Strike Would Leave Triple-A Teams Intact

A major league players’ strike might benefit the Dodgers’ and Angels’ triple-A affiliates, whose postseason rosters would remain intact instead of potentially being ravaged by Sept. 1 call-ups.

The Las Vegas 51s would keep all nine of their players on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster and be at full strength heading into the Pacific Coast League playoffs if the strike--scheduled to begin Friday unless players and owners reach a new collective bargaining agreement--wipes out the rest of the major league season.

“If we end up having our full complement of people, that bodes well for us because we have a hell of a group,” said Las Vegas General Manager Don Logan. “It’s a positive, there’s no question about that.”

While Las Vegas (78-54) has already clinched its first playoff berth since 1996, the Salt Lake Stingers (73-60) are hoping their three-game lead over second-place Omaha in the Central Division holds up over the last 11 regular-season games. The Stingers have eight players on the Angels’ 40-man roster and could lose stars such as slugger Robb Quinlan, who is batting .335 and leads the league with 103 runs batted in, if the strike is averted.

Logan said it is difficult to assess whether his players would prefer a big league call-up or a chance to lead the 51s to the PCL title.

“Everyone’s different,” he said. “They’ve put one of our best seasons together and I think they’d like they’d to see it through. But there’s nothing like Major League Baseball.”

Las Vegas opens its first-round series against Edmonton on Sept. 4 in Las Vegas. The 51s could meet the Stingers in the PCL championship series, which begins Sept. 10. “That,” Logan said, “would be great.”

Dodger System

Two other Dodger affiliates could also qualify for the playoffs. Double-A Jacksonville (33-25) is a half-game ahead of Greenville in the Eastern Division of the Southern League, while the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Dodgers (32-24) are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Marlins in the Eastern Division of the GCL.

* Las Vegas third baseman Phil Hiatt set a franchise record for home runs in a career Tuesday during the 51s’ 6-0 victory over Fresno. Hiatt, who hit a league-leading 44 homers last season, led off the second inning with his 17th homer of 2002, giving him 61 overall. He surpassed Dave Staton, who hit 60 homers in 293 games with Las Vegas from 1991-95.

* Pitcher Joel Hanrahan, who has two no-hitters for Vero Beach, has been promoted to Jacksonville. Hanrahan went 10-6 with a 4.20 earned-run average for Vero Beach with a team-high 139 strikeouts. Hanrahan’s no-hitters were April 21 and July 4.... Las Vegas right-hander Robert Ellis is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his last four starts. In his last three starts, Ellis has not given up an earned run in 21 innings.... Dodger director of player development Bill Bavasi said the team “hasn’t discounted” the possibility of a return to the California League but that it probably won’t happen next season.... Jacksonville plays its last game at 47-year-old Wolfson Park on Sept. 2 against the Orlando Rays. The Suns will move into a new 10,000-seat ballpark next season.

Angel System

While Salt Lake is fighting to make the playoffs, two other Angel affiliates already have clinched berths. The Class-A Cedar Rapids Kernels (36-23) qualified for the Midwest League playoffs for the first time since 1997 by finishing second in the Western Division’s first-half standings. The Kernels, who lead Quad City by one game in the second-half standings, open their first-round, best-of-three playoff series Sept. 3.

The rookie-level Provo Angels of the Pioneer League (10-15), in third place in the second-half standings, also guaranteed themselves a playoff berth by winning a first-half title.

* One reason for Cedar Rapid’s success has been a consistent bullpen. Kernel relievers have a combined ERA of 2.68. They have given up 364 hits in 442 2/3 innings, walking 161 and striking out 440.

Three relievers have ERAs of less than 1.10. Joel Peralta has given up five earned runs in 41 2/3 innings (a 1.08 ERA); Steve Andrade has given up five earned runs in 47 1/3 innings (0.95) and struck out 80; and Jon Rouwenhorst, who also has three starts, has a 1.02 ERA.

Pitcher Joe Saunders, the Angels’ top pick in the recent amateur draft, has continued to impress since his promotion to Cedar Rapids. A starter, he gave up only four hits in seven shutout innings Monday in a 1-0 victory over Beloit. Saunders (3-0, 0.47 ERA) walked a batter and struck out two.

* Cedar Rapids became the fourth Angel affiliate to extend its contract with the parent club, signing a two-year extension. Cedar Rapids, Salt Lake, double-A Arkansas and Provo will remain partnered with the Angels through 2004.

The Angel contract with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga expires after this season. Quake General Manager Pat Filippone has been barred from discussing negotiations since Wednesday, when Mike Moore, president of the National Assn. of Professional Baseball Leagues, sent what Filippone termed “an unusual” letter to minor league officials insisting they refrain from commenting on contract negotiations with major league teams.

Filippone told reporters on Tuesday, the day before the gag order was instituted, that if he decided to file for reaffiliation--a move that would allow him to talk to all clubs, including the Angels--he would do so Sunday.

* Salt Lake outfielder Nathan Haynes’ franchise-record 24-game hitting streak--the fifth-longest in the minors this season--ended Aug. 15. Haynes went 36 for 101 (.356) during the streak, improving his average from .254 to .297.

* Mesa right-hander Daniel Arias, who leads the Arizona League with 14 saves, has walked only three batters and struck out 37 in 26 appearances. Arias is 1-2 with a 1.27 ERA.

California League

Lancaster first baseman Corey Myers is closing in on Brent Gates’ league-record 35-game hitting streak, set with Modesto in 1992. Myers had amassed a 26-game streak heading into a three-game weekend series against Visalia and is batting .422 in August with 15 RBIs in 15 games.