Speaking at the Winter Meetings, Mets’ CEO Jeff Wilpon said GM Sandy Alderson would have an increased budget for 2013 and the team “will be competitive.’’

What exactly he meant by that, he wouldn’t specify. Does it mean the Mets will be a playoff contender or at least a .500-caliber team? Just exactly how much will the budget be increased? When Wilpon spoke of payroll flexibility, in the wake of the commitment to David Wright, he didn’t do so in terms of actual dollars.

Alderson said the outfield pool is currently at the deep end with Shane Victorino signing a three-year, $39 million deal with Boston. I thought if the Mets splurged they might have a shot at Victorino, but I wasn’t thinking $39 million. Victorino actually turned down $44 million from Cleveland for a chance to play for a contender, and the Indians aren’t exactly a free-spending team.

Alderson said “we’ll get outfielders,’’ but what he didn’t add on was, “… we have to because the rules say we need to play with three.’’

Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Mike Baxter – left to right – is what the Mets currently have if the season started today.

Duda made a splash two years ago, but struggled badly last season; Nieuwenhuis made a good first impression in 2012 after Andres Torres was injured, but major league pitching caught up with him (those curveballs can be nasty); and Baxter is a role player who gets exposed after long bouts of playing time.

Hopefully, Duda learned something from being shipped off to the minors and he’ll have a breakout year. But, he’s never done it over a full season, so the hopes are mostly wishful thinking.

As far as Nieuwenhuis goes, he made a splash with his ability to work the count, put the ball in play and hustle. It would be asking a lot from him to develop into a fulltime leadoff hitter, assuming manager Terry Collins will place him at the top of the order.

I heard interest in Ryan Ludwick, but he’s not coming here.  Ludwick made $2 million last year while hitting 26 homers and driving in 80 runs for Cincinnati. He’ll command a hefty raise, and I’m betting the Reds will give it to him.

Speaking of hefty raises, Scott Hairston, easily the most productive outfielder the Mets had last season, should get at least two years, or one and an option, for hitting 20 homers last season. Great off the bench, his playing time gradually increased.

The Mets will need a guy like him. Hey, here’s an idea … sign him.

Now that the Mets have committed $140 million to Wright, what about the rest of the roster? Dickey is still out there, and there have been no significant additions to even suggest the Mets’ offices have been open since the end of the season.

Thoughts from Joe D.

Lets not forget Lucas Duda broke his wrist in November while moving furniture and wont begin swinging a bat for 10-12 weeks assuming it sets properly and no setbacks.

Alderson said it best when he told reporters yesterday that as of right now the team doesn’t have enough players to field a regulation outfield. No shish kabobs, big guy…

The Mets now have about $21 million to spend on free agents after David Wright was nice enough to chip in $8 million dollars of flexibility But the Mets have been gun-shy to pull a trigger on anything believing that the longer they wait the better things will somehow get for them.

Meanwhile several solid options have already come off the board. Melky Cabrera ($8MM annually), Torii Hunter ($13MM annually), Angel Pagan ($10MM annually), Nate McLouth ($2MM annually), Shane Victorino ($13MM annually), B.J. Upton ($15MM annually) are already gone as free agents. The Phillies just traded for Ben Revere, and Justin Upton will be in a new uniform before the weekend.

Where were the Mets on any of these?

I’m betting Sandy Alderson has Andres Torres on speed dial… I’m dead serious…