GLENDALE, Ariz. - Cactus League president Robert Brinton calls it his spring training economic stimulus package.

He's talking about the combination of factors resulting in a sizable increase in games in Arizona this spring — 73 more in all, or a 42 percent jump.

So even in a deepening economic recession, Brinton has little doubt the league will break its all-time attendance mark, and draw somewhere around 1.5 million fans.

“Even if attendance is down 1,000 per game, we'll still set a record,'' Brinton said.

Unfortunately, what Brinton fears — cutbacks in the number of fans able to travel to the Phoenix area, and the money they can spend on lodging, tickets and merchandising — also are occurring.

“Travel is off nationwide,'' Brinton said. “Travel (to) here is way down. And the people who are traveling are getting better rates, better deals. But if you've lost your job, a discounted hotel rate doesn't factor in.''

Brinton nonetheless predicts the increase in number of games will soften the blow, providing the league an extra $30-or-so million in revenue.

“So far, food and beverage numbers are holding, but we're seeing a big drop off in merchandise,'' he said. “Especially the big-ticket items. Those $130 designer uniform shirts? They aren't selling as well. They're buying the $30 T-shirts, and the $20 caps instead. We're not recession-proof, but we are somewhat recession-resistant.''

So it appears to be a mixed bag for the Valley of the Sun, as a burgeoning spring baseball market meets the challenges of what's happening in the world beyond baseball.

Wasn't spring training already too long?
Ask that question to any position player, and the answer will be a resounding yes. Spring training stretches six weeks for one primary reason — to allow starting pitchers to build enough stamina to throw seven-plus innings once they start playing games for real.

But this spring, there is another factor at work — the World Baseball Classic. After Team USA's embarrassing showing in the inaugural event in 2006, changes were made.

Namely, to get WBC players ready earlier, major-league camps opened a few days sooner than usual, as did the Cactus and Grapefruit League schedules — on Feb. 25.

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Once the Classic ends on March 23, players will return to their major-league teams and have just short of two weeks to assimilate. As a result, exhibition schedules are approaching 40 games — 6-8 more than usual — and you have the seven-week spring camp.

“I've never been through anything like this as a player or a manager,'' Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “This is a long, long spring.''

Brinton knows demand won't immediately catch up with the increased supply of games, at least not in terms of per-game average attendance. So he's expecting that number to decrease 1,000-1,500 from the 2008 mark of 7,436.

So far, the numbers are at that projection. Through 11 days, the Cactus League's attendance per game average was 6,175. But keep in mind that traditionally, the last two weeks of spring games outdraw the first two weeks by about a 60-40 margin.

“People aren't used to coming in February (for spring training games),'' Brinton said. “So far, it's been slow. But it's too early to say, 'oh, no'. I feel good about where we're heading. The weekends games will be key.''

Holy cow!
But the real key to Cactus League attendance is the Chicago Cubs. They haven't won a World Series in 100 years, but in the Valley of the Sun every March, they have a Yankee-like dynasty working.

Last Monday, they drew more than 9,000 for a visit from the Arizona Diamondbacks. It took three other games across the Valley to match the Cubs' attendance total that day.

Last Saturday, a visit from the Chicago White Sox helped the Cubs set a home record of 13,010 fans. Yes, if anything is recession-proof anymore, it's HoHoKam Park as the hub of Cactus League activity.

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The reason, of course, is the preponderance of Chicago-area residents who have relocated to the Valley. Not to mention the many others who escape the harsh Midwest winters for spring stays of varying lengths.

Carrie and Eric Messmer fit the latter category. Recession or no recession, the 30-something couple made the trip last week from Cherryville, Ind., about 30 miles outside of Chicago. All they needed were plane tickets and spending money, as they stayed with her brother, Eric Cable, a Phoenix resident who accompanied them to the ballpark one sunny Friday afternoon.

“I married into a Cubs family,'' Eric Messmer said.

The Cubs already have sold more than 150,000 tickets — close to their 183,000 total 2008 spring attendance, and will draw 10,000 or more to at least 10 home games. And as Cable said, “Even if their games aren't in Mesa, they still sell out.''

But where there are no Cubs jerseys on the diamond and few in the stand, some announced attendance totals have been tepid — and in cases appeared higher than actual fans in the seats.

The Seattle Mariners averaged 8,926 fans per game last spring at the Peoria complex they share with the San Diego Padres, but the second game between the two teams this spring drew only 2,402.

The Milwaukee Brewers — never a big spring draw — attracted a combined total of only 9,644 to their first three home games, and only 1,209 watched the Oakland A's host the South African WBC team on Thursday afternoon.