The nation's financial problems are being felt in baseball.
There are only 11 teams projected to open the 2009 season with a bigger payroll than a year ago. There are four teams that figured to be about the same as last year and 15 teams planning to cut salary expenditures.
What's more, the cuts are coming from the teams that have spent the most.
Seven of the teams that were among the top nine payrolls on opening day last year are looking at lesser payrolls in 2009 -- the No. 1 Yankees, No. 3 Tigers, No. 4 Red Sox, No. 5 White Sox, No. 6 Angels, No. 7 Dodgers and No. 9 Mariners. The Dodgers could fall as much as $30 million from last year's $118.6 million.
The increases among the top nine belong to the Mets, who will rank second again, and the Cubs, who could climb from eighth to third.
Even with the trade of Matt Holliday, who earned $9.5 million a year ago, and the possibility of Seth Smith replacing him, the Colorado Rockies' Opening Day payroll of $68.7 million last year could easily top $74 million in 2009.
And that's if third baseman Garrett Atkins has to settle for the $6.65 million the Rockies offered in arbitration instead of the $7.95 million he is seeking.
The Giants are looking at a payroll hike similar to that of the Rockies. They are the only other National League West team that will add to its salary structure.
In addition to the Dodgers, whose payroll is likely to fall below $100 million, San Diego is trying to cut $40 million out of last year's $73.7 million, and Arizona wants to drop from $66.2 million to below $60 million.
INFIELD CHATTER
-- San Diego, looking for a veteran backup catcher, was working on a deal with Brad Ausmus, who lives in the San Diego area, but he agreed to a one-year deal with the Dodgers.
-- The Yankees aren't worried about losing draft choices if they sign right-handers Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz. They already gave up their top three picks for left-hander CC Sabathia, right-hander A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira, so they would only be giving up a fourth- and fifth-round pick for Sheets and Cruz.
-- Texas reached a deal with Omar Vizquel to provide protection for Elvis Andrus, 20, at shortstop. Michael Young is being moved from short to third to accommodate Andrus, and the Rangers don't want to bounce him between the positions.
OUT IN LEFT FIELD
Arizona keeps coming up short in trying to add a veteran to its rotation, but then with only $4 million or so to offer in salary, the opportunity to land a proven pitcher is slim.
Veteran lefty Randy Wolf, who had nixed a three-year, $28.5 million deal to stay in Houston, turned down a one-year deal with two years of options in the most recent rejection. That came after Jon Garland blew off a similar deal.
Randy Johnson headed to San Francisco when the Diamondbacks tried to re-sign him for $6 million. Brad Penny also said no thanks before he went to Boston.
CLOSING STATEMENT
San Diego scouting director Bill Gayton will have the third pick in the June draft, his highest selection since he had the No. 1 pick overall in 2004.
With owner John Moores looking to sell the team because of his divorce proceedings, Gayton might catch a break and get to make his own pick this time.
In 2004, Gayton was told he had freedom to pick whomever he wanted, and he was focused on Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew and Long Beach State pitcher Jered Weaver.
A couple of days before the draft, Moores vetoed both because they were advised by agent Scott Boras, then directed Gayton to look at San Diego-area high schooler Matt Bush, who wasn't even on the scouting department's list of candidates.
Bush has been a bust on the field and off. He is trying to make it as a pitcher now. Drew, with Arizona, and Weaver, with the Angels, have become key big leaguers.
This year, the early No. 1 player in the draft is right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg, but Gayton could benefit this time from high demands, and Strasburg could slip to the third pick.
Strasburg, coached at San Diego State by Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, is being advised by Boras.
NUMBERS GAME
-- 17: Potential arbitration cases for Florida, and second baseman Dan Uggla is the only player who filed. The others have signed or been traded.
CLIFF NOTE
Cleveland is expected to negotiate a contract extension for left-hander Cliff Lee, the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner. Lee is signed for 2009 at $5.75 million, and the Indians hold a $9 million option for 2010.
HE SAID IT
"To have Nos. 3 and 4 hitters like Ryan (Braun) and Prince (Fielder), at their ages, that's hard to find. I haven't engaged in talks with any team about Prince. Our plans are to have him on our team."
-- Doug Melvin, Milwaukee general manager, prior to signing Fielder on Thursday while rumors swirled he would be traded.
(Tracy Ringolsby writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colo. E-mail ringolsbyt(at)RockyMountainNews.com.)
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