Arias says he’ll quit baseball rather than return to Stars

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999 | 9:30 a.m.

George Arias vows he would rather quit than play in Las Vegas again.

But the 27-year-old third baseman, the San Diego Padres' Minor League Player of the Year for 1998, may not have much choice.

Arias, designated for assignment by the San Diego last Friday, could be retained by the Padres as a minor leaguer if he clears waivers, which end on Thursday. But a bitter Arias, who shattered the Las Vegas single-season home run record last season with 36 and had a Pacific Coast League-leading 119 RBIs in 114 games, said that he won't return to the Stars.

"I'll quit before I go back to Las Vegas," Arias told the San Diego Union-Tribune while clearing out his locker.

Stars general manager Don Logan said Monday night that he wouldn't be surprised if Arias had a change of mind.

"I think he may be here," Logan said. "It's better to play than not to play if you're in his position."

Especially if Arias, as Logan suspects, has a split (major/minor league)contract. Arias would not be paid the remainder of his contract if he fails to accept a triple-A assignment.

"I believe he has a split contract," Logan said. "I tried to get hold of (Padres GM) Kevin Towers today to confirm it but he was traveling. I should know more tomorrow."

Ironically, the Padres passed on free agents such as Robin Ventura and Ed Sprague and didn't retain popular Ken Caminiti in order to give Arias the starting third base job this season. Following a solid spring (.316 with five homers and 20 RBIs), Arias suffered a sprained thumb in the season's third game.

Arias missed 25 games with injury. He made 44 starts at third and hit .244 with seven homers and 20 RBIs. However, he struck out 54 times (once every three at-bats) and drew only six walks and had a dismal .271 on-base percentage. The Padres also had some major concerns about his defense.

"We gave him a very good opportunity here," Towers said. "No one wanted George to work out more than Bruce (Bochy) and I."

Veterans Dave Magadan, Phil Nevin and Carlos Baerga will now platoon at third for San Diego with Nevin getting a strong look to claim the job the rest of the season.

Although Arias had also failed as a starter with the California Angels, the former University of Arizona star hasn't given up hope of being a major league regular one day.

"I know I can play third in the majors," he said.

* LEYRITZ KNOCKS GWYNN: Catcher/first baseman Jim Leyritz, who spent two days rehabbing with the Stars last week before getting traded by San Diego to the New York Yankees on Saturday's trade deadline, took a few jabs at Padres' star Tony Gwynn before departing.

In what the San Diego Union-Tribune called an unsolicited appraisal, Leyritz said Gwynn lacked "intangibles" relating to the team concept.

In other words, he was calling Gwynn, whose much publicized pursuit of 3,000 hits this season has been stalled several times by a chronic calf injury, selfish.

"I played with guys like Don Mattingly and Wade Boggs and Edgar Martinez," Leyritz said. "I look at those guys as hitters you put in a different class. When I came here (in June of 1998), I was looking forward to being around Tony. You always watch what a guy like that does.

"With Tony, there have been good things and there have been bad things. As far as a hitter, watching him day in and day out and the way he prepares himself, it is fun to watch. But there are other things you look for in a player. There may be intangibles that other players have that I'd like to see in him."

Such as?

"Don Mattingly was an unselfish player," Leyritz said. "When he was on the disabled list for a long time, he was always with the team."

Leyritz was apparently alluding to the fact that Gwynn left a game early in Anaheim last month while on the disabled list.

Gwynn said he was not surprised at the potshots.

"I've kind of been sitting back waiting for somebody to say something or do something out of frustration," he said. "I didn't figure on (Leyritz), but I'm not surprised. ... I know (the constant publicity over the 3,000 pursuit) rubs people the wrong way. I know it does. ... If people feel like I get too much attention or it's unwarranted, that's fine, too. You can't please everybody."

* HERMANSEN, NEWHAN SIT: Nashville outfielder Chad Hermansen (bruised left shin) and Stars' second baseman David Newhan (sore foot) both sat out Monday night's game thanks to bruises suffered from foul balls in Sunday afternoon's game.

* GAME RECAP: Second baseman Matt Howard went 3 for 4 and drove in four runs and Mike Robertson had a two-run pinch homer to lead Nashville (67-40) to a 9-3 victory over the Las Vegas Stars (48-60) on Monday night at Cashman Field.

Las Vegas starter Heath Murray (4-2), considered a possible candidate to joining San Diego's starting rotation later this season, gave up six hits and six walks in three-plus unimpressive innings on the mound and garnered the loss.

* UP NEXT: The Stars conclude their series with Nashville and also their home stand with a 7:05 meeting with the Sounds tonight. Right-hander Bryan Wolff (5-10, 5.26 ERA) will start for Las Vegas and be opposed by veteran major league right-hander Todd Van Poppel (7-4, 5.26).