Dodgers stakes: Leaving Las Vegas

Thursday, March 27, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

NEXT UP

What: Dodgers vs. Rockies

When: Today, 7:10 p.m.

Where: Cashman Field

TV: Fox Sports Net2, Ch. 50

Radio: KSFN, 1140-AM

Tickets: Fewer than 300remain. They can be purchased at the Cashman Field box office or at TicketMaster outlets (at Smith's Food & Drug, Tower Records or Nellis AFB.

Some Los Angeles Dodgers will roll the dice on their immediate futures with the club at Cashman Field tonight in an exhibition game against Colorado.

More time at Cashman, the home field of the Triple-A 51s, is the fate that awaits approximately six players who will be donning Dodgers blue against the Rockies.

Pitchers Tom Martin, Wilson Alvarez and Steve Colyer, utility men Ron Coomer and Jason Romano, versatile Jolbert Cabrera, outfielder Calvin Murray, hot-hitting Larry Barnes and promising second baseman Joe Thurston are the fringe Dodgers.

Coomer and Mike Kinkade are tied with a team-best four home runs in the spring, and Kinkade has a .380 batting average and a team-high slugging percentage of .760. Cabrera has hit .333 (15-for-45).

At least they were expected to get to Las Vegas. Middle reliever Giovanni Carrara was released Wednesday before the team caught a flight from Florida, saving the Dodgers almost $600,000 on his salary.

Dodgers general manager Dan Evans, manager Jim Tracy and the rest of the L.A. brain trust have until 9 a.m. Saturday to trim the roster to 25.

If Carrara clears waivers, Evans has promised him a spot in the 51s' starting rotation.

Others aren't so sure of their status.

"I think it's to be determined," Thurston said. "I haven't talked to the manager once. I don't think I need to talk to him, and I don't think he needs to talk to me. If I'm with the Dodgers, I'm with the Dodgers. If I'm not, I'm not.

"I want to play my game, wherever I'm at. That's giving 110 percent, having fun and being a team player. I don't expect (Tracy) to say anything, and I know he doesn't expect me to go out here and expect anything."

The second base situation is the most intriguing of the decisions that Evans and Tracy will make, especially considering they traded second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, with first baseman Eric Karros, to the Cubs for catcher Todd Hundley over the winter.

Grudzielanek hit .271 in 150 games last season.

Thurston, 23, is the organization's two-time minor leaguer of the year who didn't display much punch with his bat (.204) this spring.

Alex Cora is a natural shortstop, but he has been stellar, at times, at second. He also mixes well with shortstop Cesar Izturis, and hit almost .300 with the parent club last season.

Veteran Terry Shumpert and switch-hitter Quilvio Veras have told management, as has Coomer, that they would not accept demotions to Las Vegas. Moreover, the Dodgers are out of options with Cabrera.

Shumpert has since modified his stance, saying he would play for the 51s only if it would be a short stint.

Kinkade, a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder who played six positions for the 51s a year ago, will spell Fred McGriff at first and could give Paul LoDuca rests behind the plate.