Dodger loss is Stars' gain

Mike Devereaux knew full well what his role was supposed to be with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.

"They told me they wanted a right-handed hitter off the bench and a veteran player," the 35-year-old Devereaux said. "That was me. ... but then I guess it wasn't."

On April 24, despite the fact the 12-year major league veteran from Arizona State was batting a solid .308 off the bench, Devereaux was surprisingly designated for assignment by the Dodgers.

It was one of only a series of strange and puzzling moves made by a Dodger organization once regarded as the standard for professional sports. But that was before the folks who brought you Homer Simpson took over.

Devereaux, who just three years earlier was named the National League Championship Series MVP while leading the Atlanta Braves to the World Series, had two options: report to the Dodgers' triple-A team in Albuquerque or declare himself a free agent. He picked the latter.

"I really didn't see a future in that organization," Devereaux said. "Hopefully I'll have a future in this one."

The former Wyoming state high school record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 meters as well as the long jump signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres on June 7 and was activated by the Stars on June 15. He's hopeful a strong showing in Las Vegas can translate into a role in the Padres' drive for the NL West pennant later this summer.

"The Padres seemed to have some interest in me," Devereaux said. "They seemed to think that I could eventually help the big club."

Before the amazing transformation of Ruben Rivera from triple-A flop (.144 average at Las Vegas) to, brace yourselves Stars fans, the "next Dave Winfield," San Diego was desperately looking for outfield help.

Should Rivera eventually come back to Earth with the Padres, a veteran outfielder with Devereaux's credentials certainly wouldn't hurt San Diego's pennant hopes in August and September.

"My definite goal is to be in the big leagues," Devereaux, who finished seventh in American League MVP voting in 1992 while at Baltimore, said. "I'm going to work very hard to get there. And once I'm there, the goal is to get to the World Series."

So just how good a shot does Devereaux have of being called up by the Padres this year?

"Anybody who has the experience that he has, playing for a team that is in contention like (the Padres), you better believe he has a chance," said Las Vegas manager Jerry Royster. "And he's playing good."

Royster made that last statement before Devereaux hit an eighth-inning home run over the right field fence in Monday night's 6-4 victory over Omaha at Cashman Field. It was the first home run since spring training in 1997 for Devereaux, who has 104 career major league homers.

"The bottom line for me is to just play well," Devereaux said. "If I do that, hopefully everything else will take care of itself."

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