Players Temper Remarks on Firing

The lineup board in the Padre clubhouse was as empty as the manager’s office when the players trickled in Wednesday.

For one day, the clubhouse radio became the most popular piece of equipment. At 4 p.m., most Padres listened to the sacking of their manager, thanks to coverage of the news conference a few levels above theirs in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Yes, for one day, there was something besides the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds a few levels above the Padres.

Many players were thrilled with Greg Riddoch’s dismissal, although they spoke cautiously. A handful were not. A few didn’t care.

But many noticed the changes that occurred in Greg Riddoch during his final few weeks.

A week ago, Kurt Stillwell, recovering from the flu, approached Riddoch about playing time.

“I told him, ‘I’d like to finish strong, Skip. Put me in as many games as you can,”’ Stillwell said. “He said, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to be here.’ It was obviously on his mind.”

Andy Benes, who was the winning pitcher during Riddoch’s last victory as a Padre on Tuesday, spoke with Riddoch for about an hour before that game.

“We had a nice long talk (Tuesday),” Benes said. “I was glad I could be the one out there to give us a nice effort.”

Benes hedged when asked if he thinks Riddoch received the support he needed this summer from the Padre front office.

“I don’t know about that,” Benes said. “There’s been a black cloud over us all year on whether he’d be back or not. It’s hard to take full control when people are wondering if he’s going to be around much longer.

“It’s been that way all season.”

Stillwell, who first worked with Riddoch in the Cincinnati system in the mid-1980s, and bench coach Jimmy Snyder, who is close to Riddoch, both took the news hard.

“I’m disappointed for Greg,” Stillwell said. “He’s crushed, I’m sure. You’ve never seen a guy and his staff work so hard as they did. But you could see (the strain) every time we lost.

“I saw him age 10 years the last couple of months. . . . I know Greg gave his heart for us. It seemed Greg Riddoch had a couple of strikes against him all year.”

Said Snyder: “I don’t have any comment on anything. It’s just baseball, and changes happen.”

Snyder, who was hired by Riddoch and probably will be fired after the season, apparently was the only member of the Padres’ on-field personnel to speak with Riddoch before he left town. Other than saying Riddoch was “OK,” Snyder declined to elaborate on their conversation.

The Padres tried their best to shield players from the media.

The clubhouse was off-limits to everyone but team personnel as players filtered in. A guard said the clubhouse would open at 4 p.m. but, when that hour arrived, the guard said he had been instructed to keep it closed until after the news conference.

At 4:50 p.m., General Manager Joe McIlvaine accompanied new Manager Jim Riggleman into the Padre clubhouse for the first time and they conducted a 20-minute meeting. Immediately afterward, there was an abbreviated batting practice.

Although two players said that McIlvaine did not tell them what to say to the media, several players refused comment on the situation.

Tony Gwynn offered few words.

“Greg, I thought, did a good job,” Gwynn said. “It’s a tough decision. First of all, Greg is my friend and I honestly feel he did as good a job as he could have done. The bottom line is, the players are responsible for what goes on on the field.”

Said Benito Santiago: “I’m not going to say anything. Stop writing and walk away (from my locker).”

And Tony Fernandez: “No, I don’t have anything to say. Nuh-uh. No.”

Perhaps Riddoch had no greater influence on any player this season than on Gary Sheffield, who was acquired from Milwaukee in late March and seemed to become a whole new player in San Diego. Sheffield, who is having the best season of his career, gave some of the credit to Riddoch.

“I hate (the firing) to happen because he gave me the mental talk I needed when I first got here,” Sheffield said. “I really care about that man.

“But I also see it as a business move. I’m for the organization and I’m also for Riddoch.

“Me and him talked more than any other player probably, except Tony (Gwynn). We have a great relationship and I hate to see it end. Especially with the type of year I’m having. I give some credit to him--he put me in my situation.”

Not all of the players were so benevolent: “I think we’re all looking forward to a change,” infielder Tim Teufel said.

Asked if players had lost respect for Riddoch, Teufel said: “I don’t know how deep it went between the players and Rid. Winning means a lot. Getting the most out of your players means a lot.”

Pitcher Greg Harris also insinuated that Riddoch didn’t command the respect a manager should have: “The small thing he didn’t do was jump on guys when they needed jumped on.”

Outspoken reliever and critic Randy Myersreiterated his feeling that not all relievers knew their roles under Riddoch.

The news of Riddoch’s firing was welcomed by at least one former Padre who already had harshly criticized Riddoch on his way out of town: Bip Roberts.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Roberts, who was in Los Angeles with the Reds. Roberts, ironically, was traded for Myers.

“He’s a nice guy but I don’t think he deserved the respect of the players,” Roberts continued. “I don’t think things were done there that made anybody respect him. I’m sure he’ll be happy doing things other than baseball. He should not be managing.”