Tag Archives: Reds

01 Apr

eye openers

Desmond Jennings went 2-for-4 with a couple of runs and made a sensational catch in center field for Tampa Bay on Monday. But the ex-Itawamba Community College standout was the exception to the rule for Mississippians in the majors on opening day for most of the clubs. Meridian CC product Cliff Lee got a win for Philadelphia – but he allowed 11 hits and eight runs in five innings. Mississippi State alum Jonathan Papelbon did pitch a clean ninth in the 14-10 win over Texas. Former Bulldogs star Mitch Moreland went 0-for-3 for the Rangers. Southern Miss product Brian Dozier was 0-for-4 leading off for Minnesota in a 5-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox. And in Cincinnati, ex-Ole Miss standout Zack Cozart was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton 0-for-4 with four K’s in his debut as the Reds’ new leadoff batter. The Reds lost to St. Louis 1-0.

16 Mar

box score browsing

It’s mid-March. MLB’s Opening Day approaches. Rosters are taking shape. A little box score scanning this morning reveals that no Mississippian in the majors is hotter than Jarrod Dyson. The ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College star is hitting .364 with a home run (on Saturday) and six steals. Surely the speedy outfielder has nailed down a role with Kansas City, which is starving to make the playoffs. On the subject of speedy outfielders, Cincinnati has to be pleased with what it has seen from Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton, expected to take over as leadoff batter and center fielder this season. Hamilton is hitting .276 with seven steals and nine runs … Others enjoying a good spring to date: Meridian CC product Corey Dickerson (.371, a homer, five RBIs for Colorado); Itawamba CC alumnus Desmond Jennings (.346, a homer, five RBIs, two steals for Tampa Bay); former Mississippi State star Tyler Moore (.306, a homer, six RBIs for Washington); Ole Miss product Seth Smith (.286 for San Diego); ex-Meridian CC standout Cliff Lee (1-1, 2.63 ERA in 13 2/3 innings for Philadelphia); and Mississippi Gulf Coast CC alum Tony Sipp (0.00 ERA in seven innings for the Padres). … Also of note: Southern Miss product Brian Dozier hit his first homer on Friday and is batting .269 for Minnesota; former MSU star Mitch Moreland has six RBIs and a .250 average for Texas; Ole Miss alum Drew Pomeranz has 11 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings for Oakland; and Pascagoula native Joey Butler, a longshot to make the St. Louis club, is hitting .235 with two RBIs in 17 at-bats. Former Rebels Alex Presley (.160 for the Twins) and Chris Coghlan (.211 for the Chicago Cubs) are struggling, as is MSU product Paul Maholm (7.04 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers). P.S. Former Mississippi Braves shortstop Brandon Hicks is having a terrific spring as a non-roster player with San Francisco. Hicks is batting .370 with a homer and six RBIs in 27 ABs. … Generally, it was a good weekend for the state’s Big 3 college teams in their conference openers. USM and State both took two of three, with the Bulldogs halting Georgia’s 11-game win streak with a Saturday sweep, and Ole Miss handed top-ranked South Carolina its first loss on Friday, though the Rebels lost the series.

18 Dec

wait and see

Jonathan Papelbon, the outspoken former Mississippi State standout, was a phone guest on MLB Network’s Hot Stove this morning, but he offered no news on rumors that Philadelphia is shopping him. “I haven’t heard a whole lot,” Papelbon said. “Right now, I’m a Phillie. … If it happens, it happens.” Papelbon had a solid second season with the Phillies (5-1, 29 saves, 2.92 ERA) but wrankled some with comments about being unhappy playing for a non-contender. The New York Yankees are among teams reported to be interested in Papelbon, who has a big contract and a limited no-trade clause. … Another former Bulldogs star, Mitch Moreland, is still being mentioned as a trade piece in Texas, which now has Prince Fielder to play first base. … Also in limbo are ex-MSU left-hander Paul Maholm, Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan, Weir’s Roy Oswalt and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product Tony Sipp, all free agents. … Former Taylorsville High star Billy Hamilton may also be having an anxious winter as he waits, with the rest of us, to see whether Shin-Soo Choo re-signs with Cincinnati or goes elsewhere. (Choo reportedly turned down a lucrative offer from the Yankees.) If Choo leaves, Hamilton figures to get a long look in center field by the Reds in the spring. … Mississippians who already have changed places in the off-season include UM alum Seth Smith (Oakland to San Diego), ex-Rebels pitcher Drew Pomeranz (Colorado to Oakland) and Hattiesburg’s Robert Carson (New York Mets to Los Angeles Angels).

03 Nov

off-season watch

Billy Hamilton went 0-for-4 with a walk in his Puerto Rican (Roberto Clemente) Winter League debut on Saturday. The former Taylorsville High star, who made a nice splash in his MLB debut with Cincinnati in September, is playing for Santurce along with former Delta State standout Edwin Maysonet. Hamilton batted . 256 with six homers, 41 RBIs and 75 steals at Triple-A Louisville last season and then hit .368 with 13 steals in 13 games (19 at-bats) with the Reds. Hamilton should have a real shot at Cincy’s center field job in the spring. … Atlanta has signed former Jackson Mets pitcher Roger McDowell to a new two-year deal as pitching coach. The Braves led baseball with a 3.18 ERA in 2013. As Atlanta’s pitching coach since 2005, McDowell has worked with a large group of former Mississippi Braves pitchers as they broke into the big leagues.