Padres’ Santiago Gets His Million

Padre catcher Benito Santiago, who always told himself while growing up that one day he’d escape the poverty of Jauca, Puerto Rico, fulfilled his wildest fantasy Wednesday.

He became a millionaire.

Santiago was awarded a one-year contract for $1.25 million Wednesday by arbitrator Tom Roberts, the largest arbitration award in Padre history. Santiago, who earned a base salary of $310,000 and $35,000 in incentives in 1989, had been offered $750,000.

“You know, one day, I dreamed of this day,” Santiago said. “It’s a very special day in my life. It means I’ve come a long way.

“Man, a long way.”

This is guy who was handed away by his mother at the age of 3 months, worked in the fields picking tomatoes and watermelons as a youngster, struggled every day just to survive the streets and signed with the Padres after just two years of high school at the age of 17.

Now, just a month shy of his 25th birthday, Santiago is incredulous that the game of baseball has provided him with wealth that he never knew existed.

“You know, the money was not so much the big issue with Benny,” agent Scott Boras said, “as was the ability to demonstrate to a veteran arbitrator that you are the best at your position.

“Benny found out he’s not only one of the best in his position, but among the best in the league.”

Boras demonstrated Santiago’s value Tuesday in a four-hour hearing in front of Roberts. He pointed out that Santiago and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench were the only catchers in the past 25 years to win two Gold Gloves in their first three years of service. He talked about how Santiago, Don Mattingly and Kirby Puckett are the only players in he past 10 years to win two Silver Slugger awards and two Gold Gloves. And just for special effect, he showed a videotape of Santiago throwing out Vince Coleman and Tim Raines.

The Padres, who were represented by Minneapolis attorney Clark Griffith, argued that Santiago’s career is in decline and that perhaps his rookie season, in which he hit .300 with 18 homers and 79 RBIs in 1987, was a fluke.

Boras admitted that Santiago, who batted .236 this past season, is not about to challenge Padre teammate Tony Gwynn for the batting title, but no catcher could top Santiago’s 16 homers, 62 RBIs and 50 runs scored.

It took Roberts 24 hours to make his decision, and at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Santiago became the first player since Andy Hawkins in 1987 to defeat the Padres in arbitration.

Santiago also becomes the eighth Padre player who’ll earn an average salary of at least $1 million this season, joining the growing list of players who’ll exceed four-time batting champion Tony Gwynn’s $1 million.

“As good as I feel now,” Santiago said, “I know I’m still young, and I’ll have better years.

“How do they say, oh yeah, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

“You just watch and see.”