Tag Archives: Jackson Generals

21 Apr

slowly but surely?

It seems odd to put Billy Hamilton and the word “slowly” in the same sentence, but here goes: The former Taylorsville High star is slowly starting to hit for the Cincinnati Reds. The jet-fast Hamilton, feeling some pressure perhaps as the Reds’ new leadoff batter this spring, got off to an awful start but is batting .282 over his last 10 games. He extended his hit streak to five games with a 1-for-5 effort in the Reds’ 8-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. He is now hitting .213 with seven stolen bases in nine tries. He has walked just three times and scored only six runs, but those totals should begin to rise. “I’m starting to get to the point where I’m more relaxed, and I can play this game with the big guys,” Hamilton told mlb.com before getting three hits on Saturday. The Reds, just 8-10, need Hamilton’s spark at the top of the lineup. They could also use some more offensive crackle from Ole Miss alumnus Zack Cozart, who is batting just .153. The Cincy shortstop went 3-for-5 Sunday and belted his first home run, so perhaps things are beginning to turn around for him, too. P.S. The New York Mets reportedly will recall 40-year-old outfielder Bobby Abreu, the only ex-Jackson General still playing affiliated ball. (Freddy Garcia apparently is going to pitch in Taiwan this year.)

06 Apr

bombs away

Seth Loman hit the first home run of the Mississippi Braves’ 2014 season on Saturday night, helping the M-Braves beat Mobile 4-2. Trustmark Park doesn’t give up a lot of bombs — 32 by M-Braves hitters all of last season — but Loman, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound left-handed hitter, is a player who could hit a few. In eight previous pro seasons, he had 110 homers, including 25 in one season in A-ball. The one Loman hit Saturday he pulled over the visitors bullpen in right-center, where the ball seems to carry better than it does to left. … Former M-Braves standout Yunel Escobar, who just signed a contract extension, hit his first homer of the season on Saturday in Tampa Bay’s 5-4 win over Texas. … Southern Miss alumnus Brian Dozier belted his first bomb of the season in Minnesota’s 7-3 win over Cleveland. That was former Jackson Mets infielder Ron Gardenhire’s 1000th win as manager of the Twins. … Ex-Mississippi State star Paul Maholm allowed a home run on Saturday, a three-run blast by Pablo Sandoval that boosted San Francisco to a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maholm took the loss in his first start for L.A. … And a blast from the recent past: Former M-Braves star Jeff Francoeur homered in his debut for Triple-A El Paso (San Diego Padres) on Thursday night. P.S. Weir’s Roy Oswalt and ex-Jackson Generals star Lance Berkman signed one-day contracts with Houston and retired as Astros in a pregame ceremony at Minute Maid Park on Saturday. Oswalt and Berkman led Houston to the 2005 World Series, the high water mark for the franchise.

04 Apr

they’re everywhere

Former Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman was back in the captain’s chair on Thursday night and surely enjoyed the view. In his first game as manager of the Arkansas Travelers — the Los Angeles Angels’ Double-A team — Wellman picked up a 20-7 win over Texas League rival Midland. Wellman, who managed the M-Braves from 2007-10 and won a Southern League pennant in 2008, is among a large group of Mississippi-connected managers in the minor leagues this season. The others: Brian Snitker (Braves-AAA), Jonathan Schuerholz (Braves-A), Rocket Wheeler (Braves-rookie), Scooter Tucker (Indians-A), Rick Sweet (Brewers-AAA), Wally Backman (Mets-AAA), Pedro Lopez (Mets-AA), Al Pedrique (Yankees-A), Travis Chapman (Yankees-rookie), Joe Mikulik (Rangers-A) and Gary Allenson (Blue Jays-AAA). Among the coaches in the minors in 2014 are Mississippi natives Stu Cliburn, Larry Herndon and Marcus Thames, former Ole Miss standout Jeff Fassero and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product Greg Hibbard. There are also some ex-Jackson Mets players and coaches (Blaine Beatty, Jody Davis, Neil Allen, Dwight Bernard, Glenn Abbott); ex-Jackson Generals (Dave Hajek, Chris Holt, Scott Elarton); and a former Jackson Senator (Jeff Ware).

