Tour of the CAL / A team-by-team look at the California League:

Modesto A’s

Club established: 1975, when the A’s replaced a St. Louis affiliate.

Affiliation: The Oakland Athletics’ Class-A team.

Ownership: Chris Chen of Chicago. His family owns several sports teams, including the Lancaster JetHawks also of the California League and the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League.

Manager: Juan Navarrete took over this season after managing Scottsdale, the Athletics’ Arizona Rookie League club, for three seasons. In his first season in Scottsdale, Navarrete led his team to a 37-19 record and was named the league’s manager of the year. Last season, his team went 29-27. Navarrete spent most of his playing career in the Mexican League. He also spent six years (1972-77) in the Montreal Expos organization. Before joining the A’s organization, Navarrete managed the Tabasco Olemecas of the Mexican League from 1991 to 1994.

Top current prospects: Center fielder Nathan Haynes, who was drafted in the first round in 1997, had 30 stolen bases heading into last weekend. He’s batting .243. Right-hander Kevin Gregg, who was 6-5 last season with a 2.55 earned-run average, is 7-5 with a 3.54 ERA through July 23.

Most famous alumni: Mark McGwire spent two seasons, 1984-85, with Modesto. Reggie Jackson, Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Joe Rudi and Tony LaRussa also spent parts of their early baseball careers in Modesto. More recently, current Oakland standouts Ben Grieve, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada and A.J. Hinch were in Modesto.

Home stadium: John Thurman Field, which was called Del Webb Field when it opened in 1946, was remodeled before the 1997 season. The $3.9-million renovation included improved seating for 4,000 fans, two picnic areas and new dugouts.

Modesto baseball history: The city has had a minor league team since 1946, and over the years has been affiliated with several major league organizations. In 1993, the A’s lost to High Desert in the California League championship series. Last season, the A’s set a team attendance record, drawing 128,503. That mark was set in only 55 dates because of the stadium remodeling project. The A’s finished 74-67 last season, tying for second place in the Valley Division in the second half.

Modesto is famous for: Being in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, salad bowl to the nation.

Web site: www.athletics.fanlink.com