David Wells wants to pitch in San Diego. "The Padres are still David's No. 1 choice," Greg Clifton, Wells' agent, said yesterday. But it has been weeks since the Padres and Red Sox have revisited trade talks regarding Wells. And the start of spring training is less than a month away. "If anything happens, it might not get done before spring training," said Padres General Manager Kevin Towers, who chooses his words carefully regarding Wells to avoid any risk of tampering. "The Red Sox know we are interested and they know what we're willing to do," said Towers, who did place a call to Boston yesterday ? to welcome former student Theo Epstein back to the Red Sox. "Wells' name didn't come up," Towers said. But it will ... if not with the Padres, then with other West Coast teams. Clifton has heard the Giants might be interested in acquiring Wells for center fielder Steve Finley. Each is in the last year of his contract. The Red Sox need a center fielder and have a surplus of pitching. The Padres have offered the Red Sox a center fielder in Dave Roberts. But the Padres also want the Sox to take Woody Williams to balance out the dollars. The Red Sox already have seven starting pitchers bidding for five spots and have rejected Williams. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks also have talked to the Red Sox about Wells.