PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Barring a Trade, Lefferts Earns a Spot in the Starting Rotation

Padre pitcher Craig Lefferts knows he could be traded at any moment, but, for now, he simply wants to celebrate the moment.

He has made it. He’s going to be in the Padre starting rotation. Barring a trade or unforeseen circumstances, Lefferts is scheduled to be the Padres’ starting pitcher April 8 against the Cincinnati Reds.

“I can’t tell you how good I feel,” Lefferts said, “because nobody thought I could do it. I came into camp hoping it would work out, but to tell you the truth, I was not expecting it would happen.

“I just didn’t know if the opportunity would be there.”

Lefferts, who has pitched exclusively in the bullpen since 1984, is 2-0 this spring with a 4.76 ERA. He has yielded 29 hits in 22 2/3 innings, allowing a .312 batting average.

The Padres still haven’t officially announced that Lefferts will be in the rotation, but Lefferts was privately informed Friday by Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, that he has earned a job.

“He didn’t say, ‘Congratulations, you made the starting rotation,’ ” Lefferts said. “He said, ‘Well, we made the deal, so it looks like you’re a lock.’

“This is something I always wanted.”

The Padres continued to have trade talks with a handful of teams Saturday. They are shopping catchers Benito Santiago and Tom Lampkin, outfielder Thomas Howard, and third baseman Craig Worthington. They continue to listen to offers for Lefferts.

“We’re still talking,” McIlvaine said, “but I’d be real surprised if we don’t get something done soon.”

Right fielder Tony Gwynn aggravated his sore left thumb, and could miss the entire four-game series against the Angels in Palm Springs. “We don’t want to take any chances at this point,” Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said. . . . The Padres defeated the Oakland Athletics, 3-2, Saturday in their final spring-training game of the season in Yuma. Pat Clements, who has won a job in the bullpen, was the winning pitcher by allowing one hit in two innings. . . . Infielder Tim Teufel hit his first homer of the spring. . . . The Padres cut five players Saturday, reducing their spring-training roster to 33 players, including six non-roster players. Infielders Jeff Gardner and Guillermo Velasquez, and outfielders Jim Vatcher and Steve Pegues are being optioned to triple-A Las Vegas. Non-roster catcher Mike Basso was returned to the minor-league camp. . . . Second baseman Kurt Stillwell was sick again with the flu, and is not expected to be back in the lineup for several days. . . . Third baseman Tom Redington cleared waivers and has been outrighted to double-A Wichita. . . . Former Padre pitcher Randy Jones was inducted into the Yuma Hall of Fame.