The payroll is too high for a small market team hovering around .500. They are paying out about $24 million for Hall, Hardy, Hart, Riske, and Kendall. That's nearly 1/3rd of the payroll. None of them are producing at even an replacement level. Suppan, Cameron, and Hoffman are bringing down another 1/3rd of the payroll but they at least are contributing on some level. Still, it's hard to justify paying these three this kind of money if the team is under .500 as the deadline approaches. Going to 2010 it seems they can't afford to keep most of these players. Maybe Suppan and Hoffman (if he's willing), but the rest might have to go, even if they eat money, just to get some play back in the payroll. The 2009 team would be just as good with replacement level or rookie players in place of Hall, Hardy, Hart, and Kendall.