PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Vincent’s Decision to Quit Leaves Front Office with Mixed Feelings

Joe McIlvaine, Padres general manager, heard the news while standing at the batting cage Monday at Candlestick Park.

He had been following the scenario with Commissioner Fay Vincent like everyone else, but it wasn’t until Monday when the reality finally hit.

The man McIlvaine regarded highly succumbed to the owners’ wishes and resigned.

“I’m sick about it,” McIlvaine said. “I thought Fay made every attempt to do what he thought was best for the good of the game. Maybe that explains the timing of his decision.

“He was such a great fan of the game, he didn’t want it to be a distraction from the pennant races. He knew the issue was taking precedence over what was happening on the field, and it was hurting the game.

“We’re going to miss him.”

Said Padre infielder Tim Teufel, who lived in Greenwich, Conn., along with Vincent: “I feel bad for him because he was good for the game. It was good to have a man of integrity in there who loves the game of baseball. I’d just like to know from the owners just what he did wrong.

“But I guess in all fairness, what we need to understand is that the owners were the ones who hired him. And they can fire him. He’s a speaker for the owners, and I guess they didn’t like what he was saying.”

Owners voted 18 to 9 to fire him last week in an emergency meeting in Chicago. They were expected to act on that decision this week. Although Vincent talked about filing a lawsuit, he decided Monday he did not want a legal battle.

“Personally, I respect Fay’s decision to step aside,” said Padres chairman Tom Werner, who voted to fire Vincent. “It is important that we now strive to find solutions to the many problems that confront us. The most important constituency in baseball are not the players, and certainly not the owners, but the fans.

“All of us inside baseball, players and management alike, owe it to the fans to preserve and protect the game we love.”

Bob Lurie, San Francisco Giants chairman, said in a prepared statement: “I know this was a difficult decision for the Commissioner, and I respect his choice to resign. I wish him all the best in the future. I also share my fellow owners’ concern for the need to find solutions to the problems confronting our business.”

The Padres recalled starter Doug Brocail, 25, from triple-A Las Vegas on Monday to make his big league debut tonight against the Giants.

“Oh, my, God, I still can’t believe it,” said Brocail, who was 10-10 at Las Vegas. “It’s an awesome. It really meant something when Joe Mac (McIlvaine) called my room and welcomed me.

“I was supposed to pitch Thursday in the (triple-A) playoffs, but I’ll take this instead.”

Although McIlvaine believes he selected the best pitcher available at Las Vegas to replace Bruce Hurst for at least one start, the fact that Brocail already was on the 40-man roster was a consideration. Veterans Mark Knudson and Adam Peterson are not on the 40-man roster, and rookies Tim Worrell and Scott Sanders spent half the season at double-A.

“Certainly, that helped lead us to Brocail,” McIlvaine said.

With only four weeks left in the season, Padres catcher Benito Santiago has yet to allow a passed ball.

Every other team in the National League has at least six passed balls, with the Dodgers leading the league with 17.

“I think this is the best defensive season I’ve ever had,” Santiago said. “I’ve had good defensive years before, but nothing like this. I’ve been blocking everything.

“I play day games after night games. I play 14 innings in games. Still nothing.

“I’m telling you, I’ve got it all together now, and I guarantee I’m only going to get better.”

Considering that Santiago is a free agent at the end of the season, and has the potential to get close to $5 million a year deal, he said he did take an extra precaution this year.

Santiago took out a $10 million insurance policy with Lloyd’s of London.

The Padres’ double-A Wichita club beat Shreveport, 6-4, Monday night to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Texas League championship series. Wichita won all three games on the road.