Definately, Phil. There are some examples of waves being assigned tropical depression status when it was clear they would be very short lived. Look at TD# 2 in 1999 and TD #9 in 2001. They only had two advisories written on them, but then they threatened the coast of Mexico and Central America respectively. Number 9 obviously had potential - it became CAT 4 Hurricane Juliette in the E. Pacific. As others have said 98L posed no threat, so I guess they will only upgrade something short lived when it is going to make landfall. I may be wrong, but that's my thought on the matter.