Too Late for Padres to Prove Anything : Baseball: After 3-1 loss to Giants, outfielders Lynn, Abner and Jackson realize they’re too banged up to impress anybody. Maybe next year.

Fred Lynn was lying in the training room Monday night with his groin heavily bandaged, and an ice pack resting on top. Shawn Abner was limping in the clubhouse, with his left hamstring bandaged. Darrin Jackson was sitting in front of his locker, icing his right shoulder.

Each of the three outfielders opened the season believing that they’d win a job in the Padre starting lineup. Each of the three outfielders believe the Padres made a mistake by not giving them a starting job. Each of the three, banged up and bruised, say it’s too late, now.

The Padres, losing once again Monday, 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants in front of 9,922 at Candlestick Park, certainly have no playoff aspirations preventing them from using these final games for an open tryout in the outfield.

They’ve lost six consecutive games, while being outscored 41-14, and have the fourth-worst record in the National League.

“I really would like to them play, just to get a real good look at them,” said Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said.

The problem is that at a time when each could show off their talents, trying to prove to Riddoch that they deserve to be in the picture for 1991, they’re going down quicker than the stock market.

Lynn became the latest casualty Monday when he suffered a strained groin, and, like Abner (strained left hamstring), is expected to be done for the season.

“It’s really frustrating right now,” said Abner, who’s hitting .245 with one homer and 15 RBIs. “I thought I could back, but I took one swing today, and I realized, no way.

“I wanted to prove I can play every day. I hate this sitting around for four days, play one, and sit again. I just want a chance. I don’t even care if they give me a month, give me two weeks straight, and I’ll show them.”

Jackson, who has been injured with a strained ligament in his right shoulder, still is able to play, but the shoulder is affecting his play. Riddoch said that he’s impressed by Jackson’s defensive skills, displayed Monday with two running catches, but there’s a small demand for center fielders who hit .230 with five RBIs in 87 at-bats.

“I’m not going to try to kid myself,” Jackson said. “It would be real hard for me to say this is my chance to prove myself. It’s too late for that. I know if I get real hot now, or go real cold, it’s not going to make much of a difference.

“I think I can play. I think I can show them next year that I’m their man. But of, course, I’ve said that the last few years, too.”

And if the Padres don’t find an outfielder in the off-season, and decide that Jackson and Abner can’t cut it, they still have Lynn. Riddoch said Monday that he’d like to have Lynn, 38, return for next season, but he’s actually counting on Lynn to be a force on the bench, not start.

“I think I can still start,” said Lynn, who’s batting .241 with six homers and 23 RBIs. “I thought I was going to get that chance this year, but it just didn’t work out.”

It was Lynn who was at the plate in the sixth inning Monday when the Padres appeared to be on the verge of a rally. The had runners on first and second with one out, and Lynn worked Kelly Downs to a 3-and-2 count. But with a hit-and-run, Lynn hit a slow roller to second base. Robbie Thompson charged the ball, flipped it to shortstop Mike Benjamin at second, who was upended the moment he threw the ball to first.

The throw beat Lynn by a step, marking the first time this season that he grounded into a double play, spanning 195 at-bats. It also might have been his last step on the basepaths this season. He immediately left the game with a groin injury, and Riddoch said it was serious, possibly ending his season.

It could be a costly injury to Lynn, particularly to his wallet. Lynn had just begun receiving a $3,000 bonus for each game he plays, and had made $24,000 in the past two weeks.

The injury also will delay Lynn’s bid for, well, baseball infamy. Lynn, after homering for the first time in three months Saturday night, has 306 career home runs.

The significance, you ask?

He is only one home run shy of tying Greg Luzinski, formerly of the Phillies, for the all-time home run lead with players whose last name starts with “L.”

“What an honor, huh?,” Lynn said. “Well, I guess if you’re in this game long enough, your name will pop up in all kinds of places.”

Certainly, Lynn could find himself in the midst of some fine company. Some of the other illustrious alphabet leaders: Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Orlando Cepeda, Joe DiMaggio, Darryl Evans, Nellie Fox, Lou Gehrig, Reggie Jackson, Harmon Killebrew, Willie Mays, Mel Ott, Babe Ruth, Mike Schmidt, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski.

Although Lynn pales in comparison to most of his peers in the alphabet, he does lead six of the players: Monte Irvin (99), Jamie Quirk (39), Frank Thomas (286), Willie Upshaw (88), Mickey Vernon (172), Gus Zernial (237).

“Gee,” Lynn said, “I didn’t realize the Q’s would be so low. Maybe once I get the lead, I’ll change my name to Quest.”

Maybe it’s not right to laugh in a season such as this, but when you have a season like the Padres, Lynn realizes that humor has a way of disguising the pain.

Padre Notes

Contract negotiations with Padre first baseman Jack Clark have come to a screeching halt. The Padres have not had contact with Tom Reich, Clark’s agent, for at least three weeks. The Padres’ last offer to Clark was a one-year deal for $2.5 million, and a $2.5 million option. Jack McKeon told Reich that he’d get back to him after making the initial offer, but with all of the turmoil in the clubhouse of late and McKeon’s firing, Reich still is waiting for that call. It’s highly unlikely now, Clark said, that he would sign a contract with the Padres before learning if he will be declared a second-look free agent through the collusion rulings.

Syd Thrift, former general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, telephoned the Padre offices Monday and threw his name into the general manager race. The Padres, according to sources, told Thrift in so many words, ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you.” . . . Dick Balderson, Chicago Cubs’ director of scouting, who was expected to be a possible candidate for the Padres’ vacancy, said Monday night that he still has not been contacted for an interview. “It’s not big deal,” Balderson said. “I’d like to be considered, but I don’t know if it’s probable, or possible.” . . . Dallas Green, formerly of the Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, also said Monday that he has not been contacted. “If I had my preference, I’d prefer to go the expansion route, anyway,” he said.

Outfielder Rick Leach joined the Giants for the first time since undergoing drug rehabilitation and being suspended for 60 days. “I made a big mistake, and I paid a big price for that mistake,” Leach said. “I think I’ll be a better man for it.” . . . Keith Matson, one of the general partners of the Padres, took the team flight and joined the Padres in San Francisco. . . . Giant Manager Roger Craig took one look at the torn-up outfield at Candlestick, thanks to Sunday’s football game between the 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, and removed right fielder Kevin Bass from the lineup. Bass is coming off knee surgery, and Craig said that there’s no need taking chances at this stage in the season. . . . The Padres will play the second game of their three-game series at 7:35 tonight. Andy Benes (10-9) and Don Robinson (10-7) are the scheduled starters.