PADRES UPDATE : Velasquez, Lampkin Come Up for September Tour of Majors

Although their future in the Padres organization is uncertain, first baseman Guillermo Velasquez and catcher Tom Lampkin were promoted Monday after playing the entire season at triple-A Las Vegas.

The Padres will recall outfielder Jim Vatcher today.

Velasquez, on the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, batted .309 with seven homers and 99 RBIs. Lampkin batted .306 with three homers and 48 RBIs.

The Padres will attempt to trade Velasquez because they have Fred McGriff. Lampkin, who’s left-handed, may receive a shot to be the backup behind Dan Walters next season.

“I’d like to stay in San Diego,” Velasquez said, “but there’s not much room for me with Fred McGriff already here. What am I going to say, that I’m going to beat out Fred McGriff?

“He’s the best first baseman in baseball, everybody knows that. I don’t even think about trying to get McGriff out of there.”

The Padres experimented this season by playing Velasquez in left field for eight games. Velasquez caught everything, but scouts say his lack of range will prevent him from being a major league outfielder.

“It was kind of weird being out there and throwing the ball,” Velasquez said. “I haven’t played the outfield in the last five years. But I’m willing to learn.”

Lampkin, who spent half of the 1991 season with the Padres, stayed at triple-A to play. The Padres thought sitting on the bench would hurt his career.

“I’m happy with the way it all ended up,” Lampkin said. “I love to play, I love to play every day, and I know it was something I wouldn’t be able to do if I was up here.

“Ultimately, I’d love to play every day in the big leagues.”

Padre Manager Greg Riddoch says he has yet to decide how Velasquez and Lampkin will be used these last three weeks. Velasquez will play at first base, he said, when McGriff wants a day off.

“I wasn’t even told until (Monday),” Riddoch said, “so I haven’t had time to think about it yet.”

Lampkin and Velasquez were told of their promotions in the fourth inning of their 23-1 loss to Colorado Springs in the PCL playoffs Sunday night.

“(Las Vegas Manager Jim) Riggleman pulled me out of the game after the fifth,” Lampkin said. “He didn’t want me to get hurt, or have something happen to me that would keep me from going up.

“That was some game. I’ve never played in a game where I was beaten that bad. It was 16-0 after the fifth inning.

“It was bad. It was ugly. We were losing 20-0 after the seventh inning, and that’s no exaggeration.”

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Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn missed his sixth consecutive game because of a sprained medial collateral ligament of his left knee, but still is hopeful of returning to the lineup this week.

“Tony was all ready to go the other night, but when he was running one of his sprints before the game, he felt something,” Riddoch said. “What we’ll try this time is for Tony not to take ground balls, fly balls or anything. He’ll just come right out and play.”

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After going with Oscar Azocar in the No. 2 hole during the previous five days during Gwynn’s absence, Riddoch changed the lineup Monday. He moved second baseman Kurt Stillwell to the No. 2 spot, benched Azocar, and batted left fielder Kevin Ward in the eighth spot.

Azocar was only two-for-20 (.100) during Gwynn’s absence, failing to score a run in five games.

Yet, this plan also was altered. Stillwell came down with the flu, and came out of the game in the third inning for Jeff Gardner, who still is looking for his first hit.