BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Dodgers Lay Off Eight to Save Money

Proving again that the Dodgers’ poor play is affecting more than organizational pride, their minor league department has laid off eight coaches and trainers in a cost-cutting move.

The Dodgers have also discontinued their rookie league team in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

“We are looking for ways to be more cost-effective throughout the organization and, unfortunately, these were some of the ways,” said Charlie Blaney, Dodger farm director. “It has not been a good year for us, on the field or otherwise.”

The laid-off coaches include triple-A batting coach Von Joshua and double-A batting coach Darrell Evans. Also losing their jobs were pitching coaches Tony Arnold (Class A), Doug Simunic (rookie league), batting coaches John Knapp (rookie league) and Helmut Bohringer (rookie league) and instructor Juan Bustabad.

Brett Massie, the double-A trainer, was also released.

“I have already recommended each person to every major league team; their performance had nothing to do with this move,” Blaney said.

In another sign of hard times, the Dodgers have canceled their annual October organizational meetings in Arizona. They will discuss personnel moves in smaller groups at Dodger Stadium.

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The Future Dodger Factor: Research by the Philadelphia Inquirer reveals that before Friday, the last time a major league team committed seven errors in a game was on June 7, 1987, by the Oakland Athletics against the Cleveland Indians. Alfredo Griffin, who later played for the Dodgers, made one of the errors and Jay Howell also played for the Athletics. Brett Butler was the Indians’ center fielder, and Tom Candiotti had pitched for them two days earlier.

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The Dodgers will play their most historic opening day game since coming to Los Angeles next April 5 when they are the guest of the expansion Florida Marlins at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami. . . . Darryl Strawberry will undergo back surgery today. It is expected to be a one-hour procedure. Doctors hope Strawberry will be able to resume his rehabilitation program within four to five weeks. . . . Butler hopes he cured the painful effects of his second root canal in two weeks by undergoing a third root canal Monday morning. He missed the bus to San Diego because he was in a dentist’s chair, but he was still in the starting lineup Monday.