Friday, April 12, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Two weeks of lounging around his Scottsdale, Ariz., home was about as much as Rob Deer could take.
The former major-league slugger ended his brief retirement from baseball Thursday when he signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres and reported to the Las Vegas Stars.
"It was either retire or come and play," Deer said of his decision to return to Las Vegas, where he hit 14 home runs in 64 games for the Stars last season. Deer reported to Cashman Field Thursday night during the team's 5-1 loss to the Tacoma Rainiers and is expected to be in uniform tonight.
Deer, who has 226 career major-league home runs with San Francisco, Milwaukee, Detroit and Boston, asked for his release from the Padres two days before the end of spring training when he was asked to accept an assignment to Las Vegas. At the time, the 35-year-old outfielder wanted to explore the possibility of hooking up with another major-league team.
"The Padres gave me the opportunity to find out what was available to play," Deer said. "They were great to me as far as that goes. I tested the waters and didn't get any other offers, so I decided instead of staying home and retiring, I still wanted to play and felt good playing, so I jumped in the car and drove up today."
Deer said he received no guarantees that the Padres would make room for him on their major-league roster this season.
"There are no guarantees in this game," he said. "I said to myself that I would go out and play hard just like I always do and hopefully stay healthy. I feel, given the right opportunity, that something good will happen.
"The Padres were excited that I made this decision and I was excited to come down here and play. I'm looking forward to it."
So is Stars manager Jerry Royster -- but for more than the obvious power Deer will add to the lineup.
"I'm excited more for him than I am for me as a manager," Royster said. "I hated the fact that he retired. If he had gotten a (major-league) job, that would have been great. But for him not to be playing, I thought that was a sin.
"He did well enough this spring to prove to himself that he was still a major-league ballplayer and this way, he still has a chance. I hope he can play as well as he did in major-league camp because eventually he will be a major leaguer (again)."
Deer, who averaged a home run every 17.3 at-bats last season between Vancouver and Las Vegas, said that he would not have accepted a minor-league assignment with another team.
"I feel comfortable here and I know the guys here," Deer said of Las Vegas. "I've been here and know what the ballpark is like and I know what the travel is like.
"There are not many guys who have been in the big leagues for 10 years who would come to triple-A a second time, but this is a great city. I know Royster -- I played against Jerry and I know him real well -- and all that figured into it."
To make room for Deer on their roster, the Stars sent outfielder Jeff Barry to double-A Memphis after Thursday's game.
archive
