Dodgers’ Payroll Taking a Big Cut : Baseball: Claire says Butler will have to settle for less than $3.5 million.

The Dodgers, trying to recover financially from the strike, are trying to reduce their payroll to about $25 million, a cut of more than $13 million, one National League owner said.

That not only is expected to prevent the Dodgers from pursuing any high-priced free agents, but it could be another step signifying the end of free-agent outfielder Brett Butler’s career in Los Angeles.

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, informed agent Dick Moss on Monday that they have no plans to sign Butler to their original $3.5-million offer sheet, advising that he should pursue other options unless he’s willing to take a significant pay cut.

Moss contends, however, that the offer sheet is valid, which could lead to a grievance.

The National League owner, requesting anonymity, said that he was told of the Dodgers’ plans by a high-ranking club official. The Dodgers will not divulge their budget but confirmed it will be significantly less than last year’s $38.5-million payroll.

The Dodgers have 10 players under contract at $19.025 million. Starter Ramon Martinez ($2.7 million), who’s eligible for arbitration, and outfielder Raul Mondesi ($127,000) are expected to receive raises that would push the Dodgers’ payroll to at least $23 million. That would leave only $2 million for the remaining 13 players on the 25-man roster.

“(The strike) has affected us in a very big way, we can’t deny that,” Dodger President Peter O’Malley said. “It’s had a very large impact. It has been a major financial hit to everyone in baseball.”

The Dodgers, who had baseball’s ninth-largest payroll last season--including a $5-million buyout to outfielder Darryl Strawberry--are assured of having their smallest payroll since 1990.

There still is no agreement that would preclude another work stoppage, and several owners say there could be yet another negotiating impasse, but O’Malley believes there’s little chance of a strike or lockout. In fact, he predicts baseball will have recovered in time to have a commissioner by the end of the year.

“We need a full-time, outside and independent commissioner,” O’Malley said, “and I think that will happen. But I think the focus now should be on an agreement, and hopefully that will happen soon.”

Meanwhile, Dodgertown began resembling a major league training camp again Monday. Uniforms were hanging neatly in the lockers. Bats and gloves were stashed away. Players were missing, but that will change today.

Eric Karros and Billy Ashley scheduled a red-eye flight Monday night, and were planning to arrive at 6 a.m. All-Star catcher Mike Piazza said he’ll join them this afternoon. Second baseman Delino DeShields is on his way.

“I’ve got nothing else to do, so I might as well hurry up and get there,” Piazza said. “I just hope we can get an agreement soon, because it’s safe to say the public would turn on us if we went on strike again.”

The Dodgers are scheduled to begin workouts Wednesday, and although Claire still has not reached 10 of his players, he does not anticipate anyone arriving later than Friday.

Also, the Dodgers said Monday that outfielder Keith Mitchell changed his mind and will not sign a triple-A contract with them.