PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Hunt for Milwaukee’s Sheffield Still On as Padres Shop for Help

The Padres still are optimistic about making a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for third baseman Gary Sheffield. Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, and Harry Dalton, Brewer senior vice president, talked during Tuesday’s game.

The Brewers, who already have informed the Padres they want starting pitcher Ricky Bones, also are interested in minor-league infielders Jose Valentin and Jose Lopez, according to a source.

“I don’t want to be too specific,” McIlvaine said, “because I don’t want players to be upset hearing their names. But it’s like the Home Shopping Network. They’re calling me. We’re calling them.”

The Padres are interested in Sheffield because of Craig Worthington’s lack of offensive production. The third baseman is batting only .105 this spring.

“I haven’t seen improvement,” said Merv Rettenmund, Padre hitting coach, “but I don’t think we’ve played enough of him to find out. I know he’s capable of doing it, but the confidence is the big thing right now.”

Padre pitcher Adam Peterson was the beneficiary of the Padres’ six-run ninth inning Tuesday in their 7-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Although he gave up two hits, two earned runs and two walks in two innings, he was the winner.

It will be his last of the spring. The Padres already have told him that he’ll be one of 17 players in Phoenix who’ll be joining their minor-league camp after today’s game.

“How can they send me down,” Peterson said, laughing, “I lead the team in wins?”

Matt Mieske, who also will be sent down today, had the game-winning hit with a run-scoring triple.

“This Mieske kid is interesting, real interesting,” Manager Greg Riddoch said.

Padre left fielder Jerald Clark wore Scott Coolbaugh’s warm-up jersey during batting practice, and Mike Basso’s jersey during the game, thanks to a bit of forgetfulness.

Clark left his jerseys in his hotel room. The Padres sent a clubhouse assistant to his hotel room to bring the jerseys to the ballpark, but they could not be found.

His wife, Lydia, saw that Jerald had left behind his jerseys, and decided to hide them so they wouldn’t be stolen by a maid or hotel employee.

“It was one of those days,” said Clark, who went hitless in two at-bats.

The statistics might not reveal it, but Padre starter Bruce Hurst said he felt much better in Tuesday’s outing than he has in his previous two starts. He yielded eight hits, three walks and three earned runs in three innings.

“My timing was a lot better,” he said. “Mike (Roarke, pitching coach) worked with me between starts, and we made adjustments. I had much better control. If I missed today, I didn’t miss in the middle of the plate like I had been.”

Hurst, who has a career .098 batting average, even managed to get a hit.

“I can get right out of bed and get a knock,” Hurst said. “That’s me, Mr. Pure Hitter.”

Padre catcher Benito Santiago, still nursing his sore left toe, was given permission Tuesday to return to San Diego. He’ll rejoin the team Friday and is expected to be in the starting lineup against Seattle. “He couldn’t even get his shoe on today,” Riddoch said. “He had a dental appointment in Thursday, anyway, so we decided to let him go early.” . . . Riddoch talked with his team after the game, and scolded them for their mental mistakes. They allowed Cub pitcher Danny Jackson to reach second on a delayed steal. “I told them there’s thing I don’t like,” Riddoch said. “I don’t like what I see. Don’t give in just because we’re in a bad situation being in Phoenix.” . . . Maricopa County officials, who were hoping to generate more money in their new rental car tax, now have been told they can not build any new Cactus League stadiums unless the Board of Supervisors increase the surcharge. Translation: The city of Yuma has a better chance than ever of retaining the Padres. . . . Commissioner Fay Vincent and political columnist George Will attended the game. . . . The Padres wore green caps Tuesday in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. They’ll autograph the hats and donate them to the charity of their choice.