PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Padres Will Probably Finish Season With Current Players

The Padres, who still find themselves very much in the National League West race, likely won’t make any trades before Friday’s waiver deadline.

Although they have been shopping Padre starters Bruce Hurst and Craig Lefferts, catcher Benito Santiago and second baseman Kurt Stillwell, the team is expected to remain intact.

“We’re trying to talk to as many teams as possible,” said John Barr, assistant general manager, “but I really don’t foresee anything being done. There’s not anything going even lukewarm out there.

“I think it it would be a real long shot.”

After talking with most teams, Barr said it’s his belief that most of the pennant contenders will stay pat down the stretch.

“Teams are going with the attitude of, ‘Hey, let’s just go with what we’ve got,’ ” Barr said.

Although most players historically pass through waivers without being claimed during this period, baseball executives believe this year could be different. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, each of whom are pitching-rich, are expected to claim most of the talented pitchers who are put through waviers, blocking any future trades.

Just how sure is the Padre front-office that a trade is extremely unlikely?

Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, and Barr are taking vacations next week after their scouting trips are completed.

McIlvaine, who has been studying the Padres’ minor-league system since the All-Star break, isn’t scheduled to rejoin the big-league team until Aug. 6.

The Padres have decided to start Jim Deshaies on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, and will send Dave Eiland to triple-A Las Vegas on a rehabilitative assignment.

Deshaies has been brilliant in his two starts against the Padres, going 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA against the Philadelphia Phillies, yielding a .171 batting average.

Deshaies hopes he’ll be staying the rest of the season. He moved his family for the fifth time this season, and will be staying in a hotel while searching for an apartment.

The Deshaies in 1992 have gone from Scottsdale, Ariz., to Florida to Awatukee, Ariz., to Las Vegas to San Diego.

“I sure hope this is it,” Deshaies said.

Eiland suffered a strained tendon in his right ankle July 4 against Montreal while sliding home, and only began feeling 100 percent two days ago.

Padre starter Greg Harris, who has been on the disabled list since June 19 with a broken right index finger, will be re-examined today by Dr. Merlin Hamer.

If Hamer is satisfied, he’ll remove the splint from Harris’ hand, and Harris will immediately begin pitching without any restraints.

“My arm feels fine,” said Harris, who has been throwing primarily fastballs the past 10 days. “If I get the OK, I think all it’s going to take is a (start) or two to get my timing. Really, I feel fine right now.

“But I know this decision won’t be up to me.”

Harris likely would have to spend a 20-day stint in triple-A Las Vegas on a rehabilitative assignment before the Padres bring him back to the starting rotation.

Padre third baseman Gary Sheffield hardly is professing to be the power hitter of first baseman Fred McGriff, but he has fared quite nicely in the four games he has batted cleanup in McGriff’s absence.

McGriff was given the day off Sunday, and once again, Sheffield responded. He went two for four with a double, and is battting .600 with two homers and six RBIs batting cleanup this season.

“I told Fred the problem with cleanup is that there aren’t many RBIs in that spot,” Sheffield said, laughing. “I need to go back to the No. 3 spot.

“Besides, I’m still looking for that RBI, and I can’t seem to get it.”

Sheffield has been stuck on 64 RBIs the last four games, and needs only one to tie Graig Nettles for the most RBIs by a Padre third baseman in a single season.

“I can’t believe the record’s only 65,” Sheffield said. “I thought it would be at least 100.”

The Atlanta Braves won 104 games between the 1991 and 1992 All-Star breaks, the most in the major leagues. They’re now on a pace to win 97 games, and eclipse the franchise record of 95 victories set in 1957 by the Milwaukee Braves.

Remarkably, the Braves have won more than 90 games only eight times since 1900.

“The way they’re going right now,” Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn said, “I can’t see anyone catching them.”

Indeed, the Braves have own 37 of their last 48 games since May 26. On that day, they were 20-27 with the most losses in the major leagues.

The Mets have won 104 consecutive games when taking a lead into the ninth inning, including 38-0 this season. Their last blown lead in the ninth inning was Sept. 30, 1990.

Met Manager Jeff Torborg wants leadoff hitter Pat Howell, who’s batting .132, to bunt more to put more pressure on opposing defense.

“We want him to look at Otis Nixon and Brett Butler,” Torborg said, “the way they threaten you and get right in your face.”