Star search: Las Vegas will need new players to make an impact

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, April 7, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

Thanks to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, 1998 will go down as the year of the home run in major league baseball.

It also was a power-packed year at the triple-A level, especially for the Las Vegas Stars.

Third baseman George Arias shattered the team's single-season record for home runs with 36 to go along with a Pacific Coast League-leading 119 RBIs.

Designated hitter Eddie Williams also made history with a PCL-record tying four-homer, 10-RBI game at Calgary. Williams finished with 20 home runs and 77 RBIs in just 90 games and 307 at-bats.

But don't look for a lot of home run records from a young Stars squad in 1999.

Arias now is starting at third base for the parent San Diego Padres while the popular Williams signed with the Minnesota Twins in the off-season and likely will be trying to knock a few out of Cashman Field for Salt Lake. Another Las Vegas slugger, catcher Creighton Gubanich, who had 19 home runs and 70 RBIs in just 86 games, was dealt to the Boston Red Sox.

When the Stars take the field for Thursday night's opener with the Omaha Golden Spikes, they will have just one player -- OF-1B Dusty Allen -- who hit double figures in home runs (16) at the triple-A level last year.

"I would think they'll do more running than last year just because of the type of personnel they have now," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "But they still have a lot of talented young players who should be fun to watch."

They'll also have a new manager for the first time in four years.

Ex-big leaguer Mike Ramsey, who guided double-A Mobile to the Southern League title and whose squad was named the minor league team of the year by Baseball America, replaces Jerry Royster at the helm.

Royster, who guided Las Vegas to a 70-72 mark in 1998, decided to leave the organization when it appeared his chances of landing a big-league managing job in San Diego were slim.

The timing couldn't be better for Ramsey, who will coach many of the same players he had in Mobile this year in triple-A.

Here's a breakdown on how the 1999 Stars shape up for opening day on Thursday:

Infield

Arguably the three top offensive performers from 1998 --- Arias, steady second baseman Dave Hajek (PCL-leading 45 doubles) and part-time first baseman Williams -- have moved on.

Still, there will be a few familiar faces for Stars fans to cheer.

Shortstop Juan Melo, who had a solid (.272, 6 HRs, 47 RBIs) season in Las Vegas last year, received some off-season trade interest from various clubs but will return to the Stars, where he will work on his consistency, especially on defense.

Hard-nosed utilityman Greg LaRocca (.309, 8 HRs, 39 RBIs), one of only two PCL players to hit for the cycle in 1998, is penciled in as the starting third baseman in place of Arias.

Also back is Allen, who will split time between the outfield, designated hitter and first base. The Stanford product is considered one of the better power-hitting prospects in the chain and caught Bochy's eye last spring.

All-Southern League performer Mike Mitchell (.318, 15 HRs, 97 RBIs, .990 fielding percentage) will likely get most of the starts at first base.

Ed Giovanola, who played in 92 games as a utilityman with the Padres last season and hit .230, will play second with another Mobile star, David Newhan (.261, 12 HRs, 27 stolen bases), also expected to see action there. Newhan is the son of longtime Los Angeles Times baseball writer Ross Newhan, so obviously he has a keen knowledge of the game.

John Powers (.307, 12 HRs), who earned a spot on the Southern League all-star squad as a utilityman at Mobile, will start the year on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.

Outfield

Ramsey admits it is "going to be a tough challenge to get everybody their at-bats" here.

Besides the versatile power-hitting Allen, Ramsey will have two of the crown jewels of the Padres' minor league system in center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., who could make his way to San Diego sooner than later depending on Ruben Rivera's start with the Padres, and all-Southern League rightfielder Mike Darr.

Two players who starred for Las Vegas last season -- Chris Prieto (.304, 20 stolen bases) and Aaron Guiel (.311) -- also return. And big leaguer Shane Mack, rehabbing in Las Vegas from shoulder and neck surgeries, also could see some action once he gets healthy.

Pitching

The two stars from last year's squad, right-handers Matt Clement (10-9, 3.98 ERA) and Stan Spencer (12-6, 3.93), have been promoted to the starting rotation with the Padres.

However, left-hander Heath Murray (9-11, 4.99), who led the team with three complete games and had stretches of brilliance, returns, as does right-hander Brian Tollberg (6-6, 6.38), who split time between Las Vegas and Mobile.

The rest of the rotation will include veteran major league right-hander Jose Mercedes, who was 2-2 with a 6.75 with the Brewers last season, highly touted right-hander Buddy Carlyle, who led Mobile with 14 wins last season, and right-hander Bryan Wolff, who led the Southern League with a 2.29 ERA.

Ramsey said that right-hander Carlos Almanzar, who pitched in 25 games with the Toronto Blue Jays (2-2, 5.34 ERA) last year and came over in the Joey Hamilton trade, will "get first shot" at being the closer. Veteran left-hander Ed Vosberg, on a 15-day major league rehab assignment, also figures to see lots of early action.

On paper, the bullpen would appear to have good depth with veteran right-hander Jeff Darwin, who had 24 saves at Fresno last year, joining a group that includes right-handers Will Cunnane, Brendan Sullivan and Matt Whiteside as well as left-hander and former Wichita State All-American Shane Dennis.

Another lefty, Roberto Rivera, who was supposed to begin the year in Las Vegas, was recalled by the Padres Tuesday to replace the ailing Randy Myers.

Catching

Switch-hitter Ben Davis, considered baseball's top catching prospect in several years, will begin the season in Las Vegas. All the Southern League all-star did last year was throw out an amazing 57 percent (47 of 83) of base stealers at Mobile, while hitting .286 with 14 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Backing up Davis will be Jimmy Gonzalesand veteran minor leaguer Frank Charles.