RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Tim Stauffer could have been heading back to school in nine days. He could have been readying to pitch for the first time as a professional. He did neither Friday, but it was still a big day for him.

Putting on a pro uniform for the first time had to bring a jolt of excitement to him. The Padres' first-round draft pick this June (fourth overall), Stauffer joined the Storm at The Epicenter to start a rehabilitation assignment. After it was revealed when he signed Thursday that the right-hander had fraying in his rotator cuff and labrum, the Padres said Stauffer would rehab with Lake Elsinore but not pitch in games.

"It will be nice just to get my feet wet and see what it's all like," Stauffer said. "I'm sure it's going to be different than college. It will be nice to have a little idea of what it's like before you actually start playing."

Stauffer didn't know immediately after he signed what his throwing program would consist of, but was hoping to recover well enough to throw in instructional league, which begins in September.

"It will depend on how the rehab goes," Stauffer said. "Hopefully it goes well and I can throw a little bit this fall. I haven't thrown in two months."

Stauffer pitched the University of Richmond Spiders to the Stanford Regional as a junior this spring. He went 9-5 with a 1.97 ERA in 114 innings, and said he started feeling discomfort in his arm following his last game, on May 30..

He signed for $750,000, considerably less than the $2.65 million originally offered to him, before the Padres knew of his injury. Stauffer said he was told he could start next season with the Storm.

A constant in the lineup

After Storm second baseman Josh Barfield struck out four times Thursday and didn't drive in any of the five runners on base when he came to the plate, manager Jeff Gardner suggested the event was worthy of headlines.

"It's kind of a tribute to him that that's news," Gardner chuckled. "We're shocked that Josh didn't get a hit in any of his three at-bats with runners in scoring position."

Barfield entered Friday leading all minor-leaguers with 107 RBIs, and had played in all but five of the Storm's 122 games. On two of those days, he played in All-Star games, and considering his wrist has been hurting him for most of the season, Gardner has considered giving Barfield a day off.

"He doesn't want to come out," Gardner said. "That's part of the reason he's a special player -- he comes to the ballpark expecting to play every night."

Gardner said other players want to play every day as well, but there's one thing that keeps Barfield in the lineup so consistently.

"He never slumps," Gardner said. "He hasn't swung the bat as well as he did maybe earlier in the season, but he's still remained productive."

Storm Watch

Barfield also entered Friday leading the minors in hits (165) and total bases (255). Former Storm center fielder Freddy Guzman, now at Double-A Mobile (Ala.) held the stolen bases lead with 76. … Jason Clements entered Friday's series opener having hit .429 (6-for-14) in the Storm's last five games. Jack Santora had hit .409, and was at .448 in the team's last 10 games. … Right-hander reliever Robert Garvin has been sharp of late. In six innings over his last five appearances, he hasn't allowed an earned run or a walk.