PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Whitson Throws Without Pain as Team Weighs His ’92 Option

SAN DIEGO —  Pitcher Ed Whitson, who’s growing increasingly frustrated by the Padres’ delay in exercising the option year of his contract, threw pain-free for 12 minutes Wednesday during batting practice.

Whitson, who underwent arthroscopic surgery July 15 on his right elbow, is scheduled to pitch his first simulated game Saturday. He then hopes to make at least one or two starts before the end of the year.

“The only person I have anything to prove to is myself,” Whitson said. “Everyone’s going to know I’m healthy. If they don’t want to pick up my option, I’m sure someone is going to want a good right-handed starter.”

Although sources say the Padres plan to pick up Whitson’s option for $1 million in 1992, which is a $250,000 pay cut from his current salary, General Manager Joe McIlvaine has yet to announce his decision. Whitson even asked McIlvaine point-blank Tuesday night about his contract and couldn’t get an answer.

“All Joe told me,” Whitson said, “is he wants to take a look. . . .

“Hey, I’m not going to worry about it. You think I couldn’t make more if they let me become a free agent? I’m just going to make sure it’s (the elbow) right and get my arm strength back. I’m not going to take any chances of blowing my elbow out until I feel perfect.

“But I’m going to pitch, I know I’m going to pitch again this year, but I just want to prove it to myself, nobody else.” Reliever Larry Andersen, who still is on the disabled list with a herniated disc and ruptured disc in his neck, is scheduled to pitch off the mound for the first time today in two weeks.

“We’ll see what happens,” Andersen said. “It’s a little discouraging because the pain is still there. I thought the cortisone shot would make it fee a whole lot better than it does, but it hasn’t helped much.” The Padres could believe what they were seeing during batting practice. Yes, those were real raindrops that were falling. “I never knew it could rain here,” Padre catcher Tom Lampkin said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen rain in San Diego, that’s for sure.” The drizzle lasted a good 30 to 40 seconds. . . . Cub pitcher Rick Sutcliffe was suffering from food poisoning Wednesday and will miss his next start. . . . Catcher Chris Jelic and pitcher Charlie Hillemann, Padre farmhands, came to the Padre clubhouse before the game. Hillemann is in town to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee. . . . The Cubs have made 90 errors this season and are on a pace to commit 110 errors. The club record for most errors is 115.