PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Riddoch’s Job Not in Jeopardy, Based on Performance So Far

Maybe a few of Manager Greg Riddoch’s strategic decisions are worthy of being second-guessed, Padre General Manager Joe McIlvaine concedes. Even with the abundance of injuries, he says, perhaps the Padres’ record could be a bit better.

But if Riddoch’s performs as well the remainder of the season as he did in the first two months, McIlvaine will ask Riddoch to remain as manager for the 1992 season.

“Sure,” McIlvaine said. “I’m not out trying to hatchet anyone.

“Listen, the three biggest attributes for a manger is how he motivates his players, how he executes fundamentals and how the team performs together as a unit.

“To this point, you’d have to say he’s done a good job. They’ve come back in games, they’ve picked each other up, that’s good.”

McIlvaine will wait till the end of the season decide Riddoch’s future, but with Riddoch’s front-office experience, they also might talk about other job possibilities in the organization.

In fact, McIlvaine said, he wants to make sure that Riddoch still wants to manage at the end of the season, knowing that Riddoch reluctantly accepted the job a year ago.

“He’s a Harry S. Truman manager,” McIlvaine said. “He (Truman) didn’t want to be president, and he turned out to be one of the best presidents of all time.

“Greg’s a reluctant manager.”

Can you be successful with a reluctant manager?

“Hey, can a country succeed with a Harry Truman?”

McIlvaine, who attempted to acquire Bobby Bonilla from the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this season, hinted that he might be interested in him if Bonilla files for free agency at the end of the season.

The Padres could find themselves in a similar situation as the Pirates this season with All-Star catcher Benito Santiago, who’s eligible for free agency at the end of the 1992 season. Would the Padres consider trading Santiago?

“If it’s very clear we can’t sign him,” McIlvaine said, “that’s what you’ve got to do.”

McIlvaine on Padre pitcher Greg Harris, who’s on the disabled list: “The only good thing about it is that clubs don’t ask for him any more in trade talks.”

Who will be the top two picks in the upcoming June Free Agent Draft?

McIlvaine predicts outfielder Mike Kelly of Arizona State and left-handed high school pitcher Brian Taylor. The Mets drafted Kelly three years ago out of high school, but he turned down a $75,000 signing bonus to attend college. Taylor throws 90 m.p.h. and is considered one of the best pure lefties to come out of the draft in years.

The Padres have the eighth and 31st picks in the draft this season, and considering the New York Mets’ recent success, it will be the highest McIlvaine has drafted since 1984 when the Mets had the first pick in the draft.

Who did McIlvaine select?

Shawn Abner, now sitting on the bench with the Padres.

Ex-Padre player of the week goes to Astro starter Jimmy Jones. Jones who left the the Padres in 1988 in the Jack Clark trade, has emerged as the ace of the staff with his 4-1 record and 2.70 ERA.

He allowed only four hits in eight innings Sunday against the Dodgers in Houston’s 4-1 record, and then was brilliant Saturday against the Padres, allowing only five hits in eight innings.

Padre reliever Larry Andersen, when asked by the Houston reporters if he’d consider applying for Johnny Carson’s job now that The Tonight Show’s host has announced his retirement in a year: “I’m going to throw my name into the hat and see what happens,” Andersen said. “I’m going to have a tough time beating out Jay Leno, I think.” . . . The Padres have decided to move first baseman Dave Staton to third base at triple-A Las Vegas. . . . The Padres, to make room for shortstop Craig Shipley on their triple-A Las Vegas team, have decided to make veteran shortstop Ed Romero into a player-coach. . . . Eric Anthony, a San Diego native who’s playing for the Astros’ triple-A club in Tucson, soon should be joining the big-league team. He’s hitting .359 with 39 RBIs and 32 runs. . . . Astro Manager Art Howe on third baseman Ken Caminiti, who robbed the Padres of two hits in Friday’s game: “He just keeps making plays you can’t believe, even when they slow it down on replays. He makes two plays a week that wind up on ‘This Week in Baseball.” . . . Former Padre farmhand Kevin Coffman, who’s now pitching for the Astros double-A team in Jackson, might be pitching himself out of baseball. He has walked 34 batters in 14 innings. . . . Eddie Williams and Marvell Wynne, former Padres, each continue to struggle in Japan. Williams is hitting .220 with three homers, and Wynne is batting .217 with two homers.