PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Myers Says Card Promotion Wasn’t Fair to Padre Fans

SAN DIEGO — Padre reliever Randy Myers, the man who has introduced his teammates to laser guns, hand grenades, live artillery and camouflage gear, now has riled up the troops with a different matter.

Myers said Saturday that the Major League Players Assn. plans to file a grievance against the Padres and Mother’s Cookies for an alleged violation in a promotional agreement.

Myers, the Padres’ assistant player representative, said they are upset that Mother’s Cookies included only 20 different Padre players in each card set distributed Friday instead of the entire team. The only way to collect the entire set is to attend the All-Star Fanfest, which not only costs $10 but doesn’t guarantee that the eight additional trading cards would complete a set.

“We think it hurts the fans, and the players are upset over it,” Myers said. “This isn’t fair at all. Basically, they lied to the fans, and lied to us.

“The Players Assn. is going to find out if we’re going to go into litigation with Mother’s Cookies, but that doesn’t help the fans. I don’t know of any promotion like this. I think they misled the fans.

“It’s like if you got a magnetic schedule, and it was for only half the season. Or if they gave away hats without the snaps in the back, and made you send away for them and wait six to eight weeks.

“I think you’re looking at Mother’s Cookies really don’t care about the fans.”

The Padres, however, insist there was no wrongdoing. The promotion has been licensed by Major League Baseball, and also is being sponsored by the Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.

“I’m not going to comment on this,” said Tom Ryba, Padre director of promotions. “This isn’t his deal to worry about.”

The Boston Red Sox might part with left-handed pitcher Kevin Morton in exchange for Padre left fielder Jerald Clark, sources said.

The Padres have talked to the Red Sox about several pitchers, but Morton, 23, is intriguing to them. He is in his fourth professional season and currently is pitching for triple-A Pawtucket.

He was the 29th pick in the country in the 1989 June Free Agent draft out of Seton Hall University. Ironically, he was a compensation pick to the Red Sox for losing free agent pitcher Bruce Hurst to the Padres.

The Red Sox might decide today whether to make the trade. Their decision likely will hinge on whether they have to place either outfielder Ellis Burks (strained back) or outfielder Phil Plantier (sprained knee) on the disabled list.

The Ex-Padre Player of the Week award goes to Omar Olivares of the St. Louis Cardinals, whom the Padres sure could use right about now.

Olivares, part of the last trade Jack McKeon made for the Padres, was sent to the Cardinals two years ago for reliever Steve Peters and outfielder Alex Cole.

Olivares, 4-3, has not lost a decision since May 26. He is 2-0 with a no-decision in his last three starts, yielding a 2.41 ERA.

Cole was traded to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for catcher Tom Lampkin. Lampkin is in triple-A Las Vegas. Peters is out of the organization.

Padre second baseman Kurt Stillwell, who has missed 16 games this season with a variety of injuries, sustained yet another injury when he was diagnosed Saturday with a strained flexor muscle of his left arm.

Stillwell sustained the injury Friday night while striking out in the fourth inning.

“It’s real stiff and swollen right now,” Padre trainer Bob Day said.

Stillwell, who was later examined by Dr. Merlin Hamer, could return Monday against the Dodgers.