Carter awaits next call from A’s

Chris Carter flashed back to the days of his youth when his plane landed in Las Vegas on Saturday morning.

With his first breath of hot valley air, the Sierra Vista High School product instantly was reminded that his hometown is a unique place to play baseball.

"It's hot," the Sacramento River Cats first baseman/designated hitter said prior to a 7-2 loss to the 51s on Saturday night at Cashman Field. "I'm not used to it anymore because I've been away for the last seven summers. It was 80 degrees yesterday in Sacramento."

Carter, 25, was drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and has played for the River Cats since 2007, when the Oakland Athletics organization acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has been a mainstay for the River Cats ever since.

Carter began the season with a .283 career minor league batting average, along with 170 home runs, 190 doubles and 586 RBIs. After hitting .274 with 18 homers last season, he's batting .277 with 11 homers and 51s RBIs this season. He went 0-for-4 as the DH on Saturday.

Carter has helped Sacramento (47-29) to the Pacific Coast League Pacific Southern Division lead, a half-game ahead of Fresno and 3½ up on third-place Las Vegas.

"Things are going good," Carter said.

Carter has played a vital role in the River Cats' perennial success, topping 20 home runs and 75 RBIs in each of his past five seasons. That success has him longing for a return to the major leagues, where he spent parts of the 2010 and 2011 seasons with the A's. Though he remains a top prospect, Carter has struggled in the majors, batting .167 (19-for-114) in 39 games.

"Things started out kind of rough," said Carter, who went hitless in his first 33 major league at-bats. "But after that, I did well until the season ended. I've been kind of up and down ever since."

After his shaky start in 2010, Carter recovered to prove he could hit major league pitching, batting .342 in his final 38 at-bats. But last season's stint in the majors was another rough one, as he batted .136 in 44 at-bats.

"It's different at that level," said Carter, conceding the superiority of big league pitchers. "Guys just come after you. I felt like they were attacking me."

Carter said he faced his share of surreal moments with the A's. He said he never will forget his first at-bat against Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander on Sept. 18 last season.

"There I was," he said, "facing a guy I had played in video games."

Carter went 0-for-3 as Verlander allowed the A's three hits in eight innings en route to his 24th victory.

Carter said experiences such as that have provided valuable lessons, and he thinks the A's will call him up again.

"I've just got to be consistent," he said. "The biggest thing is staying within yourself and sticking to your approach."

Carter viewed Saturday's game as another chance to make his point. No place better to do it, he said, than in a ballpark located a few miles from his childhood home.

"I've had everybody calling me," said Carter, who still lives in Las Vegas. "I should have a few people here this weekend."

The homecoming, he said, served as a reminder that he forever will remain thankful for the opportunity to grow up and play baseball in Las Vegas.

"You can play year round here," he said. "The weather is always nice. There are a lot of local guys getting drafted now. You're seeing it more and more. And, of course, you've got that Bryce Harper guy."