Tag Archives: Ole Miss

30 Sep

campus notes

Mississippi State has announced its 20-game fall scrimmage schedule, which begins on Oct. 13 and concludes with the Bulldog World Series Nov. 11-13. Brent Rooker, who opted to return to Starkville rather than go pro, and Ferriss Trophy winner Jake Mangum highlight the list of veterans at State. Mangum led the SEC in hitting at .408 last season and Rooker hit .324 with 11 home runs for the 2016 Bulldogs, who went 44-18 and won an SEC title and an NCAA regional. Among the newcomers of note are former Magnolia Heights stars Riley Self and Dustin Skelton and ex-Madison Central standout Will Brooks. … Southern Miss began fall ball last week with 21 new players on the roster. “There will be a lot jobs up in the air this fall with the tremendous influx of players that we have this year,” coach Scott Berry said in a school release. Dylan Burdeaux and Taylor Braley are among key returnees in Hattiesburg. A bunch of junior college transfers could be impact players, including Mason Irby (Jones County), LeeMarcus Boyd (Northwest), Colt Smith (Northwest), Houston Case (Hinds), Jaylon Keys (Meridian) and Casey Maack (Eastfield in Texas). The Golden Eagles went 41-20 in 2016, winning the Conference USA Tournament and earning an NCAA Tournament berth. … Ole Miss has scrimmages set for today and Saturday in Oxford. Colby Bortles hit a pair of homers last weekend, and newcomer Chase Cockrell (Hinds CC) also went yard. … Mississippi College will host an Alumni Game at Frierson Field in Clinton on Oct. 15 as part of its fall ball season. Returnees at MC include Casey Echols, Colton Johnson, Blaine Crim and Kyle Smith, each of whom was an All-Star in the Mountain West Summer League.

29 Sep

missing pieces

After stumbling on Wednesday night against lowly Cincinnati, the St. Louis Cardinals need a bounce-back game tonight against the Reds at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals (82-76) are third in the National League wild card standings, trailing second-place San Francisco by a game with four to play. St. Louis is trying to keep its streak of five straight postseason appearances alive. From a Mississippi perspective, this game is significant for the people who aren’t playing. The Reds, winding down a tough season, are without Billy Hamilton, Zack Cozart and Cody Reed – all on the disabled list. Jeff Brantley is healthy, but the ex-Mississippi State star – who pitched for both the Reds and Cards in his MLB career – will be in the Cincinnati broadcast booth. Chris Maloney, another MSU alum, will suit up for St. Louis – but he’ll be in the third-base coach’s box. The Cardinals don’t have ex-Ole Miss standout Lance Lynn, who had been a horse in their rotation for the last several years before Tommy John surgery put him out for 2016. The Cardinals do have another UM product, Mike Mayers, but the rookie reliever hasn’t been very effective in his four appearances (27.00 ERA). Perhaps he’s due for a shining moment.

28 Sep

‘boy can play’

This audition, if that’s what it is, is going rather nicely for Hunter Renfroe. The Crystal Springs native and Mississippi State alum belted two homers and drove in a San Diego rookie record seven runs on Tuesday in a 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. “Boy can play,” winning pitcher Paul Clemens, the former Mississippi Braves star, told mlb.com. “Boy can play the game.” Renfroe, who hit 30 bombs in Triple-A this year, is 6-for-17 with three homers and eight RBIs since his call-up. His second homer on Tuesday was a grand slam and came against fellow Mississippian Louis Coleman. Renfroe is wearing No. 71; he figures to have a lower number next season, when he figures to start in right field for the Padres. Elsewhere in MLB: McComb’s Jarrod Dyson, batting leadoff for Kansas City, sparked the Royals’ 4-3, 11-inning win over Minnesota, scoring a run and driving in a run. The Royals remain alive, barely, in the American League wild card race. … Former Ole Miss star Chris Coghlan, bidding for a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ postseason roster, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in a 6-4 win that eliminated Pittsburgh from postseason contention. Ex-State standout Adam Frazier, having a fine rookie year (.299) for the Pirates, drew a walk and scored a run. … Texas, 93-65 and vying for best record in the AL, beat Milwaukee 6-4, with State product Mitch Moreland contributing a 1-for-4 effort and flawless defense at first base. … UM alum Seth Smith drove in a run for Seattle, but the Mariners squandered a lead and lost to Houston 8-4 in a key game between AL wild card contenders. … In a game that meant essentially nothing, East Central CC alum Tim Anderson went 3-for-5 with his eighth homer to power the Chicago White Sox to a 13-6 victory against Tampa Bay, which got two hits from Meridian CC’s Corey Dickerson. … Boston announced that ex-Ole Miss standout Drew Pomeranz (sore forearm) won’t start again this season and will work out of the bullpen in the postseason — if he makes the roster. Left-hander Pomeranz, who has worked a career-high in innings between San Diego and Boston, is 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA for the Red Sox.

