Peavy, Halladay and Dye All In Play

The NYPost  is reporting that the Mets will be able to increase their payroll this season if a deal that could improve the club becomes available, general manager Omar Minaya told the New York Post on Tuesday.

“We’ve been told that whatever we need to get to help us win, we’re going to try to do it,” Minaya said. “[The payroll is] not unlimited. But there is the ability to increase if we need areas that need to be addressed.”

Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon concurred, saying, “Omar has the flexibility to do what he has to do to give us a winning team.”

There is speculation that starting pitchers such as Toronto’s Roy Halladay, San Diego’s Jake Peavy and Cincinnati’s Aaron Harang, and corner outfielders such as Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez, Kansas City’s Jose Guillen and Jermaine Dye of the White Sox, could become available during the season.

If so, the Mets — whose payroll is reportedly $135.7 million, the second-highest in baseball — could be in the market for at least one of those players, though Minaya indicated that there are limitations of some kind.

“You have to be realistic,” Minaya said.

Yesterday, I wrote that the Mets might be suiters for either Halladay or Peavy if one of their starters don’t emerge as a solid number two guy. I’m glad the Mets have a contingency plan in place and that the money will be there if needed.