PADRES UPDATE / NOTEBOOK : Harris Almost Punted His Career in Baseball for One in Football

If you asked Gene Harris a month ago what he’d be doing today, he would have told you he’d be in football cleats and hitting the weight room.

“I figured I’d be getting ready for NFL training camp,” Harris said, “either the Houston Oilers or Kansas City Chiefs. They both showed interest.”

Instead, not only has Harris remained in baseball, but he’s the Padres’ starting pitcher tonight against the Houston Astros.

“Who would have ever thought this would happen?” Harris said.

Harris was told Monday he’d be starting tonight because starter Greg Harris was placed on the disabled list with back spasms. Harris is expected to miss only one start because the move is retroactive to June 1. He was replaced on the 25-man roster by reliever Larry Andersen.

“We’re hoping he can give us five innings,” Padres Manager Greg Riddoch said. “This is a great opportunity for him.”

Gene Harris’ problems with the Seattle Mariners centered on the fact that there never was a defined role for him. He was used primarily as a middle reliever when he wanted to be the closer.

Finally, the frustration becoming unbearable, Harris quit. He left the team saying he was attending a family funeral, only to show up in Seattle and announce he was quitting baseball and trying out for the NFL.

“My mind was going in a lot of different directions,” said Harris, “because I was so unhappy in Seattle. I was thought I was a power pitcher, but they didn’t have me in that role. I didn’t feel I should be a middle man.

“Some people can do it, but I wasn’t suited for it. It had been going on for 2 1/2 years, and I got tired of it.”

The Mariners placed Harris on the disqualified list May 6, and five days later, traded him to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Will Taylor.

For the first time since 1989, Harris will be starting his first major league game. The last time he started any type of game was six months ago during winter ball in Puerto Rico, and he has not pitched longer than 2 2/3 innings in a game this season.

“I’ve got my mind set on starting,” Harris said, “so we’ll see how that goes. I guess I’m lucky because I’m pretty versatile, but I really hope this works.”

If Harris is successful, the Padres could be posed with an interesting dilemma when Greg Harris returns. It’s possible he would replace rookie Frank Seminara in the rotation.

“Whatever happens,” Riddoch said, “(Greg Harris) will be be back in there when he’s ready.”

Padres catcher Dann Bilardello started the game Monday because of his previous success with starter Bruce Hurst. With Bilardello catching him for the first time, Hurst pitched a six-hit complete game June 3 against the Chicago Cubs.

Rookie Dan Walters will return to the starting lineup today, Riddoch said, where he’s expected to remain almost exclusively until Benito Santiago’s return.

“We like what we’ve seen,” Riddoch said. “We’d just like to see more of him.”