Padres, Bumbry Near Deal

YUMA, Ariz. —  The Padres moved a step closer to signing veteran outfielder Al Bumbry and also made the first reductions in their spring training roster here Monday.

Between games of a doubleheader between the Padres and Oakland A’s, General Manager Jack McKeon conferred with Bumbry’s agent, Jerry Kapstein.

“The odds are pretty good we’ll work out a deal,” McKeon said. “On what he has shown this spring (Bumbry) deserves it. But if something else pops we may not need him, so we’ll take a few more days and do a little more homework.”

Bumbry, former star with the Baltimore Orioles, is trying to win a spot with the Padres. A hand injury suffered by regular left fielder Carmelo Martinez provided an opening, and Bumbry has responded by batting .379 through 10 games this spring.

The Padres are not certain how much longer Martinez will be out, but if he is able to return by the first week of the regular season, it might alter their thinking on Bumbry.

In any case, McKeon indicated it probably would be four or five days before he makes a final decision on Bumbry.

“You don’t want to close the door on anything or overload yourself (with outfielders),” McKeon said. “When we make our mind up, Jerry and I will talk again.”

While Bumbry’s future was under consideration, the Padres came to a temporary parting of ways with a group of players ticketed for the minor leagues.

Roster players sent to the minors were pitchers Jimmy Jones and Gene Walter, first baseman Joe Lansford and infielder George Hinshaw.

Nonroster players sent out included catchers Frank Castro and Ray Smith, pitchers Ray Hayward, Keefe Cato and Kevin Kristan, infielder Victor Rodriguez and outfielders Ed Miller and James Steels. Miller hit. 286 in 13 games for the Padres last year and also stole four bases.

“It’s time to get our club a little more set,” McKeon said. “We need to spend more time with the players who are going to be with the club this year. Besides, it would be foolish to mislead the kids (who were sent down).”

Six more players must be trimmed for the Padres to reach the mandatory 25-man limit for the April 9 season opener against the San Francisco Giants.

Padre Notes

In the first game of Monday’s doubleheader, the Padres scored a 2-0 win as left-hander Dave Dravecky worked 5 innings, allowing only four hits. In relief of Dravecky, Luis DeLeon extended his string of shutout innings to 8, while Goose Gossage finished up with two scoreless innings. The Padres scored on an RBI single by Steve Garvey and a sacrifice fly by Mario Ramirez. In the nightcap, Mike Gallego singled with two out in the eighth inning to give the A’s a 4-3 win. Mike Davis homered off loser Greg Booker in the eighth to tie the score. Steve McCatty got the triumph, taking over for Chris Codiroli in the seventh. . . .The rear windshield of Bobby Brown’s new Cadillac was smashed by a long fly ball struck in batting practice. The culprit was believed to have been Dave Kingman, judged to be the only man with sufficient power to hit a ball well beyond the left-field wall where Brown’s car was parked.