Lefferts, Jackson Reflect the Padres’ Progress

Craig Lefferts, who pitched 6 2/3 no-hit innings during the Padres’ 6-2 victory over San Francisco on Friday, has become a solid starting pitcher, just as he promised.

Darrin Jackson, who drove in two runs, is becoming a productive every-day center fielder, just as the Padres had hoped.

And the left-field platoon of Kevin Ward, who doubled home two runs, and Phil Stephenson, who has four hits since being recalled from triple-A Las Vegas this week, is taking shape, just like clockwork.

But beneath the success and behind the smiles, there is another story.

Jerald Clark knows he will walk into the clubhouse this afternoon, check the lineup card and his name will not appear. He wouldn’t be surprised if the next time his name written on a lineup card, it is with another team in another city.

Clark has been nudged out of left field by a platoon of Ward and Stephenson. And with Fred McGriff due to return to the lineup tonight, Clark’s last start at first base--and maybe his last start for awhile--was Friday night.

And while most of the Padres had good evenings, Clark had his usual night.

Zero for two, before being removed for pinch-hitter Stephenson in the sixth. In front of 21,701 in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, Clark’s batting average dropped to .188.

He has stopped reading the papers and no longer listens to the news. But he finds it hard not to listen when his teammates and fans discuss the trade reports.

There was a wild rumor involving Clark out of Pittsburgh the other day. And then there is evidence that the Padres are talking with Boston.

Clark simply listens as his future gets more and more murky. What can he say?

“It doesn’t look like I’ve got a job,” he said. “Nobody’s told me, but that’s the way it looks.

“Sometimes, you don’t have to be told things. You just open your eyes and see.”

Clark came up in the second inning Friday with runners on first and third and only one out. He fouled out to the catcher.

His next at bat was in the fourth, with a runner on second and none out. He grounded out to the pitcher.

“I’ve been in slumps like this, but I’ve never stunk like I stink now,” Clark said. “I like San Diego. I like the team; I like the city. I live here. If (a trade) is what they feel they have to do with me, then they’ve got to take care of business.

“I like it here, man. I like it a lot. I’m not one of those guys who are going to say, ‘Play me or trade me.’ My batting average is bad now. If they feel they have to trade me because it would be best for the team or best for me. . . .”

Instead of hits and RBIs, Clark’s season is dominated by worry and frustration. He heard that one national publication has written that he will no longer play left field in San Diego.

“I ain’t been told nothing either way,” Clark said. “Whether I’ll play, get traded, spot play, I haven’t been told one thing. I haven’t asked, either.

“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on. There must be a curse on me this year. There’s got to be. It’s puzzling, man.”

Said Padre Manager Greg Riddoch: “There are other people here who deserve the opportunity.”

Like Clark, Jackson began the season in a horrendous slump. Like Clark, he was under .200 for most of April.

But unlike Clark, Jackson is experiencing a resurrection. He had three hits Friday--one was nearly a home run, but Giants left fielder Kevin Bass’ leap at the fence knocked the ball down and kept it in the park. Jackson has hit .404 in his past 15 games. Overall, Jackson has improved to .268.

It has been a long climb, though.

“Without a doubt,” Jackson said. “I’ve been mentally tired all year, I’ve had so far to come back. It looks like I have decent numbers, but it doesn’t feel like it. My numbers should be so much better.”

For nearly seven innings, Lefferts’ numbers were nearly impeccable. He retired 21 of the first 22 batters he faced, allowing only a walk to Kirt Manwaring leading off the third.

The Giants, who had gone 33 innings without a run, finally broke through when Cory Snyder hit a 1-1 pitch midway into the second deck in left field with two out in the seventh and the Padres leading, 4-0.

He became only the ninth player in stadium history to deposit a ball into the second deck. Padre third baseman Gary Sheffield, who continued his tear with two more singles, did it earlier this season.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Lefferts, who continued to befuddle the skeptics by improving his record to 9-5. “I’ve never gone that far in a game without giving up a hit. In the fifth inning, I was in the dugout and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. It was a strange feeling.”

Then came Snyder’s homer.

“Obviously, I was disappointed,” Lefferts said. “I’ll probably think about it tonight when I lay down to bed.”

Lefferts, who still has never pitched a complete game, was mostly brilliant in limiting the Giants to two runs and three hits in seven innings. He struck out five.

Bud Black (4-2) gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings as the Giants lost their fourth in a row and for the 11th time in 13 games.

“I’ll say one thing about Lefferts,” Giants Manager Roger Craig said. “He’s got a lot of confidence in himself. That’s why he’s successful. He hasn’t got the best stuff in the league, but he’s got a lot of heart.”

As for Sheffield, who is hitting .429 against the Giants, Craig simply throws up his hands.

“Probably about the best thing that could happen is for us to walk him with the bases loaded,” Craig said. “He’s hit everything we’ve thrown up there.”

But as a happy band of Padres shuffled off into the night, there is one guy with an uncertain future whose morning optimism had evaporated by dusk.

“I’m out there tonight,” Clark had said before the game. “This could be the big night for me.

“Every night is a different night.”