As Padres Watch Wallets, Santiago Studies Market

The Padres, clutching onto their wallets while swallowing their pride, sat idly by Monday watching their counterparts in the National League West strengthen themselves with the simple aid of money.

There were the San Francisco Giants signing free-agent center fielder Willie McGee to a four-year, $13.25 million contract.

There were the Dodgers immediately counteracting by signing free-agent pitcher Kevin Gross to a three-year, $6.4 million contract.

There were even the Atlanta Braves trying to keep pace, signing free-agent third baseman Terry Pendleton to a four-year, $10.2 million contract.

And the Padres, you ask, just what did they do to help themselves?

Well, uh, they traded for first baseman/outfielder Oscar Azocar of the New York Yankees, and picked up Yankee minor-league pitcher Frank Seminara in the Rule 5 Draft.

Don’t kick yourself for not recognizing the names. Azocar, 25, has spent most of the past seven years in the New York Yankees farm system, and was acquired for the meager price of a minor-league player to be named later. Seminara, 23, pitched for Prince Williams in the Class A Carolina League this past season.

Yep, that’s it.

Certainly, if the Padres have accomplished anything during the winter meetings, they’ve managed to rid themselves of that burden of being favored to win the division this year.

“I don’t think that will be a problem this year,” Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said. “You’d have to be crazy to pick us.”

The Padres, who admittedly have voids at third base, shortstop, center field, and pitching, never made an offer for McGee. Or Pendleton. Or Gross. Or Darryl Strawberry. Or Kirk Gibson. Or. . .

Even with the sudden availability of Giant center fielder Brett Butler, who’s expected to be declared a new-look free agent this week, the Padres are not interested.

“He’s a nice guy to have around,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, “but I’d rather spend my $15 million some place else. We’re just not going to spend that kind of money.”

But while the Padres are watching their savings fatten in interest-bearing accounts, and are slamming their door to any agents with grandeur plans of making their clients rich, they might want to pay attention to a certain catcher.

His name is Benito Santiago. He has been voted to the past two All-Star games, and today, he’ll be announced as the winner of his third consecutive Gold Glove award along with teammate Tony Gwynn. And if the Padres want to retain his services before he escapes on the free-agent market, they better do some serious talking.

Oh, Santiago isn’t making any threats. There will be no ultimatums. Simply, he says, if the Padres don’t sign him to a multi-year contract this winter, they won’t be talking talking to him about another long-term contract until he files for free agency after the 1992 season.

“If they just sign me to a one-year contract this year,” Santiago said Monday, “that’s the last chance they’ll get. I’ll make them wait until I’m a free agent.

“I’ve got the numbers. Look what I’ve done in my four years. The way I’m going, I don’t think anyone’s going to get the Gold Glove away from me.

“Every year I’m going to do better, and when my free agency comes, oh man.”

Santiago, who earned $1.25 million last season, will be eligible for free-agency after the 1992 season. The Padres, who took Santiago to an arbitration hearing last year, have the same option each of the next two seasons.

‘All I know is you don’t do to Benny what you did last year,” said Scott Boras, Santiago’s agent, “if you still want him back.

“There’s a way to be fair, and a way not to be, and I know what happened last year bothered Benny.”

Santiago, even though he won his arbitration case when the Padres offered $750,000, said that he was upset he had to endure the process. And if he’s forced to undergo another hearing, he says the Padres will be making a big mistake.

“I don’t want to go through that stuff again,” Santiago said. “I want to get it settled this time. The best thing would be if they sign me to a multi-year contract, but if they don’t, well, it’s their privilege.”

The Padres’ frugal habits also also figure to cost them the services of first baseman Jack Clark, who’s expected to be declared a new-look free agent this week. The Padres have offered Clark a one-year contract for $2.5 million, and have yet to budge.

“If they stay with that position, it would then become a long shot that he’d stay,” said Tom Reich, Clark’s agent. “But I’m not surprised by their posture. The Padres have come in with a new ownership group, sweeping management changes, and they hired Joe McIlvaine, a top development guy.

“That’s why San Diego won’t be active in the high-spending market, they want to develop.”

Yet, while the Padres might be building for the future, they insist they’re not forsaking this season, and are active in trade talks.

The Padres had formal trade discussions with six teams Monday, McIlvaine said, and plans to meet with at least four of the teams again, along with the Baltimore Orioles.

* Kansas City Royals: The Padres discussed the possibility of acquiring right fielder Danny Tartabull, and also inquired about the availability of righthanded reliever Jeff Montgomery and third baseman Kevin Seitzer.

* New York Yankees: They have three available third basemen--Mike Blowers, Randy Velarde and Jim Leyritz.

* Cleveland Indians: Third baseman Brook Jacoby is being shopped.

* Pittsburgh Pirates: They discussed the possibility of swapping third basemen, Jeff King for the Padres’ Bip Roberts. And because left fielder Barry Bonds was the one who brought up the idea of playing for the Padres one day, the Padres decided to see if the interest was reciprocal.

* Chicago White Sox: They asked about second baseman/infielder Scott Fletcher, but the Padres had nothing of interest for the White Sox.

* St. Louis Cardinals: The Padres talked about the availability of propects, but again, there seemed to be no match.

* Baltimore Orioles: Shh, keep it a secret, but the Padres would love to have Craig Worthington playing third base for them next season, and Oriole Manager Frank Robinson raves about Bip Roberts.