Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 | 10:03 a.m.
Ron Kantowski is a Las Vegas Sun sports writer. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4088.
Don Logan, president of the Las Vegas 51s, is leaving today for baseball's winter meetings in New Orleans that he says are the most significant in the history of Las Vegas' triple-A professional baseball franchise.
Which, as I teased him, probably means only 18 holes of golf per day instead of the customary 36.
"There are more issues going into this season than we've ever had," Logan said Wednesday just before tossing his Al Hirt 8-track tape and cabana gear into an overnight bag.
For starters, there's the relationship with the 51s' major-league partner. The supposed match made in heaven with the Dodgers is in jeopardy of winding up in divorce court, at least if the guys puffing the fat cigars in L.A. are to be believed.
The irreconcilable differences, in this case, are the lack of amenities at Cashman Field.
Although Cashman has held up well aesthetically, it's about as modern as wool uniforms and choking up with two strikes. The Dodgers say the 51s must commit to a new stadium, or refurbish Cashman with essentials such as a weight room and underground pitching and hitting tunnels, or they'll take their Dodger Dogs somewhere else when the contract with the 51s expires after next season.
That's issue No. 1.
In what is almost becoming a yearly occurrence around here, the 51s also head into the holidays without a field manager. That's issue No. 2.
Based on the other rungs on the Dodgers' minor-league ladder, the 51s also may be heading into the holidays without any prospects. Las Vegas was the only L.A. affiliate that played .500 baseball this season, as Double-A Jacksonville, Single-A Vero Beach and South Georgia and Rookie League Ogden and the Gulf Coast Dodgers all had losing records.
Of course, the lack of talent on the field can easily be offset by another fireworks extravaganza or bobblehead doll giveaway, so perhaps who's on first and what's on second are the least of Logan's worries.
Unfortunately, because the Dodgers also are in a state of flux, there's a good chance none of these issues will be resolved between cocktail hours at the winter meetings.
Although Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt has agreed to purchase the Dodgers from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for $430 million, he's still trying to get his paperwork in order so the other owners can approve the sale. That probably won't happen until mid-January.
Until the transaction is official, the Dodgers probably won't get around to replacing farm system director Bill Bavasi, who last month accepted the Mariners' GM job. Which means the 51s probably won't get a manager until they do.
Two of the more interesting names that have surfaced in connection with the job are those of former Dodgers Steve Yeager and Jay Johnstone. Another former L.A. backstop, Joe Ferguson, is out of the mix, having accepted a job as the Padres' roving catching instructor, which means Ferguson can expect to hear from the IRS when he files his tax form next year. Roving catching instructor? Talk about money for nothing.
When the decisions regarding the between-the-lines personnel are made, Logan only will be on the periphery. It's the ballpark situation where he's the middle man, only at this point he appears to be stuck in the middle.
He has been meeting with government officials in Henderson to discuss the feasibility of building a new ballpark behind the Galleria Mall or at the site of the old spring training proposal, near Sunset and Russell Road.
But before financing for such an ambitious project can be discussed, Logan said there are other obstacles to overcome. Like getting all the decision makers in the same room at the same time, for instance.
"We've been meeting with the real estate people ... but once you get between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's always somebody who needs to be part of the process that has to be somewhere else," Logan said.
"I wouldn't expect we'll have anything specific (about the ballpark) for another two or three months. We've got to know what's feasible and how we can get it done. I think everybody understands we have value and bring something to the town. I also think everybody understands how substandard the facilities are at Cashman Field, and how valuable the relationship with the Dodgers is."
Logan said wheras he hopes the local municipalities and government agencies see a need to nuture that relationship, he doesn't expect them to build the 51s a new ballpark.
"Those days don't exist anymore," he said, fully aware that a portion of the financing -- probably the greater portion -- would have to come from private sources.
Again, it's not something that can be resolved during a 45-minute meeting in a hotel lobby.
But when you add in that Logan's not hitting his irons very well and his short game has gone to pot, there's a lot of be concerned about heading into New Orleans.
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