Padres Notebook: Padres not getting much notice around country

By: BRIAN HIRO - Staff Writer | Wednesday, June 9, 2004 10:52 PM PDT ∞

BOSTON ---- Taped to the door leading from the visitor's clubhouse to the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday was a quote from the previous night attributed to Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon. Highlighted in blue, it read, "Does anyone know who plays for San Diego this year?"

Judging from the early returns in fan balloting for the All-Star Game, most of the country apparently doesn't. Despite running neck and neck with Los Angeles in the National League West about a month before the All-Star break, the Padres haven't translated their on-field revival into off-field recognition. No Padre is among the top-five vote-getters at his position in the latest results tallied by Major League Baseball.

"I think being in San Diego is one (factor), being on the West Coast" Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "I've heard fans who say, 'We didn't even know about your players because we never see them.'"

The Padres' game at Boston on Wednesday night was televised by ESPN, marking only their second appearance this season on the cable giant (the first was the finale of the opening series at Petco Park in April). They are scheduled for one other showing this year on either ESPN or Fox.

Bochy also reiterated the frequently levied gripe that fan balloting is little more than a glorified popularity contest.

"Nomar is leading the balloting, and he hasn't even played," Bochy said of Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who's actually second in the American League voting at his position behind the Yankees' Derek Jeter.

Bochy said if NL All-Star manager Jack McKeon calls asking for suggestions of who to add from the Padres, he would mention second baseman Mark Loretta and third baseman Sean Burroughs, his steadiest hitters all season. Also meriting attention, Bochy said, are closer Trevor Hoffman, starter Brian Lawrence and setup man Akinori Otsuka.

"It would be hard for me to pick one right now," Bochy said.

Bush sealed and delivered

The Padres knew they wouldn't have any trouble signing Mission Bay High shortstop Matt Bush, the first overall pick in the amateur draft on Monday. Sure enough, the two sides hammered out a contract Wednesday that will pay Bush a $3.15 million signing bonus and have him playing within a week.

Bush did not sign a major-league deal, which agent Scott Boras will push for in the negotiations for two other players the Padres considered with the top pick, Long Beach State pitcher Jered Weaver and Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew.

"It's nice to get those guys out playing," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "It was one of the things that attracted us to (Bush), that he wanted to go out and get started. It looks like he'll get a full summer in. It's not normal when you get the first overall pick out this soon."

Bush is scheduled to take batting and infield practice with the Padres before Tuesday's home game against Tampa Bay, then report to the club's rookie-level affiliate in Peoria, Ariz., on June 17. His signing bonus tied for the 18th largest in draft history but was $550,000 less than the paycheck top pick Delmon Young received last year from Tampa Bay.

Hitchcock update

Towers called pitcher Sterling Hitchcock "snakebit" but said he didn't know anything about the veteran left-hander possibly mulling retirement in the wake of his latest setback.

Hitchcock was back in San Diego after exiting his second rehab start for Triple-A Portland in the third inning Tuesday with a groin strain, his sixth such injury since spring training. Towers doubted that Hitchcock would be able to return before the All-Star break in mid-July. He sympathized with the pitcher's travails.

"It's tough when you bust your tail, you get back to throwing and as soon as you get back, you hurt yourself," Towers said. "When something like that happens, it becomes very frustrating."

Short hops

Kerry Robinson wasn't able to start on Wednesday in left field, as planned, because of a calf injury suffered when he was hit by a Pedro Martinez pitch in the third inning of Tuesday's game. Terrence Long, Tuesday's designated hitter, returned to the outfield, and Xavier Nady started at DH. Nady hadn't played since June 2, the same day the Padres recalled him from Triple-A Portland. ... The Yankees have set their rotation for this weekend's series in New York. As scheduled, RHP Jon Lieber will start Friday, RHP Mike Mussina will start Saturday, and RHP Javier Vazquez will oppose former Yankee David Wells on Sunday. ... Portland has released RHP Joey Hamilton and signed LHP Donovan Osborne. The Yankees cut the 34-year-old Osborne, who has also pitched for the Cardinals and Cubs, on May 18 after he went 2-0 with a 7.13 ERA in nine games (two starts).