PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Jackson’s Confidence Translates into Continued Power at Plate

Padre center fielder Darrin Jackson silenced the off-season skeptics Monday with one swing of the bat.

Jackson, trying to prove that last season was not a fluke, hit the game-winning homer Monday in the ninth inning, providing the Padres a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

“I know I still have to prove to people I can do the job,” said Jackson, who hit 21 homers last season, averaging one every 17.1 at-bats. “I’m not saying I’m going to hit 30 homers. I don’t care if I hit 20 homers. It’s not that important to me. I can help this team win in other ways.

“I’ll just go about my business this year, put the numbers up, and show people what I can do.”

Yet, in the minds of his teammates, he has nothing to prove.

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now,” said first baseman Fred McGriff, who hit a homer in the second deck off Jose Rijo in the sixth inning. “When I first came over here, I remember he tried to hit everything to right field, and just slapped balls here and there.

“Once he got his confidence, he started swinging like a man. Now, he goes for the fences just like anyone else. He’s going to be a big help to us.”

Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, said negotiations have stalled with the Atlanta Braves in his attempt to trade All-Star catcher Benito Santiago, and said no trade is imminent.

“The one thing I don’t want is that thing floating around all year,” McIlvaine said. “He told me he wanted to see what I could do about trading him, and that’s what I’ve done.

“But so far, nothing’s materialized. I’m not going to give him away.”

The Padres, according to sources, continue to ask for left-handed pitcher Kent Mercker, catcher Greg Olson and either minor-league pitcher Matt Murray or outfielder Keith Mitchell. The Braves are balking at giving up a third player.

“I don’t think anything’s likely to happen soon,” McIlvaine said, “but you never know.”

Shortstop Tony Fernandez, who’s nursing a swollen and bruised right thumb, says he probably will miss tonight’s game, and perhaps the remainder of games for the next few weeks when the Padres face a left-handed starter.

“It hurts right now,” said Fernandez, who failed to hit the ball out of the infield in five at-bats. “It may take a while. I need to rest it.”

Fernandez, a switch-hitter, said the pain in his thumb prevents him from even taking batting practice right-handed. Craig Shipley is expected to replace him in the lineup, and second baseman Kurt Stillwell will bat leadoff.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Bip Roberts, on keeping his off-season home in San Diego: “The Padres aren’t going to run me out of San Diego. I’ve been living in California longer than they have, so I have more of a right to stay there than they do.”

Roberts, on the Padre clubhouse: “They still have cliques over there. Five guys in one corner, five in another, and two in the owners’ office. When you have one group here, and one group there, you have problems.”

Padre starter Dave Eiland perhaps had the strangest journey to reach Cincinnati for opening day. He pitched Sunday morning in Yuma, Ariz., in the Padre minor-league camp, caught a flight from Yuma to Phoenix. Made a connection in Phoenix. Caught a flight to Dallas. Made another connection. And arrived in Cincinnati at 12:30 Monday morning. “It was a nightmare,” Eiland said. “When I got to Dallas, I had about three minutes to go about 30 gates away. I mean, I was sprinting to the gate, and they were shutting the door by the time I got to the gate. What a pain. But you know what, it sure was all worth it. It feels great to be here.” . . . Jackson and McGriff matched their home-run output of the entire spring on Monday. . . . Catcher Dann Bilardello, seeing the All-Star patch on his uniform: “This is the closest I’ll ever get to the game. Unless I get a ticket. Maybe, I’ll just give Tony (Gwynn) my batting glove to wear, so at least part of me can get to the game.”