Cashman to host Cubs, White Sox

The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox set a Cashman Field attendance record in 1993 by attracting 15,025 fans for an exhibition game.

The Windy City rivals will square off in Las Vegas again next year, playing split-squad exhibitions March 4 and 5, the 51s announced Monday.

"The fan interest in baseball in Chicago is probably second only to Boston and New York," 51s president Don Logan said. "Getting (the Cubs and White Sox) is a big bonus for us and for all baseball fans in Southern Nevada."

The Cubs originally were scheduled to play the Seattle Mariners at Cashman Field on April 3 and 4 on the annual Big League Weekend. Instead, Chicago accepted an offer to play the first exhibitions at the new Yankee Stadium on those dates.

"The Yankee Stadium thing is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said last week during baseball's winter meetings at Bellagio. "They're opening their new stadium and (former Yankees player) Lou Piniella is our manager. It's just a perfect fit."

But Hendry said the Cubs were open to taking two trips during spring training, paving the way for four exhibition games in Las Vegas in 2009.

The Colorado Rockies will play the Mariners at Cashman Field on April 3 and 4.

Last year's Big League Weekend attracted 23,201 fans to two sellout games between the Cubs and Mariners. Seattle won the opener 10-2, and the Cubs won the next day, 4-2.

The White Sox, managed by former Las Vegas player Ozzie Guillen, beat the Cubs 9-8 in the record-setting exhibition in 1993.

The World Baseball Classic is scheduled for March 5 to 23, so some players could miss the Cubs-White Sox games here.

Las Vegas, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, will open its 27th minor league season on April 9 at the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. The team's home opener will be April 17 against Colorado Springs and its first home series against the Reno Aces is July 1 to 3.

Toronto manager Cito Gaston said at the winter meetings he would like his team to play an exhibition game in Las Vegas. Logan said that's "absolutely something we want to do and will do" in the future.

Big League Weekend ticket packages are available by calling the 51s' office at 798-7825.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.