Padres Sign Gardner, Hire Day as Trainer

The Padres not only were able to sign reliever Wes Gardner to a one-year contract Wednesday, worth about $590,000, but after a three-month search, finally found themselves a head trainer.

Bob Day, 40, who has been the administrative director for the Orthopaedic Arthroscopic Sports Injury Specialists Medical Group in San Diego since 1988, fills the spot vacant since October, when Dick Dent was fired.

The Padres appeared to have the position filled on several occasions but kept running into hurdles. Dave Tumbas, the assistant trainer of the Pittsburgh Pirates, first surprised the Padres by rejecting their offer. And then Ned Bergert of the Angels announced that he would accept the Padres’ offer, only to change his mind three days later when owner Gene Autry convinced him to stay.

This time, Day not only orally agreed to accept the offer but actually signed the contract.

Day, who has been involved with the U.S. Olympic Training Committee as a trainer since 1978, is a graduate of Long Beach State and has a master’s degree in physical education and sports medicine from San Diego State.

Gardner, who was 3-7 with a 4.89 ERA with the Boston Red Sox last season, avoided arbitration by signing the contract. Gardner, who earned a base salary of $360,000 last season and another $140,000 in performance bonuses, filed for $675,000 in arbitration. The Padres countered with $500,000.

“We’re looking for him to return to form after a sub-par season,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager.

The signing leaves the Padres with three arbitration cases. Each has been scheduled for hearings: first baseman Fred McGriff, Feb. 15 in Chicago; catcher Benito Santiago, Feb. 6 in Los Angeles; and infielder/outfielder Bip Roberts, Feb. 5 in Los Angeles.

McIlvaine already has talked several times with Jim Krivacs, McGriff’s agent, and has a meeting scheduled today with Scott Boras, who represents Santiago and Roberts.