It looks like by the sound of things yesterday from Sandy Alderson, there will be little to no improvement made to this years team that finished in fourth place with a 77-85 record.
The GM confirmed that payroll will be in the $100 to $110 range.
That means if they sign Reyes to an annual average of $20 million dollars, they will have just $17-$27 million dollars to spend after doling out $83 million to Jason Bay ($16M), Johan Santana ($24M), Jose Reyes ($20M), David Wright ($16M), R.A. Dickey ($4.75M) and DJ Carrasco ($1.2M).
That’s just $17-27 million dollars to fill 19 roster spots…
Kick in another $12 million minimum if they intend to keep Pelfrey and Pagan and your down to $5-15 million to fill the other 17 spots on the roster. In other words – expect another lackluster hot stove season where most of the signings will be high injury risks, reclamation projects, waiver wire fodder, and plenty of excuses.
So while the Phillies and Yankees will go shopping at Macy’s and Bloomingale’s to improve and solidify their perennial division leading rosters this offseason, the Mets will once again be slumming it while playing in the same backyard as their high and mighty rivals.
We must be cursed…
Please spare me the Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona D-Backs won with less than $60 million crap. Cinderella teams always abound every year and if you’re going to use them as your shining example, first give me written evidence you picked them in March for the post-season this year.
Spending wildly is no guarantee of winning a championship, but spending wisely is and always has been.
I’m not saying we should emulate the Yankees, but for crying out loud can we at least try keeping up with the Phillies?
How could a big market team whose pitching sucked so bad not even consider a run at C.J. Wilson?
It’s embarrassing… And what will be even more embarrassing will be the numbers Pelfrey, Niese, Gee and Dickey post in a smaller Citi Field… If we weren’t the worst rotation in the league this season, we certainly will be by this time next year, although I hope to God that I am wrong.
It looks like the Mets are already set at catcher according to Adam Rubin. A team source told him our backstop tandem in 2012 will be Josh Thole (.690 OPS) and Mike Nickeas (.510 OPS). I wonder if Willie thinks we’ll be sipping the champagne with those two offensive juggernauts in the line-up?
Whose ready for all those warm and fuzzy feel-good stories about Jason Bay working hard in the offseason? Maybe we could get Kevin Burkhardt to produce a series of fireside chats with Bay this winter so we’ll have something to fill the dead air on Mets Hot Stove Weekly? I loved tuning into the Mets Hot Stove Show last year and learning that R.A. Dickey’s favorite snack food was donut holes. Hey, did you know Lucas Duda loves being a lumberjack during the offseason?
So another throw-away it will be… Sigh…
