BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : PADRES : Howard Sits This One Out

Padre outfielder Thomas Howard telephoned his pregnant wife, Tammy, late Tuesday night and figured it was time to get home. He notified the Padres and hurriedly drove his car to San Diego in the wee hours of the morning, only to miss the 8 a.m. flight to Sacramento.

Howard telephoned Linda Barron, McIlvaine’s executive assistant, to discuss his plight.

“I’m trying to get in touch with my wife, and I can’t even get ahold of her,” Howard said.

Barron: “There’s a good reason for that. She just had a baby.”

Howard: “What?”

Barron: “Congratulations, you had a 7-pound baby boy.”

Trey Howard is the couple’s third child and second son. Thomas Howard is expected to return to camp this weekend.

Dave Staton, who was moved from first base to the outfield, will make his debut tonight against the mini-camp All-Stars. Considering he has played the outfield only three times before tonight’s game, Staton is a bit fidgety.

“Even though it’s just a scrimmage, a practice game, I’m going to be real nervous,” said Staton, who hit 22 homers and drove in 74 runs at triple-A Las Vegas last season.

“I’ve been trying to get help from everybody these last few days. I’ll have my eyes and ears open the whole night, listening to everybody. If the fans have advice, I’ll take that too.”

Staton, who underwent surgery Aug. 18 to repair broken vertebrae in his back, says he feels completely healthy and is ready to give the experiment a shot. After all, when you’ve got Fred McGriff at first base with the big-league club, you’ll resort to any position.

“If it helps my versatility, and helps me get to the big leagues quicker, I’m all for it,” Staton said.

Shortstop Tony Fernandez was expected to arrive in Yuma on Wednesday night and report to camp today. . . . Padre Manager Greg Riddoch on pitcher Frank Seminara, who’s expected to start in Las Vegas: “He can’t spell the word ‘straight,’ much less throw one. The hitters hate him.” . . . Reliever Randy Myers, knowing the TV cameras were rolling, warmed up in the bullpen by throwing pitches over the catcher’s head. . . . The Padres have decided to bring four minor-league players along to their eight-day trip to Phoenix: Pitchers A.J. Sager and Tim Worrell; outfielder Matt Mieske and first baseman Jay Gainer.