Sandy Alderson spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings and discussed the team’s payroll.
“I would spend a little less time thinking about our payroll,” said Alderson. “We’re trying to put the best team on the field that we possibly can. We want to fill a number of different roles.”
Alderson referred to Michael Conforto‘s health status as a bigger factor to success than payroll.
He didn’t necessarily agree that a larger payroll directly correlates to success on the field.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say, ‘Hey, if we do well, then we invest more.’ That’s not an equation that I’ve been given. Or that we necessarily even recognize or consider.”
Original Report – Dec. 11 – 8:00 a.m.
Slow and steady wins the race. At least, that’s what Mets general manager Sandy Alderson is keeping his fingers crossed for this winter.
Upon arriving at the Winter Meetings in Florida Sunday night, Alderson touched upon a number of issues and cautioned “jumping into the inferno” when making acquisitions, specifically relief pitchers.
The team will not dive right in by securing a bullpen piece, and will only be looking for a first base piece that supplements Dominic Smith, not supplants him.
“We’re still very high on Dominic — some of my comments earlier in the offseason notwithstanding,” Alderson said. “So I’d be surprised if we did anything that absolutely precluded him from having an opportunity in spring training.”
Alderson has said in the past that it is unlikely the team will match 2017’s Opening Day payroll of $155 million, despite a plethora of money coming off the books and every team in Major League Baseball set to get a $50 million windfall from Disney.
Marc Carig of Newsday wonders if the team has even less than their projected $30 million spending budget this offseason after Alderson’s comments Sunday.
This afternoon, the crosstown rival New York Yankees are set to hold a presser introducing their $265 million dollar man Giancarlo Stanton, while the Mets didn’t even feign the idea of trading for him.
“We have to approach it the way we think is best, what’s best for the organization, what’s best for the team short term, long term,” he said, in wake of the trade and what it means for the Mets. “We want to be as good as we can possibly be. We think we can be competitive. But I don’t think this adds any additional dimension to that.”
Alderson and crew just last month were overzealous in signing a bonafide relief pitcher, even reportedly extending Bryan Shaw a multiyear deal around Thanksgiving. They have since backpedaled as the reliever awaits a longer contract than what the Mets offered him.
“We’re not going to chase players,” he said. “There are a lot of guys out there, and a lot of teams looking for relief pitching. We think there’s some values out there. And to the extent that the market gets overheated, I wouldn’t think that we’ll jump into the inferno. But we do want to improve our bullpen.”
Finally, second base, a need which is likely No. 2 on the Mets priority list, likely won’t have a resolution soon either. The team figured to take to the trade market, but Alderson acknowledged a clear hurdle.
“Our farm system right now is not brimming with prospects,” he said.
Well, Sandy. Happy hunting.
