MINOR LEAGUE NOTEBOOK : Karros, Kyle Close, Yet So Far to Regular Jobs in Major Leagues

They have withered the odds, paid their dues and prospered beyond reasonable expectations. They are on the verge. And they must wait.

Despite having outstanding seasons at the triple-A level, Eric Karros and Kyle Abbott probably will remain in the minors until their seasons end in September.

Karros, a first baseman with the Dodgers’ Albuquerque Dukes, has Eddie Murray in front of him in Los Angeles.

Abbott, a left-handed starter for the Angels’ Edmonton Trappers, has lefties Mark Langston, Chuck Finley and Jim Abbott in front of him in Anaheim.

Karros, a 1985 graduate of Patrick Henry High, led all minor leaguers in hits (173) and doubles (45) and was second in average (.352) last year at double-A San Antonio. He started slower this season, but is up to .315, leads the Pacific Coast League in runs batted in with 69 and is tied for fifth in home runs with 14.

Abbott, who played at UC San Diego for two seasons before transferring to Cal State Long Beach, is tied for second in the PCL in victories (nine), tied for third in strikeouts (78) and is sixth in earned-run average (3.60). On July 4, Abbott took a perfect game into the seventh inning and a no-hitter two outs into the eighth. He finished with a two-hit shutout.

“Admittedly,” Karros said, “it’s been frustrating seeing other guys in other organizations move up. But I understand (the Dodgers’) situation.

“I’m not the only one in this situation here. They’ve got a lot of decisions to make this winter. By having a good year down here, I’m trying to make their decision a little tougher. That’s all I can do. I can’t control anything else.”

Abbott feels similarly but added, “(The Angels) told me when they bring me up, they want me to stay. They don’t want me going up and down like so many other guys.”

Karros and Abbott are both 23, but neither was a can’t-miss prospect out of high school. In fact, neither was offered a college scholarship.

Karros, a walk-on at UCLA, was an All-American by his junior year.

Abbott was an All-American water polo player his senior year at Mission Viejo High and originally planned to play water polo and study pre-medicine at UCSD. He changed his mind, however, and was the Tritons’ rookie of the year in baseball his freshman season and most valuable player his sophomore season.

He then transferred to Long Beach, where he went 15-3 with a 2.73 ERA and help lead the 49ers to the College World Series in 1989.

Despite being five months younger than Jim Abbott, Kyle is frequently asked if the two are brothers. They are not, but said Kyle, “He does look a lot like my real brother.”

Walking Man: Former San Diego State infielder Brian Grebeck walked five times in five plate appearances on July 5 for the Angels’ single-A team at Quad City (Iowa) and now has 66 walks in 75 games. He also has a .432 on-base percentage, a .271 batting average and 46 RBIs.

Last year, in his first season of professional baseball, Grebeck, 5-feet-7, had 64 walks in 58 games. Earlier that year at SDSU, Grebeck led the Aztecs with 59 bases on balls.

New Life: Mark McLemore, released by the Angels in August, the Cleveland Indians in December and the Houston Astros earlier this month, was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles and assigned to triple-A Rochester, N.Y., where he hit .345 (10 for 29) in his first seven games.

With this latest move, the injury-plagued McLemore is now hoping to join former Morse High teammate Sam Horn in Baltimore.

Bucking for the Big Time . . . Again: Cecil Espy, a No. 1 draft choice out of Point Loma High in 1980 by the Chicago White Sox, had his third four-hit game of the season earlier this month and has raised his average to .284 with 32 RBIs and 18 stolen bases for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y.

This is Espy’s third stint in the Pittsburgh chain after spending three years in the big leagues with the Texas Rangers.

Catcher on a Roll: For the second consecutive week, Hilltop High graduate Todd Pratt has been named the International League batter of the week.

Two weeks ago, Pratt was 10 for 20 with a home run and seven RBIs for Boston’s Pawtucket (R.I.) affiliate. Last week, he was 11 for 22 with two homers (both in the same game) and eight RBIs.

Can he make it three in a row? Pratt was two for four on both Sunday and Monday.

Pratt, who was hitting .242 on June 13, is now at .331 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs.

Also for Pawtucket, outfielder Phil Plantier (Poway High) is hitting .347 with four homers and 12 RBIs in his 15 games since returning from the big leagues. Last Wednesday, Plantier went one for two with an RBI in the Triple-A All-Star Game at Louisville, Ky.

Rolls on a Roll: David Rolls, second on the all-time home run and RBI lists at the University of San Diego, is hitting .354 with three home runs and 22 RBIs in 24 games for Salt Lake City, an independent team in the rookie Pioneer League.

Tatum Update: Shortstop Jim Tatum (Santana High) became the first minor league player to reach 100 RBIs this season. He reached the milestone in his 83rd game for double-A El Paso (Milwaukee Brewers) and now has 103 in 85 games to go with a .345 average and 15 home runs.

Promoted: Relief pitcher Wally Trice (U.S. International) was promoted to Jackson, Miss., the New York Mets’ double-A farm team, after going 4-2 with a league-leading 18 saves and a 1.14 ERA in Class A.