PADRE UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Myers to Arrive in Camp Sunday

Padre reliever Randy Myers finally returned one of General Manager Joe McIlvaine’s telephone messages Thursday and informed him that he’ll be in camp on Sunday, as promised--six days later than the pitchers’ and catchers’ reporting date.

“He told me he finished his personal business,” McIlvaine said. “That was about it.”

Said Padre reliever Larry Andersen: “Maybe he’s been at a blacksmith sharpening his machetes. Maybe he was working on his walk from the bullpen, which has got to be the slowest in the game.

“There’ll be a lot of us waiting for answers from him. The last time I checked, this was a team game.”

Also still missing from Padre camp are shortstop Tony Fernandez, pitcher Rafael Valdez and outfielder Oscar Azocar, all of whom have visa problems.

Fernandez’s visa to leave the Dominican Republic has been approved, and he is expected Monday. Azocar’s visa also has been approved, but the Padres still do not know when he will arrive from Venezuela. Valdez’s, however, still has not been approved, and remains in the Dominican Republic until his status is resolved.

Starter Bruce Hurst, who spent the first 13 years of his professional career in the Boston Red Sox organization, on the death of Red Sox owner Jean Yawkey:

“She was a great, great lady. The game’s going to miss her. There was that aura about her, that mystique. We wanted to win so badly for her.

“I truly believe I’m a better person because I got to play in the organization for her.”

Andersen stole the show in the Padres’ first full day of workouts by leading the team on their mile run. In fact, he led the pack the entire run, even offering encouragement to the others trailing him. He also happened to be driving a golf cart. “I had to make sure everybody else was getting in shape,” Andersen said.

Second baseman Kurt Stillwell made his debut in the Padres’ camp Thursday, and immediately showed why the Padres signed him to a three-year contract. “He’s not supposed to be hitting the ball this good already,” said Merv Rettenmund, Padre batting coach. “He looks great.” . . . Stillwell has been a Padre for only a week, but already has put money back into the community. He bought a $675,000 home in Poway and placed his Kansas City home on the market. . . . First baseman Fred McGriff arrived wearing a Miami Hurricanes cap. “I came prepared for Larry Andersen. I knew he’d be talking about his Washington Huskies, and I wanted to show him who the real national champions were.” . . . Catcher Dann Bilardello, a career .207 hitter, was standing in the batting cage when Rettenmund told him to pretend that there were one out and a runner on third base. Bilardello promptly started walking out of the batting cage, looking for a pinch-hitter. . . . Outfielder Jerald Clark and third baseman Craig Worthington were signed to one-year contracts. . . . Pitcher Adam Peterson cleared waivers Thursday and will be in camp as a non-roster invitee. . . . Starter Andy Benes jogged for the first time since undergoing surgery on his lower abdomen. He predicted he’ll be back next week. “The main reason I went out there was to at least get the go-ahead to play golf,” he said, laughing. . . . The Padres will play a charity game at 7 p.m. March 5 against their mini-camp All-Stars at Desert Sun Stadium.