PADRES : Nolte Wins Spot in Padre Rotation

PALM SPRINGS —  Pitcher Eric Nolte never has been one to bother much with celebrations. He proposed to his wife over a pizza three years ago in his hotel room in Yuma. And on the night of his first big-league victory four years ago in Houston, he went out for a cheeseburger and hit the sack.

So why should anyone be surprised, he shrugged, that on a day that he was officially announced as the Padres’ fifth starter, he was going to celebrate by driving to Hemet, pack up his belongings at Mom’s house, and then give the in-laws a call in Kansas.

“What else should I do?” he shrugged, chugging a can of soda.

Nolte, who only two years ago was told he was within an hour of dying from a perforated ulcer, returned Wednesday to pitch five shutout innings, allowing only three hits while striking out four, in the Padres’ 5-3 victory over the Angels.

“He’s our fifth man,” Riddoch said, relieved to finally be able to announce a decision just six days before the season-opener.

The Padres actually decided days ago that Nolte would be their fifth starter, but it wasn’t until Wednesday morning that Riddoch decided to reveal the news to him, hours before Nolte made his first A game start since 1988.

“He told me, ‘Hey, is it obvious to you yet? you’re our fifth starter,’ ” Nolte said. “That was nice to hear, but I still knew I had to prove myself. I didn’t want them to change their minds.”

Nolte, 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA, left no doubt that the Padres made the right decision, chewing up the Angels as if they were a triple-A team. He only allowed five balls out of the infield, and the most damage created by the middle of their lineup--Wally Joyner, Dave Winfield and Dave Parker--was a fly ball to center by Joyner.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased,” Riddoch said. “I told him, ‘We have a lot of people here who believe in you, and we’re all pulling for you.’ ”

Perhaps no one was more excited about hearing the news, however, than pitcher Greg Harris. Nolte and Harris have been bosom buddies since 1985 when they were roommates in Spokane. They remained roommates for the next three years, and even after Harris made it to the big leagues to stay in 1988, the two have remained best of friends.

Now they are together. Once again.

“He’s sort of become like a brother to me,” Harris said. “We talk all the time. He’s such a great guy. He’s gone through a lot to get back up here again, and I think everybody here wants to see him do well.”

Nolte, who has made only one big-league start since 1987, will be making his official return April 13 against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. It will be up to him how long he’ll remain in the rotation. Dennis Rasmussen and Atlee Hammaker, who will open the season on the disabled list, are expected to be healthy again in late April.

“Hey, if he does a good job, the job will be his,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager. “It’s his job, and he’s the one who has the foot inside the door.

“What do they say, possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

Nolte, 26, still plans to remain cautious. Although he never made more than $45,000 in Las Vegas, and is guaranteed of making at least $100,000 by being on the opening-day roster, he wants to be sensible about this.

“I’m not even going to look for an apartment,” he said, “I’ll probably just stay in a hotel. Just because I’m a fifth starter, you know, doesn’t mean I can’t be sent down a month later. In no means can I cruise, just because I’m starting the season in the rotation.

“You don’t know any apartment complexes that give out leases one start at time, do you?”

The Padres, by optioning pitchers John Costello and Ricky Bones to triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, have decided that Mike Maddux will make their team as a long reliever. Maddux, who signed a contract Saturday with the Padres, is 2-0 this spring with a 1.50 ERA, allowing six hits and striking out nine in six innings.

The decision completes the Padres’ pitching staff. Ed Whitson, Bruce Hurst, Andy Benes, Greg Harris and Eric Nolte make up the starting rotation. Craig Lefferts, Larry Andersen, Wes Gardner, Rich Rodriguez and Maddux make up the bullpen.

Although 33 players still remain in camp, realistically, only two decisions remain for the Padre front-office.

They plan on sending newly acquired pitchers Adam Peterson and Steve Rosenberg to Las Vegas on Sunday, and send Frank Seminara to double-A Wichita when he clears waivers today. They will place pitchers Dennis Rasmussen, Atlee Hammaker and first baseman Phil Stephenson on the disabled list.

This leaves five players battling for three spots: pinch-hitter Greg Gross, outfielder Jim Vatcher, catcher Brian Dorsett and infielders Garry Templeton and Marty Barrett. (Although they have yet to be told, infielder Paul Faries, outfielders Thomas Howard and Darrin Jackson, and catcher Tom Lampkin have all made the team).

Vatcher has had an extraordinary camp, hitting .316 with four outfield assists, but he still is expected to be sent out to learn to hit the breaking ball in Las Vegas. The Padres think so highly of him, however, that they also don’t want him sitting on the bench in the big leagues. Vatcher’s likely departure would guarantee Gross a spot on the roster.

The choice then would be to decide whether Dorsett (.294, two homers, five RBIs) should be kept instead of either Templeton (.290, five RBIs) or Barrett (.278, two RBIs).

The ultimate decision likely will come down to between Dorsett and Templeton. Padre Manager Greg Riddoch will announce the decision Sunday.

“Whatever happens, happens,” said Templeton, who has played more games than any player in Padre history. “I’ve prepared myself mentally. I’m ready physically.”

Padre Notes

No, the Padres still are not interested in free agent pitcher Fernando Valenzuela. ESPN reported Wednesday night that the Padres would sign Valenzuela, leading Joe McIlvaine to shake his head, and say: “How many times do I have to deny this? N-O. N-O. N-O. I am not interested. We want to go forward with our young guys.” . . . Padre reliever Craig Lefferts, whose status to open the season was considered shaky because of his injuries and bronchitis, made it clear Wednesday that he’s ready for opening day.