Feeney Stays With Padres Through 1990

The indefinite tenure of Charles (Chub) Feeney as Padre president grew a little longer Monday with the announcement that he would remain in the position through the 1990 season.

The extension was the second for Feeney since September, whose stay was described as “indefinite” when he joined the Padres last June after 16 years as National League president.

“I didn’t feel this was a temporary job when I took it,” Feeney said. “But I didn’t want to commit to something if I wasn’t sure I was going to follow through.”

Feeney said owner Joan Kroc had asked him repeatedly over the past several months to remain with the team beyond this season, but he did not agree until last week.

“Joan felt it would bring more stability to the club if I agreed to stay for more than one year,” Feeney said. “I see good things happening here, and I want to be a part of it.”

Feeney, 66, replaced Ballard Smith as president June 10. He agreed last September to return for this season. His latest extension also included the stipulation that he would join the club’s board of directors, increasing its membership to six.

Since joining the club, Feeney has advocated rebuilding the Padres from within, starting with a strong minor league system and shunning the free-agent market.

“We want to build a solid base for the future,” Feeney said. “We don’t want to do again what happened in ’84.”

The Padres won their only National League pennant in 1984, but the team was built extensively with veteran players acquired through trades and free agency. The Padres went on a slump after their championship season that ended in a last-place finish (65-97) in the NL West last season, their first since 1981.

“I see a lot of fine young players here,” Feeney said. “We’ve got some players who are going to help us in the future. We’re having a tough time finding a place for all of them to play. Our Las Vegas team is going to be the best team in triple A by far.”

As for who will have the final say in those decisions, Feeney left no doubt.

“The buck stops here,” he said. “That’s what they pay me for.”

The Padres cut five more players Monday, Manager Larry Bowa said.

Sent to the minor league camp for reassignment were catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., second baseman Joey Cora, pitcher Greg Harris, and first basemen Rob Nelson and Brad Pounders.

The cuts reduced the Padre roster to 31 players. Bowa, who had said as late as Sunday he intended to cut the team to 24 by as early as Saturday, was not so sure after a 6-4 exhibition loss to the Chicago Cubs Monday night in front of 4,571 at Desert Sun Stadium.

“These are the hardest ones coming up,” Bowa said.

Making the job difficult is the continued impressive play of second baseman Roberto Alomar, brother of Sandy Jr. and son of Sandy Sr., Padre third base coach.

Alomar went 3 for 4, including a two-run homer, to extend his hitting streak to eight games, best for the Padres this spring. All three of his hits came off Rick Sutcliffe, former Cy Young Award winner.

The performance had Bowa marveling at Alomar’s maturity.

“I told him around the batting cage, ‘You know it’s Sutcliffe today,’ ” Bowa recalled. “He just said, ‘He still has to throw the ball over the plate.’ You expect that from a Tony Gwynn, not a 20-year-old kid.”

But with Randy Ready, who batted .308 last season, having a strong camp (.279, 12 hits, including 6 doubles and a home run), that might leave no place for Alomar to start but Las Vegas.

“But if he goes down,” Bowa said, “it won’t be for long.”

Said Alomar: “I know I’m putting pressure on them. I’m not making their decision easier. But I told them , if they put me in there, I’m going to play hard. I don’t care where it is. I want to play. I don’t want to sit on the bench.”

The Gwynn newsletter continues.

Gwynn, tired of answering questions about his recovery from surgery on his left index finger March 11, has gone to posting daily handwritten comments about his progress. Gwynn, a former point guard at San Diego State, also included another aside about his other love, the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. basketball tournament.

Here is the text of Volume I, No. II:

1) The hand is still without pain.

2) I’m progressing as scheduled and taking batting practice.

3) Yes, I have every intention of playing Sunday in Palm Springs (against the Angels).

Thanks again for asking,

Tony Gwynn

P.S. No, I can’t believe that Richmond, Rhode Island and Villanova are still alive.