NOTEBOOK : PADRES UPDATE : Harris Would Welcome a Return to the Bullpen

Padre right-hander Greg Harris, who is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right elbow, said Wednesday he is willing to return to the bullpen if the Padres believe it will help the team.

Although the Padres aren’t considering the move on a permanent basis, Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, said that they might take Harris up on his offer, returning him to the bullpen until his arm returns to full strength.

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Harris said. “To tell you the truth, I miss relieving. It was exciting to me. Sometimes, I think my heart’s in the bullpen, anyway.

“That’s why I’d do it, with no complaints at all. Actually, I’d take it as a compliment, because that shows they have faith in me doing both jobs.”

Yet, by returning to the bullpen as a setup man, wouldn’t that eventually cost Harris money when he goes to arbitration?

“I know people say that,” Harris said, “but to me, those guys are just selfish. It’s like, ‘What numbers can you take to negotiations in arbitration?’ I happen to believe it’s more important to win than numbers.

“I mean, when you look at what we did in ‘89, being in the pennant race, you think, ‘Damn, there’s a lot more important things than the numbers.’ ”

Reliever Larry Andersen, who was one of a handful of Padre players watching Rickey Henderson steal his record-setting base Wednesday on TV, walked out of the room in disgust after listening to Henderson’s speech.

Henderson was quite gracious at the outset of his speech, but then concluded by saying, “Lou Brock was a great base stealer. But today, I’m the greatest of all time.”

Said Andersen: “When he said that, I wanted to puke. Lou Brock should have slapped him. He should have hammered him. If they called strikes the same way in the American League as they do in the National League, he wouldn’t even be close to the record.”

Andersen, watching a salesman bring a rack of suits into the clubhouse, was asked if he planned to buy a suit: “You know, I bought four suits over the winter, and I don’t even know what color they are because I haven’t taken them out of wrappers yet. I didn’t even own a suit before that. Me wearing a suit is like putting earrings on a pig.

“Really, I went crazy over the winter. I even bought four ties. And you know, I spent $18 for those ties, I couldn’t believe how expensive they were.

“I’m still trying to get used to the things. The first time I wore a tie was at my grandmother’s funeral. I wore the same tie at my wedding. And now I’m divorced.

“So what does that tell you?”

Padre first baseman Fred McGriff and Met pitcher Dwight Gooden, childhood friends, were joking Wednesday about their two confrontations in Tuesday night’s game.

Facing one another for the first time since they were playing in Class A, McGriff singled twice against Gooden, each time hitting fastballs.

“I feel good because I was able to keep him in the ballpark,” Gooden said. “The only bad thing is that now he’s got the bragging rights. I’ve had them for eight years, when I struck him out in A-ball, and now he’s got them.

“Hey, I was lucky he only got singles off me. He’s not your typical power hitter. Power hitters are supposed to be hitting .250, and Fred’s hitting .300. It’s just not fair.”

Said McGriff: “Really, it was tough concentrating. It’s tough to hit against your friend that you know so well.

“We got a chance to talk when Dwight got his single. I said, ‘Hey, you’re not a bad hitter yourself.’ But I already knew that. He could hit pretty good in high school.”

McIlvaine on the controversy surrounding the Mets: “You think anyone outside New York cares if Davey Johnson comes to the Old Timers’ Game, or Bud Harrelson doesn’t do his radio show? Come on.

“They’ve got a heck of a team, and a great pitching staff.

“If they want to trade pitching staffs, let me know.”

The Padres still have no plans to call up third baseman Scott Coolbaugh from triple-A Las Vegas, primarily because of his fielding woes. Coolbaugh has committed 10 errors in the first 19 games, and although he’s batting .375, the Padres understandably are concerned about his defense. . . . Padre starter Dennis Rasmussen will make his second simulated start tonight in Las Vegas. If he pitches well, Padre Manager Greg Riddoch hinted, Rasmussen could rejoin the team next week in the starting rotation. . . . Pitcher Atlee Hammaker made his second simulated start before Wednesday’s game, and is expected to make one more simulated start Tuesday before starting a rehabilitation assignment at Class A High Desert. . . . Padre outfielder Oscar Azocar continues to struggle at Las Vegas, batting .195 with two RBIs. . . . Outfielder Thomas Howard is batting .333 with one homer. . . . Outfielder Jim Vatcher, who came awfully close to making the team out of spring training, is batting .196. . . . Starter Jose Melendez has been the most impressive pitcher at Las Vegas, going 3-0 with a 4.67 ERA, yielding 29 hits in 27 innings. . . . The Padres are off today, and then will conclude their trip with a three-game series beginning Friday in Montreal. The scheduled pitching matchups: Andy Benes (0-2) vs. Oil Can Boyd (0-3) on Friday; Eric Nolte (3-1) vs. Rick Mahler (1-2) on Saturday; and Ed Whitson (1-3) vs. Dennis Martinez (2-2) on Sunday.