DODGERS NOTEBOOK: GRISSOM'S BAT IN COLD STORAGE.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA - Dodgers center fielder Marquis Grissom sparked talk of a comeback-player-of-the-year award with a sublime May, batting .343 with seven homers and 17 RBI. In a time of need, he provided stability to the middle of the lineup.

However, since June 1 Grissom has more resembled the player he was last season in Milwaukee, when he was injured most of the time.

Grissom had two hits in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Phillies, but he is 3 for 17 and without an RBI in the first five games of this road trip, and he is 5 for his past 30.

``I don't even consider myself in a slump,'' Grissom said. ``I feel good. There isn't anything wrong. I hit the (ball) good at home. I'm hitting some balls hard, but I'm not getting any luck. I'm not going to stress and worry about anything. As long as we keep winning and keep playing well, we'll be all right.''

Grissom's average, at one time .306, has dropped to .241 thanks to a slide that is at two months and counting. Lack of patience is a big part of his struggles, and it goes beyond his four walks in 303 plate appearances.

When Eric Karros and Gary Sheffield were out of the lineup in late May and early June, Grissom was batting fifth. His slump, and the return of players, has knocked him down to seventh. He was blistering in May, but since June 1 Grissom is batting .196 with seven homers and 22 RBI.

``I think in Grip's case, it's just a matter of pitch selection a little bit,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. ``I think he's expanded his strike zone more than he'd probably like to see, or you'd like to see. And he's chased some pitches where even if he hits them, the opportunity to hit them well are not real good. A lot of it is the bad breaking ball down in the zone, the bouncing breaking ball up to the plate. But he, just like anybody else, you go through things just like that.

``I think it's a matter of when he got very hot for us, look back on it, his discipline at the plate. He was spinning on some of the pitches that he's chasing right now early in the count and he's opening the plate up for the opposing pitchers because he's chasing that early-count, bad breaking ball that you can't do a whole lot with anyway.''

Of course, the Dodgers don't have many options beyond Grissom. Tom Goodwin, at his best a speedy leadoff hitter, is batting .236 with a .286 on-base percentage.

--Top pick to have surgery: Right-hander Brian Pilkington, the Dodgers' top draft pick in June, didn't have a strong rookie season. In fact, he didn't even finish it.

Pilkington will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder Aug. 16 in Los Angeles. The procedure will be performed by team physician Dr. Frank Jobe.

Pilkington, from Santiago High in Garden Grove and the 68th pick in the draft, hasn't pitched in three weeks for what originally was diagnosed as a fatigued shoulder. He went 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in five games for Great Falls (Mont.) of the rookie Pioneer League.

``There's something going on,'' Dodgers minor-leagues director Joe Vavra said. ``It doesn't appear to be very serious. They're looking at four to six weeks after the 'scope is done.''

--Brown update: The Dodgers continue to believe right-hander Kevin Brown will be ready for the last month of the season, but before he begins a throwing program within the next week the team might ask for another MRI to ensure the torn flexor muscle in his right elbow is healed. Brown last threw a ball July 15.

``The definitive answers, in my mind, will come when he gets to the mound, when he gets to the point where he starts to let it go a little bit,'' Tracy said. ``That's when we'll have a better idea as to if he's going to throw for us, when the possibility would be he would throw for us.''

DODGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA

Time: 10:35 a.m., at Veterans Stadium

TV/Radio: Ch. 5; 1150-AM, 1130-AM (Spanish)

Matchup: The Dodgers conclude a six-game road trip with a matchup of inexperienced starters. Dodgers RH Terry Adams (8-4, 4.74 ERA) will make his 14th career start while Phillies right-hander Brandon Duckworth (1-0, 4.50) will make his second career start. Adams pitched in 363 major-league games as a reliever, and has taken well to starting. He's 6-2 as a starter. Duckworth allowed three runs in six innings in beating San Diego in his major-league debut Tuesday. He led the International League with 13 wins, a 2.63 ERA and 150 strikeouts.

- Brian Dohn

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DODGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA (see text)