BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Butler to Be on Line for Strike Date Call

Brett Butler will be the Dodgers’ representative on a conference call this morning with the players union, which will probably set a strike date.

At a players-only meeting before the All-Star break, the Dodgers discussed the collective bargaining negotiations and a possible strike date. Players were nearly split on choosing between Aug. 16 and Sept. 2. Other dates reported as options are Aug. 19 and Sept. 30.

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Jim Gott has been pondering the bullpen’s problems and wondering what team officials will do.

The bullpen has a 4.31 earned-run average with Gott’s 6.09 ERA the highest.

“How much more can we talk about it and not do anything?” he said. “That’s not saying that I’m not the one, I’m not saying the move wouldn’t be me because I haven’t done my job.”

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Cory Snyder, suffering from stomach pain, went to a hospital Wednesday morning and was found to have a muscle spasm. He was available to play in the game.