51s: Pacific Conference teams at a glance

Nick Christensen

Thursday, April 7, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

Colorado Springs SKY SOX

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Colorado Rockies (13th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Tulsa Drillers (72-68 in 2004).

MANAGER: Marv Foley (2nd year).

HOME BALLPARK: Security Service Field (9,000; opened 1988).

IN LAS VEGAS: April 15-18, May 31-June 3.

TOP PROSPECTS: Jeff Salazar (RF), Jayson Nix (2B).

OUTLOOK: The Sky Sox moved into the Pacific Conference this year and will play the 51s 16 times. Many of the Rockies' top prospects will start the year in Denver, and this year's Sky Sox could struggle.

WHO KNEW? The Sky Sox have won five of their seven preseason meetings with the Rockies, including this spring's 5-1 victory.

Fresno GRIZZLIES

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: San Francisco Giants (47th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Norwich Navigators (69-74 in 2004).

MANAGER: Shane Turner (1st year).

HOME BALLPARK: Grizzlies Stadium (12,500; 2002).

IN LAS VEGAS: May 2-5, June 4-7.

TOP PROSPECTS: Merkin Valdez (P), Brad Hennessey (P).

OUTLOOK: The Giants have invested their minor league talent in the thus-far fruitless pursuit of building a World Series winner in the near-term. Plenty of pitching talent remains in the system, but won't be ready for Triple-A until later this summer at the earliest.

WHO KNEW? The Grizzlies haven't finished above .500 since 1999, and are 299-412 in the five years since.

Las Vegas 51s MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Los Angeles Dodgers (5th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Jacksonville Suns (67-71 in 2004).

MANAGER: Jerry Royster (4th year).

HOME BALLPARK: Cashman Field (9,334; 1983).

TOP PROSPECTS: Dioner Navarro (C), Edwin Jackson (P), Jason Repko (OF).

OUTLOOK: Navarro is surrounded by hype this year, and will for the first time in his short minor league career will be playing out of the spotlight of the New York media.

WHO KNEW? The 51s franchise can trace its roots back to 1919, when the Portland Beavers began play in the PCL. The Beavers moved to Spokane in 1973 and to Las Vegas a decade later.

Portland BEAVERS

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: San Diego Padres (5th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Mobile BayBears (73-67 in 2004).

MANAGER: Craig Colbert (2nd year).

HOME BALLPARK: PGE Park (19,566; 2001).

IN LAS VEGAS: June 30-July 3, Aug. 20-23.

TOP PROSPECTS: Josh Barfield (2B), Tim Stauffer (P).

OUTLOOK: The key addition is Josh Barfield, rated by Baseball America as San Diego's top prospect.

WHO KNEW? Since the Padres and Dodgers essentially switched Triple-A affiliates in 2001, the Beavers are 296-279. Las Vegas is 296-277.

Sacramento RIVER CATS

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Oakland Athletics (7th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Midland Rockhounds (73-67 in 2004).

MANAGER: Tony DeFrancesco (3rd year).

HOME BALLPARK: Raley Field (14,111; 2000).

IN LAS VEGAS: May 6-9, June 21-24.

TOP PROSPECTS: Dan Johnson (1B), Jairo Garcia (P).

OUTLOOK: The River Cats have owned the PCL Southern Division, with Las Vegas' 85-59 2002 team the only club to finish ahead of Sacramento in the standings since 2000. This team always figures out a way to win.

WHO KNEW? Oakland's Triple-A team has won three of the past six PCL championships.

Salt Lake STINGERS

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Los Angeles Angels (5th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: Arkansas Travelers (59-81 in 2004).

MANAGER: Dino Ebel (1st year).

HOME BALLPARK: Franklin Covey Field (15,500; 1994).

IN LAS VEGAS: April 19-22, Sept. 2-5.

TOP PROSPECTS: Dallas McPherson (3B), Erick Aybar (SS).

OUTLOOK: Las Vegan Dino Ebel takes the reigns of a team that has a lot of players that have underachieved once they made the majors. ... McPherson was called up to Triple-A with much fanfare last year.

WHO KNEW? Erick Aybar is the younger brother of the 51s' Willy Aybar.

Tacoma RAINIERS

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Seattle Mariners (11th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: San Antonio Missions (66-72 in 2004).

MANAGER: Dan Rohn (5th year).

HOME BALLPARK: Cheney Stadium (9,600; 1960).

IN LAS VEGAS: June 17-20, Aug. 29-Sept. 1.

TOP PROSPECTS: Shin-Soo Choo (OF), Clint Nageotte (P).

OUTLOOK: The Rainiers have been in the playoff hunt the past two years, surprising considering the Mariners' penchant for losing key players to free agency. This year, it was the M's picking up free agents, so the road up to Seattle might be a little congested for this year's Rainiers.

WHO KNEW? At five years, Rohn is the longest-tenured manager in the Pacific Coast League.

Tucson SIDEWINDERS

MAJOR-LEAGUE AFFILIATE: Arizona Diamondbacks (8th year).

CLASS AA AFFILIATE: West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (48-69 in 2004*).

MANAGER: Chip Hale (2nd year).

HOME BALLPARK: Tucson Electric Park (11,000; 1998).

IN LAS VEGAS: July 14-17, Aug. 12-15.

TOP PROSPECTS: Carlos Quentin (OF), Josh Kroeger (OF).

OUTLOOK: The Sidewinders got just enough traction to attract the attention of their struggling parent club last year, which summarily gutted the roster. Reports from camp say that this year's Sidewinders are the class of the Pacific Conference.