NOTEBOOK : PADRES UPDATE : What a Pain in the Neck: Andersen Earns Save Anyway

Padre reliever Larry Andersen awoke Tuesday morning with the typical opening-day anxieties, took a look at his alarm clock and wailed in anguish.

It was his neck. He couldn’t budge it.

“I laid back down and wondered what I’d do,” Andersen, 37, said. “Some timing, huh? Opening day, and I can hardly move.”

What Andersen ended up doing was earning his first save as a Padre, pitching himself into and out of a jam in the ninth inning of a 7-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

That moment came hours after his morning of misery, a trip to the chiropractor and some manipulation at the ballpark by Padre trainer Bob Day. While he warmed up in the bullpen, Andersen wasn’t sure if he could pitch.

“In the bullpen, everything was opening up; I wasn’t able to turn my head to the left,” he said. “I threw a whole lot more than I should have, because I wanted to keep (the neck) warm.”

Andersen said the problem has bothered him sporadically for three years.

“I guess I just have a tired body,” he said.

The chiropractor, Joseph Roach, has an office near Andersen’s apartment.

“I think he worked extra-hard on me,” Andersen said, “because I was on his Rotisserie team last year.”

Shortstop Garry Templeton, the most surprised player to still be with the Padres, received one of the loudest ovations from the crowd during player introductions. It was the first time in 10 years he has not been in the Padres’ opening-day lineup, although he made a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth inning.

“I think I still have all the respect from the fans,” Templeton said, “and they showed their appreciation. It felt good, believe me, it felt real good. I want to show them I can still play. They understand what kind of situation I was in during the spring. They appreciate what I’ve done.”

Padre shortstop Tony Fernandez, who spent his first 11 years in the Toronto Blue Jay organization, when asked if he telephoned any of his former teammates about their season opener: “No, I don’t even remember I used to play in Toronto. My days as a Blue Jay are over. I’m a Padre now.”

Padre fans showed that their memories still are sharp, loudly booing Giant reliever Jeff Brantley when he was introduced before the game. It was Brantley who hit Padre catcher Benito Santiago with a pitch on June 14, breaking his left forearm. . . . Guy Hunter, a prisoner of war for 47 days in Bagdad, received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd before throwing out the first pitch of the season. . . . The Padres made a last-minute set of uniform number changes: Paul Faries switched from No. 53 to No. 23, taking first base coach Rob Picciolo’s number; and Picciolo took No. 5, taking Joey Cora’s vacated number. . . . The Giants have 13 players on their opening-day roster who are products of their own farm system, matching the Milwaukee Brewers for the most in baseball. The Padres have eight. The Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have the fewest with five apiece. . . . Pitcher Andy Benes, 23, is the youngest player on the Padre roster; Andersen, 37, is the oldest. . . . This was the first Padre opener for 12 players on their roster. . . . At 7:05 tonight, Bruce Hurst faces the Giants’ Bud Black. At 1:05 p.m. Thursday, San Francisco sends Mike LaCoss against Benes.