PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Harris Reports Improvement

SAN DIEGO — Padre right-hander Greg Harris, who has been out since April 22 with tendinitis in his right elbow, threw for 15 minutes on the side before Friday’s game and reported little pain. He still is expected to be out for at least another 10 days.

“All I’m concerned about is getting better, and not worse,” Harris said. “I could pitch with the pain I had today, I was was ready to pitch. My improvement’s leveled off a little bit, but I am getting better. I could feel a little soreness, but it was a slighter pain. It’s more like a pinch.”

Said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, who watched Harris’ peformance: “I’d have to say it’s positive. He’s still not ready to cut it loose, yet. But sometimes, with pitcher’s injuries, you’re a little reluctant to cut loose. Once you’ve crossed that, you’re fine.”

Harris is expected to throw again on the side at least two more times on the trip, and then likely will pitch a simulated game in San Diego.

Padre right-handed reliever Larry Andersen, who’s on the disabled list with a bulging disc and herniated disc in his neck, is expected to return from the disabled list when the Padres return from their trip.

Andersen, who said his neck improved each of the past five days, actually was throwing long-toss before the game before he was told to stop. The Padres want him to rest completely for two weeks before throwing again, which would be Thursday in Atlanta.

“The doctor told me that there’s a 90% change I’ll get better with 12 weeks of rest,” Andersen said. “So I figure I’ve got a 15% chance of getting better with two weeks’ rest. That’s right, right?”

The Padres have not announced a starter for Tuesday, but appear to be leaning toward Jose Melendez, who’s 6-0 with a 3.70 ERA at triple-A Las Vegas. Melendez, who was picked up on waivers in spring training from the Seattle Mariners, has yielded 42 hits and nine walks in 48 2/3 innings, striking out 37. . . . They have decided not to recall Dennis Rasmussen (0-3, 6.98 ERA), instead letting him to make his final rehabilitation start Saturday. . . . Padre first baseman Phil Stephenson will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test in the next few days to determin e whether he needs surgery on his knee. . . . Reds owner Marge Schott now has banned five local writers and columnists from the lunch room for what she called, “negative coverage.” . . . The Padres face the Reds at 4:05 p.m. (PST) today; Adam Peterson (0-1) and Jack Armstrong (3-1) are scheduled to start.