Tampa at the brink

According to Tampa Bay principal owner Stuart Sternberg, the Rays pushed their payroll to the absolute limit this offseason in fine-tuning the 2009 roster.

"We, quite frankly, can't really afford what we've got on the field this year. But at least we were able to spend the money on a lot of value, we think, and pieces that will give us the opportunity to grow the franchise over the long haul and give us the best opportunity for success this year."

The number of season tickets sold and the Rays' attendance as a whole this season could impact the ultimate decision on that front.

Sternberg said season-ticket sales are up from last year (single-game tickets go on sale this week), but the Rays expect only one major-league team - the Marlins - to sell fewer season tickets this season.

The Marlins happen to be the only team to also underspend the Rays on their roster last year. Tampa spent $43,820,597 on personnel in 2008. Florida's players cost $21,811,500.

Making just one major signing in Pat Burrell this offseason, the Rays will have to hope the Yankees and Red Sox aren't that improved. If the World Series runner up struggles to get competitive in ticket sales and payroll, how long can they stay at the top? Tampa's relative youth would seem to offset any precipitous downfall, but downward trends are certainly more likely the harder it is to compete financially.

Fish wallets open wide(r)

It won't compete with the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers or Cubs, but the Florida Marlins will open the books (a little bit) in 2009. Owner Jeffrey Loria is backing a team payroll of up to $40 million, nearly doubling the Marlins' spending for 2008.

Such a hefty increase over the $22 million the team spent this year would represent an 82 percent hike. Increased revenue sharing, along with the expectation of a new ballpark as soon as 2011 and the World Series run of the low-budget Rays, have emboldened the Marlins to open their wallet again.

That doesn't mean there won't be significant alterations to the roster that won 84 games and finished third in the NL East this season. But it does mean the Marlins probably won't be in the position of dumping salary for that purpose alone.

Deposed closer Kevin Gregg is readily available, as is power-hitting first baseman Mike Jacobs. Lefty Scott Olsen could be dealt as well due to a surplus in the starting rotation.

Gregg, Jacobs and Olsen are all expendable, and the Malins will still have to get creative to compete with the big boys. Still, it could be an entertaining offseason in South Florida.