Key Padres Want to Stay

Now this was a power lunch: San Diego General Manager Kevin Towers, Manager Bruce Bochy, Padre sluggers Ryan Klesko and Phil Nevin, center fielder Mark Kotsay and injured closer Trevor Hoffman discussing the team’s future at P.F. Chang’s in Fashion Valley on Monday afternoon.

The summit meeting was called by Towers, who hoped to determine whether his nucleus -- Nevin, Klesko and Kotsay -- wants to remain in San Diego to weather a rebuilding process that Towers believes will be expedited by the move into a new stadium in 2004, or would rather be dealt before the July 31 trading deadline.

All three told Towers they want to stay, and Nevin, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, told Bochy he is willing to play several positions -- in the manner of St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols -- to help alleviate a roster crunch that has forced both Nevin, a third baseman, and Klesko, a first baseman, to play the outfield.

“It certainly helps us out temporarily, and I appreciated it,” Towers said. “It was all Phil. He basically talked to Bruce and I and said it was the best thing for the club. That’s what leaders do -- let’s find a way to help the club, whatever it means doing. I commend Phil.”

Both Nevin and Klesko have no-trade clauses in their contracts, so Towers would need their permission to deal them. Sean Burroughs is a fixture at third base, and Rondell White is having an All-Star season in left field, but White has been mentioned in several trade rumors, and if he is dealt, that would open a spot for Nevin.

“I told them I’ll play anywhere,” said Nevin, a former Cal State Fullerton standout. “No question, I want to stay. I want a chance to win here. There are very few places that would pull me away from here.”

One place, Nevin said, was Los Angeles.

“I want to stay a Padre, but I know baseball is a business,” said Nevin, who hopes to return in August. “If I had to pick a short list [of teams to be traded to] the Dodgers would definitely be on it. In fact, that might be the whole list.”

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Center fielder Wilkin Ruan and his .118 average were dropped from the leadoff spot to eighth Monday, a move that was applauded by some who felt it was asking too much of the free-swinging Ruan, called up from triple-A Las Vegas to replace the injured Dave Roberts, to handle the rigors of leading off in the big leagues.

But the move -- Cesar Izturis led off Monday night -- appears temporary.

“Hitting eighth [in front of the pitcher] is the toughest spot in this league -- don’t anticipate Wilkin staying down there the next few days,” Manager Jim Tracy said. “We’re just trying to take advantage of Cesar’s right-handed bat against a left-hander,” Padre starter Oliver Perez.

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With Roberts and left fielder Brian Jordan out and Ruan struggling, the Dodgers are keeping an eye on 44-year-old Rickey Henderson, baseball’s all-time stolen-base leader who is playing for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.

The Dodgers haven’t dispatched a scout specifically to watch Henderson, but they do scout the Atlantic League regularly, and General Manager Dan Evans said he would examine the reports on Henderson to determine his level of interest.

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HOW THEY SCORED

FOURTH INNING: Padres 5, Dodgers 0 -- Klesko homered to center, his 19th. Burroughs singled to right. White tripled to right, scoring Burroughs. Buchanan singled to center, scoring White. Vazquez singled to right, Buchanan stopping at second. Ojeda singled to right, scoring Buchanan, Vazquez taking third. Perez grounded to short, scoring Vazquez, Ojeda taking second. Kotsay grounded to short. Loretta flied to right. Five runs, six hits, one left.

SIXTH INNING: Padres 7, Dodgers 0 -- Buchanan singled to left. Vazquez singled to center, Buchanan stopping at second. Buchanan took third and Vazquez took second on Colyer’s wild pitch. Ojeda singled to left, scoring Buchanan, Vazquez stopping at third. Perez struck out. Kotsay flied to center. Loretta singled to right, scoring Vazquez, Ojeda stopping at second. Klesko struck out. Two runs, four hits, two left.

NINTH INNING: Padres 7, Dodgers 1 -- Lo Duca homered to center, his sixth. Linebrink replaced Perez. Kinkade grounded to third. Beltre lined to right. Ross flied to right. One run, one hit.

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2003 DODGER ALMANAC

Through Monday

overall...46-41

home games...25-21

away games...21-20

vs. NL East...10-6

vs. NL Central...10-5

vs. NL West...15-23

vs. American League...11-7

vs. left-handed starter...16-8

vs. right-handed starter...30-33

on grass...44-40

on artificial turf...2-1

in day games...13-8

in night games...33-33

in one-run games...16-14

in extra-inning games...3-7