Out of limbo, Bush packs bags

Tim Graham

Friday, May 30, 1997 | 11:44 a.m.

The New York Yankees called, but couldn't tell him where or when he could play for them. The Las Vegas Stars didn't want him in their lineup and told him to go home.

Homer Bush was a man without a team, and he couldn't stop smiling.

Bush was in worse limbo the past month. As a component of the April 22 deal that sent the negotiating rights for Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu from San Diego to New York, the Yankees couldn't place Bush within their organization until Irabu signed a contract.

Irabu signed one Thursday for $12.8 million over four years, but the Yankees wanted to wait until this morning to make the official announcement.

Not wanting to risk Bush's health -- he left Wednesday's game with a bruised left shoulder -- the Stars told him to go home and start packing, even if he didn't know where the bags were going.

"They wanted me to go home, get my things together, and get ready mentally," said Bush, out of uniform outside the Cashman Field clubhouse as his former teammates took to the field prior to a 12-7 loss to Colorado Springs. "More than likely, I won't be going anywhere until Saturday."

Bush, 24, expects to report to Class AAA Columbus. He intends to establish himself as the Yankees' second baseman of the future and fancies the notion of a new-wave middle infield with shortstop Derek Jeter, last year's American League rookie of the year.

"I'm hoping what happens is I go there, do well and they say 'Let's make this a combo for years to come,'" said Bush, who would have to change his uniform number (7) because some guy named Mantle had it retired. "I just need to go in there and show signs of being a successful second baseman."

Bush will watch the Stars from the seats for as long as he's in Las Vegas, meaning he hasn't bid farewell to his old friends.

"I lot of these guys I've been playing with for years," said Bush, a member of the Padres chain since he was drafted out of high school in 1991. "The reason there are no tears right now is because I have a couple of days. But that last day will be a doozy."

The past 37 days have been doozies for Bush. He was activated from the disabled list two days after the trade and watched his batting average drop from .357 to .277 with skids of 2 for 19, 0 for 20 and 0 for 13.

He is embarrassed to admit his precarious status bled into his game.

"It affected my preparation to go out there and do better," Bush said. "If I had a bad night, I would say 'It doesn't matter. I'm outta here anyway.' It was a built-in excuse.

"It was a bad way to think because what if the trade didn't go through? I'm in my last minor-league option. I was using the trade as an excuse and that could've put my season in the dumper."

The Padres also sent minor-league outfielders Gordon Amerson and Vernon Maxwell to the Yankees as part of the deal. In return, the Padres receive a pair of high-profile minor leaguers currently on the disabled list: outfielder Ruben Rivera and pitcher Rafael Medina. They are expected to be assigned to Las Vegas.

Rivera is considered a potential superstar, but an immature one. He hit .284 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 88 at-bats for the Yankees last year. Medina, who sports a 90-plus mph fastball, went 5-8 with 112 strikeouts and 55 walks in 103 innings for Class AA Norwich last year.

"Both are close to being ready to play," Stars general manager Don Logan said. "They have Rivera penciled in to play in the big leagues whenever he's 100 percent, but he'll be here until he gets 100 percent."