier seems at a loss to explain the slump. “To be honest, I feel better than I probably have my whole career,” he told mlb.com after Sunday’s game. It doesn’t help that the Twins have sunk to 11-33, worst record in MLB. … This slump thing is going around among a bunch of Mississippians in the majors. Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan is in a 1-for-21 funk that has dropped his average to .152 for Oakland. Mississippi juco products Corey Dickerson (Meridian CC) and Desmond Jennings (Itawamba CC) are scuffling for Tampa Bay. Dickerson, 4 for his last 23 heading into today’s play, is at .179; Jennings, 6 for his last 40, is hitting .178. Ex-Mississippi State star Mitch Moreland is batting .191 with one homer in his last 15 games for Texas. He’s at .230 for the year with four homers and 16 RBIs; he put up .278, 23, 85 last season. And a 3-for-17 slump has dropped former Ole Miss standout Seth Smith’s average to .236 for Seattle.