Devereaux looking for home

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, July 28, 1998 | 11:21 a.m.

The Stars put outfielder Mike Devereaux on the seven-day disabled list on Monday.

Prognosis? Depending on whether there are any major league teams searching for a 35-year-old outfielder with a National League championship series MVP on his resume, it could be terminal.

Devereaux, who signed with San Diego after refusing a demotion from the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 24th, was told by Padres general manager Kevin Towers during a Friday visit that he wasn't in the team's plans for the rest of this season.

So Devereaux will try to hook on with another major league team in the next few days. If that doesn't work out, it could mark the end of a solid 12-year major league career that included 104 home runs and an award as the 1995 championship series MVP while a member of the Atlanta Braves against the Cincinnati Reds.

"At this stage of my career, I felt this was the best thing I can do," Devereaux said before the Stars' 4-3 victory over Albuquerque on Monday night at Cashman Field.

The Stars put Devereaux on the disabled list to make room for utilityman Archi Cianfrocco, who was outrighted by the Padres on Friday and joined the Stars before Monday night's game.

"There's no injury," Stars manager Jerry Royster said. "Mike can continue working out with us while he makes a decision on his future. ... It was his choice, too. It wasn't his choice when he came here (on June 14th) to play triple-A baseball the rest of the year."

Oddly, the timing of the move came just as Devereaux had begun to catch fire offensively. He was batting .450 in his last five games with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs during that stretch. Overall, he hit .267 with two homers, 10 doubles and 12 RBIs in 34 games with the Stars.

"Mike's playing good baseball right now," Royster said. "He's always played good defense since he got here. Now he's starting to swing the bat well again."

Devereaux said he respected Tower's honesty and the way he handled the situation.

"He's a man of his word," Devereaux said. "I know Kevin is calling around for me, too. I wish this team and San Diego the best of luck in the future."

Devereaux was asked if he had played his last game with the Stars.

"You can never say never," he said. "I'm still part of this organization as we speak. I didn't ask for my release. ... But if there isn't a team out there that wants me or needs me, I'll probably just go home."

Royster said he hopes Devereaux doesn't return because he believes the veteran outfielder still has a lot to offer a major league squad.

"We're losing an absolutely true professional," Royster said. "He's already getting some feelers. It's a very, very unpopular move for me. I'd much rather have a Mike Devereaux on my team than not. But Mike's leaving us on his highest note. He's a big leaguer. Not maybe, he is."

Time will only tell whether a major league team shares Royster's assessment.