Garth Brooks ropes a workout and game action with Padres

Monday, March 16, 1998 | 9:09 a.m.

That's not just any Brooks, either. It was Garth Brooks, real-life country music superstar, wearing No. 7 - his latest album is called Sevens - and making a pinch-running appearance for the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

"What a cool thing - this hasn't soaked in yet," Brooks said later in the clubhouse as players began lining up yet again to have bats and balls autographed.

Brooks traded in his cowboy hat for a baseball uniform as he joined the Padres for two days of workouts at their spring training complex.

After showing a so-so stroke in the batting cage, and a decent arm and a nice sliding catch while shagging fly balls, Brooks found himself in the Padres' exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs.

He originally was going to watch from a luxury box, but sat with manager Bruce Bochy and the coaching staff at the front of the dugout. Brooks was easy to pick out - the pale one who hasn't been out in the Arizona sun the last month.

Bochy told Brooks he was going in as soon as someone got on in the sixth. Wally Joyner hit a leadoff single and was slated to come out anyway. Then Brooks, the guy who sings about "Friends in Low Places," found himself in one, diving back into first on left-hander Ben VanRyn's pickoff throw.

VanRyn, a non-roster invitee trying to make the club, smiled. He said later that he's not a country music fan.

Umpire Ed Montague appeared to be generous with his call. After a second pickoff throw, Brooks hugged Montague.

Greg Vaughn, who earlier had homered, then grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Brooks made a popup slide into second base, way too late, then hustled off the field. The Padres won 4-2.

"They asked if I was nervous, and I said I was too busy thinking, 'I can't believe where I was,' " said Brooks. "It was great. It was a piece of Americana going right down my throat."

Brooks said it was his second-biggest moment in sports, behind winning a medal at the Kansas Relays as a javelin thrower for Oklahoma State.

Joyner said the next time he's at a Brooks concert, he wants to get up on stage and help sing, provided he knows what the song's going to be.

It wasn't the first time an entertainer had a spring training appearance with a big-league club. Musician Bruce Hornsby once pinch-ran for the Angels, and actor Tom Selleck struck out for the Detroit Tigers.

Brooks, who just turned 36, said he'd always wanted to work out with a big league club. He got his chance with the Padres because the team's vice president of marketing, Don Johnson, is a friend of one of Brooks' closest friends.

Brooks seems to have distant dreams of playing minor league ball, a la Michael Jordan. But he also realizes he's pretty good at his day job, in which he's sold more than 62 million albums.

Earlier Sunday, Brooks got personal attention from batting coach Merv Rettenmund and former Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe, a Padres broadcaster and part-time minor-league instructor.

Brooks said the biggest thing he learned was the importance of the mental side of baseball, "especially from Merv, that hitting guy."

That hitting guy, by the way, played in four World Series and coached in three.

Bench coach Rob Picciolo asked Brooks how his hands felt after the first round of BP. When asked again later, Brooks said: "Trust me. You can ask this question to a million guys in America, they'll answer the same way - who gives a ...? It feels great to be out here."

So is Brooks going to ask to hit in today's game against Colorado?

"I didn't ask to run today," he said, still surprised at making his big-league debut.

Elsewhere on Sunday:

Red Sox 5, Phillies 0

At Fort Myers, Fla., Mo Vaughn hit his sixth spring home run and Boston beat Philadelphia.

Cardinals 9, Dodgers 4

At Vero Beach, Fla., Mark McGwire hit his fifth homer and an RBI single as St. Louis defeated Los Angeles.

Diamondbacks (ss) 9, Brewers (ss) 5, 10 innings

At Hermosillo, Mexico, Jorge Fabregas hit a grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning and Arizona beat Milwaukee in a split-squad game.

Brewers (ss) 10, Diamondbacks (ss) 7, 10 innings

At Tucson, Ariz., Jeromy Burnitz hit a solo home run in the 10th inning and Milwaukee defeated Arizona in another split-squad game. Burnitz had four of the Brewers' 20 hits and stole a base.

White Sox 10, Rockies 9

At Tucson, Ariz., Magglio Ordonez had four of Chicago's 21 hits, including his fourth homer of the spring, to beat Colorado.

Mariners 10, Giants 5

At Scottsdale, Ariz., Seattle's Jay Buhner hit his fourth spring homer, a three-run shot off San Francisco starter Osvaldo Fernandez.

Athletics 12, Angels 4

At Phoenix, Jason Giambi drove in four runs and Scott Spiezio homered for Oakland. Rickey Henderson was hit by a pitch from Anaheim's Jason Dickson and left the game with a bruised left knee.

Twins 6, Rangers 5

At Port Charlotte, Fla., Jayhawk Owens homered and doubled for Minnesota. Texas starter Bobby Witt allowed nine hits and six runs in five innings.

Yankees (ss) 9, Blue Jays (ss) 8, 10 innings

At Dunedin, Fla., Darryl Strawberry, Tim Raines and Paul O'Neill hit early home runs, and Homer Bush homered in the 10th inning to lift New York over Toronto in a split-squad game.

Tigers 6, Devil Rays 5

At Lakeland, Fla., Luis Gonzalez homered, tripled and stole home in Detroit's victory over Tampa Bay.

Blue Jays (ss) 11, Royals 3

At Haines City, Fla., Shannon Stewart went 4-for-4 with a three-run homer as Toronto's split squad beat Kansas City. Stewart scored three runs and stole a base.

Indians 2, Braves 1

At Winter Haven, Fla., Travis Fryman hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth as Cleveland defeated Atlanta. Dennis Martinez pitched five shutout innings for the Braves.

Orioles 5, Mets 2

At Port St. Lucie, Fla., Rafael Palmeiro hit a three-run homer in Baltimore's win over New York.

Pirates 3, Reds 1

At Bradenton, Fla., single, Esteban Loaiza pitched two-hit ball for five innings, leading Pittsburgh over Cincinnati.

Marlins 8, Expos 2

At Jupiter, Fla., Josh Booty hit a two-run triple as Florida downed Montreal.

Yankees (ss) 8, Astros 1

At Tampa, Fla., Willie Banks pitched five scoreless innings as a Yankees' split squad beat Houston.