PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Nolte Knows That a Little Luck Has Helped Him Reach 3-0 Mark

Padre pitcher Eric Nolte wandered around the Padre clubhouse Wednesday feeling embarrassed, a little irritated, and actually, kind of uncomfortable.

Here here is, sitting atop the National League pitching stats with a 3-0 record, and he’s being constantly teased about his status.

“Hey, Cy (Young), how are you doing?,” Padre reliever Craig Lefferts said.

Said reliever Larry Andersen: “Hey, it’s his league, he’s just letting us play in it.”

Nolte knows the kidding is all in fun. When you’re in a big-league starting rotation for the first time in four years, and lead the staff in victories, it’s all part of the fun.

But yet, Nolte also realizes he has been awfully fortunate. He has a 5.09 ERA, has allowed 21 hits in 17 2/3 innings, and is yielding a .292 batting average. But when you have had 23 runs scored in three starts, it’s easy to understand why he’s undefeated.

“At this rate, I’ll be 20-0 this year with a 12.00 ERA,” Nolte said. “Even my wife thinks I stink. I know I’m lucky right now, and unless I start pitching better, it won’t last.”

Said Padre starter Ed Whitson, who’s 1-2, and has had one run scored in his two defeats: “What can I say? He’s in the right spot at the right time.”

Padre reliever Wes Gardner, who has been hit hard in each of his five appearances this season, watched tapes of himself Wednesday morning with Padre Manager Greg Riddoch, trying to discover his problems.

And certainly, yielding a .481 batting average and 16.20 ERA, allowing 14 hits and four walks in five innings, he has had his problems.

Riddoch and the coaches, however, put in pitchers tapes of Gardner of several years ago when he was pitching with Boston, and noticed that Gardner was not using a leg kick when he was most effective.

“So we’re going to try that,” Gardner said. “I’m going to quit using a leg kick, and see what happens. I never did it before ‘88, but after I became a starter, I always used a kick.

“It’s a pain in the neck to change, but I’m going to have to do it. I’m hoping that’ll help keep the ball down.”

Giant starter Bud Black, on the constant newspaper headlines featuring Black and (Steve) Decker, his batterymate: “I just have a name that goes well with other names. I remember when Vida and I beat the Yankees in a doubleheader, and they made a big deal about Black and Blue.”

The Giants placed Scott Garrelts on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and recalled Francisco Olivares. Garrelts, who yielded seven hits and five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings Tuesday in the Padres’ 7-6 victory, was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right elbow. Olivares, who’s 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three starts in triple-A Phoenix, pitching 14 consecutive shutout innings, will be used in middle relief for the Giants. . . . Although the Padres lead the league in hitting with a .272 batting average, they have already struck out 110 times, leading not only the National League, but both major leagues. . . . The Padres, who were the second-worst defensive team in the National League a year ago, have played six consecutive games without an error. . . . Just how bad have members of the Giants’ bullpen been this season? They’re 2-4 with a 6.24 ERA, allowing 24 earned runs and 55 hits in 34 2/3 innings. . . . Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays signed a three-year contract with the Giants to serve as a community service and public relations representative. . . . The Padres’ games have been so close this season that eight games have been decided on the final pitch. . . . The Padres are off today, and Friday will begin a four-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The probable pitchers for the series: Bruce Hurst (1-0) vs. Jose DeJesus (0-0) at 4:35 p.m. (PST) Friday; Andy Benes (0-2) vs. Danny Cox (0-0) at 4:05 p.m. Saturday; Eric Nolte (3-0) vs. Jason Grimsley (0-3) at 10:35 a.m. Sunday; Ed Whitson vs. Terry Mulholland at 4:35 p.m. Monday.