For Shortstop Elster, It’s Been a Long Haul

He was released by six teams from 1992-95, sat out the equivalent of two seasons, and his career appeared to be over because of a 1992 shoulder injury, but if it’s a sob story you’re after, Texas shortstop Kevin Elster won’t provide it.

“Believe me, it wasn’t any hard-luck story,” said Elster, the former Marina High School and Golden West College standout whose Rangers play the New York Yankees tonight in Game 3 of the American League division series. “I was happy to be out of this business.”

When he wasn’t toiling in minor league outposts such as Albany, Omaha and Scranton, Elster, a New York Met from 1986-92, was playing a major role in the 1994 feature film “Little Big League,” helping his brother, Patrick, run the Long Beach Riptide, or “just hanging out” in Orange County.

But when his shoulder felt strong enough last winter for another comeback, Elster, 31, began job-hunting. The Rangers offered him a chance to compete for a utility spot, but when starter Benji Gil went down with a back injury in spring training, Elster opened the season as the starting shortstop.

He got off to such a hot start that when Gil returned, Elster remained, and despite a September slump, finished with a .252 average, 24 home runs, 32 doubles and a career-high 99 RBIs.

Elster, a shoo-in for comeback player of the year, has also been the anchor of baseball’s best defense, making only 14 errors in 157 games.

“I don’t even know how to describe his year,” Texas Manager Johnny Oates said. “I’ve been asked several times what the biggest surprise on the team is. I just say, ‘You mean, what’s the second-biggest surprise?’ There’s no question Elster is the biggest.”

Elster wasn’t that surprised, though.

“It wasn’t hard to find my swing again,” he said. “I’m young and healthy, stronger and smarter, that’s all.”

*

Yankee Manager Joe Torre must have thought he was dreaming. After flying most of Wednesday night from New York to Texas, he went to breakfast near the Ballpark in Arlington and there in the restaurant was his worst nightmare, Ranger right fielder Juan Gonzalez.

“I was either going to have him pick up my check or poison his food,” Torre said of Gonzalez, who has three homers and seven RBIs in two series games. “I’d like to send him to Hawaii [this] morning. You think he’d go for that?”

*

Ranger center fielder Darryl Hamilton was asked what he thought Ranger fans should do tonight at the first playoff game in Texas’ franchise history.

“Bring batteries,” he cracked, alluding to Yankee Stadium fans who pelted Gonzalez with debris in Game 1. “Hey, that’s a joke.”

*

Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neill, slowed by a hamstring problem, is one for nine in the series, but Torre said O’Neill will start anyway against Ranger left-hander Darren Oliver tonight.

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Series at a Glance

* GAME 1--Texas 6, New York 2

* GAME 2--New York 5, Texas 4 (12)

* TODAY--New York (Jimmy Key 12-11) at Texas (Darren Oliver 14-6), 5 p.m., Channel 4

* SATURDAY--New York (Kenny Rogers 12-8) at Texas (Bobby Witt 16-12), 10 a.m., ESPN.

* SUNDAY--(If necessary) New York at Texas, 1 p.m., ESPN