Tuesday, March 25, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Las Vegas Stars manager Jerry Royster wasn't there to witness it, but he would have liked what transpired Monday morning at the San Diego Padres' minor-league complex.
Less than two hours after learning he had been reassigned by the Padres to their minor-league camp, veteran major-league outfield er Phil Plantier spent an hour taking batting practice in a cage at the far end of Peoria Sports Complex.
When players are cut from the big-league camp, they are allowed -- and often take -- a day or two to report to their minor-league team. Plantier, perhaps humbled by a horrid 1996 season with the Oakland Athletics, took Monday's reassignment in stride.
"I knew when I signed with the Padres that it was a possibility that something like this was one of the things that might happen," said Plantier, who will start the season with the Stars. "At this point, I'll go to Las Vegas and get some at-bats and try to get myself as sharp as possible. If the time comes and (the Padres) feel like they can use me, I'll be ready the best I can.
"As a player, you take the things that God gave you and you do the best you can with what you've got. After that, it's out of your control. You're going to be placed where you're supposed to be. That's how I approach it -- it's real simple and it makes it easy."
Plantier was one of four players cut from the Padres' spring camp Monday. Also sent to Las Vegas were outfielder Mark Smith, catcher Eric Helfand and pitcher Marc Kroon.
Plantier opened the 1996 season with the Athletics but hit .212 with seven home runs in 73 games and was sent to triple-A Edmonton. Released by Oakland last winter, Plantier signed as a free agent with the Padres in January and was a non-roster invitee in the big-league camp.
Plantier hit .323 and drove in 10 runs this spring but never was a serious contender for the Padres' final outfield spot.
"I was real happy with the way camp went," Plantier said. "I worked on some things that were productive. I spread the ball around the field and I used all fields and that's what I came into spring training trying to do.
"I think a lot of guys had a great springs. I think it shows the depth that the organization has as a whole. If you look at any winning team in baseball, they have depth -- you just don't have your starters and that's it. This team has that and I think it's going to make this a better organization."
Smith was one of several nonroster outfielders who had productive springs in the Padres' camp. The former major leaguer hit .362 with three home runs and nine RBIs but, with San Diego's inability to trade Rickey Henderson, there is no room on the opening-day 25-man roster for either Plantier or Smith.
Doug Dascenzo remains the only non-roster outfielder on the Padres' roster and -- barring an injury or the team trading Rickey Henderson -- his chances of making the team appear slim.
Spring flings
* TOUGH DECISIONS: With the regular season beginning in one week, San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy still has some difficult decisions to make. Monday's cuts left the Padres with 33 players in major-league camp. With injured infielder Craig Shipley being placed on the disabled list, Bochy still must cut seven players before the team leaves Las Vegas Sunday following their two Big League Weekend exhibition games. The Padres likely will cut three pitchers, one catcher two infielders and one more outfielder.
* DOWN TO THE WIRE: The three most hotly contested battles in the Padres' camp this spring are for the fifth starting pitcher, the final infielder's spot and backup catcher. Tim Worrell and Sean Bergman are locked in a battle for the role as fifth starter, Terry Shumpert and Rene Gonzales are dueling for the reserve infielder's spot and Don Slaught and Carlos Hernandez are vying for the role as John Flaherty's backup. The Worrell-Bergman and Hernandez-Shumpert battles are too close to call but Slaught appears to have the edge over Hernandez.
* MR. SMITH GOES TO VEGAS?: Despite an outstanding spring camp with the Padres, veteran right-hander Pete Smith appears to be headed for a return engagement in Las Vegas. Smith, who led the Stars with 11 wins last season, allowed no runs on three hits in five innings Sunday against the Anaheim Angels and lowered his ERA to 3.27 in four outings this spring.
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