Padre Notebook : Wojna Gets Fifth Starter’s Spot; Salazar Signed

SAN DIEGO —  The Padres on Thursday named Ed Wojna as their fifth starting pitcher, and Jimmy Jones was told he will be sent to Las Vegas.

Also, the team signed utility player Luis Salazar, a former Padre, to a Triple-A contract. If he does well at Las Vegas, he may be recalled to San Diego in three or four weeks.

Before spring training, Manager Larry Bowa said Wojna and Jones would compete for the fifth starting spot. Wojna has a 1.59 earned-run average in 11 innings this spring, and Jones has a 7.00 ERA in 18 innings.

Wojna will skip his turn the first time through the rotation because the Padres have an off day April 9. Bowa wants his other four starters--Eric Show, Ed Whitson, Andy Hawkins and Storm Davis--to pitch every fifth day, so Wojna won’t make his first start until April 14 at home against San Francisco.

“Ed has had a good spring,” Bowa said. “He would definitely move up in the rotation (based on his spring performance). I’m giving the benefit of the doubt to some veterans right now who haven’t had a good spring.”

It hasn’t been the best of springs for Jones. When he was the Padres’ first-round draft choice in 1982, team management predicted he would be a starter by 1987.

“Jimmy could have been our 10th pitcher,” Bowa said. “To me, that makes no sense. I don’t know how much we’ll use our 10th pitcher, but it’s not enough to justify him staying. Like I told him, this is not a demotion. He was one of our 10 best pitchers in camp. We want him to pitch.”

Salazar, 30, played for the Padres from August 1980 through the 1984 season. He was originally signed as a free agent outfielder by Kansas City in 1973, but the Padres switched him to third base when he was acquired from Pittsburgh in 1980. Salazar had his best season with the Padres in 1981, batting .303 in 109 games. He was used as a third baseman and outfielder before being sent to the Chicago White Sox in a seven-player trade that brought pitcher LaMarr Hoyt to San Diego.

On Sept. 23, 1985, Salazar suffered an injury to his left knee that required major reconstructive surgery. He returned to play four games for the White Sox last September, then he played winter ball in Venezuela.

According to Salazar, his knee is close to 100%, but doctors told him it would never completely heal.

“Right now, the main thing I want to see is if he can still play,” General Manager Jack McKeon said. “We’ll look at him here for four (exhibition) games, then we’ll send him to Las Vegas. If he plays 25 or 30 games there, he might be able to help us. If a guy did get hurt here and Luis was ready, he does give us experience, which is a plus.”

Salazar, a free agent, batted .205 in 12 exhibition games for the White Sox this spring but was not offered a contract. After being cut last Friday, he immediately called McKeon.

“I know the people here, and I especially like the weather,” Salazar said. “The greatest place to play is in San Diego.”

Salazar said he was offered a major-league contract by Toronto but turned it down. He said he doesn’t want to play on AstroTurf and in cold weather.

Padre Notes

Carmelo Martinez had two home runs and four RBIs for the Padres Thursday night in an 11-5 loss to Oakland at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Manager Larry Bowa said the right-handed-hitting Martinez and left-handed John Kruk will both spend considerable time in left field. “(Martinez) is going to get an opportunity against left-handers,” Bowa said. “We need power, and we’re going to use him. I’ve seen him before. When he gets in grooves, he’s a pretty good hitter.” . . . Pitcher Greg Booker has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with strained arm ligaments. . . . Mark McGwire hit an eighth-inning grand slam off Dave Dravecky as Oakland handed the Padres their sixth straight loss before 3,015 fans. Jose Canseco had two home runs and five RBIs for the A’s. Andy Hawkins pitched the first six innings for the Padres, allowing five earned runs. . . . Luis Salazar had one hit in five at-bats Thursday. He also committed a two-base fielding error in center field when he dropped Reggie Jackson’s line drive. . . . Center fielder Stanley Jefferson said he hopes to return when the Padres play the Chicago Cubs Saturday and Sunday in Denver. Jefferson, suffering from a sprained ankle, said he still has trouble moving from side to side. Bowa said Jefferson will decide when he is ready to play. . . . The Padres will play San Diego State at 7:05 tonight in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. There is no admission charge. ROSTER, 1986 STATISTICS

