Tag Archives: Mexico

14 Feb

spring flings

Kendall Graveman’s next comeback will begin with Arizona, which reportedly has agreed to a one-year deal ($1.35 million plus incentives) with the ex-Mississippi State standout. The veteran right-hander, 34, missed all of 2024 following shoulder surgery last off-season. He has a career ERA of 3.95 in 280 games and was an effective middle reliever during Houston’s playoff run in 2023. He was on the Astros’ roster in 2024 before becoming a free agent. He missed the 2019 season following Tommy John surgery and moved from starter to reliever in 2020 after a experiencing a neck problem related to a benign tumor. An eighth-round pick by Toronto in 2013, Graveman has pitched for the Blue Jays, Oakland, Seattle, the Astros and the Chicago White Sox. P.S. Still unsigned are pitchers Lance Lynn, former Ole Miss star, and Spencer Turnbull, a Madison Central High product. Lynn, 37, a starter most of his career, is being courted by some clubs as a closer, per reports. “I definitely have the fire for it,” he said in a recent interview. Turnbull put up a 2.65 ERA in an injury-shortened 2024 season with Philadelphia. … Former Taylorsville High star Billy Hamilton is looking for a return to affiliated ball after playing in Mexico last summer and this winter (see previous posts). Hamilton, 34, can still run: He stole a total of 73 bases in the two Mexican loops and has 838 bags all told in pro ball. … Coming off two rather awful seasons, East Central Community College alum Tim Anderson is “grateful” to be in the Los Angeles Angels’ spring training camp as a minor leaguer. “I’m still only 31,” he said in an mlb.com story. “There’s still room to grow, still room to get better, still a window.”

13 Mar

as the wbc turns

If you’re not paying attention to the World Baseball Classic, you should be. Italy — Italy! — has advanced to the quarterfinals. The Venezuela-Dominican Republic game, loaded with MLB stars, had the feel of a World Series Game 7. Canada put up a record 18 runs in its win on Sunday. And then came Team USA vs. Mexico on Sunday night. Before a very pro-Mexico crowd of 47,534 at Arizona’s Chase Field, former Mississippi Braves standout Joey Meneses blasted two home runs to power the Mexicans to a stunning 11-5 victory. “I have never played in an atmosphere like that,” Patrick Sandoval, an MLB pitcher who plays for Mexico, told mlb.com. Meneses’ story is a great one. Signed by Atlanta in 2011, he played for the Double-A M-Braves in 2017, hitting .292 with nine homers and 45 RBIs. The Culiacan native moved on in 2018, changing organizations three times — and playing 894 minor league games all told — before getting a big league call from Washington last August. He hit an impressive .324 with 13 homers in 56 games as the Nationals’ regular first baseman. Then he took a major star turn on Sunday, driving in five runs to stun Team USA. “I have no words,” Meneses said. East Central Community College product Tim Anderson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the U.S., now 1-1 in pool play and facing a virtual must-win game tonight against Canada. Canada (1-0) features former M-Braves star Freddie Freeman and Mississippi State alum Jacob Robson, both of whom had productive games on Sunday. This is worth your attention.