Newfield Gives the Padres Something to Consider

The ball landed well into the left field seats at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, then it disappeared, devoured by a group of kids.

San Diego Padre outfielder Marc Newfield took a moment to admire his handiwork. True, it was only batting practice, but that one was good. So good, in fact, it demanded attention.

Hitting coach Merv Rettenmund stopped a lecture and walked over to slap Newfield’s hand.

Tony Gwynn, holding court in the dugout, said in a hushed tone, “Man, he is smoking.”

These moments, small as they may seem, have Newfield beaming. He is on the verge of accomplishing what was expected of him when he was a first-round draft pick--sixth overall--by the Seattle Mariners from Marina High in 1990. Last July, the Mariners sent him to San Diego in the deal for pitcher Andy Benes.

Benes helped the Mariners win the American League West and Newfield got a fresh start. Now Newfield’s presence has Padre Manager Bruce Bochy scratching his head, trying to figure out how to get 300 or so at-bats for this guy.

“I knew Marc was a very good player coming into the season,” Bochy said. “But the way he’s swinging the bat, we have to find a place for him.”

That’s been the difficult part lately, as the Padre outfield isn’t home to lightweights.

In left is Rickey Henderson, baseball’s all-time leading base stealer.

In center is Steve Finley, a gold glove winner who also scored 104 runs last season.

In right is Gwynn, who has six batting titles and is leading the league again.

And waiting is Newfield, 24, who has became a hot topic on San Diego sports talk radio after hitting .475 with five home runs and 20 runs batted in during spring training.

The conversations grew louder in mid-April when Henderson suffered a sprained rib cage and Newfield went eight for 13 with seven RBIs in three games. In one of those games, he had four hits, two home runs, a double and four RBIs.

Then, when Gwynn was forced out with an injury, Newfield continued to hit and the Padres remained atop the National League West.

Henderson and Gwynn are healthy and in the lineup again, and Newfield reverts to a pinch-hitter and spot starter. Still, he’s hitting .324 with three home runs and 13 runs batted in. Bochy even has him working out at first base, a spot occupied by former Angel Wally Joyner.

“Marc is going to create some problems for this organization very soon,” Gwynn said. “He came here not really knowing what exactly his role in baseball was, and now he’s got a clue about what he wants to do and how he wants to do it.”

Translation: “I finally realized I do belong in the major leagues,” Newfield said.

Newfield, who is a sleek 6 feet 4, 205 pounds, seemed as suited for Seattle as an umbrella. He was the left fielder the Mariners have failed to find the last six seasons. In that time, 36 different players have started next to center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. Newfield turned out to be just another face in that crowd.

He hit .349 with 19 home runs, 83 RBIs and a league-high 44 doubles at triple-A Calgary in 1994. But there were problems and difficulties.

Newfield, a designated hitter-first baseman in high school, had trouble adjusting to the outfield. He spent the last two seasons shuttling between triple A and the Mariners--too good for one, not ready for the other. When in Seattle, he took up residence in Manager Lou Piniella’s doghouse.

“With Lou, if you have a bad game, you wouldn’t play for two or three days,” Newfield said. “If I had a bad at-bat, he would sit me back down.”

The Mariners’ version had more to do with defensive shortcomings. And even Newfield once described his outfield play as, “hopeless.” Now he calls himself decent, but the change didn’t happen fast enough.

“Marc was becoming the hitter we thought he would be, but we were not satisfied with his progress in the outfield,” Mariner General Manager Woody Woodward said.

So when the Padres wanted Newfield as part of the Benes deal, they didn’t have to ask twice. When Newfield, then playing for Calgary, heard the news, he exchanged high-fives with teammates in the dugout--during a game.

“I was ecstatic,” Newfield said. “I was ready to get out of there.”

Newfield went to triple-A Las Vegas, where he hit .343, then hit .309 in 21 games with the Padres. When he arrived for spring training, people noticed a difference.

“When we got him last year, he was a little, I think the word is shellshocked,” Gwynn said. “Now, he’s looser, much more aggressive and more in control. You wonder what happened in Seattle that got him all riled up.”

Whatever it was, Newfield hasn’t flushed it completely from his system. His first at-bat in spring training came against the Mariners. He doubled off Randy Johnson. He later homered and doubled off Chris Bosio.

Payback enough?

“That was just a slap in the face,” Newfield said. “I felt good about it. I was laughing about it. But if I have a good season, then I will have shown Seattle.”

He already has shown the Padres.

“Marc is very close to being a real special hitter,” Rettenmund said. “Lou Piniella even mentioned the difference during spring.”

In fact, Piniella was impressed enough that Padre General Manager Kevin Towers said the Mariners called inquiring about reacquiring Newfield. Thanks, but no thanks, was the reply. Instead, Tower shipped outfielder Melvin Nieves, who hit 14 home runs last season as a rookie, to the Detroit Tigers, clearing a spot on the team for Newfield.

Now Towers is even having second thoughts about signing Henderson, who is under contract through 1997.

“If I had known what Marc was going to do, we might have done a few things differently,” Towers said. “But when you can get an exciting player like Rickey, you have to sign him.”

No problem. Time is again on Newfield’s side. He can wait in the wings, where he’s smoking, not fuming.

“If it doesn’t happen this season, then we’ll see about next year,” Newfield said. “The main thing is, I know I belong here.”