Santiago Demands a Trade : Padres: All-Star catcher says his bags are already packed.

All-Star catcher Benito Santiago, frustrated by his uncertain status, has asked the Padres to trade him as quickly as possible.

Santiago, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, made his request several days ago in a private meeting with Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager.

“I asked him (McIlvaine) if they were going to trade me,” Santiago said Sunday. “He said they’d probably have to trade me sometime because they can’t sign me.

“I told him, ‘Then, just trade me now.’ ”

What was McIlvaine’s reaction?

“He said he’d do it,” Santiago said. “That’s why I just keep waiting for the phone to ring. My bags are packed.”

McIlvaine said, “Yes, we did talk, but it was a private conversation and it will stay that way.”

The Padres have had trade negotiations the past 10 days with the Toronto Blue Jays in an attempt to trade Santiago. The Blue Jays have offered catcher Pat Borders and outfielder Candy Maldonado, according to sources. Yet, sources said, the Padres keep insisting on catcher Ed Sprague, who split last season between Toronto and triple-A Syracuse.

“As long as they ask for Sprague, the trade’s got no chance of happening,” one Blue Jay official said. “If we have to wait, we’ll just keep on waiting. We’re not in a panic situation.”

The Padres’ sense of urgency simply is to receive ample compensation for Santiago before they lose him to free agency. They’ve determined they can’t afford him once he enters the free-agent market, expecting him to seek at least $25 million over five years.

The Padres, in fact, have not attempted to sign Santiago to a multi-year contract since February 1991. He turned down a four-year, $11 million offer, instead seeking $17 million.

The question now is whether they’ll keep him as long as the Padres are in the pennant race or dump him and his $3.3 million salary before the race begins.

“It gets frustrating,” Santiago said. “I’m trying to block it out the best I can, but it’s so hard. That’s why I wanted to let him (McIlvaine) know my feelings. I told him, ‘If it’s going to happen, just do it now. If you’re not going to trade me, back off.’

“I don’t want to go the whole year wondering every day whether they’ll trade me.”

Scott Boras, Santiago’s agent, said he’ll travel to Palm Springs today to meet with Santiago. He said he’ll discuss the situation with Santiago but does not plan to meet with McIlvaine.

“The Padres have made it very clear they want to trade him,” Boras said, “and it’s become very disconcerting for a guy to start the season. Benny knew that if the Padres didn’t get off to a real good start, he could be traded to a contender. But I don’t think he expected to be traded before the season.

“We know the circumstances. We know it’s not entirely in Joe’s control. But from Benny’s perspective, it would be best to trade him now.”

Santiago, who has spent his entire career in the Padre organization, is a three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner. He led all National League catchers last season with a .267 batting average and 17 homers and 87 RBIs.

“I’d like to stay here all season and help this team win,” Santiago said. “But they can’t guarantee that.

“So I say, ‘Trade me. Get it over with. Let me get on with my life.’ ”