Padre Notebook : First Day on Job: Bowa, Players Are Sweating the Details

Tee time is now 2:30 p.m.

It used to be about 1 p.m., when Steve Boros and Dick Williams were managing the Padres, but new Manager Larry Bowa is paying a lot more attention to detail. In his first day on the job, he kept pitchers and catchers on the practice field until 2 p.m.

Some highlights:

- At the beginning of the 9 a.m. workout, he closed the clubhouse and gave a 30-minute speech.

-At 10:50 a.m., he had all the players go inside and change shirts.

“They’re gonna sweat a lot,” he said.

- He lectured the pitchers on bunting.

“If I know it’s impossible to get a bunt out of you, you’re out of there,” Bowa told them. “It might take a win out of your mouth or a save out of your mouth, but that’s how it’s gonna be.”

Then one of Bowa’s coaches, Greg Riddoch, told the pitchers: “Even if you’ve got a no-hitter in the eighth and there’s a runner on first base . . . if you can’t bunt, he’ll take you out.”

First baseman/left fielder John Kruk has a slightly separated right shoulder and won’t be able to take batting practice for two weeks.

He injured the shoulder while playing winter ball in Mexico in December when he landed on it diving for a ball. He thought it was just jammed, but learned it was slightly separated when he took his physical Sunday.

“I thought it was all better (after winter ball), so I went home and started lifting weights,” Kruk said. “It was sore, but I thought that was from the lifting. I think they (the doctors) are more concerned about it than I am. But I’ll be the best defensive outfielder in the league, because I’ve got two weeks to do nothing but catch fly balls.

“Listen, I know I could go out and play racquetball right now if I wanted. But they (the doctors) say if I don’t take care of it now, it’ll be nagging me all year.”

Add Kruk: He was asked what he’d do if the Padres signed Tim Raines to play left field.

“If we get Tim Raines, I don’t know where I’d play,” he said. “Maybe they’d make me a pitcher, but I hope not, because I can’t pitch.”

Third baseman Kevin Mitchell’s physical was postponed from Sunday to Monday after he had a minor bicycle accident in San Diego. He was riding down a street when a driver made a U-turn, didn’t see him and knocked him over. He was not hurt.

Non-pitchers and non-catchers who reported early: Martinez, Kruk, right fielder Tony Gwynn, infielder Ed Rodriguez, infielder Joey Cora and outfielder Shane Mack.

Gwynn, who finished third (.329) in last year’s batting race, was out hitting against the pitching machine as early as Sunday night.

“I couldn’t help myself,” he said. “I got out there and saw how good the machine was throwing.”

Speaking of Gwynn, Bowa has said recently that in three years he envisions an outfield of Mack, Stan Jefferson and Shawn Abner--with Gwynn playing first base.

“I played first in Little League,” Gwynn said. “I can scoop it out of the dirt. But I’m a gamer. If I have to play shortstop, I’ll go out and try it.”

Gwynn also says that some people might have misunderstood why he called Padre President Ballard Smith and asked him to sign Raines.

“People think I did it so I can hit behind him,” Gwynn said. “I want to win. I don’t care about hitting behind him, so I can bat .550. I want to win. Listen, I don’t want to be sitting around in October. . . . If we can get him, you better watch out.”

Prank of the day: Riddoch, a rookie coach, came back from practice and couldn’t find his street clothes. He doesn’t think they disappeared into thin air. At last report, he still hadn’t located them.