PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Second Baseman Barrett Says He’ll Return to Team in 10 Days

Padre second baseman Marty Barrett, after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Sunday on his right knee, vowed Monday that he’ll be back in 10 days, hopeful of not only being on the team, but in the starting lineup.

“I feel better now than I did before I had the surgery,” Barrett said, “and with Bip (Roberts) going to the outfield, who knows what will happen?”

The Padres moved Roberts from second base to center field Monday, leaving rookie Paul Faries as the starting second baseman, and perhaps an opening for Barrett.

“It’s really encouraging,” said Barrett, who had cartilage removed from his right knee. “Now that I had this done, I’m risk-free. Nothing should stop me now.”

Yet, even though the cartilage problem has been resolved, Barrett still is playing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Problem? What problem? Barrett says.

“Hey, I blew that out a year and a half ago,” he said. “I told the Padres it was gone when I signed. It just exploded. The only thing that does is make me more susceptible to these type of injuries, but I shouldn’t have them anymore.

“I can’t wait to get back, and hopefully the opportunity at second will be there.”

The Padres ended their mystery of tonight’s starter by announcing that Eric Nolte will return to the rotation for at least a game. Nolte, who has lasted a total of 1 2/3 innings in his two starts, yielding 10 hits, 11 earned runs and two homers, will have to have an impressive outing just to maintain his spot on the roster.

“He knows it,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager. No one has to tell him that. He has to pitch like his life is on the line.”

If Nolte falters, Dennis Rasmussen is expected to be called up from triple-A Las Vegas to replace on the roster. Rasmussen, who is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his left shoulder, has made four starts in Las Vegas on a rehabilitative assignment and said Saturday that his arm is completely sound.

Padre left-handed reliever Pat Clements, who’s eligible to come off the disabled list, appears no closer to being ready than he was two weeks ago. Clements threw on the side for the first time Monday, and said: “I feel terrible. It’s the same sharp pain. I don’t know what’s going on.” . . . The Mets activated Gregg Jefferies (strained left rib cage) before Monday’s game, then placed shortstop Kevin Elster on the disabled list with a pulled left groin. . . . The Padres will play the second game of their three-game series against the Mets at 7:35 tonight. Nolte (3-1) will face either right-hander Wally Whitehurst (1-1) or left-hander Pete Schourek (2-0). Whitehurst might have strep throat and be scratched, which would allow Schourek to make the first start of his major league career.