Old faces coming to town with Beavers

Steve Guiremand

Monday, April 9, 2001 | 9:48 a.m.

Those longtime followers of the Las Vegas Stars who were upset the team changed its affiliation with the San Diego Padres might want to stop by Cashman Field the next four nights.

That's because the Portland Beavers, the Padres' new triple-A affiliate, make their only stop in Las Vegas beginning with tonight's 7:05 game.

A number of former Stars including infielder John Roskos, shortstop Kevin Nicholson, outfielders Korey DeHaan and Ryan Radmanovich and pitchers Stan Spencer, Junior Herndon, Wascar Serrano, Domingo Guzman and Brian Lawrence will be on hand to take on the 51s.

A future Hall of Famer -- outfielder Rickey Henderson -- also is on the Portland roster, as is third baseman Sean Burroughs, one of the top prospects in minor league baseball and a star on the gold medal winning U.S. Olympic team. Another blue chipper, former UNLV star Kevin Eberwein, is on the disabled list.

Las Vegas manager Rick Sofield is well aware of the affiliation switch but is not approaching the series as a potential grudge match between the two teams.

"It means nothing to me ... zero," Sofield said after the 51s (1-3) dropped an 11-4 decision to Tacoma on Sunday afternoon at Cashman Field. "I've got so many concerns with my own team right now that I can't worry about that. I don't care if the New York Mets were coming in here. I could care less."

One Las Vegas player who admits to looking forward to the series is lefty pitcher Matt Whisenant who will start tonight's game. "You can bet I'll be fired up," Whisenant said.

Whisenant split time between the Padres and Las Vegas last year. He did not allow an earned run in his first 10 appearances with San Diego and put up solid statistics (2-2, 3.80 ERA) before getting outrighted to Las Vegas on June 2. Once with the Stars, he struggled badly, finishing the season with an 0-3 mark and 5.31 ERA.

"I let triple-A get the best of me," Whisenant, who signed a minor league free agent contract with the Dodgers in December, said. "I kept hoping that something would happen and it never did. It was a pretty depressing year for me."

Despite the sour marriage, Whisenant said he is looking forward to seeing some of his ex-teammates this week.

"It will be nice to see them but once the game starts it is all business," he said.

Post will fill the spot of Phil Hiatt, who was promoted to the big leagues last Thursday when infielder Tim Bogar went on the disabled list.

Las Vegas starter Onan Masaoka (0-1) allowed nine hits and eight earned runs, including seven in the second inning, while going just 1 2/3 innings for the loss.

Center fielder Chris Prieto hit a two-run homer for Las Vegas.