New Giants managing partner Bill Neukom explained yesterday that his team is using an $80MM payroll as a placeholder, and GM Brian Sabean has been instructed to present him with several plans to field a competitive team in 2009. He would not rule out large contracts for players such as C.C. Sabathia or Mark Teixeira.
Neukom added that he will decide whether to keep Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy around after next season. Andrew Baggarly has the full transcript of Neukom’s comments here.