27 Sep

could happen

The game to watch tonight is Seattle-Houston, which could feature a matchup of Mississippians Seth Smith and Tony Sipp in the late innings at Minute Maid Park. The Mariners are 83-73, tied with Detroit and 2 games behind Baltimore, which holds the second American League wild card spot. The Astros are 82-75 after losing Game 1 of the three-game series (4-3 in 11 innings) on Monday night. Jackson native and ex-Ole Miss standout Smith has had a productive year for the M’s, batting .255 with 16 homers and 60 RBIs. The lefty-hitting outfielder is 1-for-5 against Houston starter Mike Fiers and is hitting only .212 against the Astros this year. But Smith, who typically struggles against left-handers, is 2-for-3 with two RBIs against Sipp, the lefty reliever from Pascagoula and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Sipp has had a bad year: 5.36 ERA and 12 homers allowed in 40 1/3 innings. But Houston manager A.J. Hinch may be compelled to go to the veteran. Worth noting: Former Mississippi Braves catcher Jesus Sucre is 11-for-22 with a homer and five RBIs since Seattle called him up when rosters expanded.

26 Sep

how’s the view?

Former Ole Miss pitcher Mickey Callaway and ex-Jackson State slugger Dave Clark will have a great view of what could be great series at Comerica Park over the next four days. Callaway is the pitching coach for Cleveland, which needs one win to clinch the American League Central title. Clark is the third-base coach for Detroit, which probably needs to sweep the series – and get some help down the road – to earn a playoff berth. The Tigers, 2-13 against the Indians, trail the Tribe by 7 games in the division and are 1.5 games out in a wild card race that has five teams still in contention for two spots. Callaway’s pitching staff has the sixth-best ERA, the fourth-best batting average against and the fourth-most strikeouts in the majors. Detroit has an impressive array of hitters – Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler, etc. – but the Indians actually have outscored the Tigers 751-719. On the Tigers’ bench is former Richton High star JaCoby Jones, batting .222 in his 12 big league games. Maybe he’ll be an unexpected star. That kind of thing does happen, ya know.

22 Sep

numbers of interest

Hunter Renfroe’s debut with San Diego on Wednesday night – the former Mississippi State star drew an intentional walk in his only at-bat – runs the number of Mississippians (natives or college alums) who have debuted in MLB in 2016 to nine. The others: Chad Girodo, Chris Stratton, Tim Anderson, Cody Reed, Adam Frazier, Mike Mayers, JaCoby Jones and Jonathan Holder. … The number of Mississippians to play in the big leagues this year hit 27 with Renfroe’s arrival. Three other 40-man roster members have been on the disabled list most of the season. … The Magnolia State group has hit a collective 147 home runs, including ex-Meridian Community College star Corey Dickerson’s 22nd on Wednesday. Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier leads the way with 41, and former State standout Mitch Moreland also has 22. The 147 includes the one hit by pitcher Drew Pomeranz, the Ole Miss product, who went deep while with San Diego; he is now in Boston. … Kudos: Former Mississippi Braves star Evan Gattis hit his 100th career homer on Wednesday. He has hit 57 of those with Houston the last two years; the first 43 came in an Atlanta uniform.

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.

