NY Mets' Jeff Wilpon understands fans are upset; says team does have payroll flexibility

NEW YORK -- Jeff Wilpon knows Mets fans are upset.

Those who bleed blue and orange have been championing for ownership to get back to the days of spending like a big-market franchise. Instead, indications are the Opening Day budget will be less than the 2017 opening mark of roughly $155 million.

"I get where the fan perception is. It’s not something that is lost on any of us," said Wilpon, the Mets' COO. "We have a plan, and because we believe in (general manager) Sandy (Alderson) and the baseball department. We’re going to stick with that plan.”

In a rare interview with the media, Wilpon defended the team's payroll, saying the Mets have flexibility to spend. He did not make any assurances the payroll will match or exceed last year's mark, but the Mets could outspend their original offseason budget.

The current payroll is projected to be in the $135-$140 million range.

"I go off what the baseball department wants to do and where they are and what they are suggesting. The plan we’ve had the last couple of years has been a good plan and we’ve obviously signed off on it as ownership," Wilpon said at Citi Field. "Salary, we talk about as a target to start the offseason, usually goes up from there.

"I expect we’re going to be in the same positon this year as well. It might come before the season, it might come during the season. Sandy and his staff have been pretty aggressive to make changes and get the pieces we see we’re deficient in midseason.”

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The Mets' payroll has been under constant scrutiny since it noticeably dropped in the aftermath of the Bernie Madoff scandal. The Mets used to be among the top spenders in the sport, but they last finished with a top-five payroll in 2011, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. The Mets have since been in the middle or bottom tiers.

There has been extra anger from Mets fans this offseason since the team shed significant payroll off its books from last season yet has chosen not to reinvest all of the money. The Mets have actually been among the top spenders in free agency, but the team has not been linked to any of the premier free agents who are still available.

Alderson has given indications this winter that the Mets' payroll is set to decrease, and Wilpon did not rule out that possibility Tuesday. Wilpon noted that the team's budget has to account for the $20 million owed to David Wright, and attendance is a factor.

"(Payroll) doesn’t have to come down. We’re not at spring training, we’re not at Opening Day. I can’t tell you where it’s going to end up. I don’t think it always goes down," Wilpon said. "Last year, whatever number we started with, but with the good reasons Sandy and the baseball department made for the acquisitions and acquiring players, we stepped up and did that. I can’t tell you that is going to happen the same way this year. We might be at the same number as last year, might be $10 million less. It’s an on-going dialogue."

Alderson also defended the Mets' spending by noting that the Mets are the only team to sign a free agent to a deal worth at least $100 million dating back to last offseason.

The general manager also denied that he and Wilpon have disagreed on payroll.

"We’ve already spent more money than most teams this offseason. We’ve had one of the rare big, big contracts in the last couple of seasons," Alderson said. "There’s evidence there that, no, we’re not running out signing everybody, but at the same time in instances we’ve stepped up and signed players and made moves in some cases where others haven't. We’ll continue to consider those type of things in the future.”

While Mets fans will wait to see if another move is made, Wilpon is optimistic the Mets can be contenders again in 2018 -- even if they don't spend like a big-market team.

"I’d rather look at what we can do in terms of wins and losses. Being top five in payroll, I don’t think that won us a World Series," Wilpon said. "We set out to make the playoffs and do well, go deep in the playoffs, try to win the world series. Not try to be the top five in payroll."