Ed Vosberg on his way back

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 | 10:13 a.m.

Ed Vosberg had experienced just about everything imaginable during his baseball career.

He pitched on a Tucson team that lost to Taiwan in the finals of the 1973 Little League World Series in Williamsport.

He was a member of the University of Arizona's 1980 national championship squad.

He pitched for 10 different major league organizations. He even pitched a year in the Italian Leagues.

And he garnered a World Series ring as a key member of the Florida Marlins in 1997.

But the 37-year-old left-handed relief specialist had never suffered a major injury in almost 25 years of pitching.

That was until December 1997 when Vosberg, acquired by the San Diego Padres shortly after the Marlins' World Series win for right-handed pitcher Chris Clark, suddenly began experiencing severe pain in his valuable left shoulder.

"I just went out to throw one day in December and I felt some discomfort," Vosberg said. "It really wasn't that bad and I wasn't that concerned. I waited a few more days and went out and threw again and (the pain) never went away again."

Vosberg tried cortisone shots and medication. However, the pain wouldn't go away.

"I couldn't even play catch," Vosberg said.

Diagnosis? Just normal wear and tear on his shoulder.

"The tissue in my (shoulder) joint had just become stretched out," Vosberg said.

So last April, Vosberg underwent surgery to tighten the joint capsule in his left shoulder. He spent the entire year rehabbing the injury while wondering if his long and successful baseball career might finally come to an end.

Now after opening the season on the 15-day disabled list and making a rehab assignment with the Las Vegas Stars, Vosberg is finally ready to resume his big league career. His DL assignment ends today and there is a good chance he will be called up the Padres.

"It's been a long road," said Vosberg, who pitched a 1-2-3 shutout inning of relief in the Stars' 4-3 win over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Tuesday night at Cashman Field. "I had never experienced surgery or the disabled list before. It definitely was something new for me."

Vosberg had hoped to make a comeback last August in time to join the Padres bullpen for the stretch drive.

"But I thought it was a little premature," Vosberg said. "I was still experiencing a lot of pain, so they thought it would be best for me to shut it down for the rest of year."

Now Vosberg is back throwing with little pain and his fastball, which dropped to the mid-70s last year, is back up near 90 mph.

Perhaps just as important is that Vosberg has been able to pitch on back-to-back days without any discomfort and has been able to get loose quickly in the bullpen when called.

"I think I've proven that I can do it again down here," Vosberg said. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens now. I'm eligible to come off the DL (today). It would be nice to go back to the big leagues, but I know that I can help the people here, too."

"I don't think he'll be here much longer," Stars manager Mike Ramsey said.

* INJURY UPDATES: Infielder John Powers, who began the year on the disabled list for the Stars after an all-star year at double-A Mobile in 1998, continues to be slowed by a right shoulder injury and may be headed to San Diego for further medical tests.

"He's not progressing," Ramsey said. "We're going to shut him down for five to seven days and see what happens. If he doesn't get better, he may have to go to San Diego for further tests."

Ramsey said Powers isn't sure how the injury occurred.

"It's a mystery," Ramsey said. "There's nothing showing up on X-rays or an MRI. I know something has to be wrong because he has a high threshold of pain."

* NERVOUS TIME: Catcher Phil Nevin, who hit two long home runs Tuesday night, ends his three-day rehab assignment in this afternoon's game which means at least one San Diego player will likely be sent down to Las Vegas. And that means the Stars will probably have to make a roster move.

Catcher Jimmy Gonzales, who has yet to play because of a pulled rib muscle which figures to sideline him another week, would seem to be the likely candidate to go on the seven-day disabled list if and when the Padres send a player down.

And if Vosberg is also recalled by the Padres, Las Vegas may have to make two player moves before they open a seven-game road trip at Iowa on Friday night.

* NEXT UP: The Stars conclude their homestand today at 12:15 with a business person's special. Lefty Heath Murray (1-0, 1.50 ERA) opposes Sky Sox right-hander Scott Randall (1-0, 1.50). After a day off on Thursday, Las Vegas begins a seven-game road trip at Iowa on Friday night.