NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Templeton Resigned to His Role

SAN DIEGO — The Padres have given infielder Garry Templeton assurances they will not stand in his way of a trade. They’ve notified every team in the major leagues that Templeton is available for a bargain-basement price. Templeton and his agent, Richie Bry, have been told they can contact clubs on their own.

Templeton, who has not started a game since May 1, is being used almost primarily as a left-handed pinch-hitter, hardly the role he envisioned. Certainly, he thought he’d have played more than four innings at shortstop this season.

But, as long as he’s here, and as long as clubs refuse interest, Templeton says he’s prepared himself to be the Padres’ top pinch-hitter the rest of the season.

“I’ve resigned myself to that fact,” said Templeton, whose pinch-hit home run Tuesday night vaulted him into second place in the all-time Padre hit list with 1,135 hits. “It’s more of a challenge to me now to see if I can do it.

“Hey, the way I look at it, I might as well stay here if I’m not going to get any more playing time anywhere else. It’d save my money in the long run.”

Templeton, who has the right to approve or reject any trade because of his tenure in the major leagues, could have been traded in the off-season to the Texas Rangers, but asked for a one-year contract extension. The Rangers refused and never bothered to negotiate. The Kansas City Royals telephoned late in the spring to seek Templeton’s permission for a trade, but they decided to stay with their set roster. And lately, the Cincinnati Reds have sent out feelers.

“I’m not going to stand in the way of a trade,” Templeton said, “but I’m not going just to be going. I’d like to go to a place where I can have a little playing time. And at this stage of my career, I’d like to play for a winner.

“But to tell you the truth, I ain’t in a hurry to go nowhere.”

Bry telephoned Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, last week to be apprised of any possible trade talk involving Templeton. McIlvaine informed him there was none and reiterated that he would not hold back Templeton from any trades.

“Hopefully, there will be a suitable ending to this,” Bry said. “I think McIlvaine knows Garry’s frustrations. He knows Garry would like to go somewhere where Garry would feel more welcome and be more used. And he said he’d accommodate Garry.

“But I think now it would have to be a team that’s a veteran team, and not a youthful team.”

In what quickly is emerging as perhaps the finest season of Tony Gwynn’s illustrious season, consider what may be perhaps the most amazing aspect of Gwynn’s season:

He’s batting a league-leading .472 this season with runners in scoring position, including .444 with two outs.

In contrast, take a look the other three regulars in the Padre lineup with two outs and runners in scoring position:

Shortstop Tony Fernandez: .227

Catcher Benito Santiago: .167

First baseman Fred McGriff: .118

“The only thing I’m doing different, is not doing anything different,” Gwynn said. “I’m not tightening up, or anything. I’m just relaxing and hitting the ball like it’s any other situation.”

FIRST INNING

Braves--Nixon walked. Pendleton singled to left, Nixon stopping at second. Gant popped to shortstop. Justice doubled to center, Nixon scoring and Pendleton stopping at third. Bream was intentionally walked. Blauser sacrifice flied to right, Pendleton scoring and Justice taking third. Olson struck out. Two runs, two hits, two left.

SECOND INNING

Braves--Belliard singled to right. Glavine sacrificed. Nixon grounded to shortstop. Pendleton doubled to right-center, Belliard scoring. Gant walked. Justice was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Bream flied to shortstop. One run, two hits, three left.

FOURTH INNING

Braves--Nixon singled to center and stole second. Pendleton singled to shortstop, Nixon taking third. Gant singled to center, Nixon scoring and Pendleton stopping at third. Justice and Bream flied to center. Blauser forced Gant at second. One run, three hits, two left.

SEVENTH INNING

Braves--Justice homered to left, his sixth. Bream singled to right. Blauser flied to right. Olson grounded to the pitcher, Bream stopping at second. Belliard grounded to the pitcher. One run, two hits, one left.

NINTH INNING

Padres--With one out, Abner homered to left-center, his first. Mota lined to second. Coolbaugh, batting for the pitcher Maddux, flied to right. One run, one hit.