Gwynn’s injury may send Darr back to Padres

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, June 16, 1999 | 9:38 a.m.

Mike Darr checked back into the Las Vegas Stars locker room before Tuesday night's 8-4 loss to the Tacoma Rainiers at Cashman Field.

But it wouldn't be surprising if the talented rightfielder is packing his gear for a return trip to San Diego as early as today.

Padres rightfielder Tony Gwynn, the man Darr replaced on the San Diego roster back on May 22 when he strained his left calf, left Tuesday night's win over the Philadelphia Phillies after reinjuring the same calf.

Gwynn is officially listed as "day-to-day" with what was termed "tightness in the calf." However, Gwynn just spent three weeks on the disabled list when he injured the calf the first time.

Darr, who was optioned back to the Stars on Saturday when Gwynn was reactivated in Houston, spent Tuesday making the four-plus hour drive back to Las Vegas from his home in Corona, Calif. He suited up for the game and was activated by manager Mike Ramsey but did not play.

Darr was unaware of Gwynn's injury when approached by a reporter afterward.

"Oh, really?" he said. "I hadn't heard about that. We'll just to have to wait and see what happens I guess."

If Darr is recalled by the Padres, it would be just another stop during a wild and crazy three weeks for the 23-year-old left-handed hitting rightfielder.

He was driving home after a Stars game against Fresno on May 21 at Cashman Field when he got a call on his cellular phone from trainer George Poulis to call Ramsey, who then told him the news of his first big league call-up.

"Excited and nervous," Darr said when asked what went through his mind.

Ten days later, while in a cab en route to a game in Wrigley Field for a game against the Cubs, Darr got a call from his sister, Angie, informing him that he had just become a father for the second time. The boy was named Matthew Cyle Darr. Darr already has tattooed the name "Matthew" on the inside of his right forearm.

One week later, Darr hit his first major league home run against the Oakland Athletics at Qualcomm Stadium. About 30 friends and family members were in attendance.

"I have the ball," Darr said. "It was exciting. It was a sinker away that he left up and I went to left-center with it."

Then over the weekend, Darr was optioned back to Las Vegas while the Padres were in Houston. He stayed around an extra day so he could fly back with the team to San Diego. That afternoon is when Houston manager Larry Dierker suffered a grand mal seizure in the dugout causing the game to be suspended.

"I was in the clubhouse when it happened, so I really didn't see anything," Darr said. "Still, it was real eerie being there."

All in all, a memorable three weeks to be sure.

"It was fun while I was up there," Darr said. "I knew I would be coming back down once Tony came off the DL. I wasn't going to go up there and just sit. I'd rather play here every day than just go up and sit."

* ABBOTT SHINES: For someone who hadn't pitched in a real game since before Thanksgiving, former Star Paul Abbott made an impressive return from knee surgery in Tacoma's 8-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday night at Cashman Field.

Abbott allowed nine hits and four earned runs in seven innings, striking out five while walking just one. He threw 95 pitches and had a fastball clocked as high as 93 mph.

"His velocity is where it should be," Tacoma manager Dave Myers said. "He was a little rusty with his breaking ball, but he didn't really throw a lot of them because (the Stars) had seven left-handed batters out there. His knee appeared to be healthy and it will get stronger as he goes on. I'd say he's about 85 percent right now. When he gets back to 100 percent, that should help his fastball and his mobility out there."

* THROWER STAYS: Infielder Jake Thrower, arguably the Stars' MVP since being called up from double-A Mobile last month, received a reprieve Tuesday when the Stars decided to send backup catcher Jimmy Gonzalez down to Mobile to make room on their roster for Darr.

A strong lobbying effort by Ramsey apparently convinced Padres brass that it would be a mistake to send Thrower down even though the team is loaded with veteran infielders such as Carlos Baerga, Carlos Garcia and Rico Rossy as well a healthy Juan Melo at short.

"Big," Stars general manager Don Logan said when asked how key Ramsey's lobbying was for Thrower to remain in Las Vegas.

"It wouldn't have sent a very good message if we were to have sent Jake back now," Ramsey said. "The way the events unfolded, it was a smarter move to send Jimmy down now."

Gonzalez, who was hitting .239 with three home runs and seven RBIs as a backup to highly touted Ben Davis, figures to be back no later than Aug. 1 when Davis is expected to be promoted to the Padres.

* DAVIS DELIVERS: Although most of the attention has been paid recently to his 19-game hitting streak, catcher Ben Davis showed why he has been compared to Johnny Bench defensively in Tuesday night's loss.

In the eighth inning, Tacoma speedster Kerry Robinson, who leads the Pacific Coast League with 23 steals, attempted to swipe second. Robinson didn't even bother to slide when Davis' throw beat him so badly to the bag.

Pitching coach Tom Brown said Davis was timed in getting the ball to second in 1.88 seconds.

"Two seconds is considered excellent," Ramsey said.

* GAME RECAP: Las Vegas lefty Al Drumheller, making his first triple-A start, gave up nine hits and six runs (four earned) in five innings as the Stars (32-34) fell 8-4 to the Tacoma Rainiers at Cashman Field on Tuesday night.

Baerga hit his first home run since joining Las Vegas two weeks ago to highlight the Stars' offense.

* UP NEXT: The Stars are off today. They open a four-game series against the Tucson Sidewinders on Thursday night at Cashman Field at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Buddy Carlyle (6-2, 3.89) will oppose Tucson right-hander Dan Carlson (2-5, 4.30) in that contest.