PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : San Francisco’s Swift to Return in Time to Start Sunday’s Game

The San Francisco Giants, whose fortunes crumbled the moment starter Billy Swift went on the disabled list, were ecstatic Thursday in announcing that Swift will return Sunday and start against the Padres.

“I think this will be a big lift for our ballclub,” Giant Manager Roger Craig said. “He was our leader. He was the guy everyone leaned on. I don’t want to put it all on him, but when he pitched every fifth day, we knew were were going to win a game.

“When he pitched well, everybody pitched well.

“When he went down, we lost something.”

Indeed, since Swift went on the disabled list May 22 with shoulder tendinitis, the Giants lost 15 of 22 games and plummeted from first to fourth in the National League West. Their starting rotation went 3-11 with a 5.34 ERA entering Friday’s game, yielding 69 runs in 116.1 innings.

Swift, 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA, pitched an eight-hit complete game April 16 against the Padres, winning 6-1. He’ll be on a 50- to 70-pitch limit Sunday.

“I want to go five on Sunday,” Swift said, “that’s my goal.”

The Giants need a boost. They entered Thursday’s game having lost five in a row and 11 of their last 15.

“Just three weeks ago were were in first place,” Giants reliever Rod Beck said. “It’s hard to believe it could happen this fast.”

Said Giants first baseman Will Clark: “We’ve got to get that killer instinct back. When we get teams down, we’ve got to keep beating on them. We can’t have one big inning and stop it there.”

How remarkable is it that Padres shortstop Tony Fernandez is leading the All-Star balloting ahead of shortstop Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals?

It’s the first time in 10 years that Smith has trailed in the balloting at any time.

“Maybe they should send me a plaque,” Fernandez said.

Padres catcher Benito Santiago, who has been on the disabled list since May 31, has had clearance to begin rehabilitating the broken little finger on his right hand.

The Padres still hope he’ll be able to return before the All-Star Game.

“He might be ready July 1, or after the All-Star Game, we just don’t know,” Padre Manager Greg Riddoch said. “But the X-rays are negative, and he’s working hard. We’re hopeful we can have him back before three weeks.”

Padres center fielder Darrin Jackson, who had missed the last two games with a bruised left knee when he was hit by a pitch, was back in the starting lineup.

“My knee really swelled up,” Jackson said. “I kept icing it and icing it. I told Greg (Riddoch) that I was ready (Wednesday) if they needed me.

“I guess they just didn’t need me.”

The Padres’ double-A Wichita team clinched the first half championship in the Western Division of the Texas League with a 12-8 victory over El Paso. First baseman Jay Gainer drove in six runs in the victory.

Former Padre pitcher Mark Grant on Thursday became the 18th pitcher to appear for the Seattle Mariners this season. The Mariners also signed Juan Agosto, who will become the 19th.

The Mariners are desperate for help. They’ve allowed three or more runs in an inning 42 times this year, in 32 games. Understandably, they’re 4-28 in those games.

The breakdown: Three runs in 19 different innings; four runs in seven innings; five runs in seven innings; six runs in six innings; seven runs in two innings; and nine runs in one inning.

Detroit Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson the fact that three of their first five draft picks were college pitchers: “We’re going to a fast-food place. We need it quick. Toronto, they’re allowed to go into a gourmet restaurant. They can wait two hours before they order.”