Karros Believes in Fast Starts

First baseman Eric Karros says there may be a remedy for their recent postseason miseries.

“If nothing else, I’d like to see us start off well so we don’t have to dig ourselves out of a hole,” Karros said. “I think that has hurt us the last two years. We play .500 ball to the All-Star break, we take off, and then play every game the rest of the year like it’s a playoff game.

“Then in postseason, we’re not the same team as the middle of August. . . . We’ve got to have a quicker start so we can start resting some guys down the stretch.”

There’s got to be a reason why [catcher] Mike [Piazza] wears out at the end of the year, and that’s because he’s had to play every day down the stretch. We’d be much better off if we won earlier. It would keep guys fresh and allow us to set up our rotation.”

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Hitting coach Reggie Smith says that center fielder Brett Butler probably will be able to play a final season. “The way he looks to me, he’ll make it,” Smith said. “He’s swinging the bat very good. He’s getting stronger and stronger.”. . . . Knuckleballer Tom Candiotti got the hint that he no longer figures in the Dodgers’ plans during their photo session Monday morning. He wasn’t invited.