Is MLB evaluating possible 2009 crew assignments already?

[goyanksgonj]

Recent crew assignment changes (for games of Sunday 7/13/08):

SF @ CHI - McClelland crew - Beal for Vanover
FLA @ LAD - Scott crew - Campos for Kulpa
CWS @ TEX - Tschida crew - Johnson for Carlson
SEA @ KC - Darling crew - Tichenor for Darling
COL @ NYM - T. Welke crew - Cousins for T. Welke; Hudson for AAA/Poncino
STL @ PIT - Cousins crew - Fairchild for Cousins
ARI @ PHI - Davis crew - Cuzzi for Holbrook
NYY @ TOR - Cederstrom crew - full strength
CIN @ MIL - Reilly crew - full strength
LAA @ OAK - West crew - Guccione for Rapuano
MIN @ DET - Montague crew - Kulpa for Cuzzi
OFF - Marsh crew - Crew vacation (7/7/08-7/13/08)
OFF - Crawford crew - Crew vacation (7/7/08-7/13/08)
ATL @ SDP - Reed crew - Drake for Wegner; Runge for Randazzo; Knight for Reed
BAL @ BOS - DeMuth crew - full strength
HOU @ WAS - Reliford crew - Causey for Gibson; Holbrook for Runge; Barry for Danley
TBR @ CLE - Hirschbeck crew - Danley for Hirschbeck

In effect, when all is said and done:

Beal for Vanover
Campos for Randazzo
Johnson for Carlson
Tichenor for Darling
Fairchild for T. Welke
Hudson for AAA/Poncino
Guccione for Rapuano
Drake for Wegner
Knight for Reed
Causey for Gibson
Barry for Hirschbeck

That's 4 out of 15 crew chiefs out for one reason or another, plus another 2 on crew vacation, making a total of 6 out of 17.

What's the big idea here?