Salazar Makes Good on His Chance : As Fill-In at Shortstop, He Gets the Game-Winning Hit

Padre starting shortstop Gary Templeton sat out Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh because of a fluid build-up on his right knee.

Luis Salazar replaced him and had the game-winning RBI with a two-run home run in the fourth inning of the Padres’ 7-4 victory.

The switch might seem ironic to those who thought Salazar would never recover from his own knee problems.

In September 1985, Salazar, then with the Chicago White Sox, blew out his left knee chasing a fly ball at Anaheim Stadium. After seven hours of surgery and nine months of rehabilitation, Salazar came back to play only four games in 1986 before returning to the disabled list.

“A lot of people didn’t think he’d ever play again,” Padre Manager Larry Bowa said. “His whole knee had to be reconstructed.”

Doctors had told Salazar he had a 65% chance of playing again. But only if he was determined.

“They said if I didn’t want to work hard, I wouldn’t play no more,” Salazar said. “In spring training (this year) I surprised a lot of people.”

Salazar, a free agent, said he received offers from five or six teams before the season began. But he chose to sign with the Padres, returning to the team he started with, where he played from 1980-84.

And Salazar, who said his knee feels great, is still working hard. Despite seeing limited action. He is hitting .276 (32 for 116) in 50 games.

Salazar approaches his utility-man role with the same determination he showed in his rehabilitation.

“He takes extra batting practice. . . . He keeps mentally ready,” Bowa said. “He stays on top of it as well as anyone.”

Staying on top of it while sitting on the bench is a challenge for any player.

“It’s the toughest job in baseball,” said John Kruk, who spent his share of time on the bench earlier this season. “Playing every day is easy, but when you play once a week or every 10 days, you try to do too much.”

Sunday, Salazar’s home run to right field, off left-handed pitcher Bob Kipper, was his third of the season. The hit scored Benito Santiago from first, giving Salazar his ninth run batted in and second game-winning RBI of 1987.

“But when you analyze extra men, you can’t just look at their batting average,” Bowa said. “His versatility really helps us out.”

Though he has played third base most of his career, Salazar said he is comfortable at shortstop.

“No matter what I play, I’m happy to be out there,” he said, pointing out that he shared time at shortstop with Templeton in 1983 and 1984.

Salazar knows his versatility is a plus.

“With a 24-man roster, it’s an advantage to have players like Randy (Ready) and myself,” he said. “I try to be ready.”

The challenge Salazar faces hasn’t escaped his manager.

“It’s a no-win situation,” Bowa said. “You don’t know when you’re going to play and when you do, you better produce.”

Salazar may be playing again soon. Templeton said his knee felt better today and that he planned to play Tuesday against Cincinnati. But Bowa, who is concerned about the effect Riverfront Stadium’s AstroTurf will have on Templeton’s knee, said Salazar might see time against a left-handed pitcher. Tom Browning, a left-hander, is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

And does Salazar plan to produce the next chance he gets?

“Every time I play, I do something,” he said. “That was my third home run with more coming up.”