If the Mets want to add to their payroll during the season, COO Jeff Wilpon told The Post yesterday there is still room to do it.
“Absolutely,” Wilpon said.
The Mets’ payroll isn’t fully determined yet, especially considering Ryan Church and Oliver Perez are still arbitration-eligible and haven’t had their salaries set yet. But the team is projected to be in the $140 million range for 2008, and as Wilpon noted yesterday, the line for the luxury tax is at $155 million.
With that in mind, despite paying $137.5 million to Johan Santana over the next six years, Wilpon said at yesterday’s press conference that there is room to spend more during the 2008 campaign. He has no problem committing further dollars to the team during the year if that’s what needs to be done.
“You’ve got to remember that when you make a trade midway through the season, a 10 million guy becomes 5 million. It’s not dollar for dollar if he makes it during the season,” Wilpon said.
He added, “We’re going to do what we have to do to support the team where it needs to be supported.”
Players who could potentially get moved during the year – depending in part on their team’s performance – would include Oakland starter Joe Blanton and Minnesota closer Joe Nathan.
Santana’s deal is the largest contract in Mets history, topping Carlos Beltran’s. Beltran is entering the fourth season of a seven-year $119 million deal and has an average annual value of $17 million per year. Santana will earn $18.5 million more over his six-year tenure – there is also a seventh-year option – and his average annual value is $22.9 million, more than $5 million more per season on average than Beltran.
Despite Santana’s arrival, both Billy Wagner and David Wright have said they believe the Phillies are still the NL East’s team to beat. Wilpon echoed that yesterday as well.
“The Phillies, they own the division crown. We’ve got to knock them off,” Wilpon said. “If we had won last year, we’d be the team to beat.”
*
The Post has learned the Mets have interest in Craig Wilson, someone who could serve as a righty bat and offer defensive versatility. Wilson primarily has played first base and right field in his career, but he’s also experienced in left and behind the plate.
The 31-year-old Wilson used to be a more productive hitter, with his best season coming in 2004 when he batted .264 with 29 homers and 82 RBIs for Pittsburgh. He did hit 17 homers in 2006 with both the Pirates and Yankees, but last season he batted .172 with one homer in 58 at-bats for Atlanta.