Around the leagues

After struggling through four mediocre minor league seasons, harsh reality set in for Nate Dishington over the winter.

“I decided I was finished with the frustration and the struggling and it was about time for me to go out there and play,” the 22-year-old first baseman from Hoover High said. “It was a little wake-up call that nothing’s going to be handed to me. I’m going to have to put up or hit the bricks.”

Dishington, who is playing for Class-A Prince William in Woodbridge, Va., is batting .366 (15 for 41), putting him among the Carolina League leaders.

He and Prince William Manager Roy Silver attribute the new success to the new perspective.

“He’s born-again mentally,” Silver said. “He did a lot of soul-searching in the off-season. He always worked hard, yet he always took for granted that he was going to get his 500 at-bats because of the round he was picked in [the second] and [a $200,000 signing bonus]. He realized he was going to have to come and do it the All-American way and earn a spot this season.”

Silver has seen Dishington’s progress for several years through the St. Louis Cardinals’ system, as an instructor in extended spring training.

Dishington had a .223 average in his first 952 pro at-bats, including 330 strikeouts.

“He has realized what is at stake and what it takes to get where he needs to be,” Silver said. “It’s a long road. There are no shortcuts.”

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Scanning Friday box scores: Outfielder Ryan Radmanovich (Pepperdine) had two hits and scored two runs for triple-A Salt Lake City. . . . Outfielder Jalal Leach (Pepperdine) had three hits and two runs batted in for triple-A Tacoma, Wash. . . . Former JetHawk outfielders Marcus Sturdivant and Shane Monahan each had two of 22 hits for double-A Memphis, Tenn. Another former JetHawk, right-hander Brett Hinchliffe (3-0) allowed one run in seven innings. Memphis right-hander Chris Beck (The Master’s), promoted from the JetHawks this week, pitched a scoreless inning, his first at double A. . . . Outfielder Jason Evans (Chatsworth) had two hits for double-A Birmingham, Ala.

JetHawks

James Clifford hit a two-run triple during a three-run third inning and the JetHawks routed San Bernardino, 9-2, on Saturday night in a California League game at San Bernardino.

Robert Luce scattered eight hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking none.

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Jeff Farnsworth couldn’t have been happier when he arrived in the JetHawk clubhouse Friday, about three hours after his anticipated arrival--which in itself was nearly three weeks delayed.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to get here,” said Farnsworth, who will start today at San Bernardino. “Extended spring [training] is no fun. There’s no fans. It’s not really baseball. This is real baseball.”

Farnsworth, considered the Seattle Mariners’ top pitching prospect in Class-A, was stuck in extended spring because of a sore arm and a stomach virus that put him in the hospital.

“It was a little shaky,” Farnsworth said of his spring training experience.

Even on the drive to Lancaster, there were problems, like a 90-minute traffic delay.

“I was thinking, ‘Yep, this is L.A.,’ ” Farnsworth said.

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Today’s Game:

JetHawks (Jeff Farnsworth, 0-0, 0.00) at San Bernardino (Jeff Williams, 2-0, 0.47), 2:05.