Nomo’s appearance to bring fans, hoopla

Nick Christensen

Thursday, June 3, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.

When Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo makes his rehabilitation start tonight in Las Vegas, the scene at Cashman Field will be anything but normal for a Thursday night.

Instead of the usual three reporters in the press box, the number will be closer to 10. A Thursday crowd that might be around 1,800 will likely be above 4,000. And the starting pitcher for the 51s is set to fly in, pitch, and fly back to Los Angeles as he tests a fingernail he broke earlier in the season.

Nomo, 35, is the highest profile Dodger to rehab at Las Vegas since Kevin Brown pitched in a 51s uniform in August 2002. Nomo is 3-5 this year with a 7.13 ERA.

Unlike Brown's rehab, Nomo's arrival brings a cadre of Japanese media interested in his every move.

"I talked to an L.A. PR person today; they have this two out of every five days when Ishii and Nomo pitch," 51s media relations director Jim Gemma said Wednesday. "That's the way it is, with the unbelievable following they get in Tokyo, even though he's just pitching (tonight) on a rehab."

While Nomo is the biggest name in a couple years to come to Las Vegas, he is the latest on the list of Dodgers who have come to Las Vegas on rehabilitation assignments. Past rehabs include Paul LoDuca, Dave Roberts, Adrian Beltre, Paul Shuey, and Brian Falkenborg; 51s outfielder Jayson Werth is hitting .412 with five home runs in 14 games on a rehab assignment that continues.

"It's always exciting when you have a major league guy," Gemma said. "We're not going to kid ourselves, it does help our crowds."

51s general manager Don Logan said interest has been high for Nomo's start, and he anticipates a large walk-up crowd tonight.

Some of the bigger names that came through Las Vegas to rehab during the team's affiliation with the San Diego Padres included Tony Gwynn, Ed Whitson and Andy Hawkins. Logan said that the 51s are in a good position to get the rehab assignments because the Dodgers have no other minor league affiliates in the West.

"It's like Tim Salmon rehabbing at Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) for the Angels," he said.

In the 51s clubhouse, just down a short hallway from Logan's office, Las Vegas clubhouse manager Rick Schweitzer is in charge of taking care of Nomo once he gets to Cashman Field.

"I called the Dodgers to see if he needs anything special, (and) they said no," Schweitzer said. "He might have a request when he gets here."

Schweitzer did have to custom-make a uniform for Nomo, because while nobody on the team wears Nomo's No. 10, Schweitzer didn't have a No. 10 uniform in the pitcher's size.

In the manager's office, Las Vegas pitching coach Roger McDowell will share a locker with Dodgers pitching coach Jim Colborn for Thursday, and 51s manager Terry Kennedy spoke on the phone about security and logistics for the game.

Afterward, he spoke about overseeing Kerry Wood's rehabilitation through the Cubs' farm system when Kennedy was the Cubs' minor league coordinator.

"He was generous with the teams; he bought them Outback, and at Single-A they eat bologna," Kennedy said.