PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Santiago Yanked for Lack of Hustle

SAN DIEGO â€”  Benito Santiago was taken out of the lineup so quickly Thursday afternoon that his teammates weren’t sure what to think. And Santiago left the clubhouse so quickly he wasn’t around to say what he thought.

Manager Greg Riddoch, citing a lack of hustle on Santiago’s part, inserted back-up Tom Lampkin into the game in the fifth inning. Riddoch, who said it was an accumulation of things rather than one specific incident, said Santiago would remain on the bench for tonight’s game.

Lampkin said he didn’t know what led to Santiago’s hasty departure.

“I have no idea,� Lampkin said. “I was just down in the bullpen when the phone rang, and they told me to come down (to the dugout). I even left my mask down there. (Riddoch) said I was catching and I said ‘OK’ and went in. I had the bat boy get my face mask.�

The substitution also caught starting pitcher Dennis Rasmussen off-guard.

“I was surprised,� Rasmussen said. “I thought Lampkin was coming out to warm me up between innings, then I saw the shin guards and mask.�

Said Lampkin: “I didn’t know anything, I still don’t, and I don’t care to.�

Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, said it was Riddoch’s decision.

“I think it’s great, to tell you the truth,� McIlvaine said. “If guys don’t want to hustle, get them out.�

Two Padres who left Monday’s game early with injuries and sat out Tuesday and Wednesday returned to the lineup Thursday: Bip Roberts (back) and Jerald Clark (Achilles’ tendon).

Roberts said his back is still a little stiff, and Clark said his Achilles’ remains tender. Roberts played the entire game; Clark was lifted after five innings. Both expect to play tonight.

“(Riddoch) just told me to work back into it slowly,� Clark said. “He took me out for precautionary reasons--he didn’t want me to aggravate it.�

Roberts, meanwhile, felt limber enough to dunk an errant beach ball over the center field fence during a break late in the game. The dunk is a Roberts tradition when a beach ball gets loose from the stands, but he is coming off of back spasms . . .

“Stupidity,� Roberts said of his dunk. “Sometimes you just get caught up in the moment. (The fans) know I do it, and they egged me on. I fell for it hook, line and sinker.