Days before the York Revolution begin building the 2009 roster, infielder Keoni DeRenne expressed the belief that he will not return to the Revolution this season.
Revolution Director of Baseball Operations Adam Gladstone didn't want to part ways with DeRenne. But it might not be a difficult transition. The market is loaded with free agent players.
"I've talked with agents and I've talked with scouts," Gladstone said. "Most of these men have great relationships with players and many of them have told players not to hold out for more money. It is a very tough climate just to get an invite to spring training."
It will be interesting to see if the talent pool in the Atlantic League improves this season, or if teams attempt to save money by slashing payroll.
A couple Atlantic League teams appeared close to going under this offseason. League CEO and founder Frank Boulton bailed out the Bridgeport Bluefish. And Newark appeared to be folding before a new ownership group materialized.
Will teams spend money to assemble loaded lineups during this economic downturn, or will players sign for less money because they are just happy to find a job?
That's a key theme to watch during the next few weeks as teams assemble their rosters.
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