Nettles Is Happy to Help Out Braves in a Pinch

Graig Nettles was rounding first base after he hit a two-run homer Sunday in the Atlanta Braves’ 5-2 victory over the Padres when second baseman Tim Flannery thought about trotting over and slapping his former teammate with a high five.

Flannery contained his enthusiasm. But the Padre fans have had no reservations about openly showing their warm feelings for Nettles.

“A lot of times when you get traded from one organization to another one and then come back, you get booed,” said Nettles, who became a free agent in December after the Padres declined to offer him a contract.

“But these people realize I’m a San Diegan and I was part of the club for three years, so they treat me well. They treated me well when I was here, too, so I have no complaints.”

If San Diego fans are happy to see Nettles return, Nettles is overjoyed to be back. After spending the past four months in hotel rooms, Nettles has spent the past week relaxing at home in Del Mar.

“I miss San Diego very much,” Nettles said. “I’ve enjoyed hitting here at the stadium. I think it’s a great park to hit in. It’s never too hot, never too cold, the wind never blows . . . the elements are perfect for baseball. This is as pleasant a place to play as you could find.”

Since his days as a youth playing baseball in North Park, Nettles dreamed of being a Padre when the team was playing in the Pacific Coast League.

But last December, the Padres cited “fiscal responsibility” as the reason for not offering the six-time All-Star a contract.

During the off-season, Nettles’ agent, Jerry Kapstein, searched both leagues to find a team willing to take a 42-year-old third baseman who hit .218 in 1986, his lowest average in 18 major league seasons.

“I played a lot of golf during the off-season,” Nettles said. “It looked like that was what I would be doing for the rest of my life.”

But a week into spring training, Nettles was invited to try out with the Braves in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“It was getting late, and if I had went a couple days longer I don’t think anybody would have invited me down,” Nettles said. “I was invited and I jumped on a plane that day. I heard about the offer about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, was on a plane by 8 that night and flew all night. I worked out the next day without any sleep.

“I just wanted to get there and get in as much conditioning as I could to show them that I could play.”

The Braves offered Nettles a contract in spring training, calling for a “pretty large cut in pay,” but Nettles was satisfied. The Braves’ contract was for $200,000 for one year with award and performance bonuses. In 1986, he was paid $937,377 to play for the Padres. He has spent most of this season as a pinch-hitter.

“I’m not making a lot of money this year, but I’m doing something I love,” he said. “Not too many people can say that.”

Said Braves right fielder Dale Murphy: “Even when he doesn’t play, he watches the game and gives us a lot of tips. He watches the pitcher more than anyone I have ever seen. He understands his role on the team and doesn’t sit around and complain. . . . He helps you win.”

With his home run Sunday, Nettles (who has four for the season, two against the Padres) is 12 short of 400.

“Four hundred is not something I think about,” Nettles said. “It’s not like you pass anybody to get there. It’s just a round number is all, but it’s a nice round number.”

Nettles, who was batting .179 before Sunday, said his home run in the sixth helped his confidence.

“I know that the next time I’m called on to pinch-hit, I’ll feel better than I had the last 10 or 12 pinch-hitting attempts because my timing has been off,” said Nettles, who has started the past four games in place of injured Ken Oberkfell.

Nettles, who may be best remembered for his amazing stabs at third during his World Series play with the New York Yankees in 1978, said he may want to move to first base.

“At this point, if they were writing my name in the lineup, I would prefer to see it at first base than third,” said Nettles, who played several games at first during spring training. “To me, it’s a whole new world, like a brand new ballgame at first base. It’s fun and I do a good job.”