Dwarves Front Office Working Overtime

With the budget deadline rapidly approaching, Austin's front office is working overtime to make its budget work this year. With long-term contracts coming for Myatt, Scheffer and Blair plus 9 arbitration cases, the Dwarves expect their total payroll to approach $100 million.

To free up cash, the team has confirmed it will not re-sign backups Charles Bottalico and John Lindsey. "John and Charles are both starting-caliber players who accepted backup roles for us," said a team official. "They did it with class and performed with excellence. They deserve shots at starting roles." The team will also likely skimp on coaching and completely shut down their advanced scouting department. "It's gonna be tight," Austin's CFO told this reporter. "If we go to arb with Sid (Selby) instead of signing him long-term, and win 2 or 3 arb cases, we should be OK."

In other news, the Dwarves did confirm they are in talks with "a number of teams" who had inquired about trading for one of their 6 starting pitchers. They characterized the talks as "ongoing but preliminary" and would not elaborate on which pitcher or pitchers were likely to be wearing new uniforms.