Padres See Rotation as Tough One to Call : Baseball: Strong performances by four Padres makes the process of selecting a starting staff even more difficult.

Under the clear desert skies here, the Padres’ clouded pitching rotation became even murkier Monday because four potential starters threw so well.

Facing the Cubs’ star-laden lineup, youngsters Ricky Bones and Jose Melendez combined to allow just five hits through seven innings. Bones struck out seven in four innings. Melendez struck out four in two innings and was nearly untouchable, giving up one single. The Cubs eventually won, 4-2, with three-run rally off Rich Rodriguez.

In an earlier B game, also against the Cubs, veterans Mark Knudson and Dave Eiland allowed five hits in a 6-0 victory. Knudson pitched the first five innings.

“Ricky pitched great. Everybody did a good job,” Manager Greg Riddoch said. “And the guys in the B game pitched great.”

The irony is that the Padres’ designated starters--Bruce Hurst, Greg Harris, Andy Benes--either haven’t been particularly impressive this spring, or in Benes’ case, slowed by off-season surgery.

The pitchers fighting for the last two spots--Craig Lefferts and the pitchers who played Monday--are making it a horse race. And the way Lefferts has thrown, there’s probably only one spot open.

So who’s in?

“You can ask me that everyday until Saturday and get the same answer,” Riddoch said. “Then things will start to clear up. And if (the front office makes a) trade, all kinds of things could open up.”

Melendez hasn’t given up a run in 11 spring innings. Bones, who has had only one poor outing, has struck out 11 in his last nine innings.

“Melendez is a possible starter, long man, middle man, even a short man,” Riddoch said. “He’s proven he can do them all, he’s very versatile.”

Said pitching coach Mike Roarke, “Nothing complicates as long as they’re all throwing well.”

It won’t win any batting titles--this being March--but Tony Gwynn will take his spring average, .512 on the strength of a three-for-four night.

Is the winner of four National League batting titles in midseason form?

“I wouldn’t say that,” Gwynn said. “I’ll take it--.487 (before Monday’s game) is .487 (but) I’ve got a ways to go still. I had a lot of quality at-bats last week but they don’t count. Results in the spring aren’t as important as the feel. It’s coming along.

“It would be nice to face some left-handers and get some at-bats. I faced (Seattle’s) Randy Johnson, he jammed me but they were two good at-bats.”

Gwynn faced Chicago left-hander Lance Dickson on Monday, getting a line single to right in the first inning and a lead-off double in the sixth. He added a run-scoring single in the seventh off right-hander Turk Wendell, giving him 13 hits in the last 17 at-bats.

Riddoch, who knows something about unsettled lineups, has empathy for Pittsburgh Manager Jim Leyland, who seems to be presiding over the dismantling of the two-time defending N.L. East champions.

For financial reasons, the Pirates unexpectedly traded 20-game winner John Smiley and released top reliever Bill Landrum last week. “It all boils down to that little mound of dirt out there,” Riddoch said. “Jim Leyland must be pulling his hair out.”

Riddoch also addressed rumors of the Pirates trading All-Star outfielder Barry Bonds to Atlanta. “There are a lot of what-ifs in this game,” Riddoch said. “What if the Reds and Giants pitchers aren’t decimated last year? Things might’ve been a lot different. What if the Braves get Bonds? That’s all we need . . . “

Padres Notes

Is the Padres’ patience with third baseman Craig Worthington running thin? Tim Teufel, battling a cold, was a late scratch Monday. The starting third baseman was Paul Faries. Worthington has a spring batting average of .207. . . . Jerald Clark came out after being hit by a pitch on the left knee. His status for today is uncertain. Catcher Benito Santiago, who started his first game in a week Sunday while recovering from an injured big toe, was held out Monday. Dann Bilardello, who started, was removed in the fifth when he fouled a ball off his right eyelid, suffering a boxer’s type cut. He said he could’ve stayed in the game. Tom Lampkin, who caught the entire B game, finished up and had a double. . . . Kurt Stillwell, batting .209 entering Monday’s game, had a single and double. Darrin Jackson had a single and a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. . . . Former Reds pitcher Mario Soto was officially named the Padres’ Dominican Republic coordinator Monday. Soto, 35, has been in Yuma working with minor league pitchers. . . . Mike York and Randy Myers are scheduled to pitch today against the Cubs’ Shawn Boskie at noon PST.