Columnist Dean Juipe: Brewers excite local player

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1998 | 9:48 a.m.

Twice this season Greg Martinez has been recalled from the minor leagues by the Milwaukee Brewers. Twice the Brewers sent him back down to triple-A Louisville.

In each case, Milwaukee's move was right on cue and Martinez took no offense.

Fact is, the Las Vegas product was thrilled to reach the major leagues and hopes for a lengthier stay in the bigs, perhaps by next season.

"When I signed my first pro contract I didn't think I could even reach the majors," he said. "They seemed so far away at the time. It didn't seem like it was obtainable."

Martinez, a switch hitting outfielder, turned pro in 1993 when the Brewers signed him out of Barstow Community College. He's a .291 career hitter in pro baseball and this season at Louisville he's hitting .262 in 79 games.

He played in four games with the Brewers his first time up and played in one last week before being returned to Louisville on Sunday. He was hitless in one plate appearance, used for the most part as a late-inning defensive replacement.

"I feel like I'm in good standing with the team," he said. "They told me I was just coming up for a few days and then I'd be going back down. I'm content with that.

"Maybe they'll recall me again in September if they stay in the (wild-card) race and need some speed."

His long-range goal is to make the Brewers as a spare outfielder, saying "I think I can play a long time in the majors in that role."

But his agent, Bruce Trampler, says Martinez is underselling himself.

"He underestimates his own skill," Trampler said. "Greg doesn't think of himself as a major leaguer yet, but he's the fastest guy in the Milwaukee organization and he's very solid defensively.

"The Brewers had other guys at Louisville with more impressive statistics, but they took Greg because he plays hard and has great speed. It's almost a guaranteed stolen base if he gets on."

While Martinez returned to the minors over the weekend, another Las Vegan, Chris Lathom, was recalled by the Minnesota Twins from triple-A Salt Lake City. It's Lathom's third trip to the Twins in the past year, although the previous two were abbreviated stays for the outfielder. ... He's still a .276 hitter and he's only 33, yet Joey Cora is talking about retiring from baseball. The former Las Vegas Stars second baseman is with the Seattle Mariners. ... Ex-Stars manager Larry Bowa, now third base coach for the Anaheim Angels, on the New York Yankees' drive for the best single-season record in the history of the game: "They seem obsessed with breaking the record." The 1906 Chicago Cubs hold the record with 116 wins but the Yankees are right on pace to match it. ... New York's Joe Torre is a certainty for manager of the year unless the Yankees suddenly fold. ... This week's Mark McGwire note: Already this season there have been two biographies written on the St. Louis slugger. ... Those in charge of such things at the Las Vegas Hilton aren't overly optimistic McGwire -- or anyone else -- will break the single-season home run record this year. It's a minus 150 that someone hits 62 homers and a plus 130 that no one does. ... The NCAA is looking for a new site for its rodeo championship and is talking to people in Las Vegas about moving the annual event here. Last year's finals were held in Bozeman, Mont.

The reaction was mixed at the local NAACP office when Sunday's boxing card at The Mirage -- which was advertised as a benefit for the organization -- was called off two days before the first bell. "All the proceeds were going out of town," said a caller affiliated with the local branch, voicing his displeasure with the card's organizers. ... On that same topic, the Nevada State Athletic Commission needs to tighten its bylaws to prevent someone from outside the state coming in and "borrowing" a promoter's license to put on a boxing card. "We're aware of that problem and we try to keep it from happening," said NSAC executive director Marc Ratner, although he fell short of saying the commission would abolish the practice. ... Former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden, 66, took over a women's team, the Utah Starzz, last week and for those who haven't seen him in awhile the photos of Layden were shocking. He has lost 150 pounds in the last three years. ... The Fox television network couldn't have been too thrilled to hear one of its analysts, Tim McCarver, say "the game of baseball is devoid of characters" as he did on the air last week. ... David Cone may have lost Sunday despite 11 strikeouts, yet he's an incredible 43-14 since joining the Yankees last year. ... Don't put too much stock in NFL preseason results. Last year, for instance, Kansas City and San Francisco each went 1-3 yet both were 13-3 in the regular season. Super Bowl champion Denver was only 3-2 in exhibition games, while San Diego was 3-1 in the preseason but only 4-12 when it really mattered. Last year's two winless teams in exhibitions, Tennessee and Carolina, were 8-8 and 7-9, respectively, when it mattered.