BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : They’re Making List, Double Checking

The expansion draft will not take place until Nov. 17, and teams probably will not have to submit their lists of 15 protected players until a few days before that. But the Dodgers are already thinking.

“I’ve made up lists about 30 times,” one Dodger official said. “The first 13 or 14 players will be easy. The last two or three will be tough.”

The Dodgers can protect three more players after each of the first two rounds but still will lose a total of three players to the Colorado Rockies and/or the Miami Marlins.

Based on conversations with several club officials, there are 13 players who seem certain to be protected:

Pitchers--Orel Hershiser, Tom Candiotti, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Martinez, Pedro Astacio.

Catchers--Carlos Hernandez, Mike Piazza.

Infielders--Eric Karros, Roberto Mejia (Class A), Jose Offerman.

Outfielders--Brett Butler, Darryl Strawberry, Raul Mondesi (double A).

Other candidates are pitchers Kevin Gross and Greg Hansell (double A), third baseman Dave Hansen and outfielder Billy Ashley (double A).

Brett Butler is hoping to set an unofficial record for bunt hits. He has a career-high 29, but Richie Ashburn, former Philadelphia Phillie star, told him recently that he once had 35. “So I’m shooting for that,” Butler said.