In fact, Leitner is not scheduled to be there at all for two dozen games this season after the Padres decided to have Andy Masur handle the play-by-play for 24 of the 25 home games that the venerable Coleman is scheduled to work.

Coleman also is slated to work the April 12 home opener and 15 road games, but in those games, he will be on the air for only the three middle innings, which will be the same innings Masur will call play-by-play. For the other six innings (1-3 and 7-9), Leitner will do play-by-play and Masur analysis.

That will also be the plan during spring training broadcasts. The only exceptions would be when Leitner or Masur have to miss a game, in which case the remaining broadcaster will work all nine innings with Coleman. Masur is scheduled to miss at least three games this month, including Friday’s opener, when he will be in Las Vegas to call USD’s WCC basketball game. Leitner will miss at least two, including Saturday, when SDSU plays at Air Force.

For the 122 games Coleman doesn’t work, Leitner and Masur will work every inning together, with Leitner calling six innings of play-by-play (1-3 and 7-9) and Masur three.

Asked about the move, Padres President Tom Garfinkel said:

“We have three good broadcasters on the radio who all have different styles. Jerry is a legend, Ted is a 30-year Padre with great experience, and Andy is a versatile young talent. We want to give them all a chance to be at their best for the fans but in a more consistent format than what we had in 2009.”

Leitner and Masur both declined to comment yesterday. Both are entering the final year of their contracts with the Padres; Leitner’s deal also contains a club option for another season.

“We don’t plan to make any decisions on the 2011 broadcasting mix until the end of this season,” Garfinkel said.