Las Vegas 51s ready to start 30th season; Blue Jays prospects show promise - Winnipeg Free Press

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Nothing lasts very long these days in Las Vegas, a town that has a history of imploding its own history.

So the fact that Sin City's triple-A baseball franchise starts its 30th season on Thursday is quite historic.

"When you start talking about 30 years here, it's definitely a huge achievement," said Las Vegas 51s general manager Chuck Johnson, who has been involved with the organization in some capacity for 17 years. "We've outlasted probably close to 25 professional sports franchises during that time. Arena football leagues, indoor soccer leagues, other leagues of that nature.

"Then when you look at the history of the players, it's incredible. You can look at the Alomar brothers (Roberto and Sandy), Tony Gwynn played a couple of games here, John Kruk played here, a good portion of the players with the Dodgers went through here, and now we can say we furnished Toronto with some players as well."

The 51s — which hold the distinction of being the longest enduring pro franchise in Nevada's history — still play in the same ballpark, Cashman Field, where they started out as a San Diego Padres affiliate in 1983.

While it would probably take some breaks for this year's squad to match that inaugural team — which featured Pacific Coast League MVP and longtime pro Kevin McReynolds, who helped the then-Las Vegas Stars, decked out in their brown, gold and burnt orange uniforms, to a long-held franchise record 83 wins and a run in the playoffs — manager Marty Brown admits to having some "really talented players" in his lineup.

"Up and down our order it's going to be a lot of fun to manage this club," said Brown, whose squad set a franchise record with a .307 team batting average last year while finishing 71-73, good for second place in the PCL's Pacific Conference Southern Division — albeit 17 games behind the Sacramento River Cats (the Oakland A's top affiliate), who they open the season against Thursday in a four-game series.

Added Brown: "I think this is a totally different club then we had last year. We are much more athletic. The talent-base is there, but it's going to be about how they accept the challenge and apply it every day."

The Blue Jays top two prospects, catcher Travis d'Arnaud and outfielder Anthony Gose, will make their triple-A debuts against the River Cats — who have finished in first place in the Southern Division the last five seasons and won the PCL title four times in 2003-04 and 2007-08.

"Obviously he is fast, but his instincts are what really separate him," Brown said of the speedy Gose, who stole 70 bases for double-A New Hampshire last year.

"He's not scared to take a chance, he's willing to push the envelope when it comes to running the bases."

D'Arnaud, whose brother Chase is an infielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, also put up impressive numbers during his time in New Hampshire last season — posting career bests in batting average (.311), hits (132), home runs (21), and RBI (78).

"Things come real easy to Travis and Anthony because they are so talented and athletic," Brown said. "Some times when things come so easy to players, they tend to lose focus. That's part of what myself, and Chad (Mottola, hitting coach) and Bob (Stanley, pitching coach) are in charge of, is helping them to keep their focus on every pitch.

"Once baseball is your job every day, it's about taking each and every pitch and making it mean something special."

Of course, when your job happens to take place in arguably the biggest party city in the world, the questions about focusing on aspects of life outside of baseball are inevitably asked.

"I've been very fortunate that last year we had a great group of guys who were very focused. We didn't have to worry about telling them anything about this city," Brown continued. "They're grown men trying to work as hard as they can to get to the Big Leagues.

"You can get in trouble anywhere you want. You can get in trouble in Cedar Rapids, Iowa if you want. Things are just more readily available here. There's a casino on every corner. But if you take that chance to risk your career, that's a choice they have to make."

Brown insisted keeping tabs on his players' nightlives wouldn't be a problem considering the veteran leadership he has in first baseman David Cooper, who captured the PCL batting title with a .364 average to go with a team best 98 RBI; pitcher Brad Mills, who led the team with 11 victories; and veteran Travis Snider, who split time between Las Vegas and Toronto last season.

"I like Travis Snider's leadership. He's only 24-years-old, but he's been at this level, been at the Big Leagues. He brings a professionalism to the dugout that can be a positive influence on our young guys," Brown said.

While Snider, who recorded 16 RBIs and four home runs during spring training this year, obviously wanted to stay with the Blue Jays, he said the only way to make it back to Toronto is to work out his own "hitting inconsistencies" instead of dwelling "on not making the big club."

During his time in Vegas he said he feels a responsibility to take on a leadership role and help out with the young guys just like guys, like J.P. Arencibia, did for him when he first broke in.

"Watching these guys develop as young men in this game is exciting. I was in their shoes just a few years ago so I can relate to what they are going through and what they are going to be experiencing," Snider said.

"I look forward to developing relationships with players I haven't played with, as well as those guys who I have played with. We have a great group of guys here and a great staff that will do absolutely anything for you, which makes it a pleasure to come to work every day."