Santiago Has Happy Return as Padres Win

HOUSTON —  Benito Santiago looked cautiously as he entered the visiting clubhouse Friday afternoon at the Astrodome. The players were wearing Padre uniforms, so he knew they were his teammates.

But he had a strange and curious feeling.

“I don’t know, I felt like a rookie again,” he said. “You know, a lot has happened since I left. It wasn’t that I was nervous, or afraid, I was just excited to play.

“It was like, ‘Oh, wow. I’ve got to sit down and relax.’ ”

It took all of about, oh, four or five innings for Santiago to feel as if he was back where he belonged, sitting behind the plate once again and helping the Padres to a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros.

There he was, showing off prehaps the finest arm in the game, whipping throws to second and first and daring anyone to run on him. There he was, hitting three line drives to the outfield, one being caught against the wall and another resulting in a sacrifice fly.

And there he was, being mobbed by reporters who wondered just what it was like returning to the game he loves.

“You know something,” Santiago said, “if I had stayed home for another week, I certainly would have been in a sanitarium, because I would have gone crazy.”

Santiago laughed, but really, the apprehension he had been feeling was almost unbearable.

It had been 56 days since he last played for the Padres. When he last swung a bat for them, he was the best-hitting catcher in the game, on his way to his second consecutive All-Star Game.

But that was before he suffered a fractured left forearm, before six inactive weeks with a cast on his broken left arm. And that was before he spent a week in rehabilitation just trying to regain his timing.

Now he was in front of 16,576 fans at the Astrodome, exhibiting his skills after the longest layoff of his career.

“I don’t think any of us knew what would happen,” said Ed Whitson (9-7), who allowed just seven hits in 8 1/3 innings. “It’s been a long time. But to see what he did tonight, to comeoff the DL (disabled list) and hit three rockets, that’s just unbelievable.

“You’re not supposed to be doing that.”

Really, his only flaw the entire night was his pitch selection.

But who could blame him? He had not seen the Astros play since June 6. He had to introduce himself to four of his own teammates and met two coaches that came aboard since he broke his arm June 14.

“It’ll take some time for him to get his catching head on,” Whitson said. “We struggled tonight for the first four, five innings, and then he caught on.

“He just forgot what some of the hitters liked to hit.”

Whitson, too, was a different pitcher than Santiago last remembered. In these past two months, catcher Mark Parent has forced Whitson to throw his palmball more often, even changing speeds with the pitch.

Just how effective was it Friday?

Whitson allowed only one baserunner to reach third during the first 8 1/3 innings, giving way only after Craig Biggio Glenn Wilson got back-to-back singles. Craig Lefferts came on in relief and, two batters later, recorded his 17th save.

Whitson was so overpowering, in fact, that the Astros hardly believed it themselves, suggesting that Whitson was using an illegal substance.

“Boy, he’s got a nasty changeup,” said Astro starter Jim Deshaies (5-10). “I saw one in the late innings, and it looked like it got on an elevator.”

Said Astro Manager Art Howe: “He’s got movement on it, that’s for sure. Obviously, it’s not easy to pick up. It makes you look pretty bad at times. Whatever . . . “

But on a night like this, the Padres hardly wanted to get themselves embroiled in controversy, particularly when they felt fortunate enough just to escape with a victory after going the final eight innings without obtaining a hit.

“It was a big emotional lift just having Benny back,” said shortstop Garry Templeton, who saved a run in the ninth with a diving stab. “You know it was funny, when Whit (Whitson) first started pitching, I thought it was (Tom) Lampkin behind the plate. But then he stood up and threw the ball, and I said, ‘Oh, that’s right, that’s Benny back there.’

“Man, it’s sure good to have him back.”

It’s impossible to know for sure if the Padres (52-59) would be contending in the National League West instead of sitting in fourth, 12 1/2 games back, if Santiago had not been injured. But certainly, there are facts that support the Padres’ claim that the situation would be entirely different.

