WINTER MEETINGS NOTES

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Curt Schilling will have arthroscopic surgery Monday to tighten a lax shoulder capsule, will be prevented from throwing for six to eight weeks and probably will not be ready to join the rotation until sometime in May.

The Phillies acquisition of Andy Ashby from the San Diego Padres takes some of the sting out of Schilling’s early-season loss, but General Manager Ed Wade said: “We have more depth than we’ve had in the past, but you don’t easily replace a guy like Curt.”

Schilling was sidelined by shoulder inflammation for two prolonged periods last season, when he was 15-6 with a 3.54 ERA.

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In the first trade of the winter meetings, the Mets and Baltimore Orioles swapped left-handers, with the Mets dealing Chuck McElroy for Jesse Orosco, who began his career with the Mets in 1979.

“Jesse gets better with age,” Met General Manager Steve Phillips said. “He gives us another situational left-hander (with Dennis Cook and John Franco), a guy we’ll use for a hitter or two.”

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The Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds are scheduled to renew negotiations this morning on a deal involving Ken Griffey Jr. The stumbling block has been Cincinnati’s refusal to include second baseman Pokey Reese, and Manager Jack McKeon said he hopes General Manager Jim Bowden remains firm. . . . Former New York Yankee catcher Joe Girardi has reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs on a free-agent contract, pending results of a physical next week.