Padre Notebook : Roberts, Pressing for Job, Has First Big Day

Above the first base dugout Sunday afternoon, the crowd began to chant.

“Bip, Bip, hooray; Bip, Bip, hooray,” they said in unison.

On Day Three of the exhibition season, it was Bip Roberts’ first hurrah as a Padre. He hit a bases-loaded triple, singled, scored on a shallow fly ball and played well defensively as the Padres beat the Angels, 5-4.

As Roberts reflected on his first successful Padre performance, his thoughts turned toward the first-base stands.

“The crowd helped me relax more than anything,” Roberts said. “They knew I was pressing. I got a hit, and all hell broke loose.”

Spectators weren’t the only ones excited when Roberts hit a three-run triple to right-center in the third inning.

Third base coach Jack Krol got caught up in the moment and sent Roberts home, only to have him thrown out. Then, several Padres came out of the dugout to pat Roberts on the back.

“It was especially gratifying the way the team responded,” Manager Steve Boros said. “I think he realizes people are pulling for him to do well. And he certainly has a way to get the crowd going. He certainly got a response from them.”

Roberts responded to the crowd--and the situation--again in the fifth inning, scoring from third base on a shallow fly to center by Rusty Tillman.

“When you have his kind of speed, you have to challenge them,” Boros said. “He makes Jack Krol’s job easier.”

Through the first two days of exhibition play, nothing came easily for the 5-foot, 7-inch Roberts. He was 0 for 4 with an error in Friday’s opener and 0 for 3 in a B game Saturday.

However, the pressure has been immense on the rookie second baseman, who is attempting to supply the speed San Diego has lacked since Alan Wiggins was traded to Baltimore.

The Padres drafted Roberts from Pittsburgh during last year’s winter baseball meetings for $25,000. If Roberts does not make the Padre roster, he must be offered back to Pittsburgh for $12,500.

“I’ve been pressing so hard because I want to make this team,” Roberts said. “I don’t want to go back to Pittsburgh. I have nothing against the Pirates. But they have Johnny Ray at second base, and he’s going to play there. I don’t want to get stale and be an old man in the minor leagues.”

Padre Notes Terry Kennedy, slowed by back spasms, played for the first time Sunday. He walked and grounded to second in two at-bats. . . . Goose Gossage pitched the seventh inning, allowing one run on two hits and two walks. He finally escaped the inning when the bases were loaded. . . . Kevin McReynolds did not play because of a contusion in his tail bone, suffered Saturday while sliding into third base. “We don’t think it’s too serious,” Steve Boros said. “Hopefully, he’ll be back in two or three days. . . .” Mark Thurmond will be the starting pitcher when the Padres play Seattle today in Tempe, Ariz.