PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Craig's Early Departure Gives Giants Something to Talk About

PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Craig’s Early Departure Gives Giants Something to Talk About

By SCOTT MILLER

Aug. 4, 1992 12 AM PT

SAN DIEGO — There was some controversy Monday when the San Francisco Giants arrived at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, but it involved neither Fred McGriff nor Trevor Wilson.

It was some internal squabbling involving the Giants and Manager Roger Craig.

Craig called a team meeting before the game after a couple of players, requesting anonymity ripped him, in the Bay Area papers Monday morning. Craig was the only one who spoke at the meeting.

There was some confusion because Craig left early after being ejected Sunday in the second game of the Giants-Braves doubleheader. After being tossed in the first inning by umpire Gary Darling while arguing a play at third, Craig caught an early flight immediately after the game because he wanted to get to his ranch in Warner Springs. He left before talking to any writers.

Some Giants apparently thought Craig left during the game.

“That’s a new one to me,” one Giant told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’ve never seen that before. It’s just not the way things are done.”

Craig apologized to his players during the meeting for causing the confusion, but he was angry players were so quick to criticize him in the papers rather than consulting him first.

“I don’t talk to the press for the first time in seven years and you guys make a big deal out of it,” he said before Monday’s game, half-jokingly. “I’ll be honest with you. Getting home to my ranch is a lot more important than talking to you guys.”

For the first time since fracturing the middle finger on his right hand June 21, Greg Harris pitched a simulated game. It lasted 53 pitches. Afterward, Harris was happy.

He probably will learn today where he will go on an injury rehabilitation assignment.

“I felt good--just a little inconsistent,” Harris said. “I just have to wait until (today) to see if it is sore or not. I know it won’t be, because it hasn’t been sore yet.”

Harris threw all of his pitches during the outing.

“I had a pretty good curveball,” he said. “I had a bite on the majority of them. Every once in awhile it was lazy, but it can be lazy in games, too.

“In simulated games, though, you’re critiqued on every pitch.”

The Padres have told Harris that they want him to throw at least one game at triple-A Las Vegas during his rehabilitation stint, so Harris is hoping he just spends the entire time there.

“They’re going to have me make at least one start in triple-A,” he said. “Who knows, maybe I’ll throw a no-hitter and they’ll say to come on back.

“I’m going to have to pitch in Las Vegas one game anyway. I’d just as soon pitch there the whole time. If I just need to see hitters, I may as well go to (single-A) High Desert.”

After a week, an Oakland practice jersey still hangs in Bruce Hurst’s locker. Somebody put it there as a joke because Hurst thought he might get traded.

“Guess I’m not going to get traded now,” Hurst said Monday, three days after Friday’s trading deadline.

Pitcher Larry Andersen said his left hamstring is a little sore but that he can pitch. Andersen strained the hamstring in Friday’s game at Los Angeles while pitching to Todd Benzinger.

“I can feel it, no question,” Andersen said. “But it’s also gotten better each day. I don’t foresee any reason not to use me.”

Another Padre with a bad hamstring, catcher Dan Walters, said he is close to being ready to play.

“I’m about 80%,” said Walters, who suffered a pulled hamstring Wednesday. “I’ll be all right to be out there in another day or two.”

Walters, who ran under the supervision of assistant trainer Todd Hutchinson on Monday, said he is available to hit or catch in an emergency situation.

Randy Myers has now had saves in five consecutive appearances and in seven of his last eight. During that time, he has allowed six hits and no runs in 8 2/3 innings.

“He’s pitching inside now, and changing pitches, instead of just throwing fastballs,” Padres Manager Greg Riddoch said. “They’ve been hitting them at guys instead of in the gaps.

“He’s doing the job, and that’s all that counts.”

The start of Friday’s Padres-Astros game has been changed to 7:35 p.m. to accommodate ESPN.