PADRES UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / BOB NIGHTENGALE : Lilliquist Leaves Minor Leagues; Rosenberg Still Waiting for Call

Pitchers Derek Lilliquist and Steve Rosenberg were sitting in the visiting clubhouse Saturday afternoon in Phoenix when the news arrived.

Lilliquist and Rosenberg were being called up to the Padres. Lilliquist would be replacing Greg Harris in the starting rotation, and Rosenberg would be in the bullpen for Pat Clements.

“Man, we were so excited, we couldn’t wait to get packed,” Lilliquist said. “They told Steve that they needed him in the bullpen as soon as possible, so he was going to catch the first flight out. I told him I’d go on the same flight with him.

“We packed our bags, and were about to leave, when we got another call. They told Steve they changed their minds, and wanted him to stay.

“Well, once that happened, I got out of there as soon as I could. I didn’t want them changing their minds about me, too.”

Lilliquist jumped on the first flight out, left Phoenix at 11:30 p.m., arrived in Philadelphia at 8:30 Saturday morning, and was at the ballpark at 9:15.

“I told Steve I’d seen him soon,” Lilliquist said, “but I couldn’t wait.”

Rosenberg, originally called up two weeks ago but who had to be sent back to Las Vegas because he had not stayed the required 10 days in the minor leagues, was left behind.

“That poor guy,” said Joe McIlvaine, Padre general manager, “he probably wonders what it’s going to take to get up here. At least, if nothing else, he knows we’re thinking about him.”

The reason, McIlvaine said, is they want to make sure that Clements’ ailing left shoulder necessitates a stint on the disabled list. He was examined Sunday by a specialist, who confirmed he has tendinitis, and a decision is expected to soon be made on whether he’ll go on the disabled list with Harris (elbow tendinitis).

Clements injured his left shoulder April 22 in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants while striking out against Trevor Wilson. The pain was excruciating, Clements, said, but he believed it eventually would disappear.

“I felt a sharp pain, like a shoulder separation,” Clements said. “It was just killing me. I thought the day off would help. but it just got worse.

“I’m going to take some anti-inflammatory pills, and see what happens, but I think it’ll be a little while before I’ll be able to pitch again.

“The frustrating part of this is that I’ve never even been hurt before. Nothing like this has ever happened to me. I don’t even ice after games. But I’ve been in the training room more in the last three days than the last six years.”

Lilliquist has the opportunity of remaining on the Padre staff, if not their rotation, if he succeeds Tuesday against the Mets. He was 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in three starts for Las Vegas, allowing 19 hits in 19 2/3 innings.

“I think I’m throwing the ball as good as I ever have,” Lilliquist said. “All my pitches are down. Right now, I’m pitching the way I can pitch. That’s all I can ask for.”

Padre second baseman Bip Roberts, who missed Sunday’s game with a stiff neck, blamed his absence on Padre trainer Bob Day. Roberts awoke with a strained neck, went into the trainer’s room for treatment and came out feeling worse than ever.

“I said, ‘Just get the knot out,” Roberts said, “and he made it even worse. I don’t know what he did.

“It wasn’t my fault I missed today’s game. Can’t blame me for that one.”

Said Day, good-naturedly: “I just quick-treated it, and made it worse. That’s the truth. It wasn’t the first time I made somebody worse, and it won’t be the last.”

Joe Klein, Kansas City Royals assistant general manager, has been in town the past two days scouting the Phillies about a potential trade involving outfielder John Kruk or outfielder Von Hayes. The Royals are interested in acquiring a player, and the Phillies are seeking starter Kevin Appier or starter Tom Gordon in return.

“We’ve talked about this for awhile now,” said one club official, “but I don’t think we’re going to get it done.”

The Padres, it turns out, were going to place Harris on the disabled list no matter how he pitched on the side Saturday. They made arrangements to call up Lilliquist before Harris even pitched. . . . Padre center fielder Shawn Abner is mired in a two-for-25 slump (.080), dropping his batting average to .241. . . . Padre first baseman Fred McGrff, who played four years on artificial turf in Toronto, and the other artificial turf fields in the American League, said the turf at Veterans Stadium is the worst he ever has played on. “I can’t believe how hard the turf is,” McGriff said. “It just kills your feet.” . . . The Padres will conclude their four-game trip to Philadelphia with a 4:35 p.m. (PST) today. Ed Whitson (1-2) and Terry Mulholland (1-2) are the scheduled starters. The Padres then will play a two-game series against the Mets in New York. Derek Lilliquist (0-0) and Dwight Gooden (2-1) are the scheduled starters Tuesday; Bruce Hurst (2-0) and Frank Viola (3-0) are scheduled Wednesday.