GM Sandy Alderson said a $100 million budget is news, and he hasn’t spoken with owner Fred Wilpon about next season. Alderson anticipates a payroll between $100 million and $145 million. That’s a wide berth, and the spectrum ranges from being able to compete to being a bottom feeder. When he took the job, Alderson said expectations are high in this market and meeting them means spending. Alderson said it is not guaranteed the Mets [...]

The Mets try to bounce back from two headache losses. (Headache Loss: When the mental miscues from Professional Athletes cause a fan to hit their head on a desk, wall, or other object, thus giving the fan a headache). Tonight Dillon Gee looks to continue his pitching from his last strong outing and the Mets bats look to take out frustrations on Casey Coleman of the Cubs. Dillon Gee was fantastic last time out as [...]

In Doug’s Dugout today we discuss: the updated version of the Boss, the scrappy Mets, and other imbecilic thoughts. I have never seen such a firestorm over benign comments made by an owner until the other day when excerpts from Fred Wilpon’s confessional in the New Yorker was released (you see the size of that piece-11,000 words-around 32 pages on Word!). What did he really say that was so objectionable or off the mark? That [...]

“Even if the financials break down as reported, one would think the $100 million dollars being earmarked for operating costs will go toward the projected $70 million dollars in losses this season, and any additional losses next season. Basically, the way I see it, this will keep them afloat for two years, and that is assuming they don’t lose the lawsuit.  By the end of those two seasons, the Wilpons better have figured out a plan to [...]

Though setbacks have delayed their return to action, Angel Pagan, David Wright and Ike Davis will eventually be healthy enough to play. In fact, Pagan is expected back in the lineup this Friday. While last night’s game was a poor indicator, the Mets have actually played some good baseball without three of their regulars players. Some young guys have stepped up when needed, especially Justin Turner and Jason Pridie. Pridie has shown enough to keep [...]

What we have unfolding before us is the sad saga of Fred Wilpon these days. The Wilpons’ – rich beyond counting – have discovered that they are knee-deep in the Madoff case. No one will ever know if Fred knew about Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme before the cops came and took him away, but just remember they were in daily contact for over 30 years and that Bernie’s son, Mark, committed suicide rather than go [...]

Angel Pagan is close to returning and manager Terry Collins expects him to be activated from the disabled list in time for the start of the weekend series against Philadelphia on Friday. Pagan, who is recovering from an oblique strain, went 1-for-3 in a rehab game for St. Lucie on Monday, and is expected to play for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday and the Mets Friday. After last night’s game, Sandy Alderson said that David Wright (stress fracture in lower back) met as [...]

I never really weighed in on Fred Wilpon’s New Yorker interview yesterday, and I don’t really intend to go into it except to say I was most turned off by the owner mocking Carlos Beltran’s 2006 NLCS strikeout against Adam Wainwright. Wow… Et tu, Brute? It read like something Mike from Toms River would say calling into WFAN. And if you think this boorish behavior from a team owner doesn’t bother a player, think again. “It surprised [...]

After Tuesday night’s 11-1 loss to the Cubs, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke with reporters and mostly discussed the comments made by Fred Wilpon in interviews with both Sports Illustrated and the New Yorker this week. “I think everyone was surprised by the comments. But there’s nobody who is more passionate about the Mets, has more empathy for the players, than Fred. I think that we all get caught up in the emotion from time to time and [...]

Left fielder Jason Bay left tonight’s game against the Cubs in the seventh inniing with a stiff right calf. Bay was replaced by Fernando Martinez and while It was unclear when the injury occurred, he pulled because the weather in Chicago was very cold and it was a lop-sided game. Apparently, Bay told manager Terry Collins about the problem before the game. “We were running around, shagging fly balls in BP today, and just had some very, very, very minor [...]

Fred Wilpon is back in the headlines once again.  Just a day after his controversial comments toward Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran, Fred Wilpon opens up about the Mets financial troubles in a new article for Sports Illustrated written by Tom Verducci.  In the article, Fred Wilpon tells Verducci that the Mets are “bleeding cash”.  Wilpon added that the Mets could lose up $70 Million this year.   The Mets principal owner said that he could raise [...]