Santiago, Bats Are Silent in Padres' Home Finale

By BOB WOLF

Sept. 28, 1992 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

SAN DIEGO —

It was almost certainly Benito Santiago’s last home game as a Padre, and he didn’t want to talk about it.

Santiago was so intent on avoiding reporters Sunday that he left the clubhouse immediately after the Padres had lost to the Atlanta Braves, 2-1 in 10 innings. Several reporters anticipated his quick exit and waited for him outside the clubhouse door, but he had little to say.

Asked how he felt about leaving San Diego, the four-time all-star catcher said, “I have no comments about that.”

Asked how he felt about the mixed reception he got from the crowd of 16,884 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, he said, “I have no comment. You can write whatever you want. It makes no sense to talk about it anymore.”

For old time’s sake, Manager Jim Riggleman gave Santiago his first start since Sept. 19. The fans applauded when he went to bat in the second inning, but he struck out then and again two innings later. They booed him lustily both times.

At the end of the fifth, Santiago told Riggleman his back had grown stiff, so Dan Walters, the man destined to succeed him, took over. Santiago had plenty of time to shower and dress, and doubtless would have left before game’s end but for a club rule against premature departures.

“My back got tight,” he said. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t played.”

Santiago, 27, will become a free agent, and General Manager Jim McIlvaine has said the Padres’ financial condition precludes re-signing him. He is being paid $3.3 million this year.

Although a native of Puerto Rico, Santiago lives in La Jolla, and plans to stay here after he leaves the Padres.

Asked if it was now just a matter of waiting, he said, “Yes, you’ve got it right. I’ve just got to wait, go home and see what happens.”

With that, Santiago turned and walked away. Back in the clubhouse, soon-to-be-former teammate Gary Sheffield talked about him with regret.

Sheffield, now the fan favorite Santiago used to be, said he could empathize with Santiago after going through a tough three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.

“I look at Benny all the time and try to say something to him so he’ll feel better,” Sheffield said. “Inside, it really bothers him.

“He has such competitiveness that it makes it difficult when you give your all and people are booing you. He needs somebody to want him wherever he is.

“I told him to be thankful for the cheers he got here in the past. I didn’t get any in Milwaukee. It would be 30-below and the people would be booing me. At least he’s not out there shivering.”

Sheffield, by far the brightest star of the Padres’ frustrating season, received a standing ovation when he batted for the last time and another a moment later when he hit a double.

“That was great,” he said. “It made me want to go up there and hit a home run. I was hoping to get a fastball, but he (John Smoltz) threw me a slider.”

With a slower man than David Justice in right field for the Braves, Sheffield might have gone fourfor four instead of two for four in his quest for the National League’s triple crown. He hit nothing but line drives, but Justice robbed him twice with great catches.

The game, which cut the Braves’ magic number in the NL West to two, was a pitching duel between Smoltz and Andy Benes. Sheffield scored the Padres’ only run in the fourth inning when he beat the throw to the plate on Darrin Jackson’s bouncer, and Benes made it hold up through seven innings in which he yielded only two hits.

After that, Benes left for a pinch-hitter, and when asked why, he said, “I just got over the flu, and I felt a little bit tired. I didn’t want to put a reliever in there with somebody on base.”

Jeremy Hernandez got through the eighth unscathed, but Randy Myers gave up the tying run in the ninth on pinch-hitter Brian Hunter’s double and the tiebreaker in the 10th on Terry Pendleton’s single. It was only Myers’ second blown save in his last 26 opportunities--although he has been hit hard in a few others--and his seventh in 44 chances this season.

There were only seven runs scored in the entire series--the Padres scored one in each game. The Braves had lost seven of 11 games before winning the last two here--Saturday night’s score was also 2-1 in 10 innings--thus costing themselves a chance for an early champagne party.

Pendleton, last year’s most valuable player, said, “These were big wins for us. The Reds aren’t losing any games, and we don’t want to back in. We want to go into the postseason full force.”

Triple Crown Watch

Batting Average

Gary Sheffield, Padres: .30

Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh: .325

Bip Roberts, Cincinnati: .325

John Kruk, Philadelphia: .323

Home Runs

Fred McGriff, Padres: 34

Gary Sheffield, Padres: 33

Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh: 32

Runs Batted In

Darren Daulton, Philadelphia: 106