19 Sep

junk and stuff

Joe Gray, the highly touted junior at Hattiesburg High, is featured in a story currently posted on Baseball America’s website. Gray is playing on an elite travel team, the EvoShield Canes, with a group of seniors. Gray, a 6-foot-2, 194-pound outfielder, hit .474 with seven homers, 45 RBIs, 11 steals and 12 assists as a sophomore last year for Hattiesburg, helping the Tigers reach the Class 5A finals. He hit .380 as a freshman. Gray, who has not committed to a college, figures to be a high MLB draft pick in 2018. … Fall ball is in the air in Oxford, where the Rebels scrimmaged last Friday. Ole Miss, 43-19 and an NCAA Regional participant in 2016, returns infielders Tate Blackman, Colby Bortles and Will Golsan and reliever Will Stokes. Among the newcomers are freshmen Grae Kessinger, Jason Barber, Thomas Dillard and Houston Roth from powerhouse Oxford High. … Wyatt Short and Trent Giambrone – 2016 draftees out of Mississippi colleges by the Chicago Cubs – helped short-season Class A Eugene win the Northwest League pennant. Left-hander Short, a 13th-round pick from Ole Miss, where he was a standout closer, had a 0.00 ERA and seven saves in 15 games; he got the save in the final game of the title series. Second baseman Giambrone, a 25th-rounder out of Delta State, batted .292 with four homers and 22 RBIs for the Emeralds. … Blake Anderson, a supplemental first-round pick in 2014 out of West Lauderdale High, is on Miami’s Instructional League roster as a rehabbing player. The catcher played only one game this season, going on the disabled list with a shoulder injury on July 7. He has played only 58 games over three seasons. … Bryant Nelson, at age 42, is having a nice season in the independent Atlantic League. The switch-hitting second baseman/outfielder is batting .279 with 49 RBIs and 13 stolen bases for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. For fans of the old Jackson Generals — the ones who played at Smith-Wills Stadium from 1991-99 — the name might ring a bell. Nelson is the last link to a bygone era — the only former General still playing. (Freddy Garcia pitched briefly for Monterrey in the Mexican League this season but is not currently on the roster.) Nelson’s pro baseball odyssey began when Houston drafted him in the 44th round in 1993. He made the Generals’ roster in the 1996 postseason as an injury replacement and helped the Gens win the Texas League championship. Nelson has played in 2,463 pro games, according to baseball-reference.com, and gotten 2,632 hits. He has played in Mexico, Japan and Italy and even made it to the big leagues for 25 games with Boston in 2002.

19 Sep

setting a course

At 33, Seth Smith is not quite an ancient Mariner. But he is a veteran on the Seattle team, with over 1,000 games in the big leagues and four postseason voyages. The former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss star is helping steer the Mariners toward their first postseason trip in 15 years. Smith hit two home runs on Sunday as the M’s beat visiting Houston 7-3 in one of several big showdowns between playoff contenders. Seattle is 79-70, just 2 games behind Toronto, which occupies the second wild card seat in the American League, with a huge series looming against the Blue Jays, also at Safeco Field. Smith, a big leaguer since 2007, has 16 homers, one shy of his career-best, and 60 RBIs, which is a career-high. He has hit 12 of his homers at Safeco. A recent hot streak (.342 over his last 15 games) has lifted his average to .264. The lefty-hitting Smith figures to start at least two of the three games against the Blue Jays, including tonight’s contest against Marco Estrada. P.S. Ex-Southern Miss standout Brian Dozier extended his hitting streak to 22 games for Minnesota on Sunday. “I couldn’t care less, to be honest with you,” he told mlb.com about the streak, which he kept alive with one hit in a 3-2 loss to the New York Mets, the Twins’ 95th L of the year.

18 Sep

worth noting

Props to Ned Yost, the onetime Jackson Mets star, for notching his 1,000th win as a big league manager. Kansas City snapped a five-game losing skid on Saturday with a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. The defending world champs remain in the picture in the American League wild card race. Former Southwest Mississippi Community College standout Jarrod Dyson went 2-for-4 with a run for the Royals. … Ex-JaxMets manager Clint Hurdle saw his Pittsburgh Pirates get back to .500 (74-74) with a doubleheader sweep of Cincinnati. The Pirates can’t be counted out in the National League wild card race just yet. … Can’t help but notice what former Mississippi Braves star Jose Peraza has done with the Reds: .326 with two homers, 19 RBIs, 17 runs and 16 steals in 59 games. Injuries to Mississippians Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart have opened the door for more playing time for Peraza. … Craig Kimbrel, another former M-Braves star playing somewhere other than Atlanta, struck out all four batters he faced on Saturday as Boston beat the New York Yankees for the third straight day at Fenway Park. Kimbrel has 27 saves for the AL East leaders. … Ole Miss alum Drew Pomeranz gets the start tonight for Boston against the Yankees’ CC Sabathia in the ESPN game. Pomeranz is 2-5 with a 4.60 ERA for the Sox; he was 8-7, 2.47 with San Diego. … Atlanta has called up 2015 M-Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz, who becomes the 16th M-Braves alum to make an MLB roster this season. … Ole Miss product Chris Coghlan, trying to secure a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ postseason roster, hit his first homer for the NL Central champs on Saturday – he had five in Oakland – after going 3-for-4 with an RBI on Friday. The lefty-hitting Coghlan played first base on Friday and left field on Saturday; he can also play second and third base. … Former UM standout Seth Smith picked up his 56th RBI – three short of his career-high – in Seattle’s 2-1 loss to Houston in an AL wild card battle. … Hunter Renfroe, the ex-Mississippi State star, drove in two runs to help El Paso beat Oklahoma City 4-3 in 11 innings and claim the Pacific Coast League championship. UM product Auston Bousfield also played for the Chihuahuas. El Paso moves on to the Triple-A championship game.