Trade Wouldn’t Surprise Schilling

Now that Roger Clemens is with the Yankees, Curt Schilling of the Philadelphia Phillies said he wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the next strikeout king on the move.

“I want to be here and contend on this club,” he said. “If that’s not going to happen in the immediate future and they move me to a club that is contending, then I would see if we can work something out.”

Schilling, who last year became only the fifth pitcher with 300 strikeouts in consecutive seasons, doesn’t expect to remain with the Phillies for the entire season and said he would consider waiving his no-trade clause.

Meanwhile, David Wells, traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Clemens, needed to get away after the deal.

“I’ve never seen him so down--beyond depressed,” Yankee pitcher David Cone said. “I’ve never seen anybody so stunned by a trade, confused and stunned.”

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Larry Walker of the Colorado Rockies, the reigning National League batting champion, said he won’t hesitate to leave the team if it doesn’t sign him to a long-term contract consistent with baseball’s spiraling salary scale.

It doesn’t help matters that Walker feels Rocky ownership is being critical of him.

“Right now in my mind, with the things that have been said about me, I don’t see myself in this clubhouse next year,” he said. “This is my last year as far as the way I see it.

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Trevor Hoffman of the San Diego Padres, baseball’s most dominant closer last year, knows his potential free-agent status at the end of this season could get him traded. But don’t count on it, he said.

“I’m optimistic,” he said of the stalled negotiations on his contract extension. “I really think we’re going to get something done. I really think they can’t afford to get rid of me.”

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Like a chief of state, Mark McGwire will have bodyguards this spring. A Jupiter, Fla., police officer will shadow the St. Louis Cardinal slugger each time he goes from the clubhouse to a practice field. Meanwhile, officials at Roger Dean Stadium, which the St. Louis Cardinals share with the Montreal Expos, have promised that fans seeking autographs and photographs will have better access to players than last year. . . . Outfielder Moises Alou of the Houston Astros suffered a knee injury while working out in the Dominican Republic and will have an MRI performed in Houston on Monday. . . . The Cleveland Indians are talking with free agent Orel Hershiser, after the 40-year-old right-hander turned down an offer from the Phillies. . . . Backup catcher Eddie Perez of the Atlanta Braves underwent surgery for a groin injury and is expected to sit out a week to 10 days of spring training. . . . John Hudek lost his salary arbitration case against the Cincinnati Reds and will get $800,000 rather than his request for $1.3 million. Hudek was 5-6 with a 3.09 earned-run average in 58 relief appearances for the New York Mets and the Reds last year. . . . Three-time all-star Julio Franco, who last played in the major leagues two years ago, agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. . . . The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with South Korean pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim and intend to start him in Class A this year.