In case you missed it yesterday, Howard Megdal wrote a must-read about the Wilpons for Capital New York. I’m not smart enough to question either side, so I will just share some of Howard’s words and encourage you strongly to read his article.
So yes, significant money is coming off the payroll this winter, just as more than $50 million did following the 2011 season. But ownership’s position makes payroll money-in/money-out a largely irrelevant question. Instead, with that principal coming due, any spending needs to happen in conjunction with, or following, JPMorgan Chase allowing it to happen. The true hurdle for ownership: saying to their creditor, We can’t pay you $320 million next June. But in the meantime, we’d like to pay Shin-Soo Choo $80 million.
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In a recent background conversation about the owner’s comments, a source close to Alderson told me they were “ridiculous,” and expressed bafflement that Wilpon had appeared to lay blame for the Mets’ lack of spending on the general manager.
“I think we all know he’s turned down more than one move,” the source said. “Not even sure what he means.”
via Mets owners blame their stinginess, bafflingly, on the general manager | Capital New York.