PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Official Scorer Still Assailed for Ruling That Saved No-Hitter

ATLANTA —  There won’t be any scoring changes. It’s too late to overturn the Atlanta Braves’ no-hitter Wednesday night over the Padres. But if official scorer Mark Frederickson had checked the rule book, the Braves’ no-hitter might never have happened.

Although Frederickson ruled that third baseman Terry Pendleton screened off shortstop Rafael Belliard on Darrin Jackson’s grounder, charging Pendleton with an error, Rule 10.05, (B), said Jackson should have been given a hit.

The rule reads: “A hit shall be scored if the fielder attempting to handle the ball can not make a play, even if such fielder deflects the ball from, or cuts off, another fielder who could have put out a runner.”

The controversy still raged Thursday, with several official scorers saying they were embarrassed by the ruling.

“Somebody’s going to have to say what official scoring has become, or start tightening the standards,” said Howard Sinker, the official scorer for Minnesota Twins’ games at the Metrodome. “It’s depressing to see what’s going on.

“Come on, that had to be a hit. If Belliard makes the play, everybody on TV would be talking about Belliard’s great play that saved the no-hitter. To call that a no-hitter just makes no sense.”

Even though Jackson was rather calm about the scoring decision Wednesday night, after seeing the replay on television, he became rather incensed.

“It looked like the official scorer wanted it to be a no-hitter so bad,” Jackson said, “he took it upon himself to create one. If he’s going to give an error for a guy who loses the ball in the lights, he should give one every time.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think he’ll do that.”

It also didn’t help Frederickson’s credibility when he had the three Braves’ pitchers autograph his scorebook.

Padre right-hander Ed Whitson, who has been suffering from tendinitis in his right elbow since undergoing arthroscopic surgery, was told Thursday by Dr.James Andrews to curtail his throwing.

Although Andrews gave permission for Whitson to be activated within 10 days after pitching two simulated games, Whitson was denied permission to start any games this season.

Although General Manager Joe McIlvaine had hoped to meet with Joey Hamilton, the Padres’ No.1 draft pick, Hamilton and his mother declined a visit.

“I’m very, very disappointed,” McIlvaine said. “I’m not going to make any pretense about it, I want the kid to step forward and show he wants to play, and he hasn’t shown he’s willing. And that’s very discouraging.

“Actually, it scares me a little.”

The Padres reduced their original offer of $350,000 to $325,000 to Hamilton simply because he already has missed the entire minor-league season. They made another offer this season, but likely won’t know until the deadline of Sept. 19 whether Hamilton will sign.