Return to majors top goal for Lane

After tearing it up in spring training for the Toronto Blue Jays, former Houston Astros outfielder Jason Lane thought he had punched his ticket back to the big leagues.

But despite batting .358 with a team-high five home runs and 12 RBIs, Lane was sent back to the minors.

"I felt like I did everything I could do, and it just didn't work out," said Lane, who went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs Friday night to help lead Las Vegas to a 12-3 romp over the Fresno Grizzlies at Cashman Field. "In the end, there wasn't really a spot there for me.

"It's always frustrating, especially having played in the big leagues before and trying to get back up there."

The 32-year-old Lane, a sixth-round draft pick of the Astros in 1999, enjoyed a rapid rise through the minors on his initial ascent to the big leagues. He batted better than .300 with 61 homers and 228 RBIs in his first two full seasons before making the majors in his third full season.

He split time between Houston and Triple-A New Orleans in 2002 and 2003, then spent all of 2004 with the Astros, hitting .272 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 107 games.

Lane had a breakthrough season in 2005, starting in right field and hitting .267 with 26 homers and 78 RBIs in 145 games to help lead the Astros to their first World Series in franchise history, where they were swept by the Chicago White Sox.

Lane, who homered in the World Series, seemingly had arrived. But that season has turned out to be the peak of his 11-year career.

"Really, that's the only year I got to play every day and go out there and make adjustments," Lane said. "In a way, it's a little bit frustrating, but at the same time, that's the way the game is.

"You've got to earn your opportunities, and when you get them, you've got to take full advantage of them."

In 2006, Lane's numbers dipped to .201 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 112 games.

"I was kind of the odd guy out ... and from that point on, I really just platooned or pinch hit the rest of the time," he said. "It's pretty tough to get back into the groove at that level when you're playing once a week.

"When I got off to a slow start in 2006, that cost me my chance to play every day. Since then, I've been trying to battle back and find another opportunity."

The 2007 season was Lane's last in Houston and the majors. After hitting .178 in 68 games, he was traded late in the year to the San Diego Padres, who didn't retain him.

Lane spent most of last season in the New York Yankees organization but opted out of his deal after they traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Xavier Nady.

This season, Lane is off to a slow start, batting .259 with six RBIs for the 51s (5-10). But he remains confident that, if given the chance, he can repeat his prior production in the majors.

"I still feel like I'm the same player," he said. "Given regular at-bats, I can certainly put up the numbers I put up in 2005 and maybe better those."

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