For 51s’ Howard, dream is close — and far away

The happiest realization for a Triple-A ballplayer: The major leagues are a step away.

The saddest realization for a Triple-A ballplayer: So is Double A.

Such is the life of new 51s second baseman Kevin Howard. He can see his dream, and he can reach out and touch it with the tips of his fingers.

But he's ready to watch it blow away, fading, evaporating.

"It's the very start of my dream," Howard said before going 1-for-4 in the 51s' 12-5 loss to Salt Lake on Friday at Cashman Field. "But this game is so unpredictable, you don't ever know where you're going to play tomorrow, almost."

He's well aware that he has a realistic chance to trade Cashman Field for Dodger Stadium, the Las Vegas Valley for Chavez Ravine, 51s Blue for, well, Dodger Blue. For now, though, he's just happy to be west of the Mississippi River.

Howard has spent all five of his minor league seasons far from his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. A fifth-round draft pick in 2002 by the Cincinnati Reds after a memorable career at the University of Miami -- a stint that included a national championship and a selection as Baseball America's Freshman of the Year in 2000 -- Howard bounced throughout the Northeast, from Ohio (Dayton) to Virginia (Potomac) to New Jersey (Lakewood).

After all that travel and snow and those long-distance calls home to his mother, Pat (who came to Las Vegas for her son's first weekend with the 51s), Howard truly appreciates his chance with the Dodgers organization.

"I played with an organization, the Yankees, where most of the guys couldn't even really see themselves moving up," Howard said. "It almost feels like you're playing for nothing sometimes. When you're in a situation like this -- where you know if you play well, they want young guys to move up -- it makes it a little more exciting to play."

While he's glad he might have the chance to move up, Howard conceded that he still has much to improve on.

He needs to develop more consistency, to stay even from one day to the next.

At the same time, he knows he's not far from his dream.

"I'm definitely in a situation I couldn't even imagine a year ago," Howard said. "I've never even played west of Ohio in my entire minor league career. This is the best situation I've been in. Finally getting to Triple A, and being closer to home -- I couldn't be happier.

"But you never want to get too excited about anything because you don't know how realistic it is. You have to perform, first, and realize the dream, second. If you do it the other way around, you're going to end up disappointed."

And, apparently, he knows he's not too close to his dream.

Contact reporter Jon Gold at jgold@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.