Arias on record pace

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, June 3, 1998 | 10:56 a.m.

George Arias is on pace to break a home run record that he would just as soon not be around to break.

The 26-year-old third baseman has hit 13 home runs in his first 51 games this year for the Stars. If he continues on that pace over the 144-game triple-A season, he would hit 37 homers, easily eclipsing the Las Vegas single-season home run mark of 32 set by Kevin McReynolds in 1983.

"That's not a record you want to break," Stars manager Jerry Royster said before Las Vegas lost to Salt Lake 8-4 on Tuesday night at Cashman Field.

Translation: when you're hitting the ball that well in triple-A, you hope a big league team will give you a chance before the end of the season.

"Everybody's goal here is to get in the big leagues," Arias said when told of his record pace. "I'm just going to continue to go out and do the best I can and see what happens."

Arias already has surpassed his high for homers in a triple-A season (12) set last year at Vancouver and Las Vegas. His minor league career high is 30 set in 1995 at double-A Midland.

That season helped propel Arias into the California Angels' Opening Day starting lineup in 1996. The former All-American from the University of Arizona became only the fifth player in Angels franchise history to make his major league debut on Opening Day.

But after batting .238 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 84 games, Arias was sent to triple-A Vancouver where he hit .337 with nine homers and 55 RBIs in just 59 games.

Arias opened the 1997 season with the Angels again as a backup to Dave Hollins, but was optioned to Vancouver in May after playing in just three games. He stayed there until Aug. 19 when he was traded to the Padres along with pitchers Ryan Hancock and Stevenson Agosto for outfielder Rickey Henderson.

After batting .333 in 10 games at Las Vegas, Arias spent September in San Diego and hit .227 in 11 games.

But with 1996 National League MVP Ken Caminiti still ahead of him at San Diego, Arias once again finds himself back at triple-A this year with the Stars.

"This is a big year for George," Royster said. "He had to do some things here this year and so far he's doing them."

One of those things is putting up better power numbers. Entering Tuesday night's game, Arias was tied for third in the PCL in home runs, was second in RBIs (46) and fourth in slugging percentage (.610). He also hit .367 with five home runs and 13 RBIs over the last nine games.

"He's got a little power thing going on right now," Royster said. "George is swinging the bat better now than he ever has in his career."

"I'm feeling pretty good right now," Arias said. "It's just a matter of going up and having quality at-bats. The rest will take care of itself."

The improved home run totals, suggests Royster, will make Arias more attractive to big league teams.

"They're not looking for third basemen who hit 12 home runs (in triple-A)," Royster said. "Thirty is more like it. (Paul) Konerko got a chance (with the Dodgers) because he did that and he's not as good a fielder as George is."

Arias was nearly called up by the Padres in May when Caminiti was sidelined with a quadriceps pull. But hot-hitting Eddie Williams got the nod instead.

"That's beyond my control," Arias said. "The only thing I can control is how well I play down here."

So far, so good.