Whitson’s Injury Is Likely Career-Ending : Padres: Right-hander found to have a torn ligament in elbow. Discovery saddens Riddoch, teammates.

Padre starter Ed Whitson tried to talk Friday morning, but his voice cracked each time he tried to form the words.

He began to cry, only to be drowned out by the sobbing of Padre Manager Greg Riddoch, who was on the other end of the phone.

Whitson, one of the most popular players in Padre history, acknowledged Friday that his baseball career is over.

Whitson, 36, was told by Dr. James Andrews that he has a torn ligament in his right elbow. Although he’ll wait five weeks to determine if the ligament will mend without surgery, Whitson said that realistically he is finished.

“If you ask me, it’s over,” Whitson said from his Columbus, Ohio, home. “They told me not to do anything for five weeks, and then see if it’s healed. But what’s the chances of that happening?

“If it’s not healed, I’ll need surgery. I won’t be able to pitch after that.”

Whitson, a 14-year veteran, has spent 7 1/2 years in the Padre organization. He was the Padres’ pitcher of the year in 1990 and ranks third among victories (77), innings pitched (1,354 1/3) and strikeouts (767).

“I’d rather go out like this than have somebody tell me I’m not good enough to play for them,” Whitson said. “I’m not angry and I’m not bitter, just sad. It’s a very sad day for me.”

Whitson telephoned Riddoch, one of his closest friends, with the news Friday morning. Riddoch was visibly shaken, and later in the day, still had to fight his emotions.

“You know how I feel about that man,” Riddoch said. “I wasn’t prepared for this. I didn’t think this would happen.”

Said Padre pitcher Bruce Hurst: “I feel just awful. It’s not fair. What so sad is that he had to go through all that crap in New York, got back on his feet, and this happens.

“I tell you, when he was pitching, he was one of the best in the game.”

The Padres will wait at least another month before confirming that Whitson’s career has ended. For now, they’ll place him on the 60-day disabled list and pray for a miracle.

“All I can say is that it doesn’t look good,” Padre trainer Bob Day said.

Whitson, who had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow last season to remove a bone spur, sustained the injury March 8 while pitching against Gary Disarcina of the Angels. He felt something pop when he released the pitch, but the injury was diagnosed as a strained flexor muscle.

He took anti-inflammatory medicine, rested for a few days, but then felt the pain again last week. He took a flight back to Columbus, and on Thursday visited Andrews for more tests.

“They shot dye in my arm, it went out all over the place,” Whitson said. “That’s when I knew I was in trouble.

“The whole thing makes me sick. I love this game, and now I can’t play it. That’s why it hurts to much.”

Whitson, who’ll be paid $1 million this season for the last year of his contract, said he hopes to visit his teammates on opening day in Cincinnati.

“I’ll go to San Diego and sell my house, truck and fishing boat,” Whitson said. “Then I’ll come back home. I’ll be all right. This game has been good to me. And the people in San Diego treated me great. I’ll never forget them.

“That’s what I’m going to miss.”

The Padres continue to be concerned with the status of reliever Larry Andersen, who is expected to open the season on the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder. He’s been ordered by doctors not to pick up a ball for five days, and not to throw hard for 10 days.

“I just hope it’s not a rotator cuff,” Whitson said, “because that’s what it sure sounds like.”

Padre Notes

The Baltimore Orioles returned outfielder Darrell Sherman to the Padres. Baltimore had selected Sherman in the Rule V draft in December. Sherman was assigned to Las Vegas. . . . To help compensate for the loss of shortstop Jose Valentin, the Padres are planning to move second baseman Luis Lopez back to shortstop and probably will play him at triple-A Las Vegas this season. “We traded from our strength,” General Manager Joe McIlvaine said. . . . Starter Bruce Hurst had his strongest outing of the spring when he allowed only three hits and struck out six in six innings of the Padres’ 6-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians. However, starter Greg Harris’ problems continue. He allowed eight hits and four earned runs in six innings of the Padres’ 5-4 defeat in the first game of the doubleheader. . . . The Padres will cut four or five players after today’s final game in Yuma. Those cut are expected to include: second baseman Jeff Gardner, catcher Mike Basso, first baseman Guillermo Velasquez and outfielder Steve Pegues. . . . Pitchers Mark Knudson, Dave Eiland and Mike York, who are vying for the vacancy in the Padre rotation, will be left behind in Yuma to continue pitching in minor-league games. . . . Andy Benes, tired of the headaches of being the team’s player representative, said he refuses even to be considered for the job this season.