“With unrestricted free agency set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Thursday after the five-day exclusivity period following the end of the World Series, Jose Reyes remains the primary concern for the Mets, and really their only potential big-ticket investment. If Reyes turns out to be beyond their financial reach — a very distinct possibility, given their money concerns — the Mets are unlikely to target another top-shelf free agent.”
Last month, Sandy Alderson indicated the 2012 payroll would be between $100-110 million. The Mets have approximately $67 million already committed to player salaries for 2012 (including $55 million to David Wright, Jason Bay, and Johan Santana), and that does not include money owed to players eligible for arbitration or players earning the league minimum. When it’s all said and done, they will likely be committed to around $80 million in payroll, and that is without re-signing Reyes to a multi-year deal. Add Reyes back into the mix and their payroll will likely be in the $95-$100 million range, leaving very little room in Sandy’s budget to add any new players to the roster.
At this point, the team is clearly not one player away from contending, and keeping Reyes does not transform them into a contender either. So I don’t need Sandy to make big splashes or sign expensive players just to assure me he’s dedicated to winning; I think that can be a haphazard approach and something which this franchise has recently fallen victim to. Rather, I expect Sandy to find the maximum value for the dollars he can spend this winter (and if he doesn’t retain Reyes, he has much more flexibility) all while continuing to focus on rebuilding the organization, whether that’s committing to the top of his budget or not.
It’s fairly evident Sandy is taking the approach of cutting the budget and building from within which, while it requires patience, trust and may not result in Reyes returning, might be a healthier track for him to take both from a financial and long term success perspective.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and so the Mets have to walk before they can run…
Here are other key updates about Jose over the last few days:
- Andy Martino of the Daily News says the Mets will make a modest offer to Reyes, and will let him test the free agent market.
- According to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, when talking to people in the baseball industry, “You can get six different predictions from six different folks,” on what happens to Reyes.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to five Mets execs and believes the team will offer no more than four years with an option.
- Chris Haft of MLB.com believes payroll constraints will prevent the Giants from making a serious offer to Reyes.
- Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the Phillies are unlikely to sign Reyes due to how much money it could take.
To keep track of all rumors involving Reyes, use this section on MetsBlog.com, which is always available in the tabs at the top of this site.
