Monday, March 24, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- His team won't begin to take shape until today, but Las Vegas Stars manager Jerry Royster already is excited about the players with which he expects to open the 1997 Pacific Coast League season.
"There are a lot of things that can happen to change our team -- our guys can get traded, there are a number of possibilities ... but I love what I see," Royster said. "If it pans out like it (should), I think it should be a very interesting season in Las Vegas."
Unlike last year's squad, which was laden with veteran players with nearly 50 years of combined major-league experience, the 1997 edition of the Stars should be a nice blend of prospects and veteran players, Royster said.
Some of the San Diego Padres' top prospects, including pitchers Marc Kroon and Heath Murray and infielders Derrek Lee and Homer Bush, could be playing alongside former major leaguers such as infielder Terry Shumpert, outfielders Phil Plantier, Doug Dascenzo and Mark Smith, pitcher Pete Smith and catchers Carlos Hernandez, Eric Helfand and Craig Colbert.
Kroon, Murray, Shumpert, Plantier, Dascenzo, Pete Smith, Mark Smith, Hernandez and Helfand still are in big-league camp with the Padres but some or all are expected to be sent to the Stars today, when San Diego announces its next-to-last cuts of the spring.
"I thought we were going to be a lot younger than last year but we're not going to be as young as I thought," Royster said. "There are going to be some guys (in Las Vegas) who can help out the major-league squad in a pinch.
"We're going to have the young guys that we know we were going to have -- the Derrek Lees, the Homer Bushes and the Jorge Velandiases -- and they should have plenty of veteran help."
San Diego also has another top minor-league prospect in third baseman Gabe Alvarez, but the Padres are expected to start the former second-round draft pick out of the University of Southern California at double-A this season -- though many in the organization predict he will be in Las Vegas at some point in 1997.
Other players who could figure into the Stars' mix include outfielders Todd Steverson, who hit 12 homers with Las Vegas last season, and Stoney Briggs, who hit 12 home runs and stole 28 bases at double-A Memphis in 1996, left-handed reliever Joey Long and right-handed starter Brad Kaufman, who struck out 163 batters in 178 innings at Memphis.
While a lot can change between today and April 3, when the Stars open their 15th anniversary season against the defending PCL champion Edmonton Trappers, Las Vegas' opening-day lineup could look something like this:
Lee at first base; Bush at second, Velandia at short; either Shumpert or Jim Tatum at third; Dascenzo, Plantier and Mark Smith in the outfield; and Hernandez behind the plate.
Murray, who won 13 games and struck out 156 batters in 174 innings at Memphis last year, and Pete Smith, who led the Stars with 11 wins in 1996, should be the top two starting pitchers. Kroon, who saved 22 games at double-A Memphis last year, will be the closer.
"When it's all said and done, we're going to have a pretty strong team," said Royster, who guided the Stars to the second-half title in the Southern Division in 1996 and their first postseason appearance since 1992. "There are still a lot of 'ifs' ... but I think it's going to be an exciting season."
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