Pair getting quick taste of Triple-A

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, May 20, 1998 | 11:27 a.m.

Scot Hemmings was standing in the outfield during the first inning of his game against Seattle Mariners' extended spring training squad in Peoria, Ariz., on Monday morning when he was waved into the dugout.

The 21-year-old native of Columbus, Ga., who played in just 28 Arizona Rookie League games in his career, was being promoted.

"I thought I was going to single-A," Hemmings said.

He wasn't. He and teammate Brent Horsman, a veteran of just 52 rookie league games, were leapfrogging all the way to triple-A to help fill in for the injury-ravaged Las Vegas Stars.

"At first I thought they were kidding," Hemmings said. "But they told me they had an emergency up there. They told me to go up and do the best I could."

A few hours later, Hemmings and Horsman were flying to Las Vegas. A couple of hours after that, Hemmings was in the starting lineup in right field against the Vancouver Canadians. He finished the night 1 for 3 and also made a strong throw to second to nail a runner trying to stretch a single into a double.

"Everything happened so fast I didn't have a chance to really get nervous," Hemmings said.

On the second play of the game, Vancouver center fielder Orlando Palmeiro, who spent last season with the California Angels, decided to test the rookie in right.

"I saw him take a wide turn," Hemmings said. "I just made a throw and they tagged him out. After that I was able to relax a little."

In the seventh inning Hemmings got his first triple-A hit, a single to left.

"He (Scott Schoeneweis) had busted me in a couple of times with a slider," said Hemmings. "I thought he'd try and go away. He threw me a change-up away and I was able to knock it into left field."

After the game, Stars reliever Paul Menhart presented Hemmings with the ball.

"All the players here have been great," Hemmings said. "They all made an attempt to introduce themselves to me and told me if I needed anything to just ask."

Hemmings and Horsman took a walk down the Strip after the game to take in the sights.

"I don't think it all really hit me until (Tuesday) morning when I woke up," Hemmings said. "I think I got up around 9:30. It was nice sleeping in for a change. In Arizona, we're usually up by 5:30 and we play our games at 10:30."

Hemmings and Horsman, who made his Stars debut on Tuesday night and had a single and scored a run, both will likely be sent back to Arizona this weekend.

"They told us we'd probably only be here for about a week," Hemmings said. "Still, it's been a great opportunity to play here."