Jim Bowden of Cincinnati attributed the novelty to baseball economics.

We are a team trying to live within the constraints of current baseball economics.

The commisserioner's task force on baseball economics will conduct its first meeting today in Manhattan.

In any discussion of baseball economics, the Philadelphia Phillies hold a special place.

And the members of the commissioner's blue-ribbon panel on baseball economics know this.

But with today's baseball economics, La Russa knows that has become an untenable luxury.

Most important, however, they will receive the report from the blue-ribbon task force on baseball economics that Selig appointed a year and a half ago.

Page 84 of the 87-page blue-ribbon panel's report on baseball economics is the one that probably raises the most eyebrows.

The panel, appointed by Selig, issued a report on baseball economics in July 2000.

They declined to comment, too, on the possibility that Tuesday's talks became testy during a discussion of baseball economics.