Hurst Is Hoping to Decide Soon : Free-Agent Pitcher Reportedly Likes San Diego and Padres

Ten days after the Padres offered free agent pitcher Bruce Hurst a contract and nervously began trying to read his mind, they have finally received a hint--a grand slam hint.

Former Padre Dane Iorg, a close friend of Hurst’s who recently counseled him about the decision, said, “I would not be surprised at all if Bruce signs with the Padres. I don’t think there will be any hesitancy at all in his moving there from Boston.”

Hurst, who would reveal little else, said Tuesday he hoped to make a decision by the end of the week. Much could happen before then.

He will meet with the Red Sox today in what one Red Sox front office source described as a “last-gasp effort” by the Red Sox, whose offer is similar to the Padres’--$4.8 million for 3 years with the third year guaranteed if Hurst throws 225 innings in the second season.

Afterward the Padres might need to hurdle another, perhaps bigger obstacle--the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards were suddenly jilted Monday when Seattle free agent pitcher Mike Moore signed with Oakland. According to Hurst’s agent Nick Lampros, the Cardinals are expected to enter the picture with an offer today.

Iorg, a Padre outfielder in 1986 who has become close to Hurst’s through the Mormon church, was recently contacted by the left-handed pitcher concerning similar offers from the Padres and the Red Sox, the only team he has played for since his major league debut in 1980. Iorg said that in the course of the conversation, it became clear to both that a Hurst move to the Padres would make good sense.

“The big thing for Bruce is, do the Padres have a chance to win? He realizes they do,” Iorg said Tuesday from his Salt Lake City area home. “He’s also interested in the quality of people, and as I told him, the Padres have some of the best people in baseball, from Jack McKeon on down. I think he was impressed with them.”

The most publicized reason for Hurst’s possible move--an improved life style for the quiet, conservative father of three--was also discussed with Iorg.

“The kind of area means a lot to him, and it’s a lot more closely related to his life style than Boston,” Iorg said. “He’s a Utah boy (St. George), and his parents could come see him a lot more if he pitched here.”

Iorg said the only negative aspect he related about the Padres was a positive one for Hurst.

“I told him he had to be aware that baseball is not put on the pedestal in San Diego like it is in Boston, that there are too many other things to do out there,” he said. “But that’s fine with Bruce. He doesn’t like it on a pedestal.”

Iorg said Hurst’s biggest worry is leaving his teammates and friends and the inherent obligation to an organization that has stuck with him through a career record of 88-73 with a 4.23 earned run average.

“He’s wondering about leaving the Red Sox and making new friends, meeting new people, starting over again,” Iorg said. “I just told him, ‘I changed teams three times and the people are all the same, you have good friends everywhere.’ Also, I think things have not gone so smoothly for him in Boston lately, and it wouldn’t be as hard to leave.”

In the past, Hurst has complained about the intense media scrutiny in Boston, being forced to pitch while injured at various times during his career and some players’ drinking and rowdy behavior.

So when will the Padre vigil end?

“We could get this thing tied up in the next few days . . . or a lot of other things could happen, not precluding somebody else coming in with a substantial amount of money,” Lampros said.

But Hurst, 30, implied Tuesday that’s it’s not about money--”I’m not here to extort money from anybody,” he said. “We’re just trying to make the best choice. We think a lot of the Padres, it’s a beautiful city and a team with a bright future and desire to win. But we still have decisions to make.”

In the meantime Padre President Dick Freeman said his club can do nothing but sit and wait.

“I’m anxious to get it done, but there is not much you can do right now at this point,” Freeman said.

Hurst, a 2-time All-Star, has become one of baseball’s top left-handers, having gone 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA last season with 166 strikeouts and 65 walks despite missing 3 weeks with a virus. In 1987 he was 14-6 with a 3.76 ERA through August before struggling the final month with mononucleosis. He ended up 15-13 with a 4.41 ERA. In 1986 he led the Red Sox to the World Series against the New York Mets, and was set to be named series MVP with a 2-0 record and 1.96 ERA before the Red Sox collapse in Game 6.