PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Al Rosen Knows That Winning the Triple Crown is a Tough Task

While everyone continues to be in awe of Padre third baseman Gary Sheffield’s pursuit of the triple crown, perhaps no general manager in baseball is more appreciative of the accomplishment than Al Rosen of the Giants.

It was Rosen, after all, who became painfully close to the achievement in 1953.

Rosen had already wrapped up the home run and RBI titles, and on the last day of the season needed to beat out Boston’s Mickey Vernon for the batting title.

It came down to the last at-bat of the season.

“I knew that I needed a hit--a walk wouldn’t do,” Rosen said. “Vernon had already finished and he was leading me by a point. They (Rosen’s teammates) were listening to a radio broadcast, and keeping me updated.

“(Detroit pitcher) Al Aber couldn’t get the ball over the plate. I could have walked several times, but I kept fouling balls off. One pitch even nicked me, but I yelled to the umpire, ‘Foul ball, foul ball! and he ruled foul ball.

“I finally hit a bad pitch toward first base. It was a high-hopper. I was thrown out by half a step. Our bench thought I was safe. But I knew I was out. And that was it. That was my moment in the sun.”

*

Sheffield was kept out of Tuesday’s lineup because of his sore right hamstring, but is expected to return tonight against the Dodgers.

“It just never loosened up (Monday night),” Sheffield said, “and I think with the cold weather and everything, they thought this would be the best.”

*

While Padre catcher Benito Santiago is attempting to become the first catcher since Tim Laudner of the Minnesota Twins in 1984 to go an entire season without committing a passed ball, perhaps just as amazing is that the entire Padre catching corps has committed only one passed ball.

Is there a logical explanation for this?

Said General Manager Joe McIlvaine, joking: “Well, it means either that our catchers have got awfully quick hands, or our pitchers are throwing the ball very straight.

“It’s easy to tell one thing, we don’t have a knuckleballer on our staff.”

*

Padre reliever Larry Andersen was activated before the game, and reiterated that he’d like to return to the Padres next year.

“I know they won’t be picking up my option and paying me $350,000 for my buyout,” Andersen said, “but unless someone else gives me a guaranteed contract, I’d like to come back next spring and help this team.”

*

While the Padres have caught a lot of flak for trading away starter Craig Lefferts last week, history has proven that their 8 1/2-game deficit entering September is too much to overcome.

The St. Louis Cardinals, who were 7 1/2 back on Sept. 1, 1964, are the only team who has been further back than seven games to win a division title or pennant.