PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Seminara to Remain a Member of the Padres’ Starting Rotation

Padre rookie Frank Seminara was sore from the ball that caromed off his elbow, and a little weary from entertaining his friends and family Tuesday night. Otherwise, he felt absolutely great.

Seminara, who pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings Tuesday in his major league debut, learned Wednesday he would stay in the starting rotation. He is scheduled to pitch Monday against the Houston Astros.

“I have all the confidence in the world I can do the job,” Seminara said. “I don’t plan on going back down. I think I belong, and want to prove it.”

Said Padre Manager Greg Riddoch: “He’s going to stay right with us. I think he’s going to be our answer for that fifth spot. I’d like to see him pitch a little more before making any judgements, but he sure doesn’t look like he’s afraid.

“He has good confidence in himself, and believes in his own ability.”

Seminara says he is as qualified as anyone for the spot. Dave Eiland and Jose Melendez combined for an 0-5 record and 7.71 ERA in eight starts before Seminara got the job.

Even if Seminara eventually struggles, and has to be sent down to Las Vegas, the Padres aren’t worried about Seminara wounding his confidence.

“Even if he had to come back down,” said Jon Matlack, Las Vegas pitching coach, “I don’t think it would be detrimental to him. He’d have to get beat consistently for something to happen to that confidence.”

The Padres say Wrigley Field was the perfect place for Seminara to make his debut. The infield grass is not only long, but it’s the thickest in the National League.

“He’s tailor-made for this kind of park,” Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn said. “That sinker-slider is perfect here. There’ll be a little more pressure on the infielders when we go home because it’s a lot faster.”

Padre first baseman Fred McGriff was given his first day off this season, sitting out Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. McGriff said his legs had become weary from the constant pounding of late.

“I wasn’t going to catch Cal Ripken anyway,” McGriff said.

McGriff’s 452-foot home run May 16 against the Pirates in Pittsburgh and his 443-foot shot May 1 in San Diego were the longest homers in the National League in May.

“I don’t get it,” McGriff said. “I’ve got the longest homer on the team, right? But when Gary (Sheffield) hit his homer 424 feet, they paint the seat white.”

McGriff grinned while listening to the explanation that the seat at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium was painted white simply because it was the only homer hit into the second deck by any current Padre.

“Man, I don’t have a chance,” McGriff said. “We need to put an upper deck in right field to give us left-handers something to shoot for.”

Dennis Rasmussen, who spent the last three years with the Padres, was released Tuesday by triple-A Rochester. He arrived in Chicago on Wednesday morning and had a tryout with the Cubs.

The Cubs are debating whether to sign him to their triple-A Iowa team. They are not interested in signing him to a big-league contract.

Said Rasmussen, 0-7 with a 5.80 at Rochester: “I know I can still pitch in the big leagues. It was just one of those things in Rochester. I had about three bad games, and lost two 1-0 games. I just want the chance to show I can still do it.”

Manager Greg Riddoch departed for Greeley, Colo., after the game to attend the high school graduation of his 18-year-old. He will rejoin the Padres on Sunday for the third game of their series against the Atlanta Braves.

Jim Snyder, former manager of the Seattle Mariners, will be the interim manager.

Just how unfamiliar of a sight was it for Padre starter Bruce Hurst when he took the mound Wednesday?

It was the first time since August 1990 that someone other than Benito Santiago caught him.

Santiago, who’s on the disabled list with a broken finger, caught every inning of Hurst’s games last year. Dann Bilardello caught the game.