Padres Still Trying to Make a Deal

The Padres, the only National League Western Division team yet to make a trade in the baseball meetings this week, are still working on finding a speedy leadoff hitter. But should they fail in that quest, sources say they will pursue Philadelphia outfielder Jeff Stone.

Because the Phillies have acquired outfielders Milt Thompson from Atlanta and Gary Redus from Cincinnati in the past two days, Stone may be expendable.

“He (Stone) is available,” Phillie president Bill Giles said Wednesday.

Padre General Manager Jack McKeon apparently has been interested in Stone for some time. And the Phillies, after trading right-hander John Denny on Wednesday, may be after a starting pitcher, especially with 41-year-old Steve Carlton coming off of rotator cuff problems.

Phillie Manager John Felske said: “If we can get a good 13-, 14-, 15-game winner before spring training, we’d do it.”

One posibility is left-hander Mark Thurmond, who won 14 games in 1984, but only seven in ’85. Another may be left-handed reliever Craig Lefferts, whose name has come up often this week.

The Padres reportedly were negotiating with two teams late Wednesday in an effort to make a three-way deal that would bring them the leadoff hitter they are after. McKeon would not comment.