BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : This Idea Simply Didn’t Have Chants

Fans organizing against a players strike called for those attending games to chant “No Strike, No Strike,” during the third inning. But at Dodger Stadium, Monday night’s third inning passed without any chanting.

Brett Butler, told before the game about the fans’ third-inning protest, said: “They need to do that in the owners’ conference room, it’s not the players who are doing it.”

Butler called the comments Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf made Sunday posturing. Reinsdorf said that he would be willing to come to an agreement with the players union without a salary cap, which is being sought by the owners.

“You would be hopeful from some of the things they are saying that it appears they would want to get this thing done,” Butler said. “But if they don’t want a work stoppage, they would have done something a long time ago.”

The Dodgers will play a day game in Cincinnati on Aug. 11, the day before the players have threatened to strike.

“The strike doesn’t start until the final out of the final game on the 11th, so after our game we will get on the (team) plane and come back (to Los Angeles),” Butler said. “I’m making plans to go home to Atlanta with my family on the 14th, unless things are changed. “

The Dodgers have a nine-game homestand scheduled that begins Aug. 12 and includes three games each against the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Florida Marlins.

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Mike Piazza has thrown out only 17 of 78 runners attempting to steal, 22%, compared with 35% last season. “It’s part of my game that I need to work on (defense), which sometimes it is difficult because I can’t come out before a game and throw to second base, I have to conserve my energy for the game.”