28 Mar

mlb roster news

Found wanting in Minnesota, Alex Presley has found a roster spot in Houston. The Astros have claimed the former Ole Miss standout off waivers and reportedly will put him on their opening day roster as a backup outfielder. Presley, a .264 career hitter, had a poor spring with the Twins and was beaten out by Aaron Hicks for the starting center field job. Presley, a left-handed hitter with some pop and some speed, is the “type of player you hope becomes available in a waiver claim,” Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told mlb.com. In other moves: Meridian Community College alumnus Corey Dickerson apparently will make the Colorado 25-man roster with the Rockies deciding to carry six outfielders. … Pascagoula’s Joey Butler, claimed by St. Louis off waivers from Texas in the off-season, was sent down by the Cardinals. … Chris Coghlan, the ex-Ole Miss star, will join Delta State alum Eli Whiteside at Triple-A Iowa; both were in the Chicago Cubs’ camp as non-roster players. … Former Pillow Academy star Louis Coleman, a key member of Kansas City’s vaunted bullpen, may start the season on the disabled list with a finger injury. … Bobby Abreu was released by Philadelphia. With Freddy Garcia having been cut by Atlanta and Lance Berkman retiring in the off-season, there are no former Jackson Generals left in the major leagues. The Astros’ old Double-A club had produced a steady stream of big leaguers starting in 1991 when Tony Eusebio was the first to go up.

24 Jan

going and coming

The Atlanta Braves placed two — only two? — players on mlb.com’s Top 100 prospects chart. Catcher Christian Bethancourt, who played for the Missisisppi Braves the past two seasons, was No. 82, and right-hander Lucas Sims, who might make it to Pearl this season, was No. 60. Perhaps this is a sign that the Braves’ farm system is in need of some rebuilding. Or maybe the talent in the system is just very young and off the radar for now. We shall see. We’ve likely seen the last of Bethancourt in Mississippi. After hitting .277 with 12 homers in 2013, he’ll go to spring training with a shot, at least, of earning the backup catcher job behind ex-M-Braves star Evan Gattis. Sims, Atlanta’s No. 1 pick out of an Atlanta-area high school in 2012, went 12-4 with a 2.62 ERA in low-A ball last season. With a good start at high-A Lynchburg, it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see him make it to Double-A before 2014 is done. Sims is also the top-rated Braves prospect on Baseball America’s list. P.S. Former Jackson Generals ace Freddy Garcia has re-signed with the Braves; he had some strong outings down the stretch and in the playoffs last season. … Ole Miss product Chris Coghlan officially signed with the Chicago Cubs and will go to spring training on a minor league deal. Coghlan, a former National League rookie of the year, hit .256 in 70 games for Miami in 2013.

21 Jan

he’s back … maybe

Bobby Abreu, who starred for the Jackson Generals 20 long years ago, can still swing it. Check out the numbers he has rung up in the Venezuelan Winter League: .322 average, three homers, 28 RBIs. The Philadelphia Phillies, for whom Abreu played nine seasons (1998-2006), apparently liked what they saw in the 39-year-old outfielder who didn’t play in the big leagues in 2013. They’ve signed him to a minor league contract with a spring training invite. It would be a neat little cap on a generally brilliant career if Abreu can make this comeback work. He’ll be 40 in March, and he hit just .242 in 100 MLB games in 2012. But don’t count him out. He has a .292 career average with 2,437 hits and 287 homers, and his winter ball work would seem to indicate he’s still got something left. He could be a threat as a lefty pinch hitter.

03 Jan

anniversary check

While eagerly looking ahead to the start of the 2014 season, it’s the perfect time to note some significant anniversaries related to the Jackson area’s minor league clubs. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Jackson Mets’ dominant season. That team swept both halves in the Texas League East Division and then claimed the franchise’s second pennant in the playoffs. The ’84 JaxMets, managed by Sam Perlozzo, featured the likes of Lenny Dykstra, Mark Carreon, Billy Beane, Greg Olson, Dave Cochrane, Al Pedrique, Steve Springer, Jay Tibbs, Calvin Schiraldi, Randy Myers and Floyd Youmans — all future big leaguers. Ten years later — and 20 years ago — the Jackson Generals won the TL East playoffs in one of Smith-Wills Stadium’s most unforgettable games. The Gens, down 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth of the decisive Game 5, got back-to-back home runs from Tom Nevers and Jeff Ball to stun rival Shreveport. The ’94 Generals, managed by Sal Butera, lost in the TL Championship Series. Bobby Abreu (still not retired) was the star hitter for that club. Of course, who could forget that in 2004 reports surfaced and were later confirmed that the Greenville Braves of the Southern League were going to move to a new ballpark in Pearl for the 2005 season. Hard to believe this will be the Mississippi Braves’ 10th season at Trustmark Park.