Bobby Abreu

Here's one possible reason why nobody quite seems sure what exactly is going on with Curt Schilling's shoulder: Even Schilling isn't quite sure what's going on with his shoulder. "One day it feels one way, and the next day it feels completely different," he said after throwing in the bullpen yesterday. All that can be said for sure is that the shoulder inflammation that caused Schilling to miss his scheduled start July 28 has become a more serious problem than anybody admitted it could be in the beginning.

A year ago, Phillies pitchers set a club record by giving up 188 home runs. This year's staff has blown that record out of the water. Phillies pitchers have been touched up for 199 homers. One more and they will reach the not-so-magic 200 plateau. Three other teams - the Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs and Brewers - already have eclipsed the 200 mark. The club record was broken earlier on this road trip when Houston Astros pitcher Shane Reynolds took Paul Byrd deep in the Astrodome on Sept.

The first indication that something was wrong came when Terry Francona arrived at Jack Russell Stadium in the predawn hours. The Phillies manager found two players sick and sleeping in the trainers room. By the end of the day, Phillies Phlu had ravaged the clubhouse. A dozen players including much of the starting lineup - third baseman Scott Rolen, rightfielder Bobby Abreu, catcher Mike Lieberthal and first baseman Rico Brogna - never made it to the Carpenter Complex for yesterday's workout.

Phillies reliever Ken Ryan was about to express his opinion on how many home runs will be hit this season by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. "Fifty-nine for McGwire," he said, finally, "and 57 for Sosa. " "That's him. Mr. Negative," closer Mark Leiter piped up. "I'm not being negative," Ryan said. "I just don't think they'll do it. It's going to be hard. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am. " As Ryan walked away, Leiter smiled and said, "That's him. Mr. Positive. " Before yesterday's game, the Daily News asked 25 Phillies, including two guys on the disabled list, to predict homer totals for McGwire and Sosa.

If cork in a baseball bat makes that much of a difference, Larry Bowa has the right idea. "I think I'm going to cork all of ours," he said, referring to his struggling offense. Hey, it could help. Just don't get caught. Because when the bat breaks and the cork flies - or remains conveniently lodged in the bat for the umpires to find - it's big news. The Phillies found that out yesterday when they answered endless questions about Sammy Sosa's infamous corked bat. "He's going to have a lot of problems," said Phillies infielder Tyler Houston, who played with Sosa with the Chicago Cubs from 1996 to 1999.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. - With the keys dangling from his fingers, Pat Gillick decided to toss control of the car to the younger, less-experienced driver. Five years ago, the former Phillies general manager pulled the trigger on a series of moves that gave his team a face lift and set the tone for the future. Gillick dealt away key components Bobby Abreu and David Bell along with pitcher Corey Lidle at the trade deadline in 2006. Before the season he traded first baseman Jim Thome, and at season's end he allowed catcher Mike Lieberthal to walk via free agency.

Two Phillies streaks ended yesterday. Scott Rolen, who had started all of the team's first 54 games, got his first day off. And Pat Burrell's 14-game hitting streak came to an end as he went hitless in four at-bats in the team's 10-3 loss to the Montreal Expos. While Burrell had a quiet day at the plate, he did have two assists from left field. He leads the National League in outfield assists with eight. Rolen had homered in the two previous games and was 20 for 48, an average of .417, over a 12-game span.

Indications were strong last night that Ricky Bottalico will re-sign with the Phillies before tonight's midnight deadline that would preclude the free-agent reliever from signing a contract with the team before May 1. The Phillies made several proposals to Bottalico yesterday and were optimistic that he would agree to a one-year deal. Bottalico's agent, Gregg Clifton, said Bottalico's first choice was to remain with the Phillies, the team with which he has spent all but two of his professional seasons.

PHILLY has lost its bid to be the U.S. choice to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Philadelphia has come a long way, but there was no reason to believe we were in the same league as the actual choices unless we had something special to offer. And we didn't. The leaders of our effort, Joe Torsella and David Cohen, pointed out that it was the lack of an image that hurt us. I'm uncomfortable that we didn't come up with an approach that we obviously needed if the outcome was to be changed.

The Phillies had a few decisions to make yesterday. They had until midnight to offer contracts to three players eligible for salary arbitration: righthander Brett Myers and outfielders Jason Michaels and Endy Chavez. The Phillies offered contracts to Myers and Michaels, but not to Chavez. That means Myers and Michaels will be back. Chavez becomes a free agent. Myers, 25 made just $445,000 last season, and could make more than $2 million next season. On a team starved for pitching, he projects toward the top of the Phillies rotation after finishing last season 13-8 with a 3.72 earned run average.