ORLANDO, Fla. — Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, here at the baseball general managers’/owners’ meetings Wednesday morning, described the current free-agent market as “a little scary,” though he said such fear would not preclude the Mets from adding some much-needed talent to their roster.
“It’s definitely a little scary,” Wilpon said, referring to the asking prices of players. “I don’t think it dissuades anybody. They’re just numbers right now that people are asking for. It doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.”
Wilpon mentioned the Mets could make progress on a transactional front later Wednesday, though he wouldn’t shed any further light on it.
However, the few done deals — the Phillies’ two-year, $16-million investment in free agent (and former Met) Marlon Byrd on Tuesday and the Giants’ earlier five-year, $90-million commitment to keep Hunter Pence out of free agency — bode very well for the players.
Wilpon said the Mets have held extensive meetings with clubs and agents and even one free-agent player, without identifying the player.
Asked whether he would like to make a transaction soon, Wilpon said, “It would be great to do that. Go talk to the agent that’s representing the player. Go talk to the other GM that’s representing the trade stuff. And if it works out, great, it works out. We’re open for business.
“They’re trying to do something,” Wilpon said of his front office. “There’s, I’d say, 3, 4, 5 different balls in the air. And we’ll see which one lands first.”
The Mets are looking to acquire a shortstop, at least one outfielder and a starting pitcher. They also want to deal from their surplus of first basemen, with either Ike Davis or Lucas Duda likely to head elsewhere.
Wilpon added when it comes to the team’s budget, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson “leaves a little in his back pocket. I leave some in my back pocket as well.”