Hiatt’s back; Greene, Mota leave Las Vegas

Victoria Sun

Friday, May 17, 2002 | 10:52 a.m.

Upon returning from an eight-game road trip, the Las Vegas 51s welcomed Phil Hiatt back to the team and waved goodbye to two solid performers.

Hiatt, last season's Pacific Coast League MVP who set a team record with 44 home runs, joined the 51s on their day off Wednesday after spending the first part of the year rehabbing his ankle at extended spring training.

The same day, reliever Guillermo Mota was recalled by the Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Todd Greene was granted a release from the organization.

Greene, who hit .352 with 11 homers and a PCL-leading 41 RBIs for the 51s, signed with the Texas Rangers Thursday.

With Greene gone, outfielder Mike Kinkade will be the back-up catcher to 25-year-old David Ross.

"It's really the funnest position," Kinkade said enthusiastically Thursday night. "You're making calls, although the pitchers can shake you off or whatever, but at least you know you're part of the decision making process.

"You feel like you get the win or loss even though it's the pitcher whose name is in the box score."

Kinkade played left field and went 1-for-4 with one run in the 51s' 12-11 loss against the Portland Beavers at Cashman Field. Ross went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, his first of the season.

Kinkade entered the game second on the team and third in the PCL with a .371 batting average, first in the league in runs scored (37) and second in extra base hits at 24.

He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1995 as a catcher and has spent most of his career playing multiple positions.

During spring training, Kinkade caught most of the time, then was moved to the outfield after he twisted his knee.

For most of the season, Kinkade has been planted in left field. But during the team's most recent road trip to Oklahoma and Iowa, he started one game as catcher and caught one inning of relief.

"I'm pretty comfortable there," he said. "Getting to know the pitcher is a tough thing.

"Me actually going back and being a catcher is not. Hopefully, I caught enough of them in spring training that things will go smoothly and we'll win some games out there."

Las Vegas manager Brad Mills said that when Kinkade isn't catching, he'll still be somewhere in the lineup.

Mills believes that without Greene's offense, Hiatt and others, including Kinkade, are capable of keeping things going.

The 51s lead the PCL with a .294 team batting average.

"You get a trade-off," Mills said. "Todd Greene swung the bat extremely well for us.

"We're going to miss that to a certain extent. But I don't want to take anything away from the guys we've got on the ball club. They've done a fine job swinging the bats."

Ross, batting .234 prior to Thursday's game, spent a little extra time with hitting coach Ron Jackson, but Mills thinks he will improve with more at-bats.

"With Ross, I think we're improving behind the plate," Mills said. "I think he's got the tools to be a very good catcher and has done a good job.

"But because he's going to do most of the catching, we kind of have to buffer how much work he's going to do simply because we don't want to wear him out."

"He's going to probably play three different positions," Mills said. "Left field, third base, first base and he'll DH against some American League clubs."