Name W L ERA G GS CG SH SV IP H PITCHERS Storm Davis (a) 9 12 3.62 25 25 2 0 0 154 166 Dave Dravecky 9 11 3.07 26 26 3 1 0 161 149 Tom Gorman (b) 4 3 3.09 51 0 0 0 6 67 65 Goose Gossage 5 7 4.45 45 0 0 0 21 64 69 Andy Hawkins 10 8 4.30 37 35 3 1 0 209 218 Jimmy Jones (c) 11 10 4.21 31 30 5 3 21 175 178 Craig Lefferts 9 8 3.09 83 0 0 0 4 107 98 Lance McCullers 10 10 2.78 70 7 0 0 5 136 103 Eric Show 9 5 2.97 24 22 2 0 0 136 109 Ed Vosberg (c) 7 9 4.90 30 27 2 1 0 143 153 Ed Whitson (d) 6 9 6.23 31 16 0 0 0 112 139 Ed Wojna (c) 14 9 3.53 32 32 8 1 0 214 223

Name BB SO PITCHERS Storm Davis (a) 49 96 Dave Dravecky 54 87 Tom Gorman (b) 32 52 Goose Gossage 20 63 Andy Hawkins 75 117 Jimmy Jones (c) 77 129 Craig Lefferts 44 72 Lance McCullers 58 92 Eric Show 69 94 Ed Vosberg (c) 73 101 Ed Whitson (d) 60 73 Ed Wojna (c) 66 121

Name Ave. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO CATCHERS Bruce Bochy .252 63 127 16 32 9 0 8 22 14 23 Benito Santiago (c) .288 134 498 65 143 28 3 20 77 2 12 INFIELDERS Joey Cora (e) .305 81 315 54 96 5 5 3 41 47 29 Tim Flannery .280 134 368 48 103 11 2 3 28 54 61 Steve Garvey .255 155 557 58 142 22 0 21 81 23 72 Kevin Mitchell (f) .277 108 328 51 91 22 2 12 43 33 61 Randy Ready (g) .242 34 120 13 29 8 0 2 12 15 12 Garry Templeton .247 147 510 42 126 21 2 2 44 35 86 OUTFIELDERS Tony Gwynn .329 160 642 107 211 33 7 14 59 52 35 Stan Jefferson (h) .285 109 393 66 112 20 4 3 40 43 73 John Kruk (c) .324 128 306 39 99 19 3 4 47 49 63 Carmelo Martinez .238 113 244 28 58 10 0 9 25 35 46 James Steels (i) .307 126 482 87 148 28 9 8 64 44 48 Marvell Wynne .264 137 288 34 76 19 2 7 37 15 45

Name SB CATCHERS Bruce Bochy 1 Benito Santiago (c) 0 INFIELDERS Joey Cora (e) 24 Tim Flannery 3 Steve Garvey 1 Kevin Mitchell (f) 3 Randy Ready (g) 3 Garry Templeton 10 OUTFIELDERS Tony Gwynn 37 Stan Jefferson (h) 25 John Kruk (c) 2 Carmelo Martinez 1 James Steels (i) 35 Marvell Wynne 11

(a) with Baltimore; (b) with Philadelphia, Portland; (c) with Las Vegas, San Diego; (d) with N.Y. Yankees, San Diego; (e) with Beaumont; (f) with N.Y. Mets; (g) with Milwaukee, San Diego, Las Vegas; (h) with N.Y. Mets, Tidewater; (i) with Las Vegas. Roster will be trimmed to 24 players before start of the regular season.