Kentrail Davis has a new jersey number, a new team and a new town.
It's safe to say Davis' first season with the Arkansas Travelers represents a fresh start to a career that appeared to have stalled out a year ago in the 26-year-old outfielder's fifth season in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
"Sometimes new things are what you need," said Davis, who was hitless but made a sliding catch in left field during the Travs' 9-3 loss to the Midland RockHounds on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Just about everything is new to Davis this year.
Originally from Mobile, Ala., Davis was an All-American at the University of Tennessee and a first-round draft pick of the Brewers in 2010. He spent the next five years toiling in the Brewers' minor league system, putting up good but not great statistics that would make him a part of the Brewers' plans in the outfield.
He stole 33 bases at Class A Brevard County in 2011 and had a career-high 134 hits in between two teams in 2013. Davis finished the 2013 season at Class AAA Nashville, hitting .270 over 49 games. But the next season he was back at Class AA Huntsville, where he struggled through groin and hamstring injuries while hitting .245.
"It was something that I just definitely didn't understand," Davis said of being sent back to a level where he had spent parts of three seasons. "I just wanted to put it behind me."
The chance to do that came this past December.
Davis said he was asleep in his home in Mobile when some teammates called to offer congratulations. Davis said he was confused until Scott Boras, his agent, called. That's when Davis realized he'd be changing organizations for the first time after the Angels picked him in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft.
Davis' surprise soon gave way to excitement as he realized a chance with a new organization could be what he needed most.
"I think a fresh start is something I needed," he said. "It definitely opened my eyes up to strive for better. I definitely wanted to take full advantage of it."
Davis arrived at the Angels' spring training in Tempe, Ariz., with a new mind-set, ready to adjust his batting stance -- he now stands a bit taller in the box -- and accept teaching from new faces for the first time in his five professional seasons.
He was even willing to give up wearing No. 20, which he'd worn since high school in honor of NFL Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders. Davis is wearing No. 23 now, and doesn't seem to mind moving on with a new team and new coaches in a new organization.
"It's cool, man," Davis said.
Arkansas Manager Bill Richardson said he noticed Davis' rejuvenated attitude from the beginning. He's also seen it continue through the first two weeks of the season, pointing to a play in the second inning of the second game of Monday's doubleheader.
The Travs had beaten the RockHounds 16-0 in the first game, and in the second game Davis laid out to catch a fly ball from Midland's Bruce Maxwell.
"That shows me he's working on his trade and he wants to get better," Richardson said. "Those are the little things you look at, and he's been showing me that."
Davis said he wasn't given any guarantees by Richardson or anyone in the Angels' front office about playing time or a place in the organization. He isn't on the Angels' 40-man roster, meaning he isn't any closer to the big leagues than he was last year with the Brewers, but a change of scenery seems like a positive step.
He hit two doubles in the season opener and homered twice while batting .333 through the first nine games. A slump over the past three games has dropped his average to .256, but he has scored seven runs and his six extra-base hits are second most on the team.
"I can't say that if I was with the Angels in 2010 I would be [in the major leagues] now," Davis said. "You just never know. But I think I've definitely made progress in the short time I've been with them.
"It's been really good for me."
NATURALS 8, ROUGHRIDERS 4
Northwest Arkansas right-hander Glenn Sparkman turned in his best outing this season with six solid innings and the Naturals banged out 14 hits in a Texas League victory over Frisco in front of 4,157 fans Tuesday at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
Sparkman (1-2) had struggled in his first two starts of the season, losing both while compiling a 5.63 ERA after leading all of minor league baseball last season with a 1.56 ERA while pitching for Class A advanced Wilmington. He overcame an early deficit Tuesday by striking out five and allowing only three hits.
Frisco (5-7) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Chris Garia scored on Luis Mendez’s single, but Sparkman limited further damage.
The Naturals (6-6) benefited from two Frisco errors in the bottom of the first inning to score four runs. RoughRiders shortstop Menzed booted what should have been a routine double-play ball that allowed the Naturals to load the bases. Naturals third baseman Alex Liddi made Frisco pay with a two-run single, and shortstop Dusty Coleman ripped a two-run double one batter later for a 4-1 lead.
The Naturals added two more runs in the second inning on Jorge Bonifacio’s fourth home run of the season.
Northwest Arkansas added two more runs in the third inning, which proved to be plenty for Sparkman.
Sports on 04/22/2015