BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Riddoch, Piniella May Be Gone Soon

San Diego Padre Manager Greg Riddoch says he will be fired within the next two weeks, according to sources close to him.

“There’s no doubt in his mind he’s gone,” one of Riddoch’s confidants said after the Padres’ 4-2 loss Friday night to the Cincinnati Reds. “He felt pretty good about things a couple of months ago, but he sees the writing on the wall.

General Manager Joe McIlvaine confirmed that a decision has been made regarding Riddoch’s status, but he is not prepared to make it public.

If Riddoch is looking for a job soon, he could send his application to another National League West club.

Cincinnati Manager Lou Piniella, according to sources, is expected to resign at the end of the season. He will probably be replaced by Tony Perez, according to one source.

“I don’t know what I’ll do,” Piniella said. “I still have to talk to ownership. I talked to (General Manager) Bob Quinn about it once, but I told him to worry about his own situation first.

“I’ve been told I can come back if I want to, but who knows?”

Piniella, who managed the Reds to the 1990 World Series championship, has come under scrutiny this season. He tackled bullpen stopper Rob Dibble after Thursday’s game, leading both to be reprimanded Friday by owner Marge Schott and Quinn.

Piniella was angered when Dibble called him a liar after Thursday’s game against Atlanta. He ran into the clubhouse and tackled Dibble. The wrestling match lasted about 30 seconds, but there were no punches.

“Dibble told me before the game that he couldn’t get loose and his shoulder was stiff,” Piniella said Thursday.

Dibble said: “Lou’s full of . . . . He’s not telling you the whole story.”

That incited the wrestling melee. The two made up on Friday.

“The whole thing’s been settled,” Dibble said at an impromptu news conference. “I was wrong. It’s no big deal. I used to fight with my brothers.

“The problem is we’re too much alive. We both hate to lose and we have fiery tempers.”

Said Piniella: “It’s over with.”