Adam Rubin of ESPN New York takes an educated guess that Mets payroll in 2015 will flirt with $100 million. I’m sorry, but I can’t see that happening after weeks of the general manager himself cautioning it would remain around the same $84 million, and the team’s COO Jeff Wilpon saying we shouldn’t expect a spike.
Yes, they have to address arbitration and contractual raises just to keep payroll from climbing to about $95 million. But a snip here and a snip there and that’s not the problem it appears to be.
In the past four years, if we’ve learned anything it’s that baseball decisions take a backseat to finances and maintaining a minimum payroll still trumps anything else the team does.
Moving Bartolo Colon and his $11 million plus Daniel Murphy and his projected $8-9 million, will bring the Mets back to a more manageable (in the eyes of the Wilpons) $75 million which translates to around $10 million in payroll flexibility. And I haven’t even mentioned that one of Jon Niese or Dillon Gee will go too.
If you examine anything that both Jeff Wilpon and Sandy Alderson have said, it is their abundant use of the term, we’ll have “more flexibility” this offseason to make any necessary moves.
Flexibility does not equal payroll spike.
I’m sure the Mets will do what they can to improve the team, but it will be more akin to trading Player A so that we can clear enough payroll to add Player B. That’s what flexibility means.
Additionally, both of the head honchos have already said not to expect any significant free agent signings.
That doesn’t mean we can’t win without a significant addition, we certainly can. But what it does mean is that there will be no 6-7 year deals doled out for anyone including Cuban power prospect Yasmani Tomas.
My guess is that as long as Michael Cuddyer is willing to sign a a two-year deal, he’s at the apex of what the Mets might be able to afford this Winter.
Sure, you’ll have plenty of shills and wishful thinkers out there dreaming big, espousing all the front office talking points, or waving the owner’s propaganda banner. But the fact of the matter is that for five straight seasons this Mets regime and ownership have slashed payroll and even when they promised spending after 2013, payroll went from $95 million to $84 million.
The trick is to stop listening whenever you see Jeff and Fred’s lips moving. If you do that, you’ll be able to survive the next few months.
Remember, more flexibility does not mean more payroll.
And that’s not just an educated guess, it’s a matter of fact.
