Pay Situation Puzzles Santiago

Padre catcher Benito Santiago heard the boos Tuesday night the moment he trotted out of the National League dugout. He shook hands, stood on the first-base line with the rest of the All-Stars, doffed his cap and actually smiled.

The attitude of the sellout crowd at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium began to lighten up, with an even mix of cheers and boos. Yet with other Padres and even former Padres receiving thunderous ovations before him, it was a rather awkward feeling.

“I don’t know what they have against me. I still don’t understand it,” Santiago said. “They’ve been on (me) for so long, I forget why they’re mad at me.”

The fans’ discontent with Santiago stems largely with his acrimonious relationship with the front office the past three years. Each winter, the Padres and Santiago have tried to negotiate a contract. Each time, they’ve been forced to settle their dispute in an arbitration hearing.

This winter, there will be no arbitration hearing. Santiago is eligible for free agency, and no one in San Diego believes they’ll be seeing him back in a Padre uniform next season.

There’s a unique difference this time.

Santiago wants to stay. It’s the Padres who aren’t crazy about the idea of bringing him back.

“I’d love to sit down and talk to them about staying,” Santiago said, “but I’ve never had the chance. I’d be willing to listen. I’d take less money from the Padres than other teams, too. This is still my first choice.

“I’m focused on being a free agent. If San Diego wants to change that, it’s up to them. I keep waiting.”

The Padres, however, are content to wait. In fact, if anything, they’ll try to trade him before the July 31 deadline when waivers are required.

“I don’t want to think about what’s going to happen,” Santiago said, “I just want to do the best I can and play baseball.”

Santiago wants to wait before publicly divulging his preference of teams to play for next season, but his secret was unveiled by a teammate. His top eight choices, according to a teammate, are: the Dodgers, Angels, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Florida Marlins.

Santiago’s popularity is much greater outside San Diego than in his hometown. Despite missing six weeks in the first half with a broken little finger on his right hand, Santiago still was voted the starting National League catcher. It was during the festivities, he said, when he received invaluable encouragement from Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson and Ernie Banks.

“Johnny Bench told me that I’m the best,” Santiago said. “He said, ‘Forget about everything, block everything out, and just go out and have fun.’

“That means a lot coming from someone like him. I mean, he was my idol.

“I’d like to make him proud.”