Padre Notebook : For Hawkins, It’s Like Old Days

Andy Hawkins heard the talk that his spot on the Padre roster, let alone his place in the starting rotation, might be in danger this spring.

The memory of his days as one of the Padres’ most effective pitchers during the 1984 postseason slowly was being replaced by the sight of the broken-down Hawkins of last season.

That was the Hawkins who missed two months with tendinitis in his right shoulder, who did not pitch a complete game and whose last victory was June 13 in San Francisco.

That was the Hawkins the Padres were reminded of after his first three spring training games--including a March 10 start against the Oakland A’s that resulted in 7 hits, 7 runs and 4 walks in 2 innings--left him with a 9.64 ERA.

But it was a different Hawkins the Padres saw Friday night against the Cleveland Indians. This was a rejuvenated Hawkins who started and pitched six scoreless innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 1 and striking out 2 as the Padres won their third game in a row, 5-1, in front of 4,759 at Desert Sun Stadium.

If Hawkins thought the performance enhanced his chances with the team, it didn’t show. Maybe because he will not acknowledge that he is fighting for a spot on the team.

Asked if the outing helped his chances of cracking the rotation, Hawkins laughed.

“I don’t think so, really I don’t,” he said. “In my own mind, I went out there with some things I wanted to work on. That’s what I did. I’ve worked up to this point. That is what I had in mind all along.”

Pitching has been one of the Padres’ spring surprises. They had a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings broken after Hawkins left Friday night when Dave Leiper allowed a seventh-inning run on former Padre Ron Tingley’s double.

With the competition so tight, it is hard to tell where Hawkins stands. Is he fighting with Eric Show, Randy Jones, Eric Nolte, Ed Whitson and Mark Grant for a spot in the rotation? Or is he competing with Candy Sierra (0.84 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 10 innings) for a spot as the long reliever?

Hawkins said he is not worried about that. He is taking spring training at his own pace, with his own goals. Hawkins said the plan against the Indians was to throw “60% to 70% changeups and sliders.”

“As far as location and quality of pitches, that was the best I’ve thrown (this spring),” Hawkins said. “I had a good slider. I worked it on both sides of the dish, and it worked all night long.

“But what I was pleased with the most was that I turned the corner with my changeup. That was easily my best changeup of the spring.

“The changeup is what got me to the big leagues in 1982. Once I could throw it for strikes when I was behind in the count, it really opened up a lot of avenues for me.”

Said Pat Dobson, pitching coach: “He got his breaking ball over, and when he does that he’s an effective pitcher. He tries to be a power pitcher sometimes, and he’s not. I want him pitching like he pitched tonight.”

But as well as Hawkins threw against the Indians, Manager Larry Bowa said the competition will go to the end of spring training.

That reality aside, Hawkins said he will not allow the pressure to affect his preparation. He does not want a repeat of his arm troubles of last season.

“My arm comes first,” Hawkins said. “I’m not rushing myself. I’m not going to be intimidated by anything. My arm comes first.”

The stitches in right fielder Tony Gwynn’s left hand are scheduled to be removed today by Dr. Merlin Hamer, but Gwynn said he will limit his hitting today to striking balls off a batting tee.

“I don’t want to rush things,” Gwynn said Friday. “I don’t want to go out there and rip my hand open and have to start all over again.”

Gwynn said it would be the middle of next week before he would consider taking batting practice.

Gwynn, a two-time National League batting champion, had surgery March 11 at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla to relieve pressure on a tendon on his index finger.

Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation spent 30 minutes talking with the Padres about the dangers of gambling Friday. The visit was part of a routine program the bureau has in which its speaks annually to major league teams.

“It was the same thing we’ve heard before,” said infielder Tim Flannery, a seven-year Padre veteran. “They warned us about the big-time gamblers. They are out there in every city.”

Yet despite the well-worn nature of the appeal, Flannery said the FBI agents had the players’ attention.

“Anytime you hear ‘FBI,’ you listen to what they have to say,” Flannery said.

Padre Notes

The Padres had trouble with the lights during their first night game of the season at Desert Sun Stadium. The lights went out during the pregame warmups. They were restored by game time, but in the top of the second inning, both the left- and left-center-field banks shut down again. Play was not interrupted, and the lights were restored by the bottom of the inning. The left-field bank again went dark in the bottom of the third but started to flicker back on before the end of the inning. Later the stadium was buzzed by a low-flying small private plane that crossed directly over the infield. It was the start of a nine-game home stand for the Padres that ends March 26. . . . The Padres are to make their first cuts of the season today. Manager Larry Bowa said nine players will be cut. The Padres must reduce their roster to 24 in time for season opener April 5 at Houston.

Staff writer Bill Plaschke contributed to this story.