Thursday, April 4, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Lost in the hullabaloo surrounding Major League Baseball's visit to Cashman Field this week, the Las Vegas Stars will open the Pacific Coast League season tonight in Vancouver.
The Stars' season-opening series against the Canadians originally was scheduled to be played at Cashman, but the invasion of the Oakland Athletics forced the four-game series to be moved to Canada.
First-year Stars manager Jerry Royster will try to reverse a three-year losing trend with a team that is laden with veteran players -- many of whom have major-league experience. Of the Stars' 23 roster players, only two -- first baseman Jason Thompson and second baseman Homer Bush -- have no triple-A experience.
"It looks really, really good," Royster said of the 1996 version of the Stars. "It's very manageable. I've got my young guys who are going to need some extra attention but the rest of the guys will let me know what they need and I'll let them know what they need to be doing. It's going to be a very low-maintenance team."
Right-hander Denny Harriger, a nine-game winner for the Stars last season, will get the opening-night assignment. Harriger will be followed in the rotation by left-hander Glenn Dishman, right-hander Pete Smith, left-hander Russ Swan and right-hander Scott Lewis.
The bullpen will consist of Weston Weber, Joey Long, Andres Berumen, Pete Walker, Dustin Hermanson and Ron Villone. Mike Oquist and Paul Abbott will open the season on the disabled list.
Royster's opening-night lineup will have Thompson at first base; Bush at second; Luis Lopez (on a rehabilitation assignment from the San Diego Padres) at shortstop; Paul Russo at third; Ira Smith in left field; Doug Dascenzo in center; and Jeff Barry in right; Sean Mulligan catching; and Mike Sharperson will be the designated hitter.
Rico Rossy will be the starting shortstop once Lopez is recalled by the Padres, Riccardo Ingram is the extra outfielder and Julio Bruno will serve as a utility infielder. The Stars also will pick up outfielder Todd Steverson next week from the Padres.
"We're going to have a decent lineup out there," Royster predicted. "Adding a player like Steverson is going to make us even better. We're also going to be a very good defensive baseball team, which is important.
"It's going to be a fun team with a lot of potential. They all are capable of playing in the major leagues -- every one of them -- and I have never been able to say that about a team I have managed."
Tonight's opener at Nat Bailey Stadium will be broadcast live on KORK 920-AM, as will all Stars home and road games.
The Stars return to Cashman Field Tuesday night for their home opener against the Tacoma Rainiers. After a brief four-game stint at home, the Stars will hit the road again for a 12-game, 13-day trip to Salt Lake, Tacoma and Vancouver.
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