PADRE UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : McIlvaine Trying to Make a Trade for Pitcher Lefferts

Padre pitcher Craig Lefferts, who’s scheduled to start today against the Chicago Cubs, continues to be shopped on the trade market and probably will be gone before opening day, sources said.

The Padres have been strongly persuaded by ownership to trade Lefferts because of his $1.875-million contract, sources said. Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, has relayed the information to several teams who might have interest in Lefferts.

“Joe told me that ownership wants him to trade Lefferts, he has no choice,” said one National League scout. “It’s simply a matter of economics.”

McIlvaine does not deny that Lefferts is available for the right price, but insists the choice belongs to him, not ownership.

“Just like anyone else,” he said, “we’ll wait and see what happens.”

How how much interest will there be in Lefferts?

“You’d be surprised,” one American League executive said. “Number one, he’s left-handed. And two, you can control him for two years because he’s only eligible for arbitration after this year. I think you’re going to see three or four teams make bids for him.”

Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said Saturday that he expects Ed Whitson to open the season on the disabled list. Whitson’s possible replacement the first few weeks of the season is Mark Knudson.

“It’s an interesting scenario the way Whit is now,” said Riddoch, after the Padres’ 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. “We may not only be looking at him for the fifth spot, but the fourth spot as well. I would be surprised to see Whit go the opening day of the season.”

Knudson, who only three weeks ago was skiing near Denver and wondering about pursuing another line of work, pitched two hitless innings against his former teammates. He has pitched five shutout innings this spring, yielding two hits and two walks.

“It’s an interesting story now,” Knudson said. “But it was pretty hair-raising before.”

Knudson was the Brewers’ opening-day starter in 1991, defeating Nolan Ryan and the Texas Rangers in what turned out to be his only victory of the season. But he was without a job this winter.

“I thought my career was over,” Knudson said. “That’s why I finally decided just to go skiing. I was totally stressed out, searching for answers, and decided to let it all out on the slopes.

“Really, I was just about to send a resume to the Denver team (Colorado Rockies) for a broadcasting job.”

Instead, he got a call from McIlvaine--and, on the recommendation of Riddoch, an invitation to camp as a non-roster player.

“Believe me, I’m very grateful to be here,” Knudson said. “This wasn’t my first choice, not by a long shot, just because I knew how strong of a pitching staff they had.

“But I think I can offer a lot to this team. I hesitate to use the word, ‘utility,’ but I can make contributions in some way.”

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Gary Sheffield is on the trading block again, and the Padres remain interested, McIlvaine said, if the asking price isn’t exorbitant.

“We want to see how our own guys (Craig Worthington and Tim Teufel) do first,” McIlvaine said.

Sheffield has continued his criticism of the Brewers’ front office and ownership. He’s enraged because he received only a $50,000 raise from last year and is scheduled to earn $450,000 this year.

“(The Brewers) have taken a lot of fun out of the game,” Sheffield said. “It’s been four years, and they haven’t changed. This year, I’m looking out for Gary only, not anybody else.”

It’s only spring training, but . . .

The Padres have lost five consecutive games, and their 1-8 Cactus League record is the worst in baseball. Their worst spring-training record in franchise history occurred in 1973 when they went 6-16. They finished that season in last place with a 60-102 record, 39 games out of first.

“I don’t like to lose,” Riddoch said. “I’m sorry, I’m a poor loser. If I was a happy loser, what the hell would I be doing here?

“It’s frustrating, because we’re making a lot of mistakes, a lot of mental errors. There are a lot of things we can’t do too much about until we get to Yuma. The fundamental mistakes bother me more than the record.”

Starter Greg Harris’ problems continued Saturday when he was slapped around for five hits and three earned runs in four innings by the Brewers. Harris has now given up 10 hits and four earned runs in nine innings this spring, including three innings of a “B” game.

“I’m very, very frustrated right now,” Harris said. “I want to do better than I am. I understand it’s only spring-training, but I don’t like getting hit, no matter where I’m at.”

For the first time, Harris is not pitching this spring to win a job or to prove he can start.

“‘I’m ready for every game mentally,” Harris said, “but physically, I’m not there yet. I’ve always been ready to pitch when I got to spring training, but this year, I took my time. I’m behind right now.”

Infielder Craig Shipley was hit in the mouth after a bad hop during infield practice, requiring six stitches inside his mouth. “He’s a tough kid,” Riddoch said. “If (Tony) Fernandez got hurt, I wouldn’t hesitate at all using him for a month.” . . . Benito Santiago drove in his first run of the spring with a single in the third inning off Chris Bosio. . . . Bruce Hurst left the team to attend the funeral of his wife’s grandmother in Utah. He’s expected to return today.

AROUND THE BASEPATHS: Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Barry Bonds upon hearing the latest trade rumor of being sent to Atlanta: ‘I’ve been traded again? I was traded in ’88 to Atlanta. Then I was traded to the Padres, Dodgers, Texas and California. Now the Braves again, and I’m still here.” . . . Detroit Tigers designated hitter Cecil Fielder, who hit his first spring-training homer this week, was discovered wearing a New York Mets T-shirt underneath his jersey. “I’m hinting early,” said Fielder, who’s eligible for free agency in two years. . . . Mark Guthrie is only pitcher remaining on the Minnesota Twins who still was on the team when Frank Viola departed on July 29, 1989. In fact, Guthrie made his first start on Viola’s final day. . . . Outfielder Kirk Gibson had already boarded the bus to Winter Haven when the Kansas City Royals traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates: “They had to jack me around one more time.” . . . Look for the Chicago White Sox to make a play for outfielder Jesse Barfield of the New York Yankees. . . . Atlanta Braves catcher Damon Berryhill drove in seven runs in one game last week. He had 14 the entire 1991 season.