Hiatt trying to grab Dodgers’ interest

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, June 27, 2001 | 10:39 a.m.

Las Vegas 51s slugger Phil Hiatt got the good news on Tuesday that he had been selected to replace injured teammate Brian Johnson on the Pacific Coast League squad that will play the International League in the July 11 Triple-A All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

The bad news is that the red-hot Hiatt will likely still be around triple-A to play in the contest.

Hiatt, who drove in the 51s' only run with a first-inning double in a 5-1 loss to the Nashville on Tuesday night at Cashman Field, is tied for the PCL lead in home runs with 18 and has a nine-game hitting streak.

Normally that would be enough for the 32-year-old infielder to attract the attention of the parent club Los Angeles Dodgers. One problem: Hiatt started the season with the Dodgers and hit just .182 (6-for-33). He had one stretch that saw him strike out 11 times in 13 at-bats.

So even though the Dodgers would love to promote a minor league power hitter this week to help fill the void left by the uncertain status of first baseman Eric Karros, who could be headed to the disabled list for a second time with back problems, Hiatt and the rest of his Las Vegas teammates remain in triple-A.

Privately, Dodger officials have said they are dismayed by the lack of talent in triple-A and double-A. So much so, in fact, that the team elected to play this week's key series in San Francisco with just 24 men on their 25-man roster rather than summon any help from the minor leagues.

Just how desperate are the Dodgers for infield help? Well, before Tuesday night's contest with the Giants, outfielder Shawn Green spent extensive time practicing at first base, a position he has not played since high school.

So even though he made the PCL All-Star team, one can't really blame Hiatt if he isn't in the celebrating mood these days.

* PAY UP: Nashville outfielder Chad Hermansen, who was USA Today's national high school player of the year his senior season at Green Valley High School, bought a condo in Green Valley in the off-season.

But Hermansen isn't staying in his new digs this week while the Sounds are in Las Vegas. Instead, he's staying with his parents, Bruce and Lisa Hermansen, in their Green Valley home.

The reason? Hermansen is renting his condo out ... to Las Vegas 51s reliever Jim Dougherty.

"We played together a couple of years ago," Hermansen said. "When he found out he was coming to Las Vegas, we worked it out that he could stay at my place."

Hyzdu still has quite a ways to go to reach the PCL record for consecutive games with a hit. That mark is 61 set by Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio in 1933.