Stars wrap up season — and perhaps an era

Steve Addy

Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

The Las Vegas Stars' final statistical leaders this season:

BATTING

Average -- John Roskos .318; HRs -- Roskos 18; RBIs -- Greg LaRocca 80; Runs -- LaRocca 90; Hits -- LaRocca 142; Doubles -- LaRocca 42; Triples -- LaRocca 7; Stolen bases -- Ralph Milliard 18; Games -- LaRocca 137; At-bats -- LaRocca 482.

PITCHING

Wins -- Junior Herndon 10; Losses -- Herndon 11; ERA -- Brian Lawrence 1.95; Strikeouts -- Buddy Carlyle 127; Saves -- Brandon Kolb 16; Games -- Kolb 47; Innings -- Carlyle 151.

Officially speaking, the Stars only said goodbye for the off-season Monday.

Whether it was the club's last game in Las Vegas after 18 years is still to be determined, but that answer will be known by month's end.

There will be triple-A baseball here next April, but if Stars owners get their way, there will be a new major league affiliation for the franchise. They have essentially filed for divorce from the San Diego Padres and want to start fresh in 2001.

Having filed to Major League Baseball for free agency, so to speak, the Stars will begin negotiations on a new affiliation Wednesday after MLB releases its list of available teams. The LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are certain to be among them. The Stars -- Mandalay Sports Entertainment, more specifically -- have three weeks to cut a deal with a new team. If they do not have an agreement by Sept. 25, they'll be assigned an affiliation by MLB, so expect talks with the Dodgers and others to proceed quickly.

Baseball rules prohibit general manager Don Logan from commenting on potential affiliates, but he said the Stars will seek a parent team that is "committed to working with us to do whatever it takes to win."

"At this level, there has to be a commitment to spend money for sixth-year free agents," Logan said. "You can't win with kids in triple-A anymore. The level of play now is higher than ever. You've got have those veteran guys to complement your (young prospects)."

Logan said the Stars and Padres could reconcile -- "nothing has been decided" -- but Las Vegas' 8-4 win over Sacramento at Cashman Field had an air of finality. The partnership that brought Kevin McReynolds, Sandy Alomar Jr., Mike Sharperson and Joey Cora to Las Vegas might be over.

"The team loves playing in Las Vegas," second baseman Greg LaRocca said. "Maybe they'll work something out and come back next year. That would be great."

If that's what happens, then Monday's game was merely the end of a strange season in which the Stars crossed the finish line on fumes.

Decimated by call-ups to San Diego, including manager Duane Espy, the Stars dropped out of the PCL Southern lead in July and never recovered. They went 73-70 for their third winning record since 1990, but only 6-26 against division winners Sacramento and Salt Lake.

"They were our nemeses," conceded manager Tony Franklin, who took over May 30 after Espy was elevated to Padres hitting coach.

The Stars went 43-50 under Franklin, who admitted his future as manager is uncertain.

"Maybe (the Padres) don't want me back," he said. "This was my first season managing at this level. If I come back next year, there will be a lot of things I'll do differently."