PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Werner Recommends Riddoch Be Retained

Padre chairman Tom Werner confirmed Saturday that he has recommended that Manager Greg Riddoch be provided a contract extension, but said the final decision would belong to Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager.

“We’re entitled to have opinions,” Werner said of the ownership group, “and hopefully my opinion is as an informed person. This is a decision in the end that Joe makes, but that doesn’t mean (the owners) don’t have an opinion.

“I think Greg’s done a good job, but we’re going to listen to Joe’s recommendation.

“I think the GM is responsible for baseball decisions.

“It will be his call.”

McIlvaine, who is expected to return to San Diego today, has been adamant about wanting to delay a decision until he sees how Riddoch performs in a pennant stretch. The Padres entered Saturday’s game having lost five in a row and six of their last seven.

“I don’t blame Greg for a five-game losing streak,” Werner said, “any more than the players do. My honest opinion is that the media is making more out of it than should be.”

Is Werner disappointed in the Padres’ performance this season, considering many believe they have as much talent as any team in the league?

“The only thing I’m disappointed in is that Atlanta keeps winning,” Werner said. “We have some tremendous talent, some very exciting players. Who knows what would have happened if Greg Harris stayed healthy all year?

“I wish we were in first place, and we lost some games we shouldn’t have, but that’s baseball.”

Perhaps most discouraging to the ownership group is that the Padres have drawn only 1.4 million fans this season, ranking eighth in the league.

“If we had been in first place all year,” Werner said, “attendance would have improved. The fans have been great. It’s just disappointing that the country is in a recession.

“This is not the best time to be in the baseball business.”

Harris, who has pitched only two innings since May 31, was activated from the disabled list Saturday and is scheduled to start Monday against the Chicago Cubs. They made room on the roster by optioning to Frank Seminara to triple-A Las Vegas, as expected.

Harris could start today if the middle finger on Andy Benes’ pitching hand becomes aggravated, but Benes said Saturday that he expects to make the start.

“The last time it hurt,” Benes said, “I threw a shutout against the Cubs. So I’ve got that working for me.”

Harris made three starts on his rehab assignment, allowing only one earned run in 21 1/3 innings for a 0.42 ERA.

“Right now I feel as good as I have all year,” Harris said. “I know all my goals are shot down the drain, but I want to finish strong. I know it doesn’t look good for us, but I’d like to give us a chance to win this thing.”

Minnesota Twin outfielder Shane Mack, whose 22-game hitting streak ended Tuesday on a bad call at first base, is the recipient of the Ex-Padre Player of the Week award.

Mack, whom the Padres failed to protect in the 1989 June Free Agent Draft, is hitting .419 since the All-Star break. He has raised his batting average from .287 to .326, and now finds himself third in the American League batting race behind Seattle’s Edgar Martinez and Twin teammate Kirby Puckett.

Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn unveiled a new warm-up fashion Saturday. He was wearing the jacket of umpire Paul Runge, complete with the National League cap.

“I’m going to let people know I’m not going to take any guff from anybody,” Gwynn said, laughing.

There are strong rumors in Texas that Sandy Johnson, former scouting director of the Padres, will replace Tom Grieve as general manager of the Rangers at the end of the season. . . . Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire, who leads the big leagues with 38 homers, said he’ll definitely file for free agency after the season. He says the Athletics remain his first choice, while the New York Yankees already have been ruled out. “I’ve seen too many guys take all that money,” he said. “It’s not worth it to make yourself crazy.” . . . Chicago Cub shortstop Shawon Dunston, when told that he might be moved to the outfield next season: “For me to do that, they’d have to have a better shortstop than me on the team. For them to do that, they’d have to make a trade or sign a free agent because there’s only two shortstops better then me in baseball, as far as I’m concerned--Barry Larkin and Cal Ripken.” . . . Ex-Texas Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine now blames his problems on the farm system, accusing farm director Johnson of teaching different fundamentals than those employed at the big-league level. “For the last few years,” Valentine said, “I felt that was an indication that someone in the organization was not in favor of me being successful. I always resented the fact that what I taught at the major-league level wasn’t taught in the minor leagues. I thought that was idiotic.” . . . Valentine is also getting a kick that the Rangers are 15-23 since Toby Harrah replaced him as manager, saying it proves he was not the blame. “If it’s not obvious, I don’t know what it would take for it to be obvious,” Valentine said. “The team has lost direction. It hasn’t lost talent; it’s lost direction.” . . . How strong is the Cubs’ pitching this season? They are 44-5 when they’re provided at least four runs. . . . The Toronto Blue Jays, in desperate need for a starter, have been checking out Detroit’s Frank Tanana and Eric King. . . . Yankee pitchers are 4-13 this season when they throw a complete game. . . . How vital is Lenny Dykstra to the Philadelphia Phillies’ offense? They are 76-71 with him, and 53-82 without him since he joined the Phillies. . . . Nolan Ryan said he wants to return to the Texas Rangers next season, which would be his 27th major-league season, a record. . . . The St. Louis Cardinals, trying to avoid finishing last in the league in homers for the sixth consecutive year, have hit 65 this season, ranking 11th in the league. The last time they avoided last was in 1985, when Jack Clark hit 35 homers.