just in case you fantasy bases owners missed this one.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - The San Diego Padres are leaning toward putting first baseman Ryan Klesko on the disabled list to start the season due to a sore left shoulder.


If Klesko is put on the DL, San Diego-area native Adrian Gonzalez, a former No. 1 draft pick, would be the opening day starter against San Francisco on Monday at Petco Park.

Klesko missed his fourth straight game on Wednesday. He had a cortisone shot during the weekend.

``There's a good possibility he may go on the disabled list,'' manager Bruce Bochy said after a 13-11 win over the Texas Rangers. ``We want him real close if not 100 percent. It's the best thing for him and the club. We feel like we can give him a little bit of time right now if he does start on the disabled list.''

Klesko last played on Saturday, meaning the Padres could put him on the DL retroactive to Sunday and he'd miss the first six games.

``If we retro this, we could get him back sooner, rather than make a mistake and put him out there now and have him aggravate it,'' Bochy said.

Klesko has said that he'll probably need surgery on the AC joint in his left shoulder after the season. This is the final year of his contract.

Klesko has been bothered by shoulder and neck injuries the last three seasons. He batted .248 last year, hit a team-high 18 homers and drove in 58 runs. He moved from left field to first base this spring.

Gonzalez had four hits, three RBIs and scored three runs on Wednesday. Gonzalez, who missed two weeks of spring training while playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .400 with two homers and six RBIs.

``He's a very determined young man right now,'' Bochy said.

A week ago, it looked like Gonzalez might be headed for Triple-A Portland, but he's played his way onto the roster. Even before Klesko's injury, the Padres decided to start the season with 11 pitchers instead of 12 to make room for the Gonzalez.

``My mentality was never to do anything out of the ordinary,'' Gonzalez said. ``I was just going to play my game, and hopefully it was good enough to be on the 25-man roster. I never pressed, I never tried to do more than I had to just so I could make the team.''

Gonzalez was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Florida Marlins in 2000. He was traded to Texas in July 2003, but played just 59 games the last two seasons with All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira in the Rangers' lineup.

Gonzalez was obtained from Texas in a six-player deal in the offseason. The Padres also got right-hander Chris Young and outfielder Terrmel Sledge, while the Rangers got right-hander Adam Eaton, reliever Akinori Otsuka and minor league catcher Billy Killian.

``Friends and family have already bought 40 season tickets, and there's probably a lot more that I haven't of that are going to be there, so it'll be fun,'' Gonzalez said.

Eaton left Wednesday's game after feeling pain in the same right middle finger that sent him to the disabled list in San Diego last season.