PADRE NOTEBOOK : Eiland Nails Down Fifth Spot in Padres’ Starting Rotation

Dave Eiland, a right-hander who spent the past five years in the New York Yankee organization, officially became the Padres’ fifth starter Thursday when the club optioned Mark Knudson and Mike York to triple-A Las Vegas.

The Padres also optioned infielder Paul Faries to Las Vegas, meaning that they have three more moves to make to trim to the required 25 in time for Monday’s opener at Cincinnati.

“The hard thing about the decision is that all three pitched great,” Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said. “It’s a nice dilemma to be in. With York, Knudson and (Frank) Seminara, I feel like if we have an injury or a need at a certain point, we have some good people to draw from.”

Eiland, who was 2-5 with a 5.33 earned-run average in 18 games with the Yankees last season, arrived in Yuma this spring as a non-roster player. In 14 innings this spring, he yielded three runs and eight hits and struck out 12.

He is in Yuma and will pitch against Padre minor leaguers Sunday before joining the team in Cincinnati.

So the completed starting rotation consists of, in order, Bruce Hurst, Greg Harris, Andy Benes, Craig Lefferts, and Eiland. Lefferts will pitch Thursday’s home opener against Los Angeles.

Faries, meanwhile, said he wasn’t surprised that the Padres decided to keep Craig Shipley instead of him.

“I just hope to be back up this season,” Faries said. “If not here, somewhere else.”

Larry Andersen tested the inflammation in his right shoulder by throwing off the mound for about 15 minutes and reported no pain.

“Like (pitching coach) Mike (Roarke) said, it wasn’t overpowering, but I’ve seen guys get hitters out with that stuff,” said Andersen, who estimated he was at 60%. “Just not too many of them.”

Andersen plans to throw long toss today in Las Vegas and then throw off of a mound again Saturday.

Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, said a decision will be made Saturday whether to place Andersen on the disabled list.

If Andersen is placed on the 15-day disabled list as expected, the Padres can make that retroactive to the last 10 days of spring training, meaning that Andersen would only have to sit out the first five days of the season.

Although nobody was talking, the Padres have apparently placed catcher Tom Lampkin on waivers. He had a closed-door meeting with Riddoch before the Padres’ workout Thursday evening and was mum when asked about the subject matter.

“You’ll know (today) what’s going on,” he said, obviously agitated. “That’s all I can say right now.”

When asked if he was accompanying the team to Las Vegas today, he said: “I will take the flight with the team, as far as I know. After that, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

If Lampkin was placed on waivers and goes unclaimed, he would probably be signed to a contract with Las Vegas.

Riddoch, when asked if Lampkin has been placed on waivers, said: “I’m not allowed to say.”

But, as the players were showering after the workout, a cardboard box was out and Lampkin was packing his belongings.