The Padres were 30-28 and seven games out of first place when Santiago departed; they went 21-31 in his absence.

Santiago was batting .317 with nine homers and 33 RBIs at the time of the injury; his replacements batted .205 with three homers and 13 RBIs.

“You think about it,” Templeton said, “and with Benny batting down in the order, we had a pretty strong lineup. But without him, we kept trying to fill that sixth spot, and we never really could. Watch what happens to the bottom of the order now.

“I’m telling you, that’s a big lift when you have a guy like that down there.”

Santiago listened to all of the compliments and praise. He knows all of the the statistical differences. But still, he doesn’t want to sound egotistical.

“I don’t want to say I’m better than anyone here,” Santiago said. “Everybody’s been playing so well together. I just want to help out.”

But as Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said, “Believe me, he will, oh, will he ever.”

Padre Notes

The Padres have quietly decided that Calvin Schiraldi will be in the starting rotation for the remainder of the season, demoting Eric Show to bullpen duties. Schiraldi, who’s scheduled to start tonight against the Astros, has been much more effective as a starter than a reliever since joining the Padres Aug. 31, 1989. He owns a 4-1 record as a starter with the Padres, allowing 24 hits in 32 1/3 innings with a 3.34 ERA. But he is 2-4 with a 3.76 ERA as a reliever, allowing his past 16 inherited runners to score. “I couldn’t be happier,” Schiraldi said, “because I always wanted to start.” . . . Padre first baseman Jack Clark still does not know if his hamstring is just strained or pulled. He is expected to miss the entire three-game series in Houston, but Manager Greg Riddoch is optimistic about a quick return. “They don’t really think it’s torn, but he’s still got a bite there.”

Third baseman Eddie Williams cleared waivers Friday night and is expected to report to triple-A Las Vegas by today. Any team in the major leagues could have claimed Williams for a $25,000 purchase price, but all declined. “He needs to work on his defense,” Riddoch said. “He got caught up in a numbers game here, and we just don’t have a need for him right now.” . . . What has happened to the Padres’ running game? They have stolen just nine bases in the past 27 games while being caught 11 times. And in the past nine games, they’ve stolen two bases and have been caught four times. “I think pitchers are smarter now,” Riddoch said. “Everybody’s adjusted their release to the plate. They’re using the slide-step and the five-second hold now.”

Padre left fielder Joe Carter paid the price for his two long, running catches. He suffered a split lip when he chased Glenn Wilson’s foul ball to the stands, tripping over the bullpen mound as he caught the ball and fell. So what happens when he steps to the plate in his next at-bat? He gets hit in the leg by Jim Deshaies, the seventh time he has been hit by a pitch this season. . . . Padre starter Bruce Hurst ended the longest drought in the major leagues when obtained his run-scoring single Thursday night against the Atlanta Braves. He had gone 112 at-bats in the big leagues without an RBI when he obtained his career first off Charlie Leibrandt. When told of the historic hit, Hurst said, “Well, hopefully I won’t have to wait another 112 at-bats before my next one.” . . . Padre outfielder Shawn Abner announced Friday that he no longer wants to be called a reserve outfielder or even an extra player. “I’d prefer to be called a supplemental starter,” Abner said.

Center fielder Darrin Jackson made his first start for the Padres since June 3. . . . The Astros have won only four games all season in which both teams have scored more than four runs. . . . You want to know the primary reason why the Astros are 35-22 at home and 18-36 on the road? Their pitching staff is allowing 3.4 runs a game at home, 5.3 on the road. . . . Mark Grant, traded by the Padres a month ago to the Braves, will make his first start since 1988 today. “I’m really, really excited,” Grant said. “This is a great opportunity for me to start over again.” . . . The Padres pulled off their annual gag to their newcomers by stealing their street shoes and replacing them with the most hideous shoes money could buy. “I can’t believe these things,” said Fred Lynn, laughing.