PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Clark Getting Rave Reviews From Gwynn, Rettenmund

Padre left fielder Jerald Clark keeps hearing the talk. He listens to the praise. And, frankly, he’s as surprised as anyone.

First, right fielder Tony Gwynn predicted Clark will be the surprise of the year for the Padres. Now, Padre batting coach Merv Rettenmund is singing the same tune.

“I remember the first time I saw him hitting at the stadium,” Rettenmund said, “it wasn’t even a swing. It was a sweep. Now, you can’t believe the difference. The ball just jumps off his bat.

“He has the type of swing, if we use him every day, he’s going to be successful. He’s not the type of guy who can come off the bench, or play once a week, and do well.

“Let me put it to you this way, I’d be very, very surprised if he’s not successful. You can be fooled, but I’m 99.99% positive he’s going to be a good year. Believe me, the RBI and power numbers will be there.”

Said Clark, who has spent the past three seasons shuffling back and forth between triple-A Las Vegas and the Padres: “Man, coming from Tony, that really means something. I mean, that guys knows something about hitting. And Merv, man, he’s worked with some of the best hitters in the game.

“It’s awfully nice to hear, now I’ve just got to do it myself.”

What he’s doing is making prophets out of Gwynn and Rettenmund. Clark hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning Wednesday night, and after two nights of action, already leads the Padres with three RBIs.

“You know the POW who threw out the first pitch, that Guy Hunter guy,” Clark said, “well, he’s the guy who got me fired up. Just seeing him, seeing a guy that brave, got me so excited. I’m thinking, ‘If a guy can put his life on the line like that, there’s no reason for me to be nervous playing a game of baseball.

The Padres’ opening-day payroll, including signing bonuses paid during the off-season, totals $23,442,500--the highest in franchise history. The average Padre salary, which includes a prorated share of signing bonuses, is $776,518. The average salary of a year ago was $656,164.

Although the Padre payroll might be alarming to the team’s new ownership, it pales in comparison to that of the San Francisco Giants. Their average salary is $1,117,619, compared to $666,927 a year ago. Of course, when you add $33 million worth of free agents in the off-season, it’s easy to see the radical increase.

“We know it’s outrageous,” said Giant reliever Dave Righetti, who signed a four-year, $10-million free-agent contract. “But if we didn’t deserve it, these stadiums wouldn’t be packed.

“We give it back. We buy homes. We buy cars. We put it back in the community. It’s not like we stick it in a box and never spend it.”

Padre first base coach Rob Picciolo saw third baseman Jim Presley before the game Wednesday, and jokingly wondered if he was still talking to him.

It was Picciolo who ordered the infield to be played in in the eighth inning Tuesday night when Kevin Mitchell hit a line drive that nearly tore a hole in Presley. Although Presley was knocked down, he still hung onto the ball.

“I said, ‘Jim, you catch that ball or did that ball catch you?’ ” Picciolo said. “He said, ‘That ball caught me.’ ”

Said Mitchell: “Tell (Padre Manager Greg Riddoch) not to play me in no more, or I’m going to kill somebody. Next time he plays me in, he better hand out a chest protector.”

The Padres say they are impressed with Giant starter John Burkett’s move to first base. Some say he might have the best move by a right-hander in the league. Yet, it’s not so good that they should be picked off first base twice in Tuesday’s opener, they said. The Padre coaches studied film of Burkett’s move before Wednesday’s game, and came away with the impression that his move is awfully close to a balk. . . Padre catcher Benito Santiago, after going four for four in Tuesday’s season-opener, now has gone seven for seven in his past two season openers, and is batting .600 (12 for 20) during his five opening-day appearances. “I’d like to have an opening day like that every night,” Santiago said. . . . Padre starter Dennis Rasmussen, who is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his left shoulder, pitched a round of batting practice Tuesday and is scheduled to throw again Saturday. “Everything’s going good,” Rasmussen said. “It’s just hard to sit back and watch.’ . . . Mike LaCoss will have to start in today’s game because of soreness in Scott Garrelts’ right shoulder, and Rick Reuschel now is questionable for Friday’s start because of the flu. Said Giants Manager Roger Craig: “It’s almost useless to set a rotation because it’s always going to change.” . . . Giant outfielder Mike Kingery, who was awarded first base in Tuesday night’s game because of catcher’s interference, has had an incredible knack for drawing the call. He has reached base eight times on catcher’s interference calls in his career, the second-highest total among all active players. Andy Van Slyke of the Pirates is the active leader with 13. . . . Former Padre pitcher Mark Thurmond signed a triple-A contract with the Giants but will be ineligible to join the big-league club before May 1. . . . Tony Gwynn and Santiago received their Gold Glove awards before Wednesday’s game, and Santiago also received his Silver Slugger award. It was Gwynn’s fourth Gold Glove in the past five years, and the third in a row for Santiago. Reliever Craig Lefferts also was honored before the game by Rolaids for leading the Padres with 23 saves. . . . The Padres complete their three-game series at 1:05 p.m. today with Andy Benes facing LaCoss.