OT: Las Vegas Stars, 51’s, and Aviators

[Doneoett]

This is a good list but one name is definitely missing and also who I believe is #1.

For 40 years, baseball fans in Las Vegas have gotten a first-hand look at some of the top MLB prospects making their way through the minor leagues.

Through three team names — Stars (1983-2000), 51s (2001-18) and Aviators (2019-present) — and five MLB affiliates — Padres (1983-2000), Dodgers (2001-08), Blue Jays (2009-12), Mets (2013-18) and Athletics (2019-present) — handfuls of major league players have made their way through Las Vegas.

Here is the Review-Journal’s list of the five best MLB players who played Triple-A baseball in Las Vegas:

5. Sandy Alomar Jr., C (1988-89)

In his two years with the then-Las Vegas Stars, Alomar Jr. was named the Pacific Coast League MVP in 1988 and 1989. With all-star catcher Benito Santiago starting at the time for the Padres, Alomar Jr. was traded to the Cleveland Indians that offseason where he became their everyday catcher.

Alomar Jr. became the first rookie to start an All-Star game in 1990. He won Rookie of the Year and his lone Golden Glove award that season. He was an all-star six times and played with seven clubs in his 20-year MLB career.

He finished as a .273 hitter with 112 home runs and 588 RBIs as he battled through various injury problems throughout his career.

4. Matt Kemp, OF (2006-07)

Kemp originally bypassed Las Vegas as he was promoted from Double-A to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006. After some struggles, he was sent down to Las Vegas where he hit .368 with 36 RBIs in 44 games.

He spent more time in Las Vegas early in 2007 as he recovered from a shoulder injury and was back with the Dodgers in June. Kemp was a three-time All-Star with the Dodgers and won Golden Glove and Silver Slugger awards in 2009 and 2011.

Kemp led the National League in home runs (39) and RBIs (126) in 2011 but finished second in MVP voting to Ryan Braun. Kemp played with five clubs in his 15-year career and hit .284 with 287 home runs and 1,031 RBIs.

3. Derrek Lee, 1B (1997)

Lee, the No. 14 overall selection by the Padres in the 1993 draft, made the most of his season in Las Vegas, hitting .324 with 13 home runs and 64 RBIs in 125 games before he was called up to San Diego.

He was traded to the Florida Marlins that offseason. He helped them win the World Series in 2003 and also won the first of three career Golden Glove awards that season.

Lee was the National League batting champion and Silver Slugger award winner in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs when he hit .335 with 46 home runs and 107 RBIs. Lee played with six clubs in his 15-year career and finished as a .281 hitter with 331 home runs and 1,078 RBIs.

2. Jacob deGrom, P (2013-14)

The 6-foot, 4-inch right-hander was part of a talented group of young pitchers in the Mets organization when Las Vegas became their Triple-A affiliate. deGrom’s 4-0 record and 2.58 ERA to start the 2014 season prompted his promotion to New York that season.

With the Mets, deGrom won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019 and was a four-time all-star. The 35-year-old has a career 2.53 ERA with an 84–57 record and 1,652 strikeouts.

He signed a five-year, $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers this past offseason, but after six starts the Rangers announced deGrom would need Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season.

1. Roberto Alomar, 2B (1988)

Alomar’s time in Las Vegas was brief — just nine games — before the Padres called him up early in the 1988 season as he began his Hall of Fame career. He played with eight clubs in 16 seasons and was a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner and four-time Silver Slugger award winner.

He’s best known for his years in Toronto, where he hit .300 or better in four of his five seasons north of the border and helped the Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.

He was the 1992 ALCS MVP and his No. 12 is retired by the Blue Jays. Alomar was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. He finished his career as a .300 hitter with 2,724 hits, 210 home runs and 1,134 RBIs.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.

More Aviators: Follow at reviewjournal.com/aviators.
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[Doneoett]

Tony Gwynn should be #1 but he somehow was overlooked.

 

[RebelScrub]

My first job ever was handing out stuff to the first 500 fans at the old Cashman field.

I got paid My best friend’s dad worked security and he was able to get me and my friend a job as a 15 year old.Good times.

 

[MonsterJam]

Ive got the team set of baseball cards for the Stars from 1988 or 1989.

 

[j. spilotro]

Tony Gwynn should be #1 but he somehow was overlooked.

Figured McReynolds to be up there too.

 

[RebelScrub]

Btw, the 51’s was the best mascot ever from that team.

The aviators? Utter abomination. The Spruce Goose guy is long dead. No need to honor him by naming a team after him. But Howard Hughes was the Elon Musk of his time.

 

[bcvegaspt]

Working with MLB players, or any professional athlete for that matter, is just different. We had a turf and cage area in one of the clinics I worked at, when I was in outpatient, so I worked with some. Watching them hit from a t or throw off a makeshift mound was fun to watch. Also, it was fun to watch my friend try to catch the pitches with the only glove we had at the time - an outfielder's glove. I knew his hand was on fire!

 

[rebswin2]

Tony Gwynn should be #1 but he somehow was overlooked.

Gwynn only played 17 games in LV on a rehab assignment in ‘83, I think the point was players who came up through LV on their way to the bigs.

 

[dcut03]

My biggest regret.

I remember going to a Stars game as a kid. They had a poorly put together wooden shack shack outside Cashman Field for players to sign autographs. I was a snotty kid who didn't want to get a signature ( the line was only like 5 people) for some nobody who was only in the minor leagues that i didn't ever see on TV.

Of course that was HOF'er Roberto Alomar SMH.

I think it was my mom who was with me and asked me twice if I wanted to do it, I said no like an idiot!!

 

[j. spilotro]

My biggest regret.

I remember going to a Stars game as a kid. They had a poorly put together wooden shack shack outside Cashman Field for players to sign autographs. I was a snotty kid who didn't want to get a signature ( the line was only like 5 people) for some nobody who was only in the minor leagues that i didn't ever see on TV.

Of course that was HOF'er Roberto Alomar SMH.

I think it was my mom who was with me and asked me twice if I wanted to do it, I said no like an idiot!!

It can get you even when you are older.

I used to routinely head to Anaheim to watch the Yankees series.

In one particular game, I think there may have been a late scratch and a first time player was starting pitcher. He got shelled. Just ripped apart, lasted maybe 3 innings. I’m screaming like a typical NYY fan from the Bronx, get rid of the bum, send him to single A, this skinny pipe cleaner isn’t ever going to make it, blah, blah, blah. I was steamed as hell and it had my gf rolling with what I was yelling.

It was Mariano Rivera in his first MLB game.

 

[dcut03]

Working with MLB players, or any professional athlete for that matter, is just different. We had a turf and cage area in one of the clinics I worked at, when I was in outpatient, so I worked with some. Watching them hit from a t or throw off a makeshift mound was fun to watch. Also, it was fun to watch my friend try to catch the pitches with the only glove we had at the time - an outfielder's glove. I knew his hand was on fire!

We had a clinic that saw a very famous major league pitcher. No one would catch him, except for 1 therapist who was a college catcher. They ended up building a very padded back stop to let him throw!

At our clinic we have a canopy that very nicely catches balls for us. It is very nice for me, since there is no way in hell I am going to try to catch our professional pitchers! Hell even the college and HS guys. F that noise!

 

[bcvegaspt]

We had a clinic that saw a very famous major league pitcher. No one would catch him, except for 1 therapist who was a college catcher. They ended up building a very padded back stop to let him throw!

At our clinic we have a canopy that very nicely catches balls for us. It is very nice for me, since there is no way in hell I am going to try to catch our professional pitchers! Hell even the college and HS guys. F that noise!

He never played baseball and had no idea how much pop they get on their pitches. It was the only time he agreed to catch for a pitcher of ours.

@j. spilotro I can't say too much but that HOF'er, anatomically, shouldn't have been able to do what he did for one inning, let alone an entire career.