For eight teams and more than 200 players, the season will go on past Sunday. For 22 teams and some 600 players, the season ends on Sunday, which is why there is already lots of underground talk about the offseason to come. Ten early thoughts about the forthcoming free-agent market:
1. There is a growing feeling within the industry that the nation's economic struggles are going to have a major impact on the decisions of some teams. Some executives and agents believe a lot of teams might shy away from long-term obligations knowing that the disposable income of many of their fans might disappear -- and disposable income is what the baseball industry relies upon. More clubs may be apt to cut payroll or hold their budgets in place, rather than spend, because of the fiscal uncertainty. Some executives and agents talk about the upcoming offseason and increasingly sound as if they are coastal residents preparing to batten down for an economic hurricane.
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Buster Olney
