Espy looks to mold his Stars

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, April 5, 2000 | 11:22 a.m.

Manager: Duane Espy (first year)

1999 record: 67-75 (3rd, PCL South Division)

Home stadium: Cashman Field (9,334)

Affiliation: San Diego Padres (triple-A)

2000 opener: Thursday night at Calgary, 6:05 p.m.

Top prospects: Catcher Ben Davis, outfielder; Mike Darr, pitcher; Buddy Carlyle, pitcher; Junior Herndon, pitcher; Brandon Kolb.

It took a victory on the final day of the 1999 season for the Las Vegas Stars to escape the Pacific Coast League's South Division cellar.

Enter new manager Duane Espy, a former hitting instructor for the parent San Diego Padres, who believes things can be quite a bit different in 2000.

"I'm always optimistic," Espy said before a Stars workout Tuesday at Cashman Field. "If you sent me out there with a bunch of 12-year- olds, I'd still be optimistic."

Luckily for Espy, he'll have a lot more talent than that to work with when the Stars open their season on Thursday night at chilly Calgary.

Highly touted catching prospect Ben Davis, who spent the last half of 1999 in San Diego after an outstanding triple-A campaign, returns -- in a surprise move -- as does blue-chip outfield prospect Mike Darr. And the pitching staff is loaded with promising young arms, led by right-handers Buddy Carlyle, who made a strong run this spring at a fifth starting spot with the Padres, double-A star Junior Herndon and closer Brandon Kolb.

Mix in a strong group of veterans, including infielder John Roskos, who just missed making the Padres' opening day roster after a sizzling spring, and former Kansas City Royals Joe Vitiello and Jed Hansen, and the Stars have a nice blend of prospects and solid veterans.

"I'd say it's a very solid, basically veteran ballclub," Espy said. "I think these guys know how to play and they've proven that they can play. I expect that that will continue and we will play well."

Carlyle, who went 11-8 with a 4.89 for the Stars a year ago before going 1-3 late in the season with the Padres, will start Thursday night's opener and be the team's No. 1 starter.

Following Carlyle in the all-righty rotation will be another familiar name to Las Vegas fans, Stan Spencer, who went 5-4 with a 5.47 ERA with the Stars last season and was 0-7 with a 9.16 ERA with the Padres.

Brian Tollberg, who also spent part of 1999 in Las Vegas before being sidelined with elbow problems, also returns. Two pitchers who starred at double-A Mobile last year, Junior Herndon (10-9, 4.69 ERA) and Rodrigo Lopez (10-8, 4.41), round out the rotation. The hard-throwing Kolb, who had a 2-1 record and four saves with the Stars last season, will be the closer.

Davis, who hit .308 with seven homers and 44 RBIs and had a 23-game hitting streak with the Stars, and Darr, who hit .298 with 10 home runs and 62 RBIs, anchor the everyday starting lineup.

Espy said his opening day lineup will likely also include Vitiello, who belted 28 home runs and drove in 98 runs last year at Omaha, at first base, Jake Thrower at second, Kevin Nicholson at shortstop and Greg LaRocca at third with Roskos, Darr and Ryan Radmanovich in the outfield.

* STARS NOTES: Outfielder Dusty Allen, a triple-A all-star a year ago, also returns but could be headed to the disabled list because of a bone bruise on the back of his left thumb. The injury, which occurred when Allen got hit with a line drive on the back of his hand, has sidelined the former Stanford star for almost two weeks.