NOTEBOOK / ALAN DROOZ : Whitson Eager to Pitch Again

Pitcher Ed Whitson, wondering about his future with the Padres after midseason shoulder surgery, threw off a mound again Saturday and is convinced he’s ready for game action.

However, Padres pitching coach Mike Roarke, preferring caution, wants him to throw again on the side--probably Wednesday--before being activated.

The Padres have until Oct. 31 to pick up Whitson’s option. He’d like a chance to convince them--or anyone else interested--that his arm is sound.

“Tired (of throwing on the side)? Hell, yeah,” he said Sunday. “I can’t make no money out there. I’m ready, I think. I threw 70, 80 pitches yesterday. Today I’m not even stiff. I’ve got better (elbow) extension than I had five years ago. I had good movement on the fastball, a good slider, a good palmball. Everybody agreed I’m throwing fine. I saw the doctor and he said everything looked fine.

“I guess I’ll throw once more on the side. Mike said he wanted to make sure I was all right. If I can get one or two innings (in a game) that’ll be fine with me, ‘cause I’ll be one or two innings ahead. I want to prove to other clubs my arm is sound.”

Darrin Jackson’s bid for a second home run Sunday may have been hit too hard--or high. Pounded directly down the left-field line, the ball was higher than the foul net, calling for a judgment by third base umpire Charlie Williams. He ruled it foul.

Padress in the bullpen, standing directly under the net, said it was fair--the ball went directly over it before curling into the seats foul. But they said it was a tough call. “I thought it went right dead center,” said Manager Greg Riddoch. “So did the bullpen. But for the third base umpire that’s the hardest perspective.”

Outfielder Kevin Ward, given a rare start Sunday, jump-started things in the first inning. His one-out bloop fell in behind second base, and when shortstop Royce Clayton bobbled it Ward hustled it into a double. He then stole third and scored on Tim Teufel’s sacrifice fly. “Great base running,” Padres Manager Greg Riddoch said. “We got a run when we weren’t hitting.”

Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers will start at 7:35 p.m. to accommodate ESPN. . . . Shortstop Tony Fernandez was a late scratch from the starting lineup. He’s nursing soreness near his left thumb that bothers him batting right-handed, so he was rested against left-hander Bud Black. . . . The Padres won the season series from the Giants, 11-7. . . . Reliever Craig Lefferts has allowed one earned run in his past nine appearances, covering 14 innings. . . . Starter Jose Melendez, making his seventh career major league start, lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs. The bullpen didn’t yield any earned runs, and has given up only four in 39 1/3 innings. . . . The Giants reached .500 Aug. 11, but are 14-26 since. They’re 7-14 in September. Will Clark, playing on a sore knee, has seen his average dip to .298. He’s in a five-for-46 (.109) slump. . . . Kevin Mitchell has started only two of their past 14 games.