PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Clark, Eiland Left to Wonder About Security of Their Jobs

While the Padres are celebrating their resurgence in the National League West on this trip, there are at least two Padres openly wondering about their future.

Left fielder Jerald Clark and starter Dave Eiland appear vulnerable in wake of recent developments.

Clark, who is batting .389 over his last 19 games with three homers and 14 RBIs, is confused by the Padres’ decision to play catcher Benito Santiago once or twice a week in left field.

“If you’ve got a guy who’s very comfortable behind the plate,” Clark said, “and he does an outstanding job back there, and he’s a Gold Glove All-Star catcher, it seems you’d get the most out of him at that position.

“Whatever reasons they have, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s because of me, or they want Danny (Walters) to catch. I don’t know because they haven’t told me anything.

“It’ll set me back by not being out there, but I’ll help Benny any way I can.”

Eiland, who opened the season as the Padres’ No. 5 starter, is wary of the Padres’ plans for him considering the way Jim Deshaies has pitched.

Eiland, who came off the disabled list June 29 and appeared to be on his way to becoming a solid fifth starter, strained a tendon in his right ankle July 4 in a home-plate collision. He was placed on the disabled list. During his absence, Deshaies is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two starts.

Eiland’s scheduled to pitch a simulated game Friday, but he has no indication who will start Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds. Will it be Eiland or Deshaies?

“I’m not going to worry, or concern myself about the other stuff,” Eiland said. “They just want me to get healthy. I can pitch right now without a problem, but I just can’t make cuts.”

Is he concerned he won’t return to the rotation because of Deshaies’ success?

“Hey, I’ve pitched well, too, when I’ve been healthy,” Eiland said. “They wouldn’t have called him up if they thought he was going to have bad games.

“I think I deserve to be back in there.”

Santiago, as promised, took fly balls in the outfield before the game, using center fielder Darrin Jackson’s glove.

Santiago looked graceful taking fly balls off the bat of bench coach Jim Snyder.

“I told you it would be no problem,” Santiago said, beaming. “I know I can do it. I think I can be a good left fielder.”

Santiago, however, won’t be the first catcher to play in the outfield this season. Mickey Tettleton of the Detroit Tigers started in right field on Sunday. He wound up homering and catching the only fly ball hit to him.

“I accomplished my goal,” Tettleton said. “I drove in more than I let in. I’m just glad to get out of there with all my teeth intact.”

Deshaies still grumbled in disbelief Tuesday over the phenomenal play made by Phillie starter Greg Mathews. Deshaies hit a line drive in the third inning that Mathews caught . . . barehanded.

“I just hit the bolt of my career,” Deshaies said, “and he barehands it and spits on it. The thing that got me was that it wasn’t like he didn’t have an option. He could have gloved it.”

Mathews downplayed the catch, and said because Deshaies was at the plate, he knew it wasn’t going to be hit hard.

“Come on,” Deshaies said, “like he had time to think about it? Give me a break.

“Oh, well, I always said, ‘Either you want a hit or make a highlight film.’ ”

Utility man Mariano Duncan on the fact that the Phillies mustered only four hits in seven innings against Deshaies: “That’s embarrassing, losing to a guy who can’t even make the Houston rotation. We make him look like damn Cy Young out there. I don’t know what it is with us when he pitches. It’s embarrassing.”

Deshaies, who was not invited back by the Astros at the end of last season, has yielded a 1.42 ERA in two starts against the Phillies, allowing only seven hits in 11 2/3 innings.

Duncan also was not pleased with Ruben Amaro’s passiveness with the bases loaded in the ninth inning Monday against Randy Myers. Amaro ended the game by lining out to second baseman Kurt Stillwell on a 3-2 pitch.

“I’m sorry, you have to be more aggressive, especially on that 3-and-1 pitch,” Duncan said. “You can’t be looking for a walk there. If you get a pitch to hit, hit it.”

The last two pitches by Myers were fastballs over the heart of the plate.

By the way, Duncan has only seven walks in 368 at-bats.

Scouts believe the Padres have another potential closer on their team--third baseman Gary Sheffield.

“Hey, I know I can do it,” Sheffield said. “I’ve been clocked at 92, 93. If they ever need me, here I am.”