NEW YORK -- Paul Quantrill is back in the Big Apple. Returning as a member of the Padres' crack bullpen troupe, Quantrill has nothing but good memories of his year-and-a-half spent in the Bronx, making 86 appearances for the 2004 Yankees and 22 this season before being shipped to the left coast in a July 2 trade.

"It's very professional with the Yankees, and I appreciated that," Quantrill said. "You show up and do your job. Joe Torre is very professional man. It really is a circus around that team, but if you want a lot of rah-rah, that's not part of it.

"I enjoyed my time there. New York fans are Met fans or Yankee fans. It's one or the other. They take it seriously and know the game. They really do stay with their ballclub. I found them to be generally pretty positive. I felt I got treated very fairly there.

"I began my career in Boston, and I found those fans to be edgy. I expected New York to be abrasive, but there's some bitterness in Boston. Maybe it's better now, after they won it. I hope so. They could throw some daggers at you in Boston."

Quantrill has experienced only four days of life in San Diego, but he already knows the border city with the flawless weather is nothing like the city he graced after leaving Boston in 1994.

"In Philadelphia," he said, "they were very abrasive. They're hard-nosed. They really like to get on you in Philly."

The Paul Quantrill Professional Tour also included stays in Toronto and Los Angeles. He was transformed into a full-time relief pitcher with the Blue Jays in 1997, going 6-7 with a 1.94 ERA in 77 games. He's been at it ever since, establishing himself as one of the game's most durable relievers.

"At the end of the day," he said, "I've been fortunate to be in places where the fans were really involved in the game. Whether they were rough on you or your teammates, I'd rather have them at the park than sitting at home."

Quantrill wasted no time becoming an active part of the Padres' troupe. He has appeared in six games since joining the club on July 3, the Padres having sent pitchers Darrell May and Tim Redding to the Yankees in exchange for the 36-year-old native Canadian from London, Ontario.

"He's so resilient," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's shown it over the course of his career. He's a rubber arm in the bullpen who can eat up innings."

Quantrill, the National League leader in appearances with the Dodgers in 2002 and '03, has pitched in at least 80 games in each of the past four seasons.

He picked up his first win as a Padre in an 8-5 victory at Colorado on July 10 when he worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He has given up one run in 9 2/3 innings with San Diego, impressing teammates with his willingness to take the ball every day if necessary.

"You have to love to have a guy like Paul on your staff," fellow reliever Chris Hammond said. "He wants the ball, and he knows what he's doing. He'll be a valuable addition."

A shoulder ailment suffered by Rudy Seanez, who was lights out throughout the first half, makes the timing of Quantrill's acquisition by general manager Kevin Towers even more significant.

"I really like what I see here," Quantrill said. "I see a good mix of guys, a balance of veterans with young guys, too. When you have that mix, it brings everyone together.

"In New York, it's pretty much all veterans. There's a little more excitement around here with the younger guys. But there's also an accountability I like here. It's not acceptable not to go out and bust your [fanny]. You've got some guys who have been around the block -- guys like Eric Young, Woody Williams, who I played with long ago in Toronto, Dave Roberts. They make sure everyone is going all out. They're character guys."

Quantrill has been impressed with young ace Jake Peavy, "an exuberant guy who's got so much energy and really enjoys himself and the game."

The veteran looks at Peavy, Tim Stauffer, Adam Eaton and Brian Lawrence and sees a young foundation.

"It's rare that you see young starters like that on one staff," Quantrill said. "Especially on a first-place team."

As for his own role, Quantrill, who has been through it all, said: "This bullpen has been a strong point. All I want to do is step in and contribute to some degree and help a little bit.

"One of the first things I noticed when I got here was not the ERAs, but the games pitched. Bochy likes to use everybody. In this bullpen, you have so many guys who can do everything. I'd use anybody in any situation."

He is looking forward to getting to know what makes Trevor Hoffman tick, having been a setup man for two of the game's all-time great closers in the Yankees' Mariano Rivera and the Dodgers' Eric Gagne.

"Hoffy obviously doesn't say a lot," Quantrill said. "He's a character person who does his job. He doesn't make excuses and leads by example."