PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Padres Find Trading Lefferts the Best Deal They Didn’t Make

Padre pitcher Craig Lefferts spent the winter preparing himself to be traded. He listened during spring training to skeptics and critics telling him to forget the silly notion he could be a starter.

He opened the season in the starting rotation only to hear fans boo him, reporters mock him, and people tell him that his next start would be his last.

Two months into the season, after Lefferts has won five consecutive decisions, there is an eerie silence.

Lefferts (6-2) not only is tied for the league lead with six victories, but he has more victories than Bruce Hurst, Greg Harris and the No. 5 Padre starters combined.

Who would have believed it?

“It’s too early to say, ‘I told you so,’ “Lefferts said. “I’ll just wait until the end of the year for that.

“I don’t want to get caught up where I am, I want to focus where I’m going. As soon as you relax, you leave yourself open.”

The Padres, who hoped for about six months to trade Lefferts, to dump his salary as much as anything else, now can ill afford to lose him. Certainly, no one on the team has emerged as a bigger surprise.

“My mom’s even getting caught up in it,” Lefferts said. “She gave me a call this morning and told me she has been going to the local bar in Tucson to catch me on the ESPN games. She’ll go in there, grab a hamburger and Coke, and watch me pitch.

“I never even knew that before (Monday). I’ll tell you, that’s a nice feeling.”

Grab a seat, the bandwagon is getting full.

Padre third baseman Gary Sheffield was selected as the National League’s Player of the Week, the first time he has won the honor.

Sheffield hit .483 for the week with two doubles, three homers and six RBIs. He also had an .862 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage.

“What can I say?” Sheffield said. “Everything’s been going great.”

The Padres are expected to activate pitcher Gene Harris from the disqualified list before they open their six-game, two-city trip Friday beginning in St. Louis. The Padres likely will make room on the roster by optioning Jeremy Hernandez or Tim Scott to triple-A Las Vegas.

Harris, who was a part-time starter with the Seattle Mariners, likely will be used in the bullpen.

The way Padre bullpen stopper Randy Myers figures it, he’s just doing his best to help out the hungry.

Myers has inherited seven multiple-run leads this year that he has turned into six one-run victories. The latest occurred Monday night when a 7-4 lead in the ninth inning turned into a 7-6 cliffhanger.

The one-run victory meant once again that all ticket holders at the game won a free hamburger at Rally’s, which sponsors the promotion.

“I’m going to put Rally’s out of business,” said Myers, who has 12 saves and a 5.48 ERA.

Strange-but-true-statistic: The Padres have not stolen a base in their last 14 games. They have only 22 for the season, and are on a pace to steal 77 bases, their second-lowest total since 1971.

Of course, considering the Padres entered the game with a league-high 44 homers and league-high .410 slugging percentage, there has been little time for stolen bases.

Padre reliever Larry Andersen pitched on the side without pain for the second consecutive day. It’s the first time since he’s been on the disabled list that he’s pitched two consecutive days off the mound. He said the Padres will let him know today whether he’ll make the road trip, or begin a rehabilitative assignment in the minor leagues. . . . Believe it or not, there are eight Padres and ex-Padres who are hitting at least .320 this season. Tony Gwynn, Gary Sheffield, Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff are accomplishing the feat for San Diego. John Kruk of Philadelphia, Roberto Alomar of Toronto, Shane Mack of Minnesota, and Carlos Baerga of Cleveland also are among the elite.

Just how tough are times with the Atlanta Braves having this year? They have yet to win a game when trailing after four innings this season, and have not come back from a deficit greater than one run. They’re 0-15 this season when allowing more than four runs in a game.

Toronto second baseman Roberto Alomar has agreed to do an autobiography, and he can only hope it doesn’t bring the same misfortune as previous Blue Jays. Dave Stieb wrote a book, and immediately had his first sub -.500 season in 11 years; catcher Ernie Whitt was traded after his book; outfielder George Bell left via free agency, and since has been traded; third baseman Kelly Gruber went on the disabled list for seven weeks after his book hit the stands.