You know that the economy is bad when:

1. The Yankees have a lower payroll than the year before ($6.86 million average per player in 2008; a record $7.47 million in 2007).

2. The Bronx Bombers didn’t want to risk Bobby Abreu accepting arbitration as a Type A free agent, even though it meant passing on the opportunity of receiving two high draft choices if he said no and signed elsewhere.

Ouch.