"If I'd say, 'We should do this, we should spend that,' I just didn't believe that one or two new players were going to put this team where we want it to be.

"And if we believe in our farm system, why would we want all these long-term contracts?''

So with that, bring on 2009 for the Blue Jays, a team most likely not quite good enough to contend in the stacked American League East and not quite bad enough to blow up, stuck in the ever dangerous no-man's land of Baseball.

The payroll will be around $85 million this season and with No. 2 starter A.J. Burnett lured away by New York Yankee riches, No. 3 and 4 starters Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum shelved by injuries and an offence as questionable as the American auto industry's future, it's hard to argue against Beeston's outlook.

The Yankees loaded up by signing Burnett, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, the Boston Red Sox aren't going anywhere and the defending AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays, if their pitching holds up, might even be better than they were a year ago.

So, if there's ever a time to start integrating the team's hyped prospects, this is probably it.

Ricky Romero, the much-maligned sixth overall pick in 2005, won a spot in the starting rotation this spring, and he joins fellow lefty David Purcey, the 2004 first rounder, Scott Richmond, the 29-year-old rookie from North Vancouver, B.C., and Jesse Litsch, a relative veteran by comparison, behind ace Roy Halladay.

Travis Snider, a future cornerstone, starts the season in left field with the ever-promising Adam Lind slated to get some time in the outfield and at DH.

Looming on the farm and likely to see time in the majors this season are pitchers Brad Mills, Brett Cecil, Casey Janssen (who is still recovering from shoulder surgery), and catchers J.P. Arencibia and Brian Jeroloman.

Infielders David Cooper, Brad Eamus and Scott Campbell are coming quick, too.

Beeston didn't want to block their path by signing high-priced veterans to long-term deals and their progress is why the current 25-man roster may have a very transient feel to it.

"This is the club we've picked for April,'' said GM J.P. Ricciardi. "There could be some different pieces in May, June and July as we go through the season. We're going to try and go month to month and see what's the best fit for us to compete.''

How's that for a marketing slogan in trying economic times?

The team's current plan also makes a lot of sense given that Beeston's leadership remains interim in title.

He said the search for his replacement is making progress.

Beeston's replacement will inherit a team facing ticket sales that are "down marginally,'' and that has to be worrying given how hard it is to get people to part with their discretionary dollars, particularly when you're selling a team thin on established pitching and with a questionable offence.

A pitching staff that was Baseball's best last season will have a very tough time repeating given the losses of Burnett, McGowan and Marcum.

The relief corps, led by closer B.J. Ryan (despite concerns about a drop in his velocity) is likely to get more than its fair share of work.

A lineup that nearly perfected the art of not coming through in the clutch returns mostly intact and there's hope for improvement from within there.

Centre-fielder Vernon Wells needs to stay healthy and hit to his ability, and the same goes for Alex Rios, who has the talent to be a perennial all-star.

Much more is needed from first baseman Lyle Overbay and third baseman Scott Rolen, while Snider and Lind both need to hit the ground running.

The Blue Jays will certainly need to show some hopeful signs, both to keep an increasingly restive fan base interested and to make Halladay believe there is a future here.

His contract expires after the 2010 season and, if the team goes into the dumper, talk of dealing him for prospects will likely pick up. Such a move would likely signal that the team doesn't think it will be ready for a run next season.