Baseball's offseason has a chance to be as historic and arduous as the regular season and postseason were historic and fabulous. It could be a long, cold winter. Here are nine issues -- one for each inning -- facing baseball in 2001-2002. But this winter is certain to go extra innings.

1. Contraction. This is real, this is something that ownership wants to happen. This is not simply a bargaining ploy, or a final attempt to get new stadiums in Montreal and Minnesota. Yet there doesn't appear to be enough time to eliminate two teams, not with all the legal interference, including from Congress. Sometime after Thanksgiving, it appears, the union's grievance against contraction will be heard. If the arbitrator rules in favor of the union, that would all but guarantee no contraction before 2002.

2. Dispersal Draft. In case there is contraction, teams throughout the game are preparing draft lists for the Expos and Twins, which amounts to 80 major leaguers and 300 minor leaguers. The equitable placing of contracted players is a huge task, filled with questions. Who gets Montreal's Vladimir Guerrero, who is 25 and as skilled as any player in baseball? Do all contracted players become free agents? Do they keep their existing contract? If the Twins are folded, which is unlikely, who gets catcher Joe Mauer, the No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft? If, as speculated, Expos owner Jeffrey Loria buys the Marlins and Marlins owner John Henry buys the Angels, are they allowed to take any players with them? So many questions, so little time.

3. Labor. The Players Association thought it was close to a deal around the All-Star break, but negotiations broke off. Now, it seems, the two sides are nowhere close to an agreement. It appears logical that contraction somehow needs to be hooked to the labor deal, and if contraction isn't completed for the 2002 season, neither would a new Basic Agreement. Chances are, the agreement will be extended for a year to work on all these issues.

4. Jason Giambi. Free agents officially go on the open market Nov. 20, which is when the auction for Giambi will begin. The A's want to keep him, but probably won't be able to afford him. The Yankees really want him, and they usually get what they want. He's the big bat in the middle of the order that they need, he could DH (allowing rookie Nick Johnson to play first base and hit down in the order, where there is less pressure) and he's the leader in the clubhouse that every team wants. The Cardinals, having freed up $30 million with the retirement of Mark McGwire, should be big players as well.

5. Barry Bonds. The Mets have expressed early interest, which comes as no surprise: they, as much as any contender, need another bat. Bonds likely will ask for a five-year deal, which will be untenable for most teams given that he's 37. The Giants surely can't give him that many years, but someday, he's going to pass his godfather, Willie Mays, on the all-time home run list. For that alone, the Giants are going do whatever they can to keep him in San Francisco.

6. The Braves. The season didn't end well and they have some decisions to make. They became the first team in history to start three pitchers 35 or older in the same postseason. John Smoltz, 34, is a free agent, but his brilliance as a closer down the stretch make him doubly valuable to anyone who signs him. The Braves have to lock him up, but also, perhaps they have to stop depending so much on their starting pitching, which has been great but is aging.

7. The Yankees. They are almost certain to lose Chuck Knoblauch and Orlando Hernandez to free agency. Should they sign Giambi, Tino Martinez is gone (Boston? Baltimore? The Mets?). Scott Brosius is maybe 50-50 to return. If Seattle offers him a good deal, he may go. Whatever happens, the Yankees are going to reload, and be really good for next season.

8. The Red Sox. Their future is tied up in new ownership, whoever that may be. If new owners are approved in the next month, there's a chance that they will look for a new general manager and a new manager. If, however, the process drags into 2002, there probably won't be time to make such drastic changes. There is at least one ownership group that GM Dan Duquette is hooked to, which means he would keep his job, and so would manager Joe Kerrigan. Whatever is done, the Red Sox must create a better working atmosphere. Ace Pedro Martinez says if the bickering continues, he won't want to play in Boston.

9. The Diamondbacks. There's speculation that if two teams are contracted, Arizona would move to the American League West, to which owner Jerry Colangelo is greatly opposed. Chances are, it won't happen, but if it did, a World Championship team would defend its title while playing in the other league. And who would manage the 2002 AL All-Star team, Joe Torre or Bob Brenly?

Let's just hope there is a 2002 All-Star game.

Tim Kurkjian is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a regular contributor to Baseball Tonight. E-mail tim.kurkjian@espnmag.com.