NOTEBOOK : PADRES UPDATE : With No Trade in the Works, Padres Will Juggle Pitching

The Padres, despite a surplus of starting pitching, have not been approached by any teams willing to trade for one their starters, Padre General Manager Joe McIlvaine said Wednesday.

“Nothing’s happened at this point,” McIlvaine said, “but I expect it, though.

“Right now, I’m really not interesting in trading. I don’t want to disrupt things too much. They’re playing pretty good as a unit right now.”

In the meantime, the Padres will juggle their pitching. They have decided to leave pitcher Greg Harris in triple-A Las Vegas for one more rehabilitative start and are undecided when to move Ed Whitson into the starting rotation.

Whitson, who has been on the disabled list since May 27 with tendinitis in his right elbow, said his elbow felt fine Tuesday after pitching in a simulated game Monday.

Whitson could start as early as Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, bumping Adam Peterson into the bullpen, but Padre Manager Greg Riddoch suggested Tuesday that Whitson might make a bullpen appearance before resuming his starting job.

“We’re just not quite sure what we want to do at this point,” Riddoch said. “We’re still trying to figure things out.”

Said McIlvaine: “It’s all up to Greg and (pitching coach) Mike Roarke. But I’d rather err on the side of conservatism than throwing guys right back in the rotation.

“It’s going to be an interesting situation. Through trial and error, we finally hit on two of them (Peterson and Jose Melendez). I think they each belong on the staff, but there are long-relief roles available, too.

“I just hope (Larry) Andersen and (Craig) Lefferts can hold up their end in late relief.”

Padre reliever Pat Clements, who’s been on the disabled list since April 25 after having an operation to remove cartilage in his left shoulder, will attempt to throw Friday for the first time in two weeks.

“I’m not real optimistic,” Clements said. “Every time I move the shoulder, I hear a cracking and popping sound.”

Clements spoke with orthopedist Jan Fronek, who advised that he changed his medication. Fronek said there could be inflammation to Clements’ shoulder or an impinged ligament.

“I just think I tried to come back soon,” Clements said. It’s not anybody’s fault but my own. I wasn’t patient enough. I was trying to get back before the All-Star Game, and it cost me. The frustrating part is that I’m working so hard to get back, but if it’s cartilage (damage) again, I’m just wasting my time.”

Despite arriving in Cincinnati at 3:30 Wednesday morning, it didn’t stop several Padres from venturing to their favorite fishing hole at 5 a.m.

The Padres tore the place up, catching nearly 150 fish, Whitson proudly reported, but it was Anthony Gwynn, the 8-year-old son of Tony Gwynn, who stole the show.

Anthony, who has been anxiously awaiting this trip for the past two months, caught about 50 fish, easily the most of any of the veteran fishermen.

“You should have seen him,” Whitson said, “he got so excited, he kept telling his dad to hurry up and get the fish off his hook so he could catch another.”

Said Gwynn: “He was unbelievable. After awhile, he started telling us what to do, saying, ‘Use this worm, use this worm, it’s the best. Just watch me.’ He had a ball.”

The running joke in the Reds’ clubhouse is that Marge Schott, Reds majority owner, has spent more money on her St. Bernard, Schottzie, who has cancer, than on center fielder Eric Davis when he was injured. Davis suffered kidney lacerations during the 1990 World Series, and was left in an Oakland hospital without phone calls from Schott or the front office. The team also refused to pay his way home. . . . Schott has banned six local writers and columnists from eating in the press dining room for what she perceived as negative coverage. . . . First baseman Phil Stephenson, who has spent the past week in triple-A Las Vegas on a rehabilitative assignment, will be assigned at double-A Wichita so that he can continue being a designated hitter. Las Vegas is playing a stretch against National League-affiliated teams, which do not use a DH. . . . Third baseman Scott Coolbaugh, who’s in a one-for-22 slump (.045) was benched for the second consecutive game, with Paul Faries taking his place in the lineup.

PADRES AT A GLANCE

Scorecard

FIRST INNING

Reds--Doran led off and singled to center. Hatcher reached first on bunt-single to third. Larkin lined to second. O’Neill walked, loading the bases. Morris popped to shortstop. Sabo walked, Doran scoring, bases loaded. Reed homered to right, his second. Winningham homered to right, his first. Hammond flied to right. Six runs, four hits. Reds 6, Padres 0.

FOURTH INNING

Reds--Hammond led off and walked. Doran singled to right, Hammond stopping at second. Hatcher reached first on infield single to third, loading the bases. Larkin grounded to shortstop, Hammond scoring, Hatcher forced at second, Larkin safe at first. Scott relieved Benes. O’Neill struck out. Morris lined to right. One run, two hits, two left. Reds 7, Padres 0.

SEVENTH INNING

Padres--With one out, Teufel walked. Faries walked. Brown relieved Hammond. Dorsett grounded to third, Faries forced at second, Teufel stopping at third. Roberts singled to center, Teufel scoring, Dorsett stopping at second. Fernandez grounded to first. One run, one hit, one left. Reds 7, Padres 1.

EIGHTH INNING

Padres--With two out, Clark reached first on shortstop Larkin’s fielding error. Santiago singled to center, Clark stopping at second. Teufel doubled to right, Clark scoring, Santiago stopping at third. Faries grounded to shortstop. One run (unearned), two hits, two left. Reds 7, Padres 2.

Reds--With one out, Jones walked. Doran reached first on infield single to shortstop, Jones stopping at second. Hatcher flied to center. Jones taking third. Larkin singled to left, Jones scoring, Doran stopping at second. O’Neill popped to third. One run, two hits, one left. Reds 8, Padres 2.