PADRE UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Gwynn Finally Solves Langston

It should come as no surprise in the Padres’ 3-1 defeat to the Angels in the Cactus League opener that Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn led off the spring with a base hit. He is a four-time batting champion with a career .328 batting average.

His reaction was surprising. Gwynn stood on first with a huge grin on his face and clapped his hands with excitement. The guy on the mound, Mark Langston, only laughed back.

It had been nine years, Gwynn said, since he last had a hit off Langston. Gwynn figures he must have gone 50 at-bats without a hit off him, the last occurring in 1981 in Walla Walla, Wash.

“I’ve been trying to get a hit off that guy for nine years and finally did,” Gwynn said. “Wow! I stood on first base, and he gave me that look like, ‘It’s about time.’ ”

Padre Manager Greg Riddoch pulled Gwynn out of the game after the third inning, part of his plan to rest him this spring. Gwynn then spent the rest of the day hitting in the batting cage and taking fly balls.

Left-hander Craig Lefferts didn’t run in from the bullpen. He didn’t pitch out of the stretch when given the ball. Although he entered the game in the third inning, he still pretended it was a simulated start.

“I went through the whole routine, just like I was starting,” said Lefferts, who’s attempting to make the conversion from the bullpen to the starting rotation. “I made a few bad pitches, but everything felt great.” Lefferts pitched three innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs in his outing. He was told he’ll start Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs in either the “A” or “B” game. “It’s a little different feeling,” he said, “but the competition is something I haven’t felt in awhile.”

Starter Greg Harris, who allowed two hits and one run, felt no effects of his elbow surgery last season: “I had no pain at all. Last year, it was just a thing where I was coming off 73 games, which was prefaced by winter ball. I feel great now.” . . . Riddoch on being limited to five hits: “It’s pretty tough to come out against and 18-game winner, a 19-game winner, and a guy who saves 46 games.” . . . Behind the Times Dept.: Someone called the Padre offices Friday night looking for Ray Kroc, who died eight years ago. . . . Outfielder Jerald Clark, who opened the spring with a single off Langston and struck out against Jim Abbott: “Hey, that’s not fair. Those guys were in midseason form. They were a notch up on us.” Said Angel outfielder Shawn Abner, formerly of the Padres: “Hey, at least you don’t have to take batting practice off those guys every day.” . . . The power was still out at the Padre complex early Friday morning after a blown transformer, and the coaching staff had no choice but to have a candlelight meeting when they arrived at 6. . . . Reliever Randy Myers pitched on the side Friday, and is expected to make his Cactus League debut on Sunday against the Angels. . . . Pitcher Adam Peterson left camp to be with his wife, Lisa, who’s expecting their second child any day. He’s expected to rejoin the team from Vancouver, Wash., next week.