Whitson Relaxed Now That He’s Padre Again

A relaxed Ed Whitson woke up early Thursday morning, looked out at the San Diego sunshine and pinched himself.

“It was like I had a shot that went mainline into my system,” said the 31-year-old right-hander, who could barely believe he had been traded back to the Padres Wednesday. “This is a dream come true.”

Whitson was smiling. He wasn’t afraid and tense.

“I left all my guns in New York,” he said.

Whitson was elated to be back in San Diego. Back in time to go catch some catfish at Lake Poway.

“I’m from the country,” Whitson said. “I like to hunt and fish. I was like a fish out of water in New York.

“New York has some great fans, but it’s the fair-weather ones who come out once in a while who really get to you.”

They sure got to Whitson. The more the Yankees’ $4.5-million free agent (for five years) struggled, the worse the boos became.

It got so bad that when the Yankees received standing ovations on opening day at Yankee Stadium this year, Whitson was the only one who was booed.

Fans threatened Whitson. They put tacks under his car tires. The one time that Whitson’s wife, Kathleen, and 4-year-old daughter, Jennifer, went to a game at Yankee Stadium, they saw a woman shot with a handgun.

It got so bad that Whitson would send his family back to their home in Columbus, Ohio, before a Yankee road trip.

“There is no way I would leave them there (home in New Jersey) alone,” Whitson said.

“I wasn’t able to concentrate on playing baseball. Everything got out of control. There were always mind games. Mentally, I felt tired all the time. I didn’t sleep real well.”

On Wednesday night, Whitson slept like a baby.

After pinching himself, Whitson darted out of his hotel room in Mission Valley. He headed straight to the clubhouse he has dreamed about being in since he became a free agent and left the Padres after the 1984 season.

When Whitson arrived at the clubhouse at 9:30, it was still pretty quiet.

Then, one by one, his teammates welcomed him back to the fold.

Padre President Ballard Smith patted Whitson on the shoulder and said: “It’s good to have you back.”

Smith and Whitson went off to the side to chat for a minute.

After talking to Whitson, Smith said: “The mistake that I made is that we should have signed him (Whitson) after the 1984 season. I was busy trying to sign (Rick) Sutcliffe and I sent the wrong message to Eddie.

“He (Whitson) wanted to stay and would have signed if it hadn’t been for the Sutcliffe situation.”

Whitson, coming off a 14-8 season with a championship team and a victory against the Cubs in the playoffs, was offered about $3 million for four years by the Padres.

He said he was worth more money. And believed that he could get it.

“I still don’t think it was a mistake because this is a business,” Whitson said. “But I hate that we couldn’t work it out in ’84. We both made a mistake and paid dearly for it.”

Smith agreed.

“I went into the 1985 season thinking we were better off than we were in ‘84,” Smith said. “What we learned was how important chemistry is. Scouts would probably say that Tim Stoddard has better stuff than Ed Whitson, but the variable is the competitiveness. That variable is not that easy to replace. Attitude and chemistry are a big part of this game.”

Said second baseman Tim Flannery: “Ed was as big a leader as anyone else in 1984. He was a stopper for us. It was a loss when we didn’t have him. And I’m glad we got him back.”

In the locker room before Thursday’s game, Whitson--who now is both wealthy and happy--presented Smith with two big victory cigars to give to Trader Jack McKeon.

He’s the general manager who pulled off the trade that sent Stoddard to the Yankees and brought Whitson back to the Padres.

And out of the Bronx Zoo.

“I couldn’t wait to get out of there (New York City),” Whitson said. “I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

At 12:30 Wednesday morning, Whitson--on a road trip with the Yankees in Arlington, Tex.--received a call from his agent saying he might be headed back to the Padres.

Thirty minutes later, Whitson was packed and ready to catch the first flight to San Diego.

Then he got the call that actually had him making airline reservations.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Whitson said. “I thought someone had tricked me. Then I recognized Jack McKeon’s and Ballard Smith’s voices on the phone.”

Whitson arrived in San Diego at 5 Wednesday afternoon.

“I was pleasantly surprised that we got him,” said catcher Terry Kennedy. “Whit is a good guy who works hard. And he gives 100% all the time, whether he has anything or not.”

Kennedy was swimming in a neighbor’s pool Wednesday afternoon when suddenly someone yelled out: “Did you hear about the trade?”

Said Kennedy: “I thought it was me (who was traded).”

Kennedy was telling the story just moments after catching Whitson in the bullpen Thursday morning. And yes, there was quite a media turnout to see Whitson toss a few palmballs down the left-field line.

“I was so excited that it only took three pitches to get loose,” Whitson said.

Whitson, banished to the Yankee bullpen for most of the season, is 5-2 with a 7.54 earned-run average. He is scheduled to make his first start for the Padres Saturday night against the Cardinals.

Yankee fans will recognize Whitson because he is still wearing pinstripes. Padre fans will have to adjust to Whitson wearing No. 32. His old number, 31, has been taken by LaMarr Hoyt.

No problem.

Nothing was bothering Whitson on Thursday. Not even being needled by Goose Gossage about the beer ban in the Padre clubhouse.

“That’s OK,” Whitson said. “You didn’t get beer in high school. As far as I’m concerned, I’m back in high school. I’m starting to get that positive attitude again.”