Roberts Gets His Mind Right for Winning Ball : Padres: After teammates’ cavalier attitude drove him over the edge last year, he’s ready to help turn around team’s fortunes.

Bip Roberts and Tony Gwynn stretched in the outfield before a recent San Diego Padres workout, remarking about how eager they were to again play for a winner.

“I’ve lost 171 games in the last two years,” Gwynn said. “I’m tired of losing.”

Roberts looked over. He knew he could one-up Gwynn with a war story from the Padres’ fire sale.

“Hey, man,” Roberts said, “I lost my mind.”

In a testament to Roberts’ current state of mind, he is able to joke about the low point of his career.

Last May 13 in Los Angeles, he begged out of a game against the Dodgers. Sinus problems were the official reason.

The real reason? Roberts couldn’t take the grind of playing for a loser. He had come to San Diego with thoughts of turning the club around, and instead he was struggling as badly as anyone on the team.

Roberts was given two days away to collect his thoughts and get ready to play baseball again.

“We were losing every game, and guys were joking and laughing like it was no big deal,” Roberts said. “I wanted to be traded right then. I wanted to get out of there. It was just one of those mental things. I’d come from teams that had won, teams that were capable of winning a World Series. Then to be a part of something like last year, I don’t think anybody can be ready for that.”

After five seasons with the Padres, Roberts was traded for reliever Randy Myers and played 1992-93 in Cincinnati. He returned to San Diego last year with a $1.5 million, one-year deal.

The Padres were 10-24 when Roberts left the field in Dodger Stadium. He returned to bat .320, the second-best mark of his career, and the Padres improved enough to go 37-38 over the last 75 games, the best mark in the National League West.

“I thought I could come in and turn things around by myself, and I was dead wrong,” Roberts said.

But things have turned around. Roberts expects to play for a winner because of the blockbuster trade that brought third baseman Ken Caminiti, shortstop Andujar Cedeno and center fielder Steve Finley from Houston.

Roberts also signed a $4.8 million, two-year deal in the off-season, the first multiyear contract of his career. Also improving Roberts’ mood is the presence of Bruce Bochy in the dugout. Bochy, who took over as manager when Jim Riggleman went to the Cubs, is a former teammate and trusted friend.

Roberts, 31, is so eager to please Bochy that he volunteered to play several positions this year, something he has complained about in the past. Roberts’ primary position will be left field, opening second base for Luis Lopez.

“He’s willing to do whatever it takes on this club,” Bochy said. “It’s nice to have that versatility.”

Meanwhile, Bochy on Tuesday said Andy Benes will be his opening-day pitcher. It will be Benes’ third consecutive opening assignment, tying a franchise record held by Randy Jones (1